With 2014 behind us, let’s take a look at some of the factors that influenced markets last year. With the economic recovery in its fifth year, 2014 was the year in which Americans finally became confident in the economy and their financial prospects. Despite several short-term pullbacks, 2014 was unambiguously good for the stock market; […]
As 2014 comes to a close, it’s time to start thinking about how to make 2015 a success for you and your loved ones. Though there’s little consensus about their origins, we know that Americans have been making New Year’s resolutions since at least the 1770s. In 2013, 54% of Americans made resolutions about their […]
Markets ended a rollercoaster week on an upbeat note, giving the S&P 500 its biggest weekly gain in nearly two years and erasing December losses. Markets were pulled in different directions by several factors, including central bank actions, a deep slide in the Russian ruble, and further gyrations in oil markets. For the week, the […]
Markets ended the first week of December with a bang, rallying for the seventh straight week, though the Nasdaq gave in to selling pressure and closed slightly down. Investors used an upbeat November jobs report as an excuse to rally, giving the Dow another record close for the year. For the week, the S&P 500 […]
After a choppy October, November was a very good month for stocks. Falling oil prices, new moves by central banks, and solid domestic fundamentals gave both the Dow and the S&P 500 new record highs. For the month, the S&P 500 gained 4.29%, the Dow grew 5.03%, and the Nasdaq added 5.33%. Last week was […]