Jobless Claims Remain Low in October
Employment figures are crucial for any economy. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, initial jobless claims were 260,000 for the week ended October 24, an increase of 1,000 from the prior week.
Consumer Spending Helps Economic Growth in Third Quarter
Consumer spending saw positive contributions to economic growth in 3Q15. An increase in consumer spending led to an increase in GDP for the third quarter.
UK Stocks Held Down by Giant Companies’ Earnings Misses
The iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF (EWU) ended with a fall of 0.62% on Thursday, October 29, amid corporate earnings.
Pfizer and Allergan: Possibly the Largest Merger
As we stated earlier in this series, the news of merger talks between Pfizer (PFE) and Allergan (AGN) brought biotech stocks to the headlines.
Gannett and QEP Resources Reach the Top of SPY Stocks
The stocks of the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) that made it to the top on Thursday, October 29, were Gannett (GCI), QEP Resources (QEP), and FMC Corp (FMC).
The Healthcare Sector Outperforms amid Corporate Earnings
The energy sector was in the lead owing to a natural gas inventory status report. It was closely followed by the healthcare sector.
US Stock Rally Stalls, SPY Ends with Slight Losses
The SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) and the Direxion Daily S&P500 Bull 3X ETF (SPXL) fell 0.06% and 0.12%, respectively, on October 29.
EWU Led by Energy and Mining Stocks; Meggitt Collapsed
Meggitt (MGGT) was at the bottom of EWU on October 28. MGGT fell steeply after FTSE 100 engineers warned that the company’s full-year profits were likely to drop significantly below expectations.
Oil Prices Drive Energy Stocks Higher, EWU at 1% Gain
The UK stock markets were bright on Wednesday, October 28, ahead of the FOMC’s statement. Of the 109 stocks of the iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF (EWU), 90 ended up in positive territory.
Positive Corporate Earnings Bolstered SPY
L3 Communications Holdings (LLL), an aerospace and defense stock, is expected to beat market estimates for corporate earnings. Its stock rose on October 28, ahead of its quarterly earnings release.
Finance Stocks Are Leading SPY
Finance stocks led SPY on Wednesday, October 28, when the Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) and the Financial Services Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLFS) jumped 2.3% and 2.6%, respectively.
US Equity Market Rises after FOMC’s Statement Release
The US equity market rose after the FOMC released its conclusion statement for its two-day meeting. According to the statement, the Fed interest rates will remain unchanged.
What Does the Falling Correlation Between Stocks and Bonds Mean?
The correlation between stocks and bonds is falling again. The correlation has become more negative in the last three months.
Why Have Risky Assets Outperformed Recently?
With stocks on shaky ground, investors with equity-centric portfolios may want to consider adding exposure to longer-duration bonds. Russ explains.
What Does the Falling New Orders Index Mean?
The falling new orders index points to a slowdown.
Keep an Eye on these Recession Indicators
In order to assess the odds of an imminent recession, these three indicators are key to watch.
Is the Manufacturing Sector Heading into a Technical Recession?
The manufacturing sector seems to be heading into a technical recession.
Is the United States Heading into another Recession?
Worried the US is on the cusp of another recession? Russ shares the economic indicators worth paying attention to.
How INC Can Help Balance a Fixed-Income Portfolio
The correlation between the S&P 500 Index and Treasuries has been -0.55 over the last five years.
Why Are Consumers Losing Confidence in the Economy?
A fall in consumer confidence indicates that consumers are losing confidence about future economic conditions with weakness in the labor market.
