In this week’s recap: U.S. jobs report and a surging market build optimism for global economic recovery.

Weekly Economic Update

Presented by Cornerstone Financial Advisory, LLC, June 8, 2020

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THE WEEK ON WALL STREET

A positive jobs report sent stocks soaring last Friday, capping a solid week as evidence of a global economic recovery outweighed concerns over civil unrest and tensions with China.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 6.81%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 advanced 4.91%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index lagged, climbing 3.42%. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed stock markets overseas, gained 5.52%.^1,2,3

 

Stocks March Higher

Despite multiple headwinds, stocks rode a wave of optimism over economic recovery and were encouraged by signs that a feared spike in COVID-19 had not occurred.

Firming oil prices and positive global manufacturing data helped boost stocks during the week. The market continued to be led by industry sectors that were most battered in the March decline, as price advances slowed in growth-oriented stocks, primarily technology names.

After a pause on Thursday, stocks surged on Friday when a jobs report surprisingly showed 2.5 million new jobs in May, with the unemployment rate falling to 13.3%. Wall Street expected a jobs decline of over 8 million and an unemployment rate of 19.5%.^4,5

 

A Wall of Worry

While the markets continued to move higher last week, many investors are concerned that the recovery may be hindered by simmering tensions with China and the civil unrest that erupted last week.

China has been a longstanding source of market worry, but the civil unrest introduces a new challenge. For now, the market appears to have shrugged off these concerns.

 

FINAL THought

This past Wednesday marked the best 50-day gain for the S&P 500 in the index’s history. During a period that approximates the lifespan of a mosquito, stock market sentiment has swung from near-absolute despair in late March to positively bullish.⁶

Often, the most impactful lessons in life tend to be those most recently learned. If the last three months have offered investors any lesson, it may be that trying to time the market is a challenging proposition.

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T I P   O F   T H E   W E E K

Exercise is not only wise, but it may also prove economical. In the long run, just keeping fit may save you thousands of dollars (or more) in medical bills, which an unhealthy person might incur.

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THE WEEK AHEAD: KEY ECONOMIC DATA

Wednesday: Consumer Price Index (CPI). Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) Meeting Announcement. Federal Reserve Chair Press Conference.

Thursday: Jobless Claims.

Source: Econoday, June 5, 2020

The Econoday economic calendar lists upcoming U.S. economic data releases (including key economic indicators), Federal Reserve policy meetings, and speaking engagements of Federal Reserve officials. The content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The forecasts or forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and may not materialize. The forecasts also are subject to revision.

 

THE WEEK AHEAD: COMPANIES REPORTING EARNINGS

Monday: Coupa Software (COUP).

Tuesday: Chewy (CHWY).

Thursday: Lululemon (LULU).

Source: Source: Zacks, June 5, 2020

Companies mentioned are for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of the securities. Any investment should be consistent with your objectives, time frame and risk tolerance. The return and principal value of investments will fluctuate as market conditions change. When sold, investments may be worth more or less than their original cost. Companies may reschedule when they report earnings without notice.

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Q U O T E   O F   T H E   W E E K

“Life is 10% of what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it.”

JOHN MAXWELL

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T H E   W E E K L Y   R I D D L E

What is the timepiece with the most moving parts? (It’s been around for centuries.)

 

LAST WEEK’S RIDDLE: Can you name two English words (longer than two letters) that both begin and end with the letters “he” (in that order)?

ANSWER: Headache and Heartache.

 

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This material was prepared by MarketingPro, Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. The information herein has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Please note – investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investments will fluctuate and when redeemed may be worth more or less than when originally invested. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All market indices discussed are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment. Indices do not incur management fees, costs and expenses, and cannot be invested into directly. All economic and performance data is historical and not indicative of future results. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted index of 30 actively traded blue-chip stocks. The NASDAQ Composite Index is a market-weighted index of all over-the-counter common stocks traded on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System. The Standard & Poor’s 500 (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. NYSE Group, Inc. (NYSE:NYX) operates two securities exchanges: the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) and NYSE Arca (formerly known as the Archipelago Exchange, or ArcaEx®, and the Pacific Exchange). NYSE Group is a leading provider of securities listing, trading and market data products and services. The New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. (NYMEX) is the world’s largest physical commodity futures exchange and the preeminent trading forum for energy and precious metals, with trading conducted through two divisions – the NYMEX Division, home to the energy, platinum, and palladium markets, and the COMEX Division, on which all other metals trade. Additional risks are associated with international investing, such as currency fluctuations, political and economic instability and differences in accounting standards. This material represents an assessment of the market environment at a specific point in time and is not intended to be a forecast of future events, or a guarantee of future results. MarketingPro, Inc. is not affiliated with any person or firm that may be providing this information to you. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional. The market indexes discussed are unmanaged and generally considered representative of their respective markets. Individuals cannot directly invest in unmanaged indexes. Past performance does not guarantee future results. The return and principal value of investments will fluctuate as market conditions change. When sold, investments may be worth more or less than their original cost.

CITATIONS:

1 – The Wall Street Journal, June 5, 2020
2 – The Wall Street Journal, June 5, 2020
3 – The Wall Street Journal, June 5, 2020
4 – CNBC, June 5, 2020
5 – CNBC, June 5, 2020
6 – The Wall Street Journal, June 4, 2020

CHART CITATIONS:

The Wall Street Journal, June 5, 2020
The Wall Street Journal, June 5, 2020
Treasury.gov, June 5, 2020