Originally Published on January 5, 2025 The S&P 500 posted back-to-back annual gains for 2023 and 2024 of more than 20% for the first time since the late 1990s. Smaller companies, as measured by Russell 2000, were up 10%. The Dow was up 13%, and the Nasdaq was best with a 29% return. For more quantitative commentary, see “10 charts that tell the story of markets and the economy in 2024.” Year-end is when we take stock of what happened and look forward toward emerging trends.

Originally Published on October 6, 2024 The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up 3211 points, or 8.2% this quarter, to 42330. The S&P 500 closed up 302 points, or 5.5% this quarter, to 5762. The Nasdaq Composite closed up 456 points, or 2.6% this quarter. See MarketWatch for more data. The main event for markets in Q3 was the Fed initiating a new easing cycle, beginning with a half-percent rate cut during the September Federal Open Market Committee meeting. On September 18

Originally Published on July 3, 2024 Q2 2024 was driven by big tech posting significant gains, while the broader market is inching forward. The S&P 500 has climbed 14% this year, yet the Equal-Weighted S&P is up less than 5%. See Marketwatch for additional market data. The majority of stocks have gone up very little, while a small select group of stocks are surging. There is a small set of 5-10 stocks that are driving a large portion of the gains. This if referred to as “mar

Originally Published on March 31, 2024 “Stock Market Surges to Start the Year: 22 Record Highs in 3 Months The S&P 500, rising 10 percent, set the pace as investors looked forward to interest rate cuts” The New York Times declared on 3-29-24. It is tempting to reference the Energizer Bunny when observing U.S. economic activity and market performance. We have a domestic economy that continues to grow and innovate in the face of persistent challenges. From the article: “Th