Market Week: June 16, 2025
The Markets (as of market close June 13, 2025)
Unrest in the Middle East dragged stock values lower last week, while pushing gold and crude oil prices higher. For much of the week, investors focused on trade talks between the U.S. and China, which ultimately did not result in a significant breakthrough in trade relations and left tariffs at relatively elevated levels. However, favorable inflation data for May offered some encouragement for investors as stocks moved higher last Thursday. Nevertheless, escalating tensions in the Middle East resulted in a sharp drop in stocks last Friday, while crude oil prices jumped over 13% last week. Gold rose more than 3.5%, with prices nearing an April record high as investors sought safety amid rising geopolitical tensions. Among the market sectors, energy and health care outperformed, while financials, industrials, and consumer staples declined.
Market Week: June 9, 2025
The Markets (as of market close June 6, 2025)
Wall Street ended last week on a positive note, with each of the benchmark indexes listed here closing higher. The S&P 500 rose to its highest level since February, boosted by guarded optimism around U.S.-China trade talks and a better-than-expected jobs report (see below). However, unemployment claims rose to their highest level in eight months, adding some concerns about the future of the labor sector. Stocks opened last week with minimal gains amid investor profit-taking following a strong May. Throughout the remainder of the week, stocks whipsawed on trade information and economic data. In addition to renewed hopes of a resolution to the trade conflict with China, investors also saw a cooling of the vitriol between President Trump and a former ally. Information technology and communication services outperformed among the market sectors, while consumer discretionary and consumer staples closed the week in the red. Ten-year Treasury yields rose. Crude oil prices had their first weekly gain after declining in each of the previous three weeks.
Market Week: June 02, 2025
The Markets (as of market close May 30, 2025)
Stocks tumbled last week as traders contemplated the potential impact of new legislation and increased trade tensions following President Trump’s threat of new tariffs against the European Union and Apple. While stocks declined, long-term bond yields rose, with 10-year Treasuries reaching a three-month high of 4.64% last Thursday before settling at 4.51% by the end of the week. Crude oil prices recorded their first weekly loss in May, affected by expectations of another production increase by OPEC+. New tariffs also impacted the dollar index, which fell to its lowest level in two weeks. With investors moving away from risk, gold prices climbed higher.
Market Week: May 27, 2025
The Markets (as of market close May 23, 2025)
Stocks tumbled last week as traders contemplated the potential impact of new legislation and increased trade tensions following President Trump’s threat of new tariffs against the European Union and Apple. While stocks declined, long-term bond yields rose, with 10-year Treasuries reaching a three-month high of 4.64% last Thursday before settling at 4.51% by the end of the week. Crude oil prices recorded their first weekly loss in May, affected by expectations of another production increase by OPEC+. New tariffs also impacted the dollar index, which fell to its lowest level in two weeks. With investors moving away from risk, gold prices climbed higher.
Market Week: May 19, 2025
The Markets (as of market close May 16, 2025)
Wall Street enjoyed one of its best weeks in quite some time as stocks moved higher by the close of trading last Friday. Each of the benchmark indexes posted solid weekly gains on the heels of easing U.S.-China trade tensions. The 90-day tariff truce helped drive the S&P 500 back into positive territory for the year. Most of the market sectors experienced growth, with the exception of health care. Consumer discretionary and information technology led the advance, each climbing more than 7.0%. Weaker-than-expected economic reports (see below) chilled investor enthusiasm somewhat, despite the favorable tariff news. Crude oil prices moved higher for the second consecutive week. While easing global tensions helped stocks, gold prices slipped lower. After reaching a three-month high of 4.55% last Thursday, yields on 10-year bonds dipped by the end of the week. Nevertheless, yields closed the week more than 20 basis points higher than their values at the start of May.
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.