Stocks Start 2018 With A Jump
The Weekly Update
Week of January 8, 2018
By Christopher T. Much, CFP®, AIF®
The first week of 2018 is behind us, and across the globe, stocks experienced a strong start to the year. International stocks in the MSCI EAFE gained 2.44% last week. In the U.S., our major indexes also leapt forward, reaching several records and milestones.
Domestic Index Performance for the First Week of 2018
S&P 500:
- Gained 2.60%
- Hit 2,700 for the first time
- Posted its largest weekly gain since December 2016
Dow:
- Gained 2.33%
- Hit 25,000 for the first time
- Had its best yearly start since 2006
NASDAQ:
- Gained 3.38%
- Hit 7,000 for the first time
- Posted its largest weekly gain since December 2016
- Had its best yearly start since 2006
What drove markets last week?
A variety of factors affected the markets last week—from tax reform to commodity prices. Interestingly, considering the indexes’ positive performance, one of the biggest economic headlines seemed …