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Monday, March 23, 2020
Scammers, fraudsters, and other criminals are taking advantage of rapidly changing data and facts associated with COVID-19, both in the workplace and in our homes. Government agencies, corporations, and news outlets continue to warn...
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Sunday, March 22, 2020
The Week on Wall Street The stock market suffered through another volatile week as it wrestled with the health and economic fallout of the domestic spread of the coronavirus. Swift and decisive actions by the Federal Reserve and policy...
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Sunday, March 15, 2020
The Week on Wall Street Markets remained exceptionally volatile, buffeted by the spreading impact of coronavirus, uncertain responses from federal policymakers, and the sudden drop in oil prices. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell...
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Sunday, March 8, 2020
The Week on Wall Street Heightened coronavirus fears, falling yields, and Super Tuesday primary results sent stocks on a rollercoaster ride of sharp price swings, leaving stocks marginally higher for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial...
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Sunday, March 1, 2020
The Week on Wall Street Stocks fell sharply last week as Wall Street considered how the coronavirus outbreak might influence global business activity and household spending. The selloff became a correction for the U.S. markets. The S&P...
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Sunday, February 23, 2020
The Week on Wall Street Traders paid close attention to coronavirus developments and earnings last week, while wondering how the former might eventually impact the latter. Concern over updated infection numbers moderated risk appetite....
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Sunday, February 16, 2020
he Week on Wall Street Daily headlines about the coronavirus had little impact on stock market averages last week. Earnings and mergers had more influence. All three Wall Street benchmarks improved. The Nasdaq Composite rose 2.21%,...
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Sunday, February 9, 2020
The Week on Wall Street Stocks advanced four days out of five during the past market week, erasing the losses of the week before. The Nasdaq Composite surged 4.04%, the S&P 500 3.17%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average 3.00%. Foreign...
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Sunday, February 2, 2020
The Week on Wall Street Stock benchmarks declined for a second straight week as coronavirus news tempered risk appetite. The S&P 500 fell 2.14% on the week. The Nasdaq Composite dipped 1.76%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average, 2.55%...
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Sunday, January 26, 2020
The Week on Wall Street Stock prices fell last week as investors considered the potential health and economic risks of the flu-like coronavirus. Foreign stock markets, as tracked by the broad MSCI EAFE index, fell 1.03% for the week....
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Sunday, January 19, 2020
The Week on Wall Street Traders were in an upbeat mood last week, reacting to news out of Washington: the signing of the phase-one trade deal between the U.S. and China as well as the Senate passage of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement...
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Sunday, January 12, 2020
The Week on Wall Street The market had a choppy five days, with traders reacting to geopolitical developments and weaker-than-expected jobs data. Even so, the three major U.S. equity indices posted weekly gains and continued their...
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Sunday, January 5, 2020
The Week on Wall StreetStocks descended from record highs Friday, as traders reacted to a U.S. drone strike that killed Iran's top military officer. Oil prices rose more than 3% following the breaking news.[1] Wall Street benchmarks...
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Sunday, December 29, 2019
What Drove the Markets?Four factors influenced investment performance in 2019: a shift in U.S. monetary policy, the ongoing trade dispute between the U.S. and China, earnings, and the economy. Stocks reached record highs in 2019. The...
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Sunday, December 15, 2019
The Week on Wall StreetThe U.S. and China announced a limited trade agreement last week. That news lifted U.S. and foreign stocks, leading to weekly gains. Advancing 0.91% on the week, the Nasdaq Composite outperformed the S&P 500 (up...
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Sunday, December 8, 2019
The Week on Wall StreetKey Wall Street benchmarks were up and down last week - or rather down and then up. A Tuesday retreat was offset by a Friday rally spurred by the Department of Labor's November jobs report. While the S&P 500...
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Sunday, December 1, 2019
The Week on Wall StreetAs November wrapped up, U.S. equity benchmarks advanced. Stocks were again aided by a sense of optimism that a preliminary U.S.-China trade deal could be near.For the week, the Nasdaq Composite added 1.87%; the...
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Sunday, November 24, 2019
The Week on Wall Street Stocks declined last week as mixed signals emerged about the progress of U.S.-China trade negotiations. The three major Wall Street benchmarks all took weekly losses. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0...
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Sunday, November 17, 2019
The Week on Wall Street Stock benchmarks were little changed for much of last week, but a rally occurred Friday after news broke that the U.S. and China could be closing in on the first phase of a new trade pact. At Friday’s...
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Sunday, November 10, 2019
The Week on Wall Street Domestic and international stocks rose last week. Risk appetite outweighed concerns about the state of U.S.-China trade discussions. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, Nasdaq Composite, S&P 500, and MSCI EAFE all...
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Sunday, November 3, 2019
The Week on Wall Street A better-than-forecast jobs report prompted a stock market rally Friday, two days after traders witnessed another interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve. Both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite ended the week at...
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Monday, October 28, 2019
The Week on Wall Street The S&P 500 came within 0.1% of a record close Friday. Stocks were lifted last week by positive news on U.S.-China trade negotiations, plus earnings announcements. The Nasdaq Composite posted the largest weekly...
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Monday, October 21, 2019
The Week on Wall Street Earnings helped give the Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500 a slight lift last week, offsetting investor disappointment over the small scope of the preliminary U.S.-China trade deal reached on October 11. Blue chips...
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Monday, October 14, 2019
The Week on Wall Street Stock prices pushed higher last week, as investors remained hyper-focused on any new developments with the U.S. trade negotiations with China. The Dow Jones Industrial Average picked up 0.91%, while the Standard...
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Monday, October 7, 2019
The Week on Wall Street The fourth quarter started with a mixed week for equities. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.92% for the week; the S&P 500, 0.33%. In contrast, the Nasdaq Composite improved 0.54%. Overseas stocks pulled...
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Monday, September 30, 2019
The Week on Wall Street Stocks retreated last week. Traders worried that the formal impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump might distract White House officials from their pursuit of a trade deal with China, and shift the focus...
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Monday, September 23, 2019
The Week on Wall Street Investors reacted to two major news items last week, one far more of a surprise than the other. The Federal Reserve did indeed make a rate cut, matching Wall Street expectations. Drone strikes on two of the...
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The Week on Wall Street Stocks edged toward all-time peaks during a relatively calm week marked by easing trade tensions. Friday marked the eighth straight daily advance for the Dow Jones Industrial Average.[i] Small-cap shares, as...
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Monday, September 9, 2019
The Week on Wall Street Stocks rose last week, with help from two developments: the announcement of further U.S.-China trade talks as well as August hiring and manufacturing numbers that seemed to bolster the argument for a rate cut by...
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Tuesday, September 3, 2019
The Week on Wall Street Fears of an impasse in the U.S.-China trade dispute lessened last week. While additional U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports were scheduled to take effect on September 1, China’s government communicated that...
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Monday, August 26, 2019
The Week on Wall Street Traders assumed that the week’s biggest news event would be Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s speech at the annual Jackson Hole banking conference. Instead, China seized the headlines by...
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Monday, August 19, 2019
The Week on Wall Street U.S. stock indices saw significant ups and downs last week, with traders looking for economic cues from Treasury yields and also developments in the tariff fight between the U.S. and China. The S&P 500 lost 1...
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Monday, August 12, 2019
The Week on Wall Street Stocks spent much of last week rebounding from a Monday drop that reflected nervousness about the U.S.-China trade fight. By Thursday’s closing bell, the S&P 500 had regained all its Monday losses –...
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Monday, August 5, 2019
The Week on Wall Street Last week, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates for the first time in more than a decade, in line with Wall Street’s expectations. Ironically, stocks had their worst week of 2019. The S&P 500 finished...
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Monday, July 29, 2019
The Week on Wall Street Last week, investors assessed earnings and the initial estimate of second-quarter economic growth, while awaiting the Federal Reserve’s next announcement about interest rates. Stocks rose for the week;...
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Monday, July 22, 2019
The Week on Wall Street Stock benchmarks retreated during the first week of the second-quarter earnings season. As some big names shared quarterly results, investors seemed more interested in what might happen at the Federal...
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Monday, July 15, 2019
The Week on Wall Street Friday, the S&P 500 settled above 3,000 for the first time, after rising 0.78% for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average chalked up a milestone of its own: the blue chips ended the week above 27,000,...
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Monday, July 8, 2019
The Week on Wall Street U.S. stock benchmarks opened a new quarter positively. The S&P 500 gained 1.65% in the opening week of July; the Dow Jones Industrial Average, 1.21%; the Nasdaq Composite, 1.94%. Overseas, stocks in developed...
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Monday, July 1, 2019
The Week on Wall Street A month of gains for stocks ended with a weekly retreat. The S&P 500 lost 0.30%; the Nasdaq Composite, 0.32%; the Dow Jones Industrial Average, 0.45%. In contrast, overseas shares, tracked by the MSCI EAFE index...
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Monday, June 24, 2019
The Week on Wall Street The S&P 500 hit an all-time peak of 2,964.03, in intraday trading Friday, while improving 2.20% across five market days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq Composite posted respective, 5-day advances of...
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Monday, June 17, 2019
The Week on Wall Street Stocks advanced for a second straight week. The S&P 500 benchmark rose 0.47%; the Nasdaq Composite, 0.70%; the Dow Jones Industrial Average, 0.41%. Overseas shares, as tracked by the MSCI EAFE developed markets...
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Monday, June 10, 2019
The Week on Wall Street Stocks rallied during a week in which Wall Street was buffeted by headlines. The S&P 500 rose 4.41%. The Nasdaq Composite and Dow Jones Industrial Average respectively added 3.88% and 4.71%. The MSCI EAFE index...
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Monday, June 3, 2019
The Week on Wall Street Stocks struggled during a 4-day market week as the U.S.-China trade standoff continued to weigh on the minds of market participants. From the Friday, May 24 close to the Friday, May 31 close, the S&P 500...
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Monday, May 27, 2019
The Week on Wall Street Stocks drifted lower last week as investors considered the possibility that the world’s two largest economies might take some time to resolve key trade issues. The S&P 500 retreated 1.17%; the Nasdaq...
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Monday, May 20, 2019
The Week on Wall Street Stocks fell sharply at the start of last week over trade tensions, then recovered with help from strong earnings and indications that U.S.-China trade talks would continue. Even so, the major indices had a down...
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Monday, May 13, 2019
The Week on Wall Street As we noted recently, Wall Street has a wandering eye. Last week, it focused on the new tariff threats in the ongoing U.S.-China trade dispute. Stocks fell across five trading sessions: the Dow Jones Industrial...
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Monday, May 6, 2019
The Week on Wall Street Stocks were up and down last week, and the three major benchmarks ended up little changed after five trading days. The S&P 500 rose 0.20% for the week; the Nasdaq Composite, 0.22%. The Dow Jones Industrial...
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Monday, April 29, 2019
The Week on Wall Street Stocks returned to record territory, with both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite closing at historic highs. The S&P gained 1.20% for the week; the Nasdaq, 1.85%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lagged,...
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Monday, April 22, 2019
The Week on Wall Street A short and relatively placid trading week wrapped up Thursday, with the major indices turning in mixed performances. The S&P 500 retreated 0.08%, the Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.17%, and the Dow Jones...
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Monday, April 8, 2019
The Week on Wall Street Stocks just posted their second straight weekly gain. Investors were encouraged by the latest jobs report and new signs of progress on a U.S.-China trade deal. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 1.17% in...
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Tuesday, April 2, 2019
The Week on Wall Street Stocks ended last week higher as volatility slowed, completing their best quarter since 2009. A Friday tweet from Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin encouraged investors, referring to “constructive”...
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Monday, March 25, 2019
The Week on Wall Street Friday, the yield of the 3-month Treasury bill exceeded the yield of the 10-year Treasury note for the first time in 12 years. For some analysts, this “inverted yield curve” may imply a short-term...
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Sunday, March 17, 2019
The Week on Wall Street The big story last week was the sudden grounding of Boeing 737 Max 8 and 9 passenger jets indozens of countries. The financial effects of this ban could potentially impact the airline industry and segments of...
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Wednesday, March 13, 2019
The Week on Wall Street As in February, investors spent most of the first full trading week of March hoping for new details in U.S.-China trade negotiations. While they waited, stock benchmarks drifted downward. From Monday’s...
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Sunday, March 3, 2019
The Week on Wall Street Stocks lost a little ground as February gave way to March. While domestic and overseas political developments made headlines, the market stayed relatively calm: from Monday’s open through Friday’s...
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Sunday, February 24, 2019
The Week on Wall Street Stocks rallied last week as optimism about a potential U.S.-China trade deal grew. The S&P 500 advanced 0.80% during the 4-day trading week to 2,792.67. The Nasdaq Composite improved 0.86% to 7,527.54, and the...
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Tuesday, February 19, 2019
The Week on Wall Street Stocks ended a good week on a high note, as hints of progress in U.S.-China trade talks encouraged investors. When the closing bell rang Friday, the S&P 500 settled at 2,775.60, after rising 2.50% in five days....
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Monday, February 11, 2019
The Week on Wall Street Major U.S. stock benchmarks eked out slight gains last week, with corporate profit reports and news about U.S.-China trade negotiations vying for investor attention over five trading sessions. The big three...
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Monday, February 4, 2019
Last week closed out one of stocks’ top January performances in years In fact, both the S&P 500 and Dow posted their best January results in at least 3 decades.[i]For the week, major domestic indexes were also up. The S&P 500...
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Tuesday, January 22, 2019
U.S. markets were up again last week, as major domestic indexes posted their 4thweekly gains in a row.[i]In fact, the S&P 500 was no longer in correction territory at Friday’s close—and was in the middle of its best yearly...
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Tuesday, January 15, 2019
After months of volatility, markets relaxed a bit last week. For the first time since October, the S&P 500 went 5 days without a 1% gain or loss.[i]The Cboe Volatility Index, or VIX, also fell to lower than 20—in December, it...
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Tuesday, January 8, 2019
U.S. markets experienced more wild sessions last week before ending in positive territory as the recent turbulence continued. In fact, we are currently in the middle of some of the most volatile market performance in more than eight...
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Tuesday, January 1, 2019
The close of the year provides an opportunity for investors to step back and consider the wider financial landscape. This week, we’re reviewing some key issues that defined 2018, as well as some factors that may influence...
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Monday, December 24, 2018
Last week, domestic markets had some of their worst performance in 10 years.[i] The S&P 500 lost 7.05%, the Dow declined 6.87%, and the NASDAQ dropped 8.36%. All three indexes have now lost at least 8% in 2018.[ii]On Friday, December...
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Tuesday, December 18, 2018
Last week brought more volatility to the markets. While domestic indexes had some rallies as positive trade news emerged earlier in the week, by Friday, December 14, they had erased any gains. The last time major U.S. indexes ended in...
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Monday, December 10, 2018
Markets went for another wild ride last week, as major domestic indexes swung back and forth. By Friday, December 7, markets had posted their worst weekly performance since March—and the S&P 500 and Dow both moved into negative...
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Monday, December 3, 2018
U.S. markets ended a volatile month on a high note Friday. All three major indices posted impressive increases for the week, buoyed by news from the Fed Reserve and international trade.[i]The S&P 500 jumped 4.85%, and the NASDAQ...
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Wednesday, November 28, 2018
Last week was a tough one for markets. The S&P 500 dropped 3.79% and experienced its worst results during a Thanksgiving week since 1939.[i]While the index officially entered correction territory on Friday, it closed 10.2% below its...
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Tuesday, November 20, 2018
Markets experienced more volatility last week, as perspectives on trade, tech, and retail pulled investor sentiment back and forth. Although domestic indexes were up on Friday, November 16, they still posted losses for the week.[i]In...
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Monday, November 12, 2018
Last week, markets experienced a 4-day winning streak before dropping on Friday, November 9. Despite those losses, domestic indexes posted gains for the week.[i]The S&P 500 increased 2.13%, the Dow added 2.84%, and the NASDAQ was up 0...
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Monday, November 5, 2018
Markets posted strong gains last week after struggling for much of October. The S&P 500 had its best weekly performance since May, and the NASDAQ had its first positive week since September.[i]Despite domestic markets dropping on...
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Tuesday, October 23, 2018
Weekly Update Stock performance was mixed last week as investors considered the impact of interest rates, international affairs and corporate earnings.[i]The S&P 500 gained 0.02%, and the Dow added 0.41% to post its first weekly gains...
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