Weekly Economic Updates

The Markets (as of market close January 13, 2022) Stocks advanced for the second week in a row to kick off 2023. Traders were encouraged by inflation data that showed prices slid lower in December. The interest-rate-sensitive Nasdaq posted gains… Read More

The Markets (as of market close January 6, 2022) Last Friday’s rally helped drive stocks higher to end the first full week of January. Traders apparently saw a deceleration in November and December average hourly earnings (see jobs report below)… Read More

The Markets (as of market close December 30, 2022) A late-week surge in dip buying wasn’t enough to save stocks from closing the last week of 2022 in the red. Only the Russell 2000 and the Global Dow managed to… Read More

The Markets (as of market close December 23, 2022) Stocks ended a turbulent week generally lower as traders digested the latest inflation data and the Federal Reserve’s possible response. Of the major benchmark indexes, only the Dow and the Global… Read More

The Markets (as of market close December 16, 2022) Wall Street saw stocks end last week lower as traders worried that the Federal Reserve’s push to slow rising inflation may lead the economy into a recession. Early in the week,… Read More

The Markets (as of market close December 9, 2022) Stocks couldn’t maintain momentum from the previous two weeks, ultimately closing last week in the red. The small caps of the Russell 2000 gave back over 5.0%, while the Nasdaq dropped… Read More

The Markets (as of market close December 2, 2022) Wall Street extended its rally for the second consecutive week all major stock market benchmark indexes posted gains. As is most often the case lately, the market experienced plenty of volatility… Read More

The Markets (as of market close November 25, 2022) Wall Street ended the Thanksgiving week ahead of where it began, as the major benchmark stock indexes posted solid gains during a week of light trading. The Global Dow led the… Read More

The Markets (as of market close November 18, 2022) Stocks fell last week following warnings from several Federal Reserve officials that more policy tightening was to come. All major benchmark indexes closed the week lower after enjoying solid gains the… Read More

The Markets (as of market close November 11, 2022) Stocks rebounded from a sluggish start to close higher last week. Traders continued to rally behind equities on the hope that last week’s soft inflation data will prompt the Federal Reserve… Read More

The Markets (as of market close November 4, 2022) Despite a late-week rally, stocks closed lower last week. Traders continued to try to assess the plethora of mixed data and its impact on the economy. Inflation continued to rise, and… Read More

The Markets (as of market close October 28, 2022) Wall Street continued its weekly rally last week, with all the major benchmark stock indexes posting solid gains. Traders focused on positive earnings reports from major megacap technology and communication companies… Read More

The Markets (as of market close October 21, 2022) Wall Street enjoyed a notable surge last week, as traders clung to hopes the Federal Reserve may consider scaling back its aggressive policy stance against rising inflation. A report last Friday… Read More

The Markets (as of market close October 14, 2022) Wall Street closed generally lower last week, with only the Dow gaining. The latest data showed inflation is rising, which could lead to more hawkish rate hikes from the Federal Reserve…. Read More

The Markets (as of market close October 7, 2022) Market gains early last week were enough to outpace declines later, as stocks enjoyed their best weekly gains in a month. The Russell 2000, the Dow, and the Global Dow paced… Read More

The Markets (as of market close September 30, 2022) Wall Street ended a very tepid month of September on a downswing. Each of the major benchmark indexes lost value last week, as traders continued to worry about the impact the… Read More

The Markets (as of market close September 23, 2022) Traders endured their second harrowing week in a row as the Federal Reserve continued to raise interest rates aggressively to combat inflation. New signs of slowing global growth and Russia’s threats… Read More

The Markets (as of market close September 16, 2022) Inflation is still rising, albeit at a slower pace, according to the latest data out last week. This will likely support further interest rate increases from the Federal Reserve and worries… Read More

The Markets (as of market close September 9, 2022) Are investors accepting the Federal Reserve’s hawkish path to reduce inflation? Last week’s market performance may lend credence to that possibility, as each of the benchmark stock indexes posted solid gains,… Read More

The Markets (as of market close September 2, 2022) Equities suffered losses for the third consecutive week, as traders anticipated continued aggressive moves by the Federal Reserve to combat inflation. The S&P 500 extended its longest losing streak since mid-June…. Read More

The Markets (as of market close August 26, 2022) Despite evidence that inflation may be slowing, the central bank is committed to fighting inflation, according to last Friday’s speech from the Federal Reserve. Wall Street may have held out hope… Read More

The Markets (as of market close August 19, 2022) The four-week rally for stocks came to an end last week. Traders turned cautious after Fed officials continued to support more interest-rate hikes. All major benchmark indexes lost ground, with the… Read More

The Markets (as of market close August 12, 2022) The stock market posted its fourth straight weekly advance, the longest consecutive weekly rally of 2022. Investors turned to stocks on the premise that the Federal Reserve may reduce the pace… Read More

The Markets (as of market close August 5, 2022) Stocks closed last week generally higher. A surprisingly strong labor report for July helped alleviate recession fears, but opened the door to more interest-rate hikes from the Federal Reserve as it… Read More

The Markets (as of market close July 29nd, 2022) Positive economic news and corporate earnings data helped drive stocks higher last week. Although the Federal Reserve hiked interest rates another 75 basis points, investors may expect subsequent rate increases to… Read More

The Markets (as of market close July 22nd, 2022) Stocks ended last week in the black, with the market posting its best week in a month. Despite a late-week decline, all the major stock benchmark indexes posted solid weekly gains,… Read More

The Markets (as of market close July 15th, 2022) Despite a late-week rally, stocks ended last week lower. A strong retail sales report for June showed continued economic strength, even in the face of rising inflation and concerns over an… Read More

The Markets (as of market close July 8th, 2022) Last Friday’s strong jobs report seems to have alleviated fears of a recession for the time being, but it also likely supported a more aggressive response from the Federal Reserve as… Read More

The Markets (as of market close July 5th, 2022) Despite an end-of-week surge, stocks closed last week lower. Recession fears resulted in traders moving to bonds, driving prices higher and yields lower. As another round of corporate earnings reports nears,… Read More

The Markets (as of market close June 24th, 2022) The stock and bond markets were closed last Monday to observe the federal holiday. Then, after three weeks of losses, stocks rebounded over the next four days to deliver solid gains…. Read More

The Markets (as of market close June 17th, 2022) Last week was again marked by volatility. Stocks experienced brief rallies throughout the week, but not enough to overcome corresponding troughs that ultimately brought the major benchmark indexes lower. The Federal… Read More

The Markets (as of market close June 10th, 2022) U.S. stocks lost ground last week, and Treasury yields rose by 20 basis points as inflation continued to push higher, which means bonds went down as well. The benchmark indexes declined,… Read More

The Markets (as of market close June 3rd, 2022) Investors swallowed modest losses last week as the stock market served up another disappointing performance. Benchmark indexes lost value, with the S&P 500 declining 1.2%, the Nasdaq pulling back 1.0%, and… Read More

The Markets (as of market close May 27th, 2022) Stocks closed higher last week. More upbeat corporate news and favorable economic data helped quell investor angst. The S&P 500 posted its best week since November 2020 and is headed for… Read More

The Markets (as of market close May 20th, 2022) In another volatile week of trading, stocks fell for the seventh consecutive week. A late-day surge last Friday kept the S&P 500 out of bear territory, but not enough to keep… Read More

The Markets (as of market close May 13th, 2022) Despite a late-week rally, stocks closed last week lower, extending the market’s streak of losses to six consecutive weeks. In what proved to be a choppy week of trading, all the… Read More

The Markets (as of market close May 6th, 2022) Stocks ended last week lower, marking the fifth consecutive week of losses. Despite suggestions from Federal Reserve Chairman that the central bank is not likely to raise interest rates by 75… Read More

The Markets (as of market close April 29, 2022) The markets seemed to react with some fear last week. The major indexes fell, with about 90% of S&P 500 stocks losing ground and every major market sector closing in the… Read More

The Markets (as of market close April 22, 2022) Wall Street closed lower last week as investors weighed mixed earnings data against increased certainty of aggressive interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve. It was the third straight week of… Read More

The Markets (as of market close April 14, 2022) Stocks ended last week mostly lower. Each of the benchmark indexes closed down during the holiday-shortened week, as Wall Street was closed in observance of Good Friday. Tech shares slid lower,… Read More

The Markets (as of market close April 8, 2022) Stocks started the week strong but lost value overall last week as the major benchmark stock indexes finished lower. The Nasdaq and the Russell 2000 were hit the hardest, followed by… Read More

The Markets (as of market close April 1, 2022) Stocks closed generally higher last week, with only the Dow failing to post a gain. As has been the case since the end of February, investors have had to weigh the… Read More

The Markets (as of market close March 25, 2022) Wall Street closed higher for the second consecutive week. The tech-heavy Nasdaq led the gainers, followed by the S&P 500, the Global Dow, and the Dow. The small caps of the… Read More

The Markets (as of market close March 18, 2022) Wall Street rebounded last week, enjoying its best weekly performance since November 2020. The Nasdaq advanced more than 8.0% as tech shares climbed higher. The S&P 500 rose more than 6.0%,… Read More

The Markets (as of market close March 11, 2022) Stock benchmark indexes closed lower for the second straight week. The war in Ukraine continued, with Ukraine’s top diplomat indicating he saw no progress in talks with Russia. Inflation continued to… Read More

The Markets (as of market close March 4, 2022) Wall Street traders moved from stocks to bonds and gold last week. Each of the major stock benchmark indexes lost value, with the Global Dow dropping more than 4.0% and the… Read More

The Markets (as of market close February 25, 2022) Stocks closed mostly higher last week, despite a tumultuous week with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Of the major benchmark indexes, only the Dow and the Global Dow closed the week… Read More

The Markets (as of market close February 18, 2022) Last week, Wall Street reacted to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict by moving from stocks to bonds, the dollar, and gold. Investors were faced with rising fears that a Russian invasion of… Read More

The Markets (as of market close February 11, 2022) The major benchmark indexes closed last week lower. Rising tensions over the Russia-Ukraine situation coupled with rising inflation made investors a bit skittish towards stocks. A higher-than-expected jump in the Consumer… Read More

The Markets (as of market close February 4, 2021) Last week was notable for a stronger-than-expected jobs report and mixed fourth-quarter earnings data. Stock values rose and fell throughout the week, ultimately closing higher. Crude oil prices rose for the… Read More

The Markets (as of market close January 28, 2021) A very turbulent week, marked by volatility, ended with a robust finish. Last Friday’s gains were enough to push several of the benchmark indexes higher by the end of the week…. Read More

The Markets (as of market close January 21, 2021) The Markets (as of market close January 21, 2022) Volatility has engulfed the markets this month, impacted by a more hawkish Federal Reserve stance, economic disruptions from Omicron, and risks to… Read More

The Markets (as of market close January 14, 2021) Equities closed generally lower last week, with only the Global Dow ending the week in the black. Inflation, or more likely the Federal Reserve’s response to rising prices, may have influenced… Read More

The Markets (as of market close January 7, 2021) After beginning the week on a high note, stocks couldn’t maintain that momentum, ending the week in the red. Following a record close on Monday, the S&P 500 ended the week… Read More

The Markets (as of market close December 31, 2021) The last week of 2021 saw stocks close generally higher, with only the Nasdaq slipping lower. The Dow ended the week up 1.1%, followed by the S&P 500, the Global Dow,… Read More

The Markets (as of market close December 23, 2021) Wall Street closed the holiday-shortened week at record levels as investors seemed to speculate that the economic recovery could weather the growing number of coronavirus cases. The S&P 500 closed the… Read More

The Markets (as of market close December 17, 2021) Last week, Omicron, escalating prices, and the tightening of monetary policy by central banks in the United States and around the world took center stage. The prospect of higher interest rates… Read More

The Markets (as of market close December 10, 2021) Stocks closed last week higher for the first time in three weeks. The S&P 500 enjoyed its best weekly gain since February. Fears over the effects of the Omicron variant on economic… Read More

The Markets (as of market close December 3, 2021) Wall Street could not maintain its early momentum, closing the week down. Lower-than-expected employment, new reports of Omicron variant cases, and a hawkish stance from the Federal Reserve Chair led to… Read More

The Markets (as of market close November 26, 2021) Thanksgiving week proved to be a tumultuous one for investors. All major benchmark indexes ended the week in the red following news of a new COVID variant in South Africa. In response,… Read More

The Markets (as of market close November 19, 2021) Stocks closed last week mixed, with the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 posting gains, while the Russell 2000, the Global Dow, and the Dow fell. Another round of strong corporate earnings… Read More

The Markets (as of market close November 12, 2021) Although equities closed last week on a high note, it wasn’t enough to recover from mid-week losses. All the major benchmark indexes lost ground, with the Russell 2000 falling over 1.0%… Read More

The Markets (as of market close November 5, 2021) The first week of November saw stocks climb higher on the strength of favorable corporate earnings data, strong job growth, a dovish policy statement from the Federal Reserve, and favorable news… Read More

The Markets (as of market close October 29, 2021) Solid corporate earnings data last week supported a strong week for equities. Investors’ concerns that rising inflation, supply-chain snarls, labor shortages, and a surge in COVID-19 cases would hinder corporate earnings… Read More

The Markets (as of market close October 22, 2021) The major benchmark indexes advanced last week, led by the S&P 500, which rose 1.6%. Corporate earnings data for the third quarter has gotten off to a solid start to help… Read More

The Markets (as of market close October 15, 2021) Despite a shaky start, Wall Street enjoyed a strong week of gains. A favorable start to corporate earnings season helped lift equities higher. The benchmark indexes all posted solid weekly gains,… Read More

The Markets (as of market close October 8, 2021) Stocks closed last week generally higher, despite a weak jobs report. A Congressional deal to extend the debt ceiling until early December helped drive stocks higher during the middle of the… Read More

The Markets (as of market close October 1, 2021) A rally last Friday helped drive stocks generally higher last week. The Dow, the Russell 2000, and the Global Dow were able to post gains, while the Nasdaq and the S&P… Read More

The Markets (as of market close September 24, 2021) Investors rode a bumpy ride, opening last week lower only to rebound later but not enough to avoid a third consecutive weekly dip. Only the Nasdaq was able to avoid closing… Read More

The Markets (as of market close September 17, 2021) Stocks have generally retreated in September on concerns that the Delta variant is slowing the economy’s rebound and that the markets, which had been surging, may be primed for a decline…. Read More

The Markets (as of market close September 10, 2021) Stocks retreated last week, with each of the benchmark indexes falling at least 1.3%. The Russell 2000 and the Dow dropped the furthest, declining 2.8% and 2.2%, respectively. Investors contended with… Read More

The Markets (as of market close September 3, 2021) Wall Street closed the week generally higher, with only the Dow dipping. Investors have the Labor Day weekend to weigh the effects of the somewhat lackluster jobs report for August. Last… Read More

The Markets (as of market close August 27, 2021) The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq recorded multiple record highs last week. Each of the major benchmark stock indexes posted solid gains, led by the small caps of the Russell 2000,… Read More

The Markets (as of market close August 20, 2021) Stocks closed the week lower over concerns about the pace of global economic growth. China, the world’s second-largest economy, saw retail sales and industrial production slow as that country tries to… Read More

The Markets (as of market close August 13, 2021) Stocks closed mostly higher last week, with only the Nasdaq unable to end in the black. The Dow and the S&P 500 each closed the week at record highs, buoyed by… Read More

The Markets (as of market close August 6, 2021) Stocks closed last week generally higher on the heels of a solid jobs report, which may have quelled worries that economic growth was slowing. Nevertheless, equity returns were volatile for much… Read More

The Markets (as of market close July 30, 2021) Equities retreated last week despite strong corporate earnings data. European and Asian stocks slid following China’s regulatory crackdown aimed at large tech companies. Although corporate earnings generally have been solid, last… Read More

The Markets (as of market close July 23, 2021) Last week proved to be a choppy one for stocks. The week began with stocks trending lower on news of a spike in the number of coronavirus cases. However, strong corporate… Read More

The Markets (as of market close July 16, 2021) Stocks suffered their worst week in quite some time, as each of the major indexes ended the week lower. Last week was the start of the second-quarter corporate earnings reporting period…. Read More

The Markets (as of market close July 9, 2021) Stocks closed the week with mixed returns. The Nasdaq, the Dow, and the S&P 500 closed out the week ahead, while the Global Dow and the Russell 2000 lost value. Treasury… Read More

The Markets (as of market close July 2, 2021) Stocks ended last week generally higher, with the Nasdaq, the S&P 500, and the Dow each climbing more than 1.0%, while the Russell 2000 and the Global Dow lost value. Information… Read More

The Markets (as of market close June 25, 2021) The week ended with all the major benchmark stock indexes posting gains. The small caps of the Russell 2000 led the way, followed by the Dow, the S&P 500, the Global… Read More

The Markets (as of market close June 18, 2021) The week ended with each of the benchmark indexes losing ground. The small caps of the Russell 2000 fell the furthest, followed by the Global Dow, the Dow (which dropped for… Read More

The Markets (as of market close June 11, 2021) Stocks closed generally higher last week, with the Russell 2000 and the Nasdaq leading the benchmark indexes, followed by the S&P 500. Both the Dow and the Global Dow lost value…. Read More

The Markets (as of market close June 4, 2021) Last week ended with the benchmark indexes scoring gains, led by the Global Dow, followed by the Russell 2000, the Dow, the S&P 500, and the Nasdaq. Favorable jobs data may… Read More

The Markets (as of market close May 28, 2021) Although last week had its ups and downs, stocks closed generally higher. The Russell 2000 climbed 2.4%. Tech stocks drove the Nasdaq 2.1% higher last week, followed by the S&P 500,… Read More

The Markets (as of market close May 21, 2021) Stocks closed the week generally lower, with only the Nasdaq eking out a gain, in what proved to be a volatile week of trading. The Dow dropped 0.5%, followed by the… Read More

The Markets (as of market close May 14, 2021) Despite a late-week rally, stocks weren’t able to recover from the losses suffered earlier in the week. The major benchmark indexes all fell, led by the Nasdaq, which dropped 2.3%, and… Read More

The Markets (as of market close May 7, 2021) For the week, the markets seem to have been aided by strong first-quarter earnings reports and declining unemployment claims. However, a lower-than-expected number of new hires in April may lend credence… Read More

The Markets (as of market close April 30, 2021) For the week, stocks couldn’t maintain record highs reached earlier, despite strong corporate earnings reports. Only the S&P 500 and the Global Dow were able to end the week in positive… Read More

The Markets (as of market close April 23, 2021) The possibility of a capital gains tax hike proposed by U.S. federal government sent stocks reeling last week. However, bargain hunters plucked enough low-hanging stocks to push several of the benchmark… Read More

The Markets (as of market close April 16, 2021) Last week, investors were confronted with a pause in the distribution of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, the potential for rising inflation, and the likelihood of higher taxes to offset… Read More

The Markets (as of market close April 9, 2021) Investors remained confident that the Federal Reserve would continue to support the economy, even as signs of inflationary pressures were evident. Overall, stocks advanced last week, with the Nasdaq climbing more… Read More

The Markets (as of market close April 1, 2021) A late-week surge pushed stocks higher overall last week. The Nasdaq, which had been weakening as investors retreated from tech shares, climbed 2.6%. The small caps of the Russell 2000 continued… Read More

The Markets (as of market close March 26, 2021) Equities ended the week mixed, with large caps outperforming small caps. The S&P 500 (1.6%) and the Dow (1.4%) advanced, while the Russell 2000 (-2.9%) and the Nasdaq (-0.6%) could not… Read More

The Markets (as of market close March 19, 2021) The risk of rising inflation continued to influence investors last week, as they weigh that risk against the prospects of an accelerating economy. We saw the major stock market benchmarks lose… Read More

The Markets (as of market close March 12, 2021) Investors generally preferred cyclicals and value stocks over tech shares last week. Nevertheless, stocks ended the week higher, with each of the major benchmark stock indexes gaining at least 2.5%, led… Read More

The Markets (as of market close March 5, 2021) Investors looking for low-hanging values drove stocks higher last Monday and Friday — enough to push a few of the major stock market indexes into the black by the end of… Read More

The Markets (as of market close February 26, 2021) Stocks closed the week and the month of February lower. All major stock indexes lost value last week, headed by the tech stocks of the Nasdaq, followed by the Russell 2000,… Read More

The Markets (as of market close February 19, 2021) Despite a late-week surge, stocks were mixed to lower last week. The Dow and the Global Dow closed ahead, while the Nasdaq, the Russell 2000, and the S&P 500 lost value…. Read More