Investment Commentary – October 22, 2014 Dow – 16,614.81 (10/21/14 close) S&P 500 -1,941.28 (10/21/14 close) 10-year Treasury – 2.21% (10/21/14 close) Stocks recouped some of their losses since last Friday after the recent market selloff. Volatility as measured by the VIX index traded at its highest level since December 2011 and equity markets experienced [...]
Investment Commentary – October 14, 2014 Dow – 16,315.19 (10/14/14 close) S&P 500 – 1,877.70 (10/14/14 close) 10-year Treasury – 2.21% (10/14/14 close) · The S&P 500 index has lost 6.6% since its September 18th record closing high and is now up just 1.6% for the year, while the Dow is down 1.6% since December [...]
Investment Commentary – October 7, 2014 Dow – 16,719.39 (10/7/14 close) S&P 500 – 1,935.10 (10/7/14) 10-year Treasury – 2.35% (10/7/14 close) · After August’s disappointing employment numbers, the September employment report was a sigh of relief for the market, showing that the weakness was probably a blip. The September unemployment rate dropped to 5.9% [...]
Investment Commentary – October 1, 2014 Dow – 16,804.71 (10/1/14 close) S&P 500 – 1946.16 (10/1/14 close) 10-year Treasury – 2.40% (10/1/14 close) Last week stocks suffered their worst pullback since the summer. Analysts do not believe the pullback reflects a fundamental shift in market conditions, but it does point to 3 important lessons to [...]
Investment Commentary – September 24, 2014 Dow – 17,089.88 (9/23/14 close) (+3.09% as of 9/23/14) S&P 500 – 1,982.77 (9/23/14 close) (+7.25% as of 9/23/14) 10-year Treasury – 2.54% (9/23/14 close) August new home sales surged, rising more than 18% to the highest level in more than 6 years, the Census Bureau reported [...]
Investment Commentary – September 17, 2014 Dow – 17,156.92 (9/17 close) S&P 500 – 2,001.57 (9/17 close) 10-year Treasury – 2.60% (9/17 close) · Stocks jumped higher today and the Dow hit a new record high after the Fed reaffirmed that a key short-term interest rate will stay near zero for a “considerable time” after [...]
Investment Commentary – September 10, 2014 Dow – 17,068.71 (9/10/14 close) S&P 500 – 1995.69 (9/10/14) 10-year Treasury – 2.53% (9/10/14) In August, the U.S. economy created 142,000 net new jobs, well below what economists and analysts expected and the weakest number this year. However, analysts believe the modest report was mostly a reflection of [...]
Investment Commentary – September 3, 2014 Dow – 17,078.28 (9/3/14 close) S&P 500 – 2,000.72 (9/3/14) 10-year Treasury – 2.41% (9/3/14 close) · Stocks advanced last week, leaving equities significantly higher in August. · Analysts think stocks can trend higher as we enter the fall but with more volatility. · Still, a strengthening economy, low [...]
Investment Commentary – August 26, 2014 Dow -17,076.87 (8/25/14) S&P 500 – 1,997.92 (8/25/14 close) 10-year Treasury – 2.39% (8/25/14) · The S&P 500 set its 28th record close of the year last Thursday, building on a powerful bull run that began more than 5 years ago. · The stock market continues to wrestle with [...]
Investment Commentary – August 19, 2014 Dow – 16,838.74 (8/18/14 close) S&P 500 – 1,971.74 (8/18/14 close) 10-year Treasury – 2.39% (8/18/14 close) U.S. housing starts and building permits rebounded strongly in July, suggesting the housing market recovery was back on track after stalling in the 2nd half of last year. Groundbreaking surged 15.7% to [...]