[Chart courtesy of MarketWatch.com] I did not think it was possible that the markets were actually able to lose a face-off with gravity after their relentless and almost uninterrupted ascent since mid-November. Even the by now well documented afternoon “lift-a-thon” was notably absent, as the major market indexes took their cue from Europe and produced their worst loss of this …
One Man’s Opinion: Do Bond Markets Pose The Biggest Risk?
“If there is something untoward coming at us that people haven’t anticipated, it’s probably going to come from the fixed-income side,” says Michael Aronstein, president of Marketfield Asset Management. That’s where the participation is, that’s where the expectation is the highest and the fear of something disruptive is the lowest, he added. Asked why something disruptive hasn’t happened yet in the fixed-income …
Equity Indexes Retreat, But Notch Strong January; Europe Edges Lower
[Chart courtesy of MarketWatch.com] Equity ETFs finished lower Thursday, ending a blockbuster month on a soft note after a government report showed jobless claims rose, but the Dow Jones Industrial Average still managed to produce the best January rally since 1994. First time claims for unemployment benefits climbed 38,000 to 368,000 last week, the first rise in two weeks, a …
GDP Experiences Shrinkage; Stocks Retreat On Growth Worries; Europe Falls After US Economic Data
[Chart courtesy of MarketWatch.com] US equities finished lower Wednesday, dragging the index averages off five-year highs after the Federal Reserve said economic growth had paused following the release of a government report that showed the US economy contracted in the fourth quarter. The Federal Open Market Committee kept interest rates unchanged at near zero and maintained its aggressive bond-buying program. …
Up, Up And Away; Dow Hits 2007 High; Europe Touches 23-Month High
[Chart courtesy of MarketWatch.com] Equity ETFs mostly advanced today with the Dow Jones Industrial Average hitting a five-year high after data released showed continued improvement in housing and companies including Pfizer and Valero Energy reported earnings that beat estimates. The indexes picked up pace and rallied as the S&P/Case-Shiller index of US property values rose 5.5 percent in November after …
S&P 500 Clings To 1,500 Level As Housing Disappoints; Europe Mixed
[Chart courtesy of MarketWatch.com] US equity indexes mostly finished lower with the S&P 500 snapping its longest rally since 2004 as a decline in pending home sales offset a rise in durable-goods orders while investors seemed reluctant to make fresh purchases after four weeks of gains. The Commerce department said orders for durable goods rose 4.6 percent in December after …