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Featured Article: Economic Normalization Near?
Economic Calendar
Quote of the Week
Recipe of the Week: Celebration Chocolate Cupcakes
Tax Tips
Golf Tips
Healthy Lifestyle
Green Living
Economic Normalization Near?
Stock prices ended the week slightly lower, despite news of positive results from a test trial of a COVID-19 drug treatment and several states easing their economic lockdowns.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.22%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 lost 0.21%. The Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 0.34%. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed stock markets overseas, rose 4.34%.
Investors were emboldened last week by two significant developments: a quickening in the pace of state re-openings and positive results from a clinical trial of pandemic treatment. These developments turned investor focus toward…
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Featured Article: Markets React to Oil Prices
Economic Calendar
Quote of the Week
Recipe of the Week: Classic Tomato and Bread Soup
Tax Tips
Golf Tips
Healthy Lifestyle
Green Living
Markets React to Oil Prices
Stock prices bounced around last week as investors reacted to wild swings in the price of oil and reports that called into question the efficacy of two potential virus treatments.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average retreated 1.93%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 lost 1.32%. The Nasdaq Composite Index slipped 0.18%. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, declined 1.21%.
Stocks opened the new week lower on the heels of a plunge in oil prices that saw the May oil futures contract fall into negative territory. While negative prices were largely reflective of technical issues associated with trading the…
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Featured Article: First Post-COVID-19 Data Arrives
Economic Calendar
Quote of the Week
Recipe of the Week: Marinated Beef Kebabs
Tax Tips
Golf Tips
Healthy Lifestyle
Green Living
First Post-COVID-19 Data Arrives
Stock prices pushed higher last week as news of a White House plan to reopen the economy and reports of a potential COVID-19 treatment helped the market overcome weak economic data and an ugly start to the corporate earnings season.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 2.21%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 advanced 3.04%. The Nasdaq Composite Index gained 6.09% for the week. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, slumped 1.75%.
Until last week, the extent of the economic damage from COVID-19 lacked a lot of hard data. With the release of…
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Featured Article: Markets Rally
Economic Calendar
Quote of the Week
Recipe of the Week: Seared Scallops
Tax Tips
Golf Tips
Healthy Lifestyle
Green Living
Markets Rally
The stock market staged a broad rally this week, buoyed by the prospect that COVID-19’s grip on the nation may be easing and news of another Federal Reserve program to help stabilize businesses.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 12.67%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 climbed 12.10%. The Nasdaq Composite Index rose 10.59% for the week. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, advanced 6.32%.
Market sentiment took a more hopeful turn on news of an apparent peaking of cases in Italy and New York State. Investors also welcomed comments by Dr. Anthony Fauci that the start of a…
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Featured Article: Special Update: Quarterly Report
Economic Calendar
Quote of the Week
Recipe of the Week: Mozzarella Party Skewers
Tax Tips
Golf Tips
Healthy Lifestyle
Green Living
Special Update: Quarterly Report
Modest declines in stock prices this week masked the volatile inter- and intraday price swings as investors digested poor economic data and a warning from the president that the worst days of the COVID-19 pandemic may still lie ahead. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 2.70%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 dropped 2.08%. The Nasdaq Composite Index declined 1.72%. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, slid 2.76%.
The spread of COVID-19 sent stocks tumbling in the first quarter as health and economic costs of the pandemic began to mount. Stocks remained under pressure, despite the Federal Reserve’s lowering of short-term interest rates and the government’s stimulus efforts through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) Act. The DJIA sank 23.2% and the S&P 500 dropped 20% on the quarter. The COVID-19-related volatility in the market has left all but a handful of sectors in a prolonged period of uncertainty. With millions of Americans staying at home in an effort to “flatten the curve” of COVID-19’s impact on people, businesses are coping with closing for the duration, altering practices, or facing staffing issues.
The oil market dominated the commodities headlines during the first quarter. The failure of Russia to join Saudi Arabia in supporting…
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Featured Article: Congress Approves Stimulus
Economic Calendar
Quote of the Week
Recipe of the Week: Violet’s Blueberry Cake
Tax Tips
Golf Tips
Healthy Lifestyle
Green Living
Congress Approves Stimulus
An open-ended commitment by the Federal Reserve to support American businesses and capital markets along with the passage of a $2 trillion aid package improved investor sentiment and drove a strong rally in stock prices.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 12.84%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 gained 10.26%. The Nasdaq Composite index rose 9.05% for the week. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, increased by 12.03%.
A stunning string of Federal Reserve initiatives and the passage of a $2 trillion aid bill buoyed stocks this week, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average jumping by over 11% on Tuesday, its best day since 1933. Stocks continued to strengthen the following day, registering their first…
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Featured Article: More Coronavirus Volatility
Economic Calendar
Quote of the Week
Recipe of the Week: Lemon Pound Cake
Tax Tips
Golf Tips
Healthy Lifestyle
Green Living
More Coronavirus Volatility
The stock market suffered through another volatile week as it wrestled with the health and economic fallout of the domestic spread of the coronavirus. Swift and decisive actions by the Federal Reserve and policy responses from the federal government did not keep stocks from recording losses for the week.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average slumped 17.3%, while the Standard & Poor 500 lost 14.98%. The Nasdaq Composite index declined 12.64% for the week. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, fell 6.64%.
The stock market continued its retreat amid fears of a darkening economic impact from the coronavirus pandemic. Despite a Sunday night announcement by the Federal Reserve that it was cutting its…
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Featured Article: Volatility Continues
Economic Calendar
Quote of the Week
Recipe of the Week: Cinnamon Rolls
Tax Tips
Golf Tips
Healthy Lifestyle
Green Living
Volatility Continues
Markets remained exceptionally volatile, buffeted by the spreading impact of coronavirus, uncertain responses from federal policymakers, and the sudden drop in oil prices.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 10.36%, while the S&P 500 declined 8.79%. The Nasdaq Composite index slid 8.18% for the week. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, dropped 17.75%.
A dispute between Saudi Arabia and Russia over oil production cuts, mounting fears of the coronavirus, the declaration of the COVID-19 as a global pandemic by the World Health Organization, and the news of a travel ban from…
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Featured Article: Rallies and Retreats
Economic Calendar
Quote of the Week
Recipe of the Week: Knockout Spicy Chicken Strips
Tax Tips
Golf Tips
Healthy Lifestyle
Green Living
Rallies and Retreats
Heightened coronavirus fears, falling yields, and Super Tuesday primary results sent stocks on a rollercoaster ride of sharp price swings, leaving stocks marginally higher for the week.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average improved 1.79%; the S&P 500, 0.61%; the Nasdaq Composite, 0.10%. Outside the U.S., developed equity markets tracked by the MSCI EAFE Index rose 2.60%.
Wednesday morning, the Federal Reserve lowered its short-term interest rate by 0.5% to a range of 1.00%-1.25%, making its biggest cut since 2008. Addressing the media, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said…
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Featured Article: The Virus Becomes the Focus
Economic Calendar
Quote of the Week
Recipe of the Week: Curry in a Hurry
Tax Tips
Golf Tips
Healthy Lifestyle
Green Living
The Virus Becomes the Focus
Stocks fell sharply last week as Wall Street considered how the coronavirus outbreak might influence global business activity and household spending.
The selloff became a correction for the U.S. markets. The S&P 500 retreated 11.49%; the Dow Jones Industrial Average, 12.36%; the Nasdaq Composite, 10.54%. The MSCI EAFE, tracking developed stock markets outside North America, had fallen 6.75% week-over-week by Friday’s closing bell.
On Friday afternoon, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell stated that central bank officials were willing to…