The S&P 500 index managed a modest gain of 0.5% in May on muted volatility. Inflation continues to dominate headlines as several commodities reached all-time highs and consumer price indices saw their largest spikes in decades. The major central banks of the world continue to view recent inflation as transitory. The Federal Reserve is willing […]
Continue Reading ›April 2021 Economic Dashboard
The S&P 500 advanced 5% in April as treasury yields stabilized following a significant run-up in the first quarter. First quarter GDP results were released at the end of April, showing 6.4% real growth and 10.7% nominal growth, annualized. Retail sales and goods consumption soared in March as more stimulus boosted personal incomes. The wave […]
Continue Reading ›March 2021 Economic Dashboard
The first quarter of 2021 featured vaccinations and falling COVID cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. Enthusiasm for a reopening and more fiscal stimulus raised expectations for US economic growth. As investor optimism improved over the quarter, a change in performance leadership – “rotation” – accelerated. Cyclical industries, which tend to perform well in a strong economy, […]
Continue Reading ›February 2021 Economic Dashboard
February marked an acceleration of investor optimism for a strengthening economy. Amidst the backdrop of falling COVID cases, vaccination progress, and House passage of a $1.9 Trillion stimulus bill, the S&P 500 index rose 2.6% for the month. Cyclical sectors like energy, financials, and industrials led the market. Perhaps more encouraging for the economy, is […]
Continue Reading ›January 2021 Economic Dashboard
By now, many have heard of the recent drama surrounding GameStop, AMC, and several other stocks making huge moves in the last week. GameStop shares traded from $61 to $483 in the final week of January. Media coverage has been unclear and generally failed to explain some of the underlying dynamics at work, so we […]
Continue Reading ›December 2020 Economic Dashboard
2020 was a year no one could make up. As the year ends, what are investors looking towards in 2021? All hinges on the speed and success of Operation Warp Speed’s vaccination efforts. It will probably take most of 2021 to roll out the vaccine to nearly all adults but giving priority to elderly and […]
Continue Reading ›November 2020 Economic Dashboard
As the stock market climbs to new all-time highs, a little noticed trend has emerged in the longer maturities of the Treasury market. Interest rates for the 10-year Treasury bottomed at 0.50% on August 6 and climbed to 0.98% on November 9 with the announcement of the first COVID-19 vaccine trial results. 10-year yields are […]
Continue Reading ›February 2019 Economic Dashboard
The bear market in US stocks that occurred in the fourth quarter of 2018 was triggered by a fear that the Federal Reserve would keep increasing interest rates to fight off incipient inflation pressures building in the US economy. Given the incredible US jobs growth machine, spanning 100 straight months of gains and counting, better […]
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