THE QUARTER IN BRIEF Stocks dropped in the second quarter, with the pressure beginning in April, as the Standard & Poor’s 500 index (-8.8%) and the NASDAQ Composite (-13.3%) experienced monthly losses to start the quarter.1 Investors were unnerved by comments from Fed officials about the pace and magnitude of potential rate hikes and by… Read More Q2:2022 – Wei$$ Insights
THE QUARTER IN BRIEF Corporate profits for the fourth quarter exceeded market expectations. With 95% of S&P 500 constituent companies reporting, 76% reported a positive earnings surprise, posting an average earnings growth rate of 30.7% in the fourth quarter. This earnings momentum may likely moderate in the first quarter to a 4.6% increase and 8.5%… Read More Q1:2022 – Wei$$ Insights
THE QUARTER IN BRIEF The stock market kicked off the fourth quarter with a powerful rally in October and added to those gains into November until investors were blindsided by news of the emergence of a new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, and testimony by Fed Chair Jerome Powell that escalating inflation and an improving labor market… Read More Q4:2021 – Wei$$ Insights
THE QUARTER IN BRIEF Overcoming rising Delta variant infections, a slowing economic expansion, and growing inflation worries, stocks raced higher through the course of the first two months of the third quarter, propelled by strong corporate earnings, the absence of compelling investment alternatives to stocks, and a “buy on the dip” investor mentality. Investors, however,… Read More Q3:2021 – Wei$$ Insights
In this Q2 recap: U.S. economic growth strong as reopening widens. Europe’s recovery picks up steam; Stocks reach new record highs, face new interest rate and inflation landscape. THE QUARTER IN BRIEF The second quarter began by building on the first-quarter’s gains, with stretches of sideways trading and incremental increases that led to multiple record… Read More Q2:2021 – Wei$$ Insights
Keith Weiss CFP® 