In the first seven trading days of 2019, the S&P 500 returned 3.6%, its 12th best start on record since 1928 and best since 2003. Also, the S&P MidCap 400 and S&P SmallCap 600 surpassed large caps by posting their best gains ever to start a year. Lastly, more than half the segments by sector, size Read more […]
Recent anxiety about an imminent recession sparked discussion of inverted yield curves and falling long term interest rates, The slope of the yield curve – the difference between the yield on the five or 10 year treasury note and a short term instrument like three month T-bills – may signal a recession. The chart shows Read more […]
The S&P 500 lost 9.2% in its second worst December on record – only behind December 1931 when the index lost 14.5%. However, the widespread losses across sectors, styles and sizes in the broad U.S. equity market was remarkable with every major segment down in December. Only 9 times in history has every segment of the Read more […]
Does this describe 2018? This perhaps? What about this? Let’s be frank: the markets took a bit of a beating this year. In contrast to the tremendous performance of last year, 2018 was markedly less enjoyable or serene: At the Close – the DJIA ends an ugly year on a positive note; the last session Read more […]
As the year comes to a close with just two trading days left of the second worst December on record since 1931 for the S&P 500, it may be hard to remember the relatively calm rise before the volatile downturn took over. Though there is not an official bear market yet, there was a 19.8% Read more […]
While many investors are concerned about the fact that benchmark indexes for major investment classes are down year-to date, more investors are using S&P 500® options for goals related to risk management and income enhancement. On December 20 open interest for Cboe S&P 500 (SPX(SM) and SPXW) options surpassed 21 million for the first time Read more […]
Inspired, or worried, by the stock market there is more and more talk of a recession in 2019. To look past the usual comment that the stock market predicted nine of the last five recessions, a short list of positive and negative signals: Why There Won’t be an Early Recession Economy has momentum, growing faster Read more […]
The entire U.S, equity market lost on Monday, Dec. 17, 2018, meaning every one of the 42 segments by size, sector and style finished negative for the day. This was the second day in a row with losses across the board. From Oct. 10-11, 2018 was the last time two consecutive days with all losses Read more […]
In November, there was high market volatility in response to at least a few major events including the U.S. midterm elections, Brexit, G20 and Fed Chair Powell’s comments. The risk (measured by 30-day annualized volatility) on Nov. 30, 2018 for the S&P 500 was 20.6%, which is 3.5 times higher than its risk of 5.9% Read more […]
One of the main recent headlines has been the strength of the UK pound from the proposed Brexit transition. This brings into question how investors in the UK and Europe may possibly position themselves in the U.S. equity market. Notice in the past five days, the USD to GBP started from a high of 1.305 Read more […]