Monthly Archives: May 2025

The Weekly Update

Week of May 27th, 2025
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks moved lower last week as fiscal fears and fresh tariff threats loomed over market sentiment.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index fell 2.61 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 2.47 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 2.47 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, advanced 1.14 percent.

Stocks Slip
On Monday, stocks were under a bit of pressure after credit rating agency Moody’s downgraded the U.S. as an issuer of government bonds.

Stocks remained under pressure midweek as Treasury yields moved higher with the 30-year bond hit a 19-month high. Investors fretted about the budget deficit; some feared the deficit would be made worse by the spending bill winding its way through Congress. After the House of Representatives approved the bill, bond yields backed off their highs and stocks went sideways.

On Friday, stocks dropped …

The Weekly Update

Week of May 19th, 2025
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks roared higher last week, powered by upbeat trade news and tame inflation reports.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose 5.27 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index spiked 7.15 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 3.41 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, increased 0.80 percent.

S&P, Dow Erase YTD Losses
Stocks pushed higher on Monday as investors cheered weekend news that the U.S. and China temporarily agreed to back off steep reciprocal tariffs.

Then, a mild inflation report for April—the slowest annualized Consumer Price Index (CPI) reading in four years—boosted markets on Tuesday. Tech stocks powered the rally as the S&P 500 closed trading in the green for the year.

Markets closed the week with modest gains, largely looking past weak consumer sentiment data released on Friday.

Friday was the Dow’s turn to erase year-to-date losses …

The Weekly Update

Week of May 12th, 2025
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks were mixed last week as volatility dropped despite ongoing trade concerns and the Federal Reserve’s update on short-term rates.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.16 percent, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index lost 0.47 percent. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index slipped 0.27 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, fell 0.37 percent.

Stocks Go Sideways
Stocks dropped on Monday, ending the S&P 500’s 9-day winning streak as the trade anxiety weighed on investors.

Sentiment picked up midweek, however. In a widely expected move, the Fed held short-term interest rates steady but warned of lingering uncertainty around tariffs’ effects on inflation and unemployment.

On Thursday, the U.S.-U.K. trade deal sparked a slight rally, but stocks flattened as the week ended. Investors appeared to be risk-averse with U.S.-China trade talks scheduled for the weekend.

The Fed Fans Out
The …

The Weekly Update

Week of May 5th, 2025
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks pushed higher last week as investors cheered the White House’s constructive comments on trade, upbeat Q1 corporate reports, and an encouraging jobs report.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index gained 2.92 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index rose 3.42 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 3.00 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, advanced 2.56 percent.

Longest Winning Streak in 20 Years
During the first two trading days, stocks increased as investors responded favorably to White House comments on tariff deals.

Then midweek—on the last day of the month—fresh data showed the economy contracted by 0.3 percent in Q1—the first decline in gross domestic product (GDP) in three years. Stocks initially fell on the news but staged a stunning recovery to add a seventh day to the S&P 500’s and Dow Industrial’s winning streaks.

Q1 corporate …