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Weekly Market Insights: Summertime Blues for the Markets

Walter L. Ziffer, AIF® CPFA® NQPA®

Monday, August 14, 2023

Positive inflation data failed to lift stocks from their August doldrums last week as economic data and a ratings downgrade soured investor sentiment. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.62%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500...

Weekly Market Insights: Stocks Raise White Flag to Bad News

Walter L. Ziffer, AIF® CPFA® NQPA®

Monday, August 7, 2023

Stocks retreated last week as bond yields increased following the Treasury's announcement indicating “a larger-than-expected funding need” and a downgrade in the federal government’s debt rating. The Dow Jones...

Weekly Market Insights: Stocks Jump After Inflation Gauge Cools

Walter L. Ziffer, AIF® CPFA® NQPA®

Monday, July 31, 2023

A Friday surge pushed stocks solidly into positive territory last week, ignited by cooling in an inflation gauge closely tracked by the Federal Reserve. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 0.66%, while the Standard &...

Weekly Market Insights: Stocks Advance and Retreat on Mixed News

Walter L. Ziffer, AIF® CPFA® NQPA®

Monday, July 24, 2023

Stocks moved to the rhythm of earnings season last week, initially rising on positive earnings surprises and faltering later in the week on key earnings disappointments. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 2.08%, while the...

Weekly Market Insights: Bad News for Bears; Good News Buoys Markets

Walter L. Ziffer, AIF® CPFA® NQPA®

Monday, July 17, 2023

Better-than-expected updates last week on consumer and wholesale price inflation buoyed investor sentiment, driving stocks higher and lower bond yields. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 2.29%, while the Standard &...

Weekly Market Insights: Stocks Stumble with CPI on Deck

Walter L. Ziffer, AIF® CPFA® NQPA®

Monday, July 10, 2023

Rising concerns about further rate hikes sent stocks lower to kick off the second half of trading.The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1.96%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 retreated 1.16%. The Nasdaq Composite index...

Weekly Market Insights: Economy Continues Upward Trend

Walter L. Ziffer, AIF® CPFA® NQPA®

Monday, July 3, 2023

Stocks posted gains for the week to close out a stellar month, aided by positive economic data and reports that all major banks had passed the Federal Reserve’s annual stress test.The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 2.02%,...

Weekly Market Insights: Stocks Take Summer Break, Month Remains Strong

Walter L. Ziffer, AIF® CPFA® NQPA®

Monday, June 26, 2023

Stocks took a breather last week as investors digested the previous week’s surge and the month-to-date solid gains.The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1.67%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 fell 1.39%. The Nasdaq...

Weekly Market Insights: Stocks Climb After Fed Pause

Walter L. Ziffer, AIF® CPFA® NQPA®

Tuesday, June 20, 2023

Stocks climbed last week as reassuring inflation data boosted investor hopes that the rate-hike cycle was nearing an end amid fresh economic data pointing to continued economic resilience.The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.25%,...

Weekly Market Insights: Markets March into Positive Territory Continues.

Walter L. Ziffer, AIF® CPFA® NQPA®

Monday, June 12, 2023

A late-week rally sent stocks into positive territory, with the S&P 500 index closing just shy of the 4,300 mark.The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.34%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 added 0.39%. The Nasdaq Composite...

Weekly Market Insights: Debt Deal Relieves Market Worries

Walter L. Ziffer, AIF® CPFA® NQPA®

Monday, June 5, 2023

Stocks surged higher in the closing days of a holiday-shortened trading week, ignited by a political resolution on raising the debt ceiling and a strong employment report.The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 2.02%, while the Standard...

Weekly Market Insights: Debt Talks Optimism Keeps Eyes on D.C.

Walter L. Ziffer, AIF® CPFA® NQPA®

Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Markets moved in sync last week with perceived movement in debt ceiling talks, weakening early in the week and then surging on news of progress. A solid quarterly report and guidance from a mega-cap technology company helped with...

Weekly Market Insights: Despite Stall, Debt Deal Optimism Cheers Markets

Walter L. Ziffer, AIF® CPFA® NQPA®

Monday, May 22, 2023

Stocks rallied last week, propelled by growing optimism over reaching a deal on raising the debt ceiling and avoiding a technical debt default by the U.S.The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged 0.38% higher, while the Standard &...

Weekly Market Insights: Attention Turns to the Debt Ceiling

Walter L. Ziffer, AIF® CPFA® NQPA®

Monday, May 15, 2023

Stocks were mixed last week as good inflation news was offset by mounting debt ceiling concerns and rekindled regional banking fears.The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1.11%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 slipped 0.29%. The...

A Friday rebound, triggered by a big tech company’s earnings beat and a strong jobs report, shaved much of the week’s accumulated losses.The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.24%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500...

Strong earnings from several mega-cap technology companies offset renewed regional banking jitters and weak economic data, leaving stocks higher for the week.The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.86%, while the Standard &...

Stocks remained resilient last week amid mixed earnings reports, hawkish Fed-speak, and lingering recession fears, closing out the five trading days with small losses.The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.23%, while the Standard &...

The combination of an improving inflation outlook resulted in a week of uneven, albeit positive, performance, in which cyclical and financial stocks rallied while technology, real estate, and utilities lagged. The Dow Jones...

Stocks ended a shortened week of trading mixed amid revived recession fears on Wall Street triggered by weak economic data.The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.63%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 slipped 0.10%. The Nasdaq...

Stocks rallied last week on receding fears of a widening banking crisis, led by resurging investor interest in technology and communication services names.The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 3.22%, while the Standard & Poor’s...

Modest gains in major market indices masked sharp volatility amid the uncertainty arising from mixed messages emanating from public officials and revived banking fears. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.18%, while the Standard...

Amid the reverberations of two U.S. banks being taken over by regulators and the spread of uncertainty to European banks, stocks trended higher last week on the strength of the technology sector.The Dow Jones Industrial Average was...

Stocks tumbled last week as investors reconsidered their interest rate expectations after Fed Chair Powell’s Congressional testimony that rates may need to go higher. Stocks also were rattled when a west coast bank was placed...

A late-week surge, triggered by reassuring Fed-speak, propelled stocks higher last week.The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.75%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 advanced 1.90%. The Nasdaq Composite index picked up 2.58% for...

Concerns over a firmer monetary policy were heightened by fresh economic data, touching off a climb in bond yields and a slide in stock prices last week.The Dow Jones Industrial Average skidded 2.99%, while the Standard & Poor’s...

Growing concerns about further interest rate hikes, prompted by fresh economic data, reversed early-week gains and left stocks mixed for the week.The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.13%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500...

Stocks drifted lower as a week of mixed earnings reports and resurgent worries over Fed monetary policy dragged on investor sentiment. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.17%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 declined...

Stocks added to their early 2023 gains amid a busy stream of mixed corporate earnings results and conflicting economic data.The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.81%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 added 2.47%. The Nasdaq...

Stocks showed mixed results last week as recession fears resurfaced in response to weak economic data and a tepid start to a new corporate earnings season.  The Dow Jones Industrial Average skidded 2.70%, while the Standard &...

Stocks rallied last week thanks to fresh confirmation of inflation’s cooling trend and growing optimism that an inflation slowdown may provide the Fed with space to ease up on future rate hikes.The Dow Jones Industrial Average...

Weekly Market Insights: New Year's Rally in Reply to Positive Economic News

Walter L. Ziffer, AIF® CPFA® NQPA®

Monday, January 9, 2023

A strong Friday rally triggered by fresh signs of moderating inflation pushed stocks into positive territory to begin the new year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.46%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 advanced 1.45%....

Weekly Market Insights: Erratic Holiday Trading Leaves Stocks in Doldrums

Walter L. Ziffer, AIF® CPFA® NQPA®

Tuesday, January 3, 2023

In a holiday-shortened week, erratic trading left stocks marginally down for the week.The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.17%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 slipped 0.14%. The Nasdaq Composite index fell 0.30%. The MSCI...