Market Week: May 12, 2025
The Markets (as of market close May 9, 2025)
Stocks closed mostly lower last week as investors looked ahead to trade negotiations between the United States and China over the weekend. Despite the announcement of a trade deal between the United States and the United Kingdom, investors remained unsure of the extent of that deal and, more particularly, whether any meaningful progress would be made with China. As has been the case over the last several weeks, the stock market was marked by volatility. Stocks began last week closing lower as President Trump threatened new tariffs, including a levy on foreign films. Crude oil prices dropped to their lowest level since the beginning of 2021 as OPEC+ agreed to increase production, raising fears of a global supply surplus. Wall Street saw a minimal reversal last Wednesday after the Federal Reserve decided to keep interest rates at their present level (see below). Thereafter, stocks moved up and down for the remainder of the week. Among the market sectors, consumer discretionary, industrials, and financials performed well, while health care, consumer staples, and communications services underperformed.
Market Week: May 5, 2025
The Markets (as of market close May 2, 2025)
Wall Street enjoyed another solid week of gains on the heels of some strong corporate earnings data, a
better-than-expected jobs report, and more signs that the White House and China may be open to trade
talks. By the close of trading last Friday, the Dow had posted 10 straight sessions of gains, while the S&P
500 enjoyed nine consecutive sessions. Investors have seen signs that the economy is resilient in the face of tariffs, despite the fact that the GDP contracted in the first quarter. Tech shares have played a large part in driving the market higher. Information technology rose about 6.0% last week to lead gains for nearly all of the market sectors, with the exception of energy, which was flat. Crude oil prices declined for the second straight week on fears of sluggish Chinese demand, rising U.S. production, and concerns that OPEC+ will boost supply. The dollar ticked higher for the second week in a row, while bond markets seemed to have responded to concerns that trade policies could still slow the economy, putting pressure on the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates lower.
Market Week: April 28, 2025
The Markets (as of market close April 25, 2025)
Wall Street enjoyed a solid week of gains as investors were encouraged by signs of progress in theU.S.-China trade dispute. Each of the benchmark indexes listed here moved higher, driven by gains in AI megacaps and some blue-chip stocks. First-quarter earnings season is in full swing. Of the 180 S&P 500 companies reporting so far, 73% beat expectations. Ten of the 11 market sectors posted weekly advances, with the exception of consumer staple companies, which dipped about 0.73%. Last week didn’t begin on a favorable note, as stocks closed sharply lower on Monday after President Trump continued his criticism of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. The dollar index fell to 98.2 on Monday, the lowest rate since February 2022. However, as trade tensions eased, stocks posted gains over the next four days. Long-term bond yields fell for the second straight week. Persistent oversupply concerns and uncertainty over the U.S.-China trade talks pulled crude oil prices lower.
Market Week: April 21, 2025
The Markets (as of market close April 17, 2025)
Stocks ended an abbreviated week of trading with mixed results as the U.S. markets closed a day early in observance of Good Friday. Throughout the week, investors weighed trade talks, interest rate uncertainty, and concerns of a global economic retreat. Big tech shares began the week on a positive note as investors hoped a temporary tariff exemption for electronics imports would remain in force. However, the optimism from earlier in the week proved short-lived as tech shares declined, pulled lower by some of the megacaps. By the close of trading, only the Russell 2000 and the Global Dow posted gains among the benchmark indexes listed here. Ten-year Treasury yields slipped lower as three straight days of declines more than offset last Thursday’s gains. Crude oil prices rose nearly 5.0% as sanctions targeting Iran’s oil exports stoked fears of increasing global supply constraints.
Market Week: April 14, 2025
The Markets (as of market close April 11, 2025)
A late-week rally helped push stocks higher to close a turbulent week on a favorable note. Last week began with stocks mixed as investors tried to gauge President Trump’s on-again, off-again tariff policy. Ten-year Treasury yields jumped nearly 20 basis points to 4.20% last Monday, rebounding from the previous week’s six-month low. Stocks retreated last Tuesday following the administration’s threat of a 104% tariff on China, effective the following day. However, investors returned to risk after President Trump announced a 90-day pause on many of his new tariffs. The market enjoyed its best day in several years as the S&P 500 gained 9.5%, the Dow rose 7.9%, and the NASDAQ climbed 12.2%. Wall Street reversed course on Thursday, cutting into most of the prior day’s gains. Investors re-focused their attention on the likelihood of a trade war with China. Typical of the volatile week, stocks rebounded to close out the week as optimism grew over a possible trade deal between the U.S. and China. Market sector performance was mixed, with information technology, communication services, and consumer discretionary outperforming, while real estate, financials, and energy lagged.
Market Week: April 7, 2025
The Markets (as of market close April 4, 2025)
Wall Street endured its worst week since the Covid crisis as investors shunned risk in response to inflation and recession fears following President Trump’s sweeping tariffs and China’s immediate retaliatory response. Despite a better-than-expected jobs report, comments made last Friday by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell indicated that, while the economy was in a good place, the administration’s current economic policy raised the risk of higher unemployment and inflation. The downturn in equities was spread among most of the market sectors with the exception of utilities. Consumer discretionary, industrials, communication services, financials, and energy were hit the hardest. Stocks began last week by moving higher on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, ahead of President Trump’s tariff announcement. However, the fallout from the more aggressive-than-expected tariff plan was significant last Thursday and Friday. Bond prices rose higher with increased demand, dragging yields on 10-year Treasuries to a nearly six-month low. Crude oil prices dropped to their lowest value since August 2021 as mounting fears over a global economic slowdown raised the prospects of weakening oil demand.
Market Week: March 31, 2025
The Markets (as of market close March 28, 2025)
Despite getting off to a good start, stocks wavered throughout much of last week, ultimately closing lower. Each of the benchmark indexes lost ground, with the S&P 500 finishing the week lower for the fifth time in the last six weeks after reaching record highs in mid-February. Several negative factors weighed on investors, including hotter-than-expected core consumer prices (see below) and a slowdown in consumer spending. Last Monday saw stocks rise as investors were encouraged by the prospect of the Trump administration selectively imposing tariffs, reducing the likelihood of a full-blown trade war. Both the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ gained again last Tuesday, marking their third consecutive sessions of gains. A tech stock selloff, coupled with mounting tariff concerns, led to a sharp fall in stocks last Wednesday. Crude oil prices rose to $69.90 per barrel, the highest in nearly four weeks, as concerns over tightening global supply drove prices up. Stocks continued to trend lower last Thursday after President Trump announced new tariffs on foreign-made autos, raising concerns of a potential trade war and its broader impact on the global economy. The week ended with equities closing lower, dampened by growing concerns over rising inflation and trade wars. Among the market sectors, only consumer discretionary, consumer staples, and energy closed higher, with information technology dropping 2.1%. Bond yields ended the week where they began. Gold prices ended the week at a record high. The dollar index ended the week lower after reaching a three-week high earlier in the week.
Market Week: March 24, 2025
The Markets (as of market close March 21, 2025)
Wall Street saw a weekly gain for the for the first time in four weeks. Fed forecasts of two more interest rate cuts this year (see below) helped renew investor confidence. Each of the benchmark indexes closed higher last week, led by the Dow, which gained over 1.0%. All 11 of the S&P market sectors advanced, led by financials, health care, industrials, and informational technology. Bond values rose higher, dragging yields to their lowest levels in more than two weeks. Despite ticking lower at the end of the week, gold prices rose over 1.2%. Considered a safe-haven asset, gold prices have enjoyed 16 record highs this year, reaching an all-time peak of $3,057.21 per ounce on Thursday. Since January 2024, the price of gold has risen nearly 45.0%, or about $1,000.00 per ounce.
Market Week: March 17, 2025
The Markets (as of market close March 14, 2025)
Wall Street saw momentum ebb and flow throughout last week, with stocks ultimately closing lower for the fourth week in a row. Investors were influenced by growing uncertainty over inflation and tariffs. Despite a strong close to the week, the overall decline in equities has been notable. In less than a month, the benchmark indexes moved into correction territory at a rapid pace. Bond yields rose from 4.21% at the start of the week to 4.30% last Friday. Crude oil prices ticked higher by week’s end as geopolitical uncertainty, particularly over the Ukraine war, continued to weigh on supply and demand concerns.
Market Week: March 10, 2025
The Markets (as of market close March 7, 2025)
Stocks suffered through their worst week since September, with each of the benchmark indexes listed here falling more than 2.3% with the exception of the Global Dow, which gained less than 1.0%. Investors faced trade tensions, policy uncertainty, and a slightly weaker-than-expected jobs report. Each of the market sectors declined last week, with the exception of health care. Information technology dropped more than 7.4%. Last Friday, reassurance from Fed Chair Jerome Powell that the economy remained solid helped quell some of the angst among investors, which helped push bond yields higher at week’s end. Crude oil prices rallied on Friday but not enough to prevent a weekly decline of over 4.0%.