[Chart courtesy of MarketWatch.com] Moving the markets Right after the opening bells, the major indexes went into rally mode, as news of a surprise U.S.-Canada new NAFTA trade agreement pushed the S&P 500 within shouting distance of its intraday record. Finally, some good news on trade after months of haggling and infighting within the various parties. The euphoric mood waned …
Slipping Off The Mid-Day Highs
[Chart courtesy of MarketWatch.com] Moving the markets An early rally was rebuffed mid-day when bullish momentum faded, and the indexes headed south. For a while, it looked like we’d be ending up in the red again, but last hour buying halted the S&P 500’s 4-session skid, and we closed modestly in the green. Some of this weakness was a hangover …
An Early ‘Hope’ Rally Runs Out Of Steam As Fed Hikes Rates
[Chart courtesy of MarketWatch.com] Moving the markets The Fed stepped up to the plate and delivered the 3rd 25 basis point interest rate hike this year, which was widely expected but hope for ‘accommodation’ still powered an early rally that ran out of steam once reality hit the markets. The major indexes reversed course, headed south and closed marginally in …
Aimless Meandering
[Chart courtesy of MarketWatch.com] Moving the markets The markets diverged a little bit as the Dow and S&P 500 ended up in the red, while the Nasdaq bucked the trend and closed in the green. However, aimless meandering best describes today’s session with anxiety rising ahead of the Fed’s decision on interest rates tomorrow. Ignoring the continued trade tensions between …
US/China Trade Wars Back In Focus
[Chart courtesy of MarketWatch.com] Moving the markets If you followed the news over the weekend, you would have gotten a pretty good indication as to today’s market direction. Trade war talk made the headlines Saturday morning as Trump’s fresh round of tariffs caused a reaction from the Chinese, as they now refused to send two delegations to Washington while elaborating …
Records Are Made To Be Broken
[Chart courtesy of MarketWatch.com] Moving the markets It took a while, but the Dow finally managed to take out its January high to close in record territory, while the S&P 500 scored its first record since August. The Nasdaq fared well today and moved to within 1.3% off its all-time high, made in August as well. Economic data took some …