Weekly Market Commentary – Week 22
5/30/2023
Some aspects of that description apply to recent financial market activity. Last week, we saw: Inflation flying above the Federal Reserve (Fed)’s target.
MORESome aspects of that description apply to recent financial market activity. Last week, we saw: Inflation flying above the Federal Reserve (Fed)’s target.
MOREWhile major U.S. stock indices are in positive territory year-to-date, market gains have been concentrated in just a few companies’ stocks.
MOREConsumers aren’t optimistic. The Consumer Sentiment Index fell to a six-month low in May, dropping 9.1 percent month-to-month.
MORELast week, the April employment report for the United States arrived. It showed that unemployment dropped to the lowest level in more than 50 years – 3.4 percent.
MOREDespite more than a year of aggressive Federal Reserve rate increases, the United States economy is still growing, albeit more slowly. U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) – the value of all goods and services produced in the U.S. economy – grew by 5.1 percent over the first quarter.
MOREIt’s earnings season – the time when publicly traded companies report on how profitable they were during the first quarter of 2023. So far, reports suggest that companies listed on United States stock exchanges did better than many had anticipated.
MOREInflation eased, as expected, although it remained above the Federal Reserve (Fed)’s target rate. The Treasury yield curve remained inverted with three-month Treasury bills yielding more than 10-year Treasury notes, as they have been since November 2022.
MORECurrent economic conditions can be interpreted in different ways, too. Recent economic data and a possible credit crunch, resulting from upheaval in the banking sector, suggest growth is slowing.
MORESo far this year, the direction of the economy and financial markets has been elusive.
MOREInvestors are willing to take on risk to achieve their long-term financial goals, but not everyone manages it in the same way. Some people are willing to embrace risk, and others prefer a less adventurous option.
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