Perspective on the Magnificent 7 and Valuations
The stock market continues to reach new heights, driven by a stronger-than-expected economy and the largest technology stocks. In particular, Nvidia, a maker of graphics chips used in artificial intelligence applications, recently helped to push markets higher after it beat Wall Street earnings expectations. This has added to the gains made by the group known as the Magnificent Seven which consists of fast-growing technology companies, many of which have market...
How Consumer Spending Supports the Economy and Markets
Consumer spending is the backbone of the U.S. economy, constituting over two-thirds of our nearly $28 trillion GDP. When consumers spend money on everyday goods and services, and make large one-time purchases, it not only helps to spur economic growth but is also a reflection of economic trends. This is because many factors affect consumer purchases including consumer sentiment, the job market, household net worth, inflation, housing prices, the stock...
How Loss Aversion and the Sequence of Returns Impact Investors
The S&P 500 index recently closed above 5,000 and set a new all-time high, less than three years after it first crossed the 4,000 mark. While some are understandably nervous any time the market is near record levels, investors also tend to grow more bullish as the momentum continues. Across market cycles, fear often turns to caution, giving way to optimism and eventually irrational exuberance. With the market's rapid climb...
How Expectations Around the Fed, Banks, and the Economy Affect Investors
When it comes to markets, day-to-day price swings are often more about what investors expect than the underlying facts. This is because markets are designed to anticipate future events and assign them a price today. This gap between reality and expectations has driven stock and bond market volatility in recent days due to the Fed's latest announcement and headlines in the banking sector. What should investors know about these developments...