Weekly Update

The Weekly Update

Week of March 14th, 2022
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Intensifying hostilities in Ukraine continued to unsettle markets, as investors grappled with the war’s impact on the global economies. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1.99%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 dropped 2.88%. The Nasdaq Composite index fell 3.53% for the week. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, gained 0.90%.

Markets Remained Stressed
Markets gyrated last week as Russia escalated its attacks on Ukraine, the U.S. banned imports of Russian oil, and more companies announced the suspension of business in Russia. Eastern Europe has added complexity to the Fed’s plans for raising interest rates to manage accelerating inflation, which has been exacerbated by a sharp rise in energy and other commodity prices.

The stock market saw brief moments of respite. Stocks rallied Tuesday on a news report that Ukraine would promise not to pursue NATO …

The Weekly Update

Week of March 7th, 2022
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

War in Ukraine weighed on stocks as investors assessed the economic impact of continued hostilities, expanding economic sanctions, and potentially higher inflation due to rising oil prices and new stresses on the global supply chain.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.30%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 lost 1.27%. The Nasdaq Composite index slid 2.78% for the week. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, dropped 3.21%.

Another Volatile Week
The uncertainty introduced from Russia’s invasion continued to whipsaw the financial markets last week. Intensifying hostilities early in the week sent stocks sharply lower as oil prices surged and a flight to safety drove investors to buy bonds.

Stocks rebounded mid-week following the release of positive economic data and Congressional testimony by Fed Chair Jerome Powell, who said the Fed is likely to move forward on rate …

The Weekly Update

Week of February 28th, 2022
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Investors rode a rollercoaster of emotions as rising hostilities at the Russian-Ukrainian border sent stocks sharply lower before a powerful late-week rally erased early losses.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was flat (-0.06%), while the Standard & Poor’s 500 edged higher by 0.82%. The Nasdaq Composite index gained 1.08% for the week. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, lost an eye-catching 5.72%.

Geopolitical Events
The build-up to Russia’s eventual invasion of Ukraine triggered elevated market volatility, resulting in broad-based selling that sent the S&P 500 into correction territory as the holiday-shortened week of trading began.

The sell-off culminated on Thursday morning following the overnight incursion of Russian troops into Ukrainian territory, though markets staged a powerful late-day recovery that coincided with President Biden’s announcing fresh sanctions against Russia. The afternoon rebound was remarkable, as the S&P 500 …

The Weekly Update

Week of February 22nd, 2022
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks closed lower for the week as escalating tensions on the Russian-Ukrainian border added to existing jitters over higher inflation and a pending tightening of monetary policy.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 1.90%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 declined 1.58%. The Nasdaq Composite index lost 1.76% for the week. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, fell 1.00%.

Geopolitical Tensions
Markets have been skittish in recent weeks due to persistent, elevated inflation and the uncertainty over how aggressive the Federal Reserve may be with its monetary tightening. As tensions escalated between Russia and the West over a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine, investors moved away from risk assets, such as stocks, and sought the safety of U.S. Treasury bonds.

Stocks were hard hit on Thursday as reports surfaced that both sides were exchanging artillery fire. The …

The Weekly Update

Week of February 14th, 2022
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

A hot inflation print and the growing concern of a Russian invasion of Ukraine sent stocks tumbling late in the week, leaving major indices lower for the five-trading days.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average skidded 1.00%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 retreated 1.82%. The Nasdaq Composite index slumped 2.18%. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, advanced 2.26%.

A Double Whammy
Mid-week, a fresh batch of positive corporate earnings surprises lifted investor sentiment, helping stocks claw back losses with technology stocks posting some of the sharpest gains. But January’s inflation report, set for release on Thursday morning, remained investors’ biggest concern.

When the report hit, it showed accelerating inflation, and stocks dropped and bond yields bounded higher. Stocks managed to recover from the initial reaction to the unexpectedly high inflation number. But when the President of the …

The Weekly Update

Week of February 7th, 2022
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks managed to gain ground last week as investors turned their focus to corporate earnings.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.05%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 gained 1.55%. The Nasdaq Composite index picked up 2.38% for the week. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, tacked on 2.73%.

Earnings in Focus
At the start of the week, stocks extended the previous week’s rally with some high-growth companies leading the move higher. Strong company profits fueled the market the middle of the week, until an earnings disappointment from a mega-cap company took investors by surprise. The earnings miss deflated sentiment as it heightened worries of what it may portend for other technology companies yet to report. These anxieties led to a sell-off that reverberated across the market.

Subsequent earnings beats from several technology and social media names, …

The Weekly Update

Week of January 31st, 2022
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

An exceptionally volatile week, marked by wide intraday price swings, whipsawed investors with stocks ending higher following a surge to the upside on the final trading day of the week.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.34%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 gained 0.77%. The Nasdaq Composite index ended flat (+0.01%) for the week. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, declined 3.54%.

Market Volatility
Rising bond yields, Federal Reserve uncertainty, and escalating tensions on the Ukrainian-Russian border unsettled markets all week. The week opened with two successive days of deep early losses that were erased by furious, late-afternoon rebounds. The following two-trading sessions that started with strong gains that evaporated with late-session selling.

The most dramatic session was Monday, in which stocks ended slightly higher after hitting intraday lows that saw the NASDAQ fall 4.9%, the …

The Weekly Update

Week of January 24th, 2022
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Stocks extended their January retreat as worries over inflation and rising bond yields continued to exert downward pressure on prices.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 4.58%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 sank 5.68%. The Nasdaq Composite index dropped 7.55% for the week. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, slipped 0.61%.

Another Turbulent Week
After the holiday weekend, stocks found little respite from this month’s selling pressures. The week began with the 10-year Treasury yield hitting a two-year high that triggered a broad retreat in stocks, with technology and other high-growth companies bearing the brunt of the losses. The Nasdaq Composite officially entered correction territory and closed below its 200-day moving average for the first time since April 2020.

Stocks struggled throughout the week, rallying in early trading on both Wednesday and Thursday on solid corporate …

The Weekly Update

Week of January 18th, 2022
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®

Deteriorating investor enthusiasm for high-valuation growth companies and a mixed start to the fourth-quarter earnings season made for a volatile week.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.88%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 slipped 0.30%. The Nasdaq Composite index fell 0.28% for the week. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, gained 1.31%.

Stocks Struggle
Stocks were under pressure all week as investors grappled with higher bond yields and talk of possibly four rate hikes this year. Initially, intraday declines would bring out buyers and pare the losses. Investors were particularly heartened by Fed Chair Powell’s congressional testimony on Tuesday that softened the hawkish tone found in the minutes of the Federal Open Market Committee’s December meeting.

After digesting the hot inflation reports released mid-week, stocks were unable to resist the selling pressures on Thursday. A weak …