Economic Update
Market Week: March 1, 2021
The Markets (as of market close February 26, 2021)
Stocks opened last week mixed to lower. Only the Dow (0.1%) and the Global Dow (0.2%) were able to eke out minimal gains. The Nasdaq plunged 2.5% amid a tech sell-off. The S&P 500 fell for the fifth straight session, dropping 0.8%, and the Russell 2000 lost 0.7%. Energy surged, climbing 3.5%; financials, industrials, materials, and real estate also gained. Information technology (-2.7%) and consumer discretionary (-2.2%) sank. Treasury yields jumped higher. Crude oil prices increased $2.45 to $61.69 per barrel
Market Month: February 2021
The Markets (as of market close February 26, 2021)
February began on a high note as investors drew encouragement from strong fourth-quarter earnings reports and encouraging employment data. However, news was not all positive. The COVID-related death toll in the United States reached 500,000. Nevertheless, two vaccines were rolled out last month, with a third one on tap for release in March.
Market Week: February 22, 2021
The Markets (as of market close February 19, 2021)
The stock market was closed last Monday in honor of Presidents’ Day. Equities were mixed on the first day of trading last Tuesday. The Dow advanced 0.2% and the Global Dow gained 0.3%. The remaining benchmark indexes lost value, led by the Russell 2000, which fell 0.7%, followed by the Nasdaq (-0.3%) and the S&P 500 (-0.1%). Prices on 10-year Treasuries plunged, sending yields soaring. Crude oil prices climbed over $60 per barrel for the first time in several months. The dollar inched ahead 0.3%. Market sectors were mixed with energy, financials, and communication services climbing, while utilities, real estate, and health care fell.
Market Week: February 16, 2021
The Markets (as of market close February 12, 2021)
Increasing prospects that a massive fiscal stimulus bill is around the corner helped drive stocks to record highs last Monday. With fourth-quarter corporate earnings season at the halfway mark, 83% of the reporting companies have surpassed most estimates, a clear sign that the economy is slowly turning the corner toward recovery. The S&P 500 jumped 0.7% to a record high, while the small caps of the Russell 2000 climbed 2.5%. The Global Dow advanced 1.1%, the Nasdaq gained 1.0%, and the Dow added 0.8%. Energy continued to soar, gaining 4.2%, followed by financials and information technology as the only other sectors increasing by at least 1.0%. Crude oil prices continued to advance, surging ahead by 2.1%, driven higher by growing economic optimism, the likelihood of additional stimulus, and President Biden’s reluctance to relax sanctions on Iran. Treasury yields fell as bond prices climbed. The dollar was mixed against a basket of currencies.
Market Week: February 8, 2021
The Markets (as of market close February 5, 2021)
Stocks had their best day in several weeks last Monday, recovering some of the losses following the prior week’s sell-off. Tech stocks and retail shares led both the Nasdaq and the Russell 2000 to gains of 2.5%. The S&P 500 advanced 1.6%, followed by the Dow (0.8%) and the Global Dow (0.7%). The yield on 10-year Treasuries fell 1.5%, while crude oil prices jumped 2.8%. The dollar gained 0.5% on the day. Consumer discretionary, information technology, and real estate were the best-performing sectors.
Market Month: January 2021
The Markets (as of market close January 29, 2021)
Stocks were able to weather the storm of events that occurred throughout January, despite investors having numerous reasons to move away from equities. The month began on a somewhat positive note as the availability of COVID vaccines increased throughout the country. Nevertheless, investors were concerned as the number of reported virus cases continued to increase.
Market Week: February 1, 2021
The Markets (as of market close January 29, 2021)
Equities were mixed to begin last week. The Global Dow (-0.6%), the Russell 2000 (-0.3%), and the Dow (-0.1%) lost value. The S&P 500 advanced 0.4% on the day, and the Nasdaq closed up 0.7% to reach a record high. Treasury yields fell, while crude oil prices and the dollar rose. Technology, consumer staples, real estate, and utilities led the sectors. Investors may have pulled away from stocks following uncertainty over President Biden’s stimulus plan; news of a new, aggressive COVID-19 strain; foreign travel restrictions into the United States; and word that a major pharmaceutical company had stopped working on its COVID vaccine program.
Market Week: January 25, 2021
The Markets (as of market close January 22, 2021)
The markets were closed last Monday in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr., Day. However, stocks enjoyed a good start to the week last Tuesday as equities rebounded from the prior Friday’s sell-off. Investors were encouraged by Treasury Secretary nominee Janet Yellen, who pushed for more stimulus during her confirmation hearing. By the close of trading, tech stocks and small caps flourished, driving the Nasdaq (1.5%) and the Russell 2000 (1.3%) higher. The S&P 500 climbed 0.8% on the day, followed by the Global Dow (0.5%) and the Dow (0.4%). Treasury yields fell along with the dollar, while crude oil prices advanced. Energy, communication services, and information technology led the market sectors.
Market Week: January 19, 2021
The Markets (as of market close January 15, 2021)
Last Monday, the major benchmark indexes pulled back from record highs reached the prior week. Tech stocks took the biggest hit, dragging the Nasdaq down by 1.3%. The S&P 500 lost 0.7%, followed by the Global Dow (-0.5%) and the Dow (-0.3%). The Russell 2000 closed the day where it began. Treasury yields and the dollar pushed higher, while crude oil prices fell marginally. Investors were confronted with several states reporting record-high COVID-19 cases. Growing pandemic worries, plus concerns over inflated stock valuations, drove stocks lower. Among the sectors, energy posted a solid 1.6% gain, followed by health care and financials. The remaining market sectors sank, led by consumer discretionary (-1.9%), communication services (-1.8%), and real estate (-1.7%).
Market Week: January 11, 2021
The Markets (as of market close January 8, 2021)
Last Monday, stocks began the new year down on worries over the Georgia runoff elections, a surge in COVID-19 cases, and evidence that a new strain of the virus has entered the country. The S&P 500, the Nasdaq, and the Russell 2000 each fell 1.5%. The Dow declined 1.3% and the Global Dow dropped 0.5%. Treasury yields and the dollar were mixed, and crude oil prices fell. Some sectors took heavy losses last Monday, including real estate, utilities, industrials, information technology, communication services, and financials.