August Recap. Following a steady rally through the year’s first half and into July, stocks consolidated during the back half of the summer season. August’s trading was characterized by choppy swings in both directions among equities, driven by rising bond yields and worsening economic...
Decoding Artificial Intelligence and Its Impact on Investing The debut of ChatGPT in November 2022 marked a turning point in the world of artificial intelligence. As the language model emerged into the digital limelight, it ignited a global frenzy of curiosity and anticipation. ChatGPT...
Positive Momentum. The first half of 2023 has brought a welcome market recovery, with investors benefiting from positive equity returns and more attractive income opportunities in the bond market. Stocks posted their second consecutive quarter of gains, building upon the rally that began after...
Mixed May for Markets. Stocks recorded modest overall gains in May, after positive earnings surprises and the passing of the debt ceiling bill fostered a month-end rally. Returns contrasted starkly within the S&P 500 index, however, with only a handful of stocks driving the index higher on...
A Period of Consolidation. After a positive start to the year, financial markets entered a holding pattern during the month of April. Banking industry jitters and the debt ceiling standoff were likely contributors to the market pause. The S&P 500 benchmark posted marginal gains for the...
A Positive First Quarter The year’s opening quarter provided investors a bit of relief, following last year’s disappointing returns. Most investment markets logged mild positive returns, reflecting a bounce back from oversold conditions at year-end, combined with a degree of optimism that the...
A Positive Q1. Volatility in the banking sector rose sharply in March following the collapse of three US regional banks. The ensuing market turbulence was fortunately short-lived, powered by a rising sense of optimism that the Fed may be near the end of its year-long hiking cycle. The S&P...
January Reversal. Stocks markets opened 2023 on a strong note, with robust gains across global equities. Signs that inflation is easing in several major regions helped propel the advance, raising hopes that central banks may be close to the end of their rate hiking cycle. China’s reopening...
A Look Back at 2022. The dialogue in 2022 revolved around inflation, which – brought on by pandemic-related circumstances – surged to its highest level since 1981. In response, we saw the Federal Reserve enter inflation fighting mode, embarking on its most aggressive monetary...
Some Relief. US equities recovered some ground in October following a notably weak close to the September quarter. The S&P 500 rose about 8% in the month, and the Dow Jones Industrials surged nearly 14%, delivering its best one-month performance since 1976. Q3 Earnings...