Dow soars to new heights

Clarksville, TN – At the end of February, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed just shy of its all-time high.

Less than a week later, the index fulfilled its promise, trading as high as 14,286.37 to break both its record close of 14,164.53, on October 9th, 2007, and its intraday high of 14,198.10, reached around the same time.

The index closed at a new high of 14,253.77. [Read more]

Weekly Market Snapshot from Frazier Allen for the week of March 3rd, 2013

Market Commentary by Scott J. Brown, Ph.D., Chief Economist

Italian election results (a government in deadlock) dampened the party mood in equities. Bernanke monetary policy helped sooth fears that the Fed might end its asset purchase program earlier rather than later. Bernanke said that Fed officials “do not see the potential costs of the increased risk-taking in some financial markets as outweighing the benefits of promoting a stronger economic recovery and more-rapid job creation.”

Leaders in Washington failed to reach an agreement to avoid the sequester, but a deal could be reached as part of an agreement to authorize government spending after March 27th (which is when the current Continuing Resolution ends). [Read more]

Weekly Market Snapshot from Frazier Allen for the week of February 24th, 2013

Market Commentary by Scott J. Brown, Ph.D., Chief Economist

The FOMC minutes from the January 29th-30th policy meeting showed a greater level of discomfort regarding the Fed’s large-scale asset purchases. “Many participants,” suggesting a majority, “expressed some concerns about potential costs and risks arising from further asset purchases.”

Several participants “discussed the possible complications that additional purchases could cause for the eventual withdrawal of policy accommodation, a few mentioned the prospect of inflationary risks, and some noted that further asset purchases could foster market behavior that could undermine financial stability.” Several others “argued that the potential costs of reducing or ending asset purchases too soon were also significant, or that asset purchases should continue until a substantial improvement in the labor market outlook had occurred.” [Read more]

Weekly Market Snapshot from Frazier Allen for the week of February 20th, 2013

Market Commentary by Scott J. Brown, Ph.D., Chief Economist

In his State of the Union Address, President Obama proposed various efforts to boost manufacturing jobs, universal pre-K education and an increase in the minimum wage. However, there’s little chance that any of these proposals will make it to the floor of the House.

The economic data were mixed. Retail sales rose a modest 0.1% in January. Industrial production slipped 0.1%, but figures for November and December were revised higher. The New York Fed’s Empire State Manufacturing Index and the mid-February reading on consumer sentiment surprised to the upside. [Read more]

Weekly Market Snapshot from Frazier Allen for the week of February 10th, 2013

Market Commentary by Scott J. Brown, Ph.D., Chief Economist

Federal Reserve Governor Jeremy Stein fell short of declaring that credit markets are overheating, but suggested that an extended period of low interest rates could lead to the taking on of greater duration of credit risks, or to employment of greater leverage in a “reach for yield.” He said that the Fed must monitor the financial markets closely and could address signs of excessive risk-taking through regulatory efforts or through monetary policy.

Next week, President Barack Obama will deliver his State of the Union Address on Tuesday evening (which is also Mardi Gras). Most likely, the President will ask that Congress postpone the sequester through the end of the year. Note that it’s not costless to do so – there has to be an offsetting increase in revenues (possibly closed loopholes) or reduction in other types of spending (say, reduced farm subsidies). The reports on retail sales and industrial production have some market-moving potential, but seasonal adjustment could exaggerate what would otherwise be minor shifts in the data. [Read more]

Market Update: November seems promising after an eventful October

Clarksville, TN – This has been an interesting month, to say the least. Not only did we mark the 83rd anniversary of the Black Tuesday stock market crash, but we also saw Hurricane Sandy shut down the New York Stock Exchange for two days during the final week of the month.

The last time a hurricane closed the NYSE was September 1985. We have to go back to 1888 for the last time markets closed on consecutive days due to weather. [Read more]

Volatile October Ends Five-Month Down Trend

Clarksville, TN – October was a volatile month in the markets. The beginning of the month saw stocks move higher on mostly upbeat third-quarter earnings reports, eased recession fears and optimism on progress toward resolving the European debt crisis.

Toward the end of the month, U.S. stocks again rallied on news of a Greek debt deal that expanded the region’s bailout fund and on news that U.S. gross domestic product grew faster than in the previous period. [Read more]

Investor Fears Spark U.S., World Market Selloffs

Clarksville, TN – A steady drip of weak economic performance figures from around the globe combined with a grim assessment of near-term U.S. economic prospects pushed investor confidence over the edge Thursday. Some Asian and European markets lost as much as 5% of their value. U.S. markets dropped similarly during the day, although losses diminished somewhat as trading drew to a close.

For the record, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 391.01 points or 3.51% to finish the day at 10,733.80, while the broader S&P 500 dropped 37.2 points or 3.19%, to close at 1,129.56. The Nasdaq declined 82.52 points or 3.52% and closed at 2,455.67. This followed significant losses in all the indices in the previous trading session. It was the fourth consecutive day of domestic market losses. [Read more]

Markets Tumble on Signs of Weakening Global, U.S. Economies

Clarksville, TN – Stocks fell sharply yesterday around the world, accelerating a widespread decline that began as the United States approached the August 2 deadline for averting default and then resumed with even more intensity after a brief rally when a debt/budget deal was reached in Washington.

On Thursday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 512.76, or 4.31%, while the broader S&P 500 dropped 60.27, or 4.78%, and the tech-oriented Nasdaq declined 136.68, or 5.67%. [Read more]

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