Stratos Wealth Partners

December 2, 2019 – November Concludes With Gains

The Week on Wall Street As November wrapped up, U.S. equity benchmarks advanced. Stocks were again aided by a sense of optimism that a preliminary U.S.-China trade deal could be near. For the week, the Nasdaq Composite added 1.87%; the S&P 500, 1.21%; the Dow Jones Industrial Average, 1.03%. The MSCI EAFE index, which measures […]

December 30, 2019 – The Year in Review

What Drove the Markets? Four factors influenced investment performance in 2019: a shift in U.S. monetary policy, the ongoing trade dispute between the U.S. and China, earnings, and the economy. Stocks reached record highs in 2019. The S&P 500 climbed above 3,000 for the first time. The benchmark ended Friday’s trading session up 29.25% for […]

December 9, 2019 – Stocks Ride Out a Choppy Week

The Week on Wall Street Key Wall Street benchmarks were up and down last week – or rather down and then up. A Tuesday retreat was offset by a Friday rally spurred by the Department of Labor’s November jobs report. While the S&P 500 managed to rise 0.16% for the week, the Dow Jones Industrial […]

February 10, 2020 – Stocks Bounce Back

The Week on Wall Street Stocks advanced four days out of five during the past market week, erasing the losses of the week before. The Nasdaq Composite surged 4.04%, the S&P 500 3.17%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average 3.00%. Foreign stocks also rallied: the MSCI EAFE index added 2.21%.[1][2] China Plans to Halve Some […]

February 18, 2020 – Weekly Gains for Big Benchmarks

The Week on Wall Street Daily headlines about the coronavirus had little impact on stock market averages last week. Earnings and mergers had more influence. All three Wall Street benchmarks improved. The Nasdaq Composite rose 2.21%, outpacing the S&P 500, up 1.58%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average, up 1.02%. The MSCI EAFE index, which […]

February 24, 2020 – Virus Anxieties Affect Stocks

The Week on Wall Street Traders paid close attention to coronavirus developments and earnings last week, while wondering how the former might eventually impact the latter. Concern over updated infection numbers moderated risk appetite. A pair of key stock benchmarks posted similar weekly losses. In New York, the S&P 500 declined 1.25%; the MSCI EAFE […]

February 3, 2020 – Equities Slip on Virus Concerns

The Week on Wall Street Stock benchmarks declined for a second straight week as coronavirus news tempered risk appetite. The S&P 500 fell 2.14% on the week. The Nasdaq Composite dipped 1.76%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average, 2.55%. Away from North America, developed markets slumped 2.24%, according to MSCI’s EAFE index.[1][2] The Fed Makes […]

Happy New Year!

We would like to thank you for allowing us to assist with your financial advising needs this past year. We look forward to the continued opportunity through 2023! Happy New Year!

Is the Fed Ready to Pause?

Over the years, the Fed has followed a similar pattern with interest rates. It raises interest rates, then pauses, so it can see how the economy is adjusting to the higher rates. The chart below shows the Fed’s pattern with short-term rates during the past 30 years. So, when will the Fed be ready to […]

January 13, 2020 – Further Gains for Stocks

The Week on Wall Street The market had a choppy five days, with traders reacting to geopolitical developments and weaker-than-expected jobs data. Even so, the three major U.S. equity indices posted weekly gains and continued their strong start to the new year. During Friday’s trading session, the Dow Jones Industrial Average topped 29,000 for the […]