Market News – Week of March 26th, 2018

Market News

TARIFFS BEGIN: The Trump tariff regime began on Friday, but an hour before the global tariffs took effect the White House issued a statement indicating that the following countries would be temporarily exempt pending further negotiations: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, the European Union, Mexico, and South Korea Much of the burden, and indeed the target,…

March 26, 2018

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Market News – Week of March 19th, 2018

Market News

DESPITE ENDING THE WEEK ON A HIGH NOTE, STOCKS POST WEEKLY LOSSES: There were no big moves in the markets this week, but until Friday stock prices struggled. One of the main issues continued to be the impact of tariffs on various U.S. companies. There is concern that tariffs will drive up costs for some…

March 19, 2018

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Market News – Week of March 12, 2018

Market News

STRONG EMPLOYMENT ACTIVITY IN FEBRUARY: The U.S. economy added 313,000 jobs in February. This is the largest monthly gain in nearly two years, and well above the average for this long recovery. In addition, the Labor Force Participation Rate increased to 63.0% (from 62.7%) as more than 800,000 joined the labor force during the month.…

March 12, 2018

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Market News – Week of March 5th, 2018

Market News

TARIFF TANTRUM: On Thursday, President Trump announced plans to slap tariffs on imported steel (25%) and aluminum (10%). The markets immediately tumbled about 2% on the news. Investors are concerned about its impact on prices of goods as well as the prospect of a retaliatory trade war. Markets stabilized on Friday, but still ended the…

March 5, 2018

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Market News – Week of February 26th, 2018

Market News

LOTS OF QUESTIONS, FEW ANSWERS: Economic and market issues took a back seat in people’s minds this past week. The Parkland school shooting, its aftermath, the memorials, the grieving, the anger, and the heated rhetoric regarding what to do about it remained front and center. Meanwhile, a number of unanswered questions that will impact the…

February 26, 2018

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Market News – Week of February 19th, 2018

Market News

 CLIMBING BACK: U.S. markets experienced five straight days of gains last week. The S&P 500 had its best week in five years. Global economic growth remains positive and improving. U.S. corporate earnings are healthy. Interest rates and inflation spooked the markets, but they remain low by historic standards (but investors will keep watching these items).…

February 19, 2018

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Market News – Week of February 12th, 2018

Market News

IN CASE YOU WERE NOT PAYING ATTENTION: Latent anxiety turned into active fear this past week. If you remember, the prior week ended with a sharp dive in the market as initial signs of some inflation and rising interest led to universal pessimism. Investors started pulling their money from the markets at a brisk pace.…

February 12, 2018

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Market News – Week of February 5th, 2018

Market News

SOLID JANUARY EMPLOYMENT REPORT: The U.S. economy added 200,000 jobs in January. The unemployment rate stayed the same at 4.1%. The Labor Force Participation Rate remained unchanged at 62.7% (been in the same range for a couple of years). We have now experienced 88 consecutive months of job growth, the longest such streak (by far)…

February 5, 2018

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Market News – Week of January 29th, 2018

Market News

FOURTH QUARTER GROWTH COMES IN AT 2.6%: In the fourth quarter of 2017, the U.S. gross domestic product grew at an annual rate of 2.6% according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. This did not match the above 3% growth of the prior two quarters, but it remains above the 2% average that has prevailed…

January 29, 2018

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Market News – Week of January 22nd, 2018

Market News

LOW VOLATILITY CONTINUES WITH NO SIGNS OF STOPPING: It has been 392 days since the last time the S&P 500 pulled back 5% or more. The record is 394 days set in the mid-90s. The average is 92 days. MARKETS SHRUG OFF GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN: The S&P 500, and other U.S. indices, hit fresh record highs…

January 22, 2018

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