Last Week's RecapThe US Market - The major indexes rebounded for Christmas rallyThe major indexes slightly rebounded from the prior week's sell-off in the holiday-shortened week. A rise in Treasury yields may have pressured equities. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury rose to 4.627% after the rate hit its highest level since May in the previous session.The small-cap Russell 2000 lost more than 8% since December. The benchmark is now on track for its worst month since September 2022.Equities saw the biggest outflows the week of Dec.16-Dec. 20 with investors yanking more than $35 billion, the biggest exodus since December 2022, according to data from Bank of America.U.S. retail sales excluding auto rose 3.8% in Nov. 1-Dec. 24 vs. a year earlier, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse

Last Week's RecapThe US Market - A big Sell-off weekThe major indexes bounced on Friday to close out a tough week that saw a sell-off on Fed day with a hawkish outlook. The Fed’s indication of just two cuts next year, instead of the four it originally forecast, was the catalyst for the decline.The 30-stock Dow ended a 10-day losing streak, snapping its longest decline in 50 years. The S&P 500 fell almost 2% for the week, while the Nasdaq was off by about 1.8%. The S&P 500, Dow Jones and Russell 2000 fell through their 50-day lines and the Nasdaq fell below the 20-day line. Treasury yields hit five-month highs.November’s PCE — the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation metric — increased 2.4% year over year. That was a tad less than economists expected and helped defuse some of the b

Last Week's RecapThe US Market - $.SPX(.SPX)$ and $Dow Chemical(DOW)$ declinedThe benchmark index slid 0.64% last week to end a three-week winning streak, while the Dow posted a 1.8% decline and fell for seven consecutive days. However, the tech-heavy $.IXIC(.IXIC)$ secured its fourth consecutive week of gains.Two big inflation reports sealed the deal for a Fed rate cut on December FOMC, even as some results pointed to a stronger growth backdrop. The headline CPI rose 2.7% yoy and core CPI rose 3.3% yoy, both met the expectations. The overall PPI rose 3% from the year prior, above what economists had projected. And the Core PPI was also upward revised.“Alternatin

Last Week's RecapThe US Market - The S&P 500 and Nasdaq refreshed new highsThe S&P 500 and Nasdaq freshed their records on Friday after November jobs data came in slightly better than expected. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq notched third straight positive week, rising 0.96% and 3.34%, respectively. The Dow slipped 0.6% during the period.The November labor report, released Friday morning, revealed that nonfarm payrolls increased by 227,000 last month, above the Dow Jones estimate of 214,000 and marking a huge hike from October’s upwardly revised gain of 36,000. The unemployment rate nudged up to 4.2%, as expected.Following the not-too-hot, not-too-cold unemployment data, fed funds futures trading data reflected an 85% likelihood of another rate cut in two weeks, according to the CME Gr

Last Week's RecapThe US Market - The Dow closed at a recordThe Dow closed at a new record on Friday, capping off a winning week for stocks, while the S&P and Nasdaq each added about 1.7%. Small-cap stocks also showed strength last week, with the Russell 2000 climbing 4.5%.Investors shift exposure from tech to names in other cyclical sectors of consumer discretionary, industrials, and financials, as well as mid- and small-cap stocks.The dollar index hit a high of 108.071 on Friday, just slightly below the 108.44 level touched in November 2022.On Thursday, SEC Chair Gary Gensler announced he will be stepping down on Jan. 20, and bitcoin quickly rose to nearly $100,000 per coin for the first time ever.The US Sectors & Stocks - Citron Research shorted MSTRAll S&P 500 sectors closed

Last Week's RecapThe US Market - The S&P 500 and Dow hit new highsThe major averages registered a fifth straight week of gains. The S&P 500 and Dow powered to new highs on Friday and capped off a winning week as banking behemoths ushered in a promising start to the third-quarter earnings season.Stocks also benefited from data that alleviated fears that inflation was not cooling off quickly enough. Wall Street isn't worried that disinflation has run its course.The CPI rose 0.2% on the month and 2.4% from a year ago, both above forecasts. The core CPI rose 0.3% from August, while the 12-month increase unexpectedly edged up to 3.3%. Friday's PPI data showed an in-line 0.2% gain in core wholesale prices, but upward revisions to prior months' data meant the 12-month core PPI inflation r

Last Week's RecapThe US Market - Stocks rallied as an expectation-defying jobs reportStocks rallied on Friday after an expectation-defying jobs report gave investors confidence around the health of the economy, erasing losses seen in recent days. Mounting geopolitical tensions in the Middle East gave way to a shaky start in October for stocks.Friday's Data showed nonfarm payrolls grew by 254,000 jobs in September, far outpacing the forecasted gain of 150,000 from economists polled by Dow Jones. The unemployment rate fell to 4.1%. The news for the equity market as it increases the potential for a soft landing.China’s stimulus sent the Nasdaq Golden Dragon Index soaring 12.5% in the last four days, and it skyrocketed nearly 40% for September. Goldman’s specialist Scott Rubner thinks the long

Last Week's RecapThe US Market - S&P 500 closed above 5,700Major averages registered weekly gains with the Dow closed at a record on Friday. While the S&P 500 rose 1.36% for the week, capping a big rally that came after the first major easing of interest rate policy by the Federal Reserve in four years.On Wednesday afternoon, the Federal Reserve slashed interest rates by a supersized half point, its first cut since 2020. In a delayed reaction, the market climbed higher Thursday with the benchmark climbing to a record high.Fed Chairman Jerome Powell called the big opening move "a sign of our commitment not to get behind" the curve. Fed projections signaled a likelihood of another quarter-point cut at each of the year's final two meetings, bringing the Fed's benchmark overnight bank

Last Week's RecapThe US Market - S&P 500 recorded the strongest week of 2024The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq posted their strongest week of 2024 ahead of the upcoming Federal Reserve meeting.The benchmark gained 4% for the week as a moderation in inflation supported the case for a rate cut with rate-sensitive small cap stocks outperforming.The consumer price index in August came in at 2.5% on an annualized basis, the lowest level since February 2021. Producer price index (PPI) presented a more benign picture, lowering the 12-month wholesale inflation rate to 1.7%.Bets on the size of the Fed's cut have been volatile and were roughly even by late Friday. Expectations for a 50 basis point cut jumped to 49% from 28% on Thursday, according to CME's FedWatch Tool, which showed a 51% probabilit