The Markets (as of market close May 4, 2018) Despite a closing rally last Friday, large caps closed the week down from the prior week. The tech-heavy Nasdaq and the small caps of the Russell 2000 fared better, up 1.26% and 0.60%, respectively. The jobs report sent mixed messages to investors, with the lowest unemployment [...]
What are some tips for creating a budget and sticking to it? It's a common problem for many individuals — wondering exactly where your paycheck goes each month. After paying expenses, such as your mortgage, utilities, and credit card bills, you may find little left to put toward anything else. Creating a budget is the [...]
The Markets (as of market close April 27, 2018) An avalanche of corporate earnings reports impacted the market last week. Unfortunately, there were enough lackluster corporate earnings statements to prompt investors to exercise caution, resulting in a relatively flat week for equities. The Dow fell the most — over 0.5% — while the S&P 500 [...]
The Markets (as of market close April 20, 2018) Favorable first-quarter earnings reports helped push stocks higher for the second consecutive week. Led by the small caps of the Russell 2000, each of the benchmark indexes listed here posted gains by the end of last week. The energy sector continued to post strong returns, boosted [...]
The Markets (as of market close April 6, 2018) In likely reaction to the potential trade war with China, stocks fell last week, stripping away the previous week's gains. Last week, China responded to the Trump administration's proposal to increase tariffs on Chinese goods by announcing that it would impose 25% tariffs on several American [...]
The Markets (as of market close March 29, 2018) The first quarter of 2018 began as the fourth quarter of 2017 ended: with strong market gains. The Nasdaq led the way by the end of January, posting a monthly increase of almost 7.40%, followed by the large caps of the Dow (5.79%) and the S&P [...]
The Markets (as of market close March 29, 2018) Each of the benchmark indexes listed here posted weekly gains last week, as stocks recovered from the prior week's steep losses. The S&P 500 and Dow posted returns exceeding 2.0%, respectively, followed by the Russell 2000 and the Nasdaq. While many of the markets were closed [...]
The Markets (as of market close March 23, 2018) Volatility is the catchword when describing the market lately. Investors had better buckle up for a bumpy ride from here on, at least according to indications from the Chicago Board Options Exchange (Cboe) Volatility Index®, which attempts to provide a forward-looking expectation of price fluctuation in [...]
The Markets (as of market close March 16, 2018) Market volatility has been fueled by investor concerns of accelerating inflation. However, last week's Consumer Price Index, retail sales, and Producer Price Index reports showed inflationary trends in February were subdued. Nevertheless, stocks posted weekly losses, possibly resulting from investor fears that the administration's trade policy [...]
The Markets (as of market close March 9, 2018) Last week's jobs report appears to have quelled investor fears, at least for the time being. Each of the indexes listed here posted impressive weekly gains, led by the tech-heavy Nasdaq and the small-cap Russell 2000, each of which gained over 4.0%. While the February employment [...]
