News & Insights
Municipal Bonds On The Rebound
Source: BlackRock Municipal market highlights After rates peaked mid-month, the muni market finished May with strong gains. Issuance is gradually rebounding from early-2018 lows while demand remains firm. We are cautious of a challenging June ahead of typical summer strength. Market overview Interest rates were volatile in May, with the 10-year Treasury yield moving north […]
Happy Birthday, Expansion!
You Don’t Look at Day Over 9 Posted by lplresearch This month, the U.S. economic expansion officially turns nine years old. Last month, it topped what was the second-longest expansion in the 1960s, with only the record 10-year expansion from the 1990s standing in the way. For starters, consider that going clear back to the […]
MaJohn Hancock Weekly Market Recap: Week Ended June 8
Source: jhinvestments Breakout week U.S. stocks finally managed to sustain positive momentum after alternating between small gains and losses over the preceding three weeks. Consumer discretionary stocks led the broader market higher as the Dow climbed nearly 3% and the S&P 500 and NASDAQ rose more than 1 Volatility dissipates Although stocks have […]
Time For A June Swoon?
Source by lplresearch U.S. equities advanced in May to extend their win streak during the month to six years, but can the summer rally continue? First things first, historically June has been a stumbling block for stocks. As the LPL Research Chart of the Day shows: June has been one of the weakest months for […]
Beyond The FAANGs: Technology Stock and Downside Protection
Source: Alliance Bernstein Technology stocks are widely seen as powerful return drivers—with a lot of volatility attached. But surprisingly, shares of many companies that enable the technology revolution can provide solid returns and even downside protection. It’s been a volatile year for technology and new-media stocks amid controversy at Facebook and concerns about Amazon’s dominance. […]
Not too Hot, Not Too Cold: Big Job Gains Don’t Trigger Inflation Fears
Source: TD Ameritrade ( Friday Market Open) Job growth spiked in May, rising a better than expected 223,000 while wage growth stayed in check. The result? A possible “Goldilocks” monthly jobs report that shows solid job growth continuing without much sign of potentially inflationary pay gains. Dissecting the Jobs Report As weather warmed last month, […]
Market Recap for Week Ended June 1:
May recap May proved to be a month of modest gains for stocks, as the S&P 500 rose 2.2% and the Dow added 1.1%. The big action took place in other markets, as the yield of the 10-year U.S. Treasury bond rose at mid-month to its highest level in seven years and crude oil prices […]
Wary of High Yield? Three Reasons Not to Be
High-yield investors bracing for a downturn in 2018 can relax. By some metrics, high-yield companies have rarely looked better. The way we see it, investors who do their homework can still profit in this environment. After a strong 2017, high-yield bonds have struggled this year as US Treasury yields spiked and inflation potential stirred […]
Your Guide to Navigating the Month Ahead
The early days of May brought some positive momentum to the markets, sparked in part by strong earnings reports and job numbers along with interest rates holding steady. But this doesn’t mean investors should throw caution to the wind. It’s too early to tell if the volatility of recent months might be behind us. Higher […]
Market Recap for Week Ended May 24:
Bond price rally Prices of U.S. government bonds rose sharply, sending their yields lower, as investors focused on indicators of moderating economic growth. After reaching a seven-year high of 3.11% on May 17, the yield of the 10-year U.S. Treasury bond sank below the 3.00% threshold on Thursday and finished the week around 2.93%. […]