Latest News

Nikkei plunge creates shockwaves at home

August 11, 2024

All three major US stock market indices were down last week. More than likely, Monday’s 12.4% plunge in Japan’s Nikkei spurred shockwaves in the US.

Unemployment rate spooks stock market

August 4, 2024

At this juncture, there’s no question that the Federal Reserve’s eleven rate hikes from March 17, 2022 through July 26, 2023 have taken effect in slowing the US economy. Friday’s reported unemployment rate increased to 4.3%, causing interest rates on the 10-year US Treasury Note to plunge from 4.19% last week to 3.79%.

2Q earnings results weigh on markets

July 28, 2024

For the second week in a row, the three major US stock market indices posted mixed results. Lower 2Q2024 earnings were largely to blame for stocks that pulled back.

Big glitch, mixed markets

July 21, 2024

The big news come Friday wasn’t a tech-bubble burst or election campaign scene. It was a software update glitch that took down everything from airlines to credit card companies…as well as the US markets!

Not “if” but “when!”

July 14, 2024

Post July 4th holiday celebrations, a couple things became clearer:

1. The economy is slowing; and

2. Fed Chair Powell intonated when interest rates may decrease.

All quiet on the stock market front

June 30, 2024

It was a quiet week on the stock market market front ahead of July 4th. It was also a quiet week for economic reporting, leaving Nvidia performance—down >2% last week but up 149% year-to-date—as the main market catalyst.

Is it just me, or did the market slow?

June 23, 2024

Although all three of the major US stock market indices produced slight gains last week and the S&P 500 breached a new high, it felt as though market momentum slowed!

The interest rate cuts are coming! Or are they?

June 16, 2024

Like Paul Revere’s famous warning, “The British are coming!,” many economists have been proclaiming, “The interest rate cuts are coming!” The US stock market certainly thinks so as both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq indices hit fresh highs again last week.

What comes first — economic or stock market performance?

June 9, 2024

Is the stock market fueling the economy or vice versa? The May unemployment rate rose slightly to 4%, the highest level in 2 years. Yet the jobs market and overall economy seem to be holding steady. And check out stock market performance!

Mixed results for markets on shortened holiday week

June 2, 2024

The four-day returns on the major US stock market indices were mixed for the Memorial Day holiday week. Top of mind continues to be the economy’s stubborn resistance to slow down, causing the Federal Reserve to consider higher interest rates for even longer.