Markets pause amid mixed signals from the Fed
After weeks of market momentum, U.S. stocks stepped back last week as investors digested the Federal Reserve’s much-anticipated interest rate cut and a steady stream of new economic data. The result: the first weekly loss for all three major indices in four weeks. While Friday’s rally provided a partial rebound, it wasn’t enough to […]
Markets celebrate Fed’s move … but for how long?
Last week, U.S. equity investors cheered as the Federal Reserve resumed its monetary policy easing, propelling stock indices to new all-time highs. The excitement was palpable, with trading volumes on Friday reaching 27.7 billion shares — the third-busiest day since 2008 (Source: Bloomberg News). The S&P 500 closed above the 6,660 level, driven largely by […]
Back to the future? Tech euphoria and Fed policy in focus
As summer winds down, U.S. equity markets remain anything but quiet. After reaching peak pessimism in early April, immediately following the administration’s tariff announcement on “Liberation Day,” investor sentiment has shifted sharply. According to Bloomberg, the S&P 500 has been making a new record high roughly every three trading sessions since late June, closing […]
Labor market weakness highlights Fed’s next challenge
The past week brought significant developments across the economy and financial markets. From a surprisingly weak jobs report to sharp moves in technology stocks and anticipation surrounding next week’s inflation data, investors have much to consider as we head into mid-September. Labor Market Shows Signs of Strain The monthly Employment Situation Report from the Bureau […]
Markets rally on Powell’s Jackson Hole speech
Last week began quietly in financial markets, with many participants seemingly waiting for one event: Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s remarks at the central bank’s annual Jackson Hole Symposium. By the end of the week, that speech provided the spark that pushed U.S. equity markets to fresh record highs. Powell Signals Possible Rate Cut In […]
Markets climb higher as Powell faces his legacy moment
Despite a late round of profit-taking on Friday, U.S. equity markets delivered another strong week, with the S&P 500 closing at 6,450. That’s up 9.7% year-to-date! Few would have predicted such resilience back in April, when the administration’s tariff announcement triggered a sharp selloff. But today the twin drivers of market optimism — anything […]
Markets push higher, even as warning signs multiply
A little over a week ago, a disappointing U.S. payroll report sharply altered the picture of the labor market. Revised figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed job growth averaging just 35,000 per month over the past three months, well below the 186,000 monthly average for 2024. That’s the kind of data […]
Economic headwinds resurface: Revisions, rates and the return of uncertainty
After weeks of market gains driven by optimism around trade policy and earnings strength, last week’s jobs report served as a sharp reminder that resilience isn’t the same as resolution — a theme we explored in last week’s blog post. Now, with significant labor data revisions and growing divergence within the Federal Reserve, markets are […]
Let the good times roll … just don’t mistake the rally for resolution
Equity markets just wrapped up what traders call a “perfect week.” All three major U.S. indices closed higher, with the S&P 500 notching its fifth consecutive record high and ending Friday at 6,388. It’s a remarkable turnaround from just three months ago, when the S&P 500 touched a low of 4,835 during a sharp selloff […]
Markets in vacation mode, but risks haven’t gone away
By Jeff Powell, CEO With our Chief Investment Officer Thierry Hasse spending some time in the south of France — likely enjoying fresh croissants, local wine and a peaceful pace with spotty internet at his family’s summer cabin — I’m stepping in with this week’s market update. While Thierry enjoys the slower rhythms of Provence, […]