April 27th Weekly Market Update The latest data releases pointing to weak U.S. new home sales and manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) have investors guessing about the possible messaging coming out of this week’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC)...
Topics That Impact the Stock Market
SIZING UP SMALL CAPS
(April 20th Weekly Market Update Small caps have had a very strong start to 2015. The small cap Russell 2000 Index hit a fresh all-time high last week (on tax day, April 15, 2015) and has outpaced large caps by 205 basis points (2.05%) year to date. This year’s...
CHINA: NEW YEAR, NEW OPPORTUNITY?
April 13th Weekly Market Update China will release its first quarter 2015 gross domestic product (GDP) report this week on April 14, 2015, with the market expecting a 7% year over-year increase. Regardless of whether China hits that target, its stock market has...
EARNINGS RECESSION?
April 6th Weekly Market Update Earnings season kicks off this week (April 6 – 10) with Alcoa set to report first quarter 2015 earnings on Wednesday, April 8. This earnings season has received a great deal of attention in recent weeks because it may produce the first...
MARKET’S MARCH MADNESS
March 30th Weekly Market Update The Final Four of the 2015 NCAA College Basketball Tournament is set with Kentucky, Wisconsin, Duke, and Michigan State headed to Indianapolis to determine this year’s college hoops champion. In that spirit, we share our own Final Four...
THE DOLLAR’S RIPPLE EFFECT
March 23rd Weekly Market Update In technical analysis, “intermarket analysis” looks at the way in which various markets interact. Intermarket analysis primarily looks at four market sectors: currencies, commodities, bonds, and stocks. From a technical analyst’s...
DOLLAR STRENGTH IS A SYMPTOM, NOT A CAUSE
March 16th Weekly Market Update The massive U.S. dollar rally has wide-ranging impacts. It hurts international stock returns generated in foreign currencies. It influences global trade and the flow of investment dollars. A strong dollar hurts corporate earnings by...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BULL MARKET
March 9th Weekly Market Update The current bull market, one of the most powerful in the S&P 500’s history, celebrates its sixth birthday today, March 9, 2015. The S&P 500 has more than tripled since the financial crisis closing low on March 9, 2009 (the index...
ARE EXPECTATIONS TOO HIGH?
February 23rd Weekly Market Update Thanks to some help from the Greece agreement reached last Friday, the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrials Average ended last week at new record highs, while the NASDAQ has moved to within 50 points of the 5000 milestone. The...
ENERGY SECTOR OUTLOOK: WHAT WE ARE WATCHING
February 16th Weekly Market Update No sector is getting more attention right now than energy. Market participants are attracted to the potential upside after both oil and the energy sector suffered substantial declines in recent months. Many see the sector as cheap,...