Published May 17, 2019
This week was a perfect example of the current market environment. Monday’s plunge in the stock market continued the market’s negative reaction to recent trade talk news, as talks with China looked to experience a serious setback. (more…)
Published May 10, 2019
After weeks of calm, stocks were rattled this week as the expected trade agreement between the U.S. and China appeared to encounter serious pressure. Entering the month of May, the Trump Administration was encouraging investors with comments that the agreement was in the “final laps” with “productive” meetings being held. However, this week the tone out of the Administration changed dramatically. (more…)
Published May 3, 2019
Recent headlines tell us the “stock market” has returned to record high levels. We put that in quotes because closer observers of the broader universe of stocks will tell you that it’s predominantly the larger companies whose stocks have moved higher. The indexes of midcap and smallcap companies remain well below their highs of last September. (more…)
Published April 26, 2019
As much as commentators try to explain stock price fluctuations in terms of economics, earnings, and other fundamental drivers, there is an equal helping of pure human emotion involved – the “fear and greed” factor. (more…)
Published April 19, 2019
Stock markets outside the U.S. have joined U.S. stocks in bouncing back strongly since Christmas Eve (see chart below). However, as the following commentary from Schwab discusses, there are reasons for concern about this rally. (more…)
Published April 12, 2019
Below is a recent market and economic commentary from the folks at Schwab. As with many of their comments this year, they remain quite cautious on the stock market despite its run higher. Here, they explain what they see that causes them some pause: (more…)
Published April 5, 2019
Markets have very quickly put behind them the whole inverted yield curve fear. It lasted all of a couple of days. The cold water was poured on that fear when Chinese manufacturing posted a surprisingly high reading, reversing months of declines. (more…)
Published March 29, 2019
After a Fall 2018 stock market slide and early 2019 rebound, investors are trying to determine what happens next. Weakening global growth along with the uncertainty around Brexit and trade tariffs have been sources of market concern. In the midst of those uncertainties, the money policy of the Federal Reserve has done a complete about-face in a handful of months, shifting from raising rates to potentially reducing them. (more…)
Published March 15, 2019
This week the stock market appears to have passed the first test of the strong rebound. The chart below tracks the market over the past two years from the hefty uptrend of 2017 through the turbulence of 2018. (more…)
Published March 8, 2019
After a 10-week rebound since the Christmas Eve bust, stock bulls have paused to take a break. They’ve done so right at 2800 on the S&P 500 and, coincidentally(?), just after recovering that December swoon (and hardly a penny more). In other words, the fear that gripped markets in December proved unfounded in January/February. We are now back to considering the first market drop in October that kick-started an ugly period for stocks and many calls of a new bear market. Will stocks recover the October decline as well? (more…)
