08|29|2023

Green on the Screen| August 25, 2023

AUTHOR: Jason Roque, CFP®, APMA®, AWMA®
TITLE:   Investment Adviser Rep – CCO
TAGS:   S&P 500, NASDAQ, Nvidia, Banks, FRB

There was green on the screen for the first time in August! Will it continue or was this a flash in the pan?

Monday                              S&P 500 0.69% | NASDAQ 1.56%

Markets pushed higher to open the week. Led by the chip sector in anticipation of Nvidia earnings due out on Wednesday. There was little on the economic calendar for the day, allowing markets to look ahead.

Tuesday                               S&P 500 0.28% | NASDAQ 0.06%

Equity markets opened in the green but faded as it went through the day. S&P downgraded several banks pushing markets lower. The main banks affected were regional banks with lower yields. The return of high yield savings caused oversized outflows from some regional banks.

Wednesday                         S&P 500 1.11% | NASDAQ 1.59%

Markets surged throughout the day on Wednesday. It was an anticipatory move for Nvidia earnings due out after the bell. Nvidia has been the face of the AI movement that has been the center of markets attention for 2023.

Thursday                             S&P 500 1.35% | NASDAQ 1.87%

Durable goods orders came in stronger and initial unemployment claims came in weaker than expected. Markets posted losses offsetting the gains from Wednesday. This was likely a pre-emptive move based on FRB’s Powell speaking on Friday.

Friday                                  S&P 500 0.67% | NASDAQ 0.94%

Markets opened much as they had closed on Thursday. Equities pushed higher as the day progressed. Consumer sentiment came in lighter and 5-year inflation expectations came in stronger than expected, but still rooted firmly at 3%.  Weaker sentiment signals that a weaker consumer ahead would justify a lighter load when it comes to future rate hikes. The Federal Reserve Bank (FRB) Chair, J. Powell, spoke at Jackson Hole and continued his hawkish stance on monetary policy. This did not deter markets. Ultimately, markets closed in the green for the day and the week.

Conclusion                           S&P 500 0.82% | NASDAQ 2.26%

The markets rose for the week for the first time since July. Nvidia stole the earnings show on the week, but unfortunately the FRB always steals the whole show. The Hawkish tone from the FRB sent a message that at least one rate hike should be expected shortly. The short-lived momentum from Nvidia will likely be just that. In the near-term a hawkish FRB will persist longer than an earnings report.

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The end result of the week was green, but was there reason for it and does it tell us anything for this week?

Monday                       S&P 500 1.03% | NASDAQ 1.19%

Eleven major companies reported earnings, with one missing expectations. Much of the movement on Monday came as an extension of the Friday rally. A move based on the weaker than expected jobs report. Growth stocks outperformed as lower interest rates would carry a greater impact on their performance.

Tuesday                       S&P 500 0.13% | NASDAQ 0.10%

Twenty-three major companies reported earnings, with two missing expectations. Markets were little changed on the day. While stock stood steady, fixed income yields did slip on Tuesday. In general, this is a continuation of the last few days.

Wednesday                 S&P 500 0.00% | NASDAQ 0.18%

Fourteen major companies reported earnings, with three missing expectations. Mortgage rates slipped a little lower as rate hike expectations faded. The 10-year treasury rate, to the contrary, rose slightly on the day. This was a reversal of a recent trend. Not a notable enough increase to think that sentiment has changed.

Thursday                     S&P 500 0.51% | NASDAQ 0.27%

Eleven major companies reported earnings, with three missing expectations. Initial jobless claims came in higher than expected, but still at a muted level. The jobs data brought markets out of their two-day coma. Employment data is showing signs of softening. The hope is the Federal Reserve Board (FRB) will start getting the signals needed to start cutting rates.

Friday                          S&P 500 0.16% | NASDAQ 0.03%

Michigan Consumer Sentiment is projected to fall to 67.4 in May. If that holds true, it will be the lowest reading since August of 2023. This was a period where fears were high that a recession was on the horizon. The lack of earnings data and the weaker potential sentiment sent markets higher. Again, weakness is a signal of potential FRB moves.

Conclusion                            S&P 500 0.55% | NASDAQ 1.43%

Markets advanced for the week, albeit with little decisiveness. Market growth has all but stalled as more data is needed to entice investors. Last week’s message was clear from the FRB; they do not expect that their next move will be a hike. The focus is on the timing of a cut. Earnings data will slow down next week; however, inflation data will be in focus. It should give investors a better read on potential rate cuts later this year.

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Always remember that while this is a week in review, this does not trigger or relate to trading activity on your account with Financial Future Services. Broad diversification across several asset classes with a long-term holding strategy is the best strategy in any market environment.
Any and all third-party posts or responses to this blog do not reflect the views of the firm and have not been reviewed by the firm for completeness or accuracy.