Category: Insights

Market Update COVID-19 statistics, consumer spending, and improving trends in employment data drove positive equity gains for most indices since our last update. The MSCI ACWI Index, which represents global equities (i.e., both U.S. and international stocks), gained 1.6% over the past two weeks, while the MSCI ACWI Ex-USA (international stocks) gained 1.1%. U.S. large | Read More +

Market Update U.S. manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) data, progress on U.S. fiscal policy negotiations, modest easing in COVID hotspots, and a strong U.S. employment report drove positive equity gains this week. The MSCI ACWI Index, which represents global equities (i.e., both U.S. and international stocks), closed the week up 2.2%, while the MSCI ACWI | Read More +

Market Update Markets were mixed this week as they digested an enormous amount of news that ranged from generally positive corporate earnings and plateauing COVID cases/hospitalizations in key U.S. hotspots, to second-quarter GDP data, to stalled fiscal stimulus negotiations, and an increase in continuing jobless claims.  The MSCI ACWI Index, which represents global equities (i.e., | Read More +

Market Update The markets finished the week largely unchanged, in a week that had generally positive Q2 earnings reports and an agreement on a fiscal stimulus package in the E.U. The MSCI ACWI Index, which represents global equities (i.e., both U.S. and international stocks), closed the week down 0.1%, while the MSCI ACWI Ex-USA (international stocks) | Read More +

Market Update The key drivers of this week’s market movements were positive updates on COVID-19 treatments and vaccine candidates, as well as continued optimism surrounding a fifth stimulus package. The MSCI ACWI Index, which represents global equities (i.e., both U.S. and international stocks), closed the week up 1.1%, while the MSCI ACWI Ex-USA (international stocks) | Read More +

Market Update Core U.S. bonds on the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index closed the week slightly higher, up 0.2%. Equity markets also drifted higher, with the MSCI ACWI Index, which represents global equities (i.e., both U.S. and international stocks), finishing up 2.0%, and the S&P 500 finishing up 1.8%. International stocks had a similar showing, as the | Read More +

Market Update Equity markets marched higher this week, with the MSCI ACWI Index, which represents global equities (i.e., both U.S. and international stocks), finishing up 3.5%.  The S&P 500 finished up 4.0%, while the U.S. small cap Russell 2000 closed the week up 3.7%. International stocks had a strong week as well, as the MSCI | Read More +

Market Returns After a mild correction last week — including significant volatility on Wednesday and Thursday — the markets bounced back this week. Through the end of Thursday, the MSCI ACWI, which represents global equities (i.e., both U.S. and international stocks), rose 2.2%. The S&P 500 gained 2.4% over the same 4-day period, and the | Read More +

Download a printable version. Overview In February, major stock indices dropped sharply, and core bond indices rose largely due to heightened worries about the global economic implications of the coronavirus (COVID-19; however, the U.S. presidential primaries also played a part. Equity markets seemed to respond more skittishly to wins by Senator Sanders than by former | Read More +