The markets marched ahead last week with the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ reporting all-time records, albeit just slightly above previous highs.1 The S&P rose 1.43% over last week, while the NASDAQ was up 2.08%.2 The Dow gained 1.32% and the MSCI EAFE gained 0.14% for the week.3 Volatility subsided as the CBOE Volatility Index, which gauges fear in the market, fell to 9.8 at the end of the week.4
A few important economic developments also caught our attention.
Market News for the Week
Strong Corporate Earnings
Corporate earnings remain a bright spot as approximately 75% of S&P 500 companies beat their Q1 earnings estimates. S&P 500 corporate earnings are averaging a 13.9% increase—the best performance in over 5 years.5
First Quarter GDP Revised Upward
The good news is that Q1 GDP revised upward from 0.7% to 1.2% growth.6 However, the economy continues to grow at a less-than-robust rate at approximately 2% on a year-over-year basis, as it has since 2011.7
Oil Prices Fall
U.S. crude ended the week at $49.80 after prices fell almost 5% on Thursday following OPEC’s announced 9-month extension to limit oil production.8 Investors remain cautious; U.S. oil production has spiked by over 10% in the last year, keeping oil prices down by offsetting reduced OPEC production.9
Softening Housing Sales
New home sales fell 11.4% in April to an annualized rate of 569,000. Median new home prices dropped 3.0% to $309,200, as sales are tracking for only a modest 0.5% gain for the year.10 April’s existing home sales dropped 2.3% in another indication of softening home sales.11
The Fed’s Plan to Tighten Its Balance Sheet
As expected, the Federal Reserve FOMC unveiled a proposal to gradually unwind its $4.5 trillion balance sheet with monthly limits. The process is likely to begin later in the year, though the Fed has not announced a specific date.12
Heading Into Summer
After Memorial Day, the shortened workweek brings more attention-worthy reports as investors will continue to evaluate the prospects for a stronger Q2 GDP performance. Tuesday’s April consumer spending reports and Friday’s trade data should give us a better picture of where Q2 GDP is heading.13
Investors will continue to monitor the U.S. trade gap. April exports were down 0.9% while imports were up 0.7%, creating an unfavorable gap of $67.6 billion. Investment in new equipment will also provide investors with another important indicator of future economic growth. New equipment orders have so far remained flat for the year, though. Finally, the Fed’s plans for a possible interest rate hike in June will be on investors’ radar.14
If you have questions about where you stand today or how to prepare for tomorrow, we are here to talk. Our goal is to give you the facts and insight you need to remain informed and in control of your financial future.
I’m so beyond proud of my son Connor, who was named Most Valuable Player in the Sectional Tournament.
He was the winning pitcher throwing a 2 hitter, and striking out 13 players to defeat the #1 seed. The team now moves to the Regionals in NY State.
Connor was front page of the Sports Section
in the Journal News:
Sources
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