Strong earnings reports plus a favorable gross domestic product report were enough to boost stocks last week. The S&P 500 notched a new record high last week, as did the Nasdaq. The GDP expanded at an annualized rate of 2.1% in the second quarter as consumer spending (which accounts for about two-thirds of the economy) soared. Several large companies reported strong earnings, although Amazon’s run of record earnings came to an end. The Nasdaq led the way last week, gaining over 2.25%, followed by the Russell 2000, which also increased over 2.0%. The S&P 500 rose 38.25 points and 1.65% over its prior week’s closing value. Both the Dow (0.14%) and the Global Dow (0.61%) lagged behind the other benchmark indexes listed here.
Oil prices stayed relatively steady last week, closing at $56.17 per barrel by late Friday afternoon, up from the prior week’s price of $55.97. The price of gold (COMEX) fell for the first time in several weeks, closing at $1,418.40 by late Friday afternoon, down from the prior week’s price of $1,426.50. The national average retail regular gasoline price was $2.750 per gallon on July 22, 2019, $0.029 lower than the prior week’s price and $0.081 less than a year ago.
Market/Index | 2018 Close | Prior Week | As of 7/26 | Weekly Change | YTD Change |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
DJIA | 23327.46 | 27154.20 | 27192.45 | 0.14% | 16.57% |
Nasdaq | 6635.28 | 8146.49 | 8330.21 | 2.26% | 25.54% |
S&P 500 | 2506.85 | 2976.61 | 3025.86 | 1.65% | 20.70% |
Russell 2000 | 1348.56 | 1547.90 | 1578.97 | 2.01% | 17.09% |
Global Dow | 2736.74 | 3085.57 | 3104.51 | 0.61% | 13.44% |
Fed. Funds target rate | 2.25%-2.50% | 2.25%-2.50% | 2.25%-2.50% | 0 bps | 0 bps |
10-year Treasuries | 2.68% | 2.00% | 2.08% | 8 bps | -60 bps |
Chart reflects price changes, not total return. Because it does not include dividends or splits, it should not be used to benchmark performance of specific investments.
This is a very busy week with some market-moving economic reports scheduled for release, as well as the FOMC meeting. Personal income and savings have been growing at a steady pace, but consumer prices and spending have been relatively subdued, indicative of weak inflationary trends. Also, manufacturing slipped in June, according to purchasing managers’ surveys. A more positive outlook is expected for July.
Data sources: News items are based on reports from multiple commonly available international news sources (i.e. wire services) and are independently verified when necessary with secondary sources such as government agencies, corporate press releases, or trade organizations. Market data: Based on data reported in WSJ Market Data Center (indexes); U.S. Treasury (Treasury yields); U.S. Energy Information Administration/Bloomberg.com Market Data (oil spot price, WTI Cushing, OK); www.goldprice.org (spot gold/silver); Oanda/FX Street (currency exchange rates). All information is based on sources deemed reliable, but no warranty or guarantee is made as to its accuracy or completeness. Neither the information nor any opinion expressed herein constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any securities, and should not be relied on as financial advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. All investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal, and there can be no guarantee that any investing strategy will be successful.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is a price-weighted index composed of 30 widely traded blue-chip U.S. common stocks. The S&P 500 is a market-cap weighted index composed of the common stocks of 500 leading companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy. The NASDAQ Composite Index is a market-value weighted index of all common stocks listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange. The Russell 2000 is a market-cap weighted index composed of 2,000 U.S. small-cap common stocks. The Global Dow is an equally weighted index of 150 widely traded blue-chip common stocks worldwide. Market indices listed are unmanaged and are not available for direct investment.
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