Daily Insights
Solid earnings considering the stiff headwinds. With only about 30 S&P 500 Index companies left to report results, second quarter 2019 earnings for the index are tracking down 0.7% year over year according to FactSet, above June 30, 2019, estimates (-2.7%) despite a 1.5 percentage point drag from Boeing. Continue reading
Economic Blog
U.S. economic data has been sound this week, providing investors with good news amid a wave of conflicting headlines and market volatility.
Second quarter nonfarm productivity, released August 15, was an especially encouraging report. As shown in the LPL Chart of the Day, Nonfarm Productivity Picks Up, nonfarm productivity climbed 2.3% in the second quarter and 1.8% year over year.
Daily Insights
Stocks rebound. Global stocks are modestly higher this morning after a volatile week of trade headlines and yield curve concerns. The S&P 500 Index closed down 2.4% for the week through Thursday, heading for its third straight weekly loss after two significant selloffs on Monday and Wednesday. Continue reading
Daily Insights
Stocks trying to hold early-morning rebound. After the S&P 500 Index’s nearly 3 percent decline yesterday, stocks are trying to regain their footing this morning amid another flurry of trade headlines and yield curve inversion concerns (please see yesterday’s LPL Research blog). Continue reading
Market Blog
We continue to believe there is technical support for the S&P 500 Index as discussed in our August 9 blog, and we’re already seeing some signs of the pessimism that is necessary for forming a bottom. The negative sentiment intensified August 14 following the inversion of the yield curve (discussed in our August 14 blog), so today we want to take a closer look at some key levels the LPL Research team is watching.
Economic Blog
A closely watched point on the Treasury yield curve has fallen negative for the first time in this economic cycle.
As shown in the LPL Chart of the Day, Yield Curve Inversion Raises Economic Questions, the spread between the 2-year and 10-year Treasury yields fell as low as -2 basis points (-0.02%) in trading on August 14.
Daily Insights
Global stocks decline. Global stocks are down this morning following a strong day for U.S. markets fueled by upbeat trade headlines. The S&P 500 Index rose 1.5% yesterday after the United States announced it would delay some tariffs scheduled to go into effect September 1, and resume trade talks with China in September. Continue reading
Daily Insights
Earnings continue gradual improvement. With 90% of S&P 500 Index companies’ results in, second quarter 2019 earnings are tracking down -0.7% year over year, above June 30 estimates of -2.7% despite a more than 1 percentage point drag from Boeing and a modest improvement over the prior week. Continue reading
Daily Insights
Earnings continue gradual improvement. With 90% of S&P 500 Index companies’ results in, second quarter 2019 earnings are tracking down -0.7% year over year, above June 30 estimates of -2.7% despite a more than 1 percentage point drag from Boeing and a modest improvement over the prior week. Continue reading
U.S.-China trade tensions have ratcheted up again following President Trump’s decision to level tariffs on the remaining $300 billion of U.S. imports from China. Combine that with China’s decision to let its currency (the yuan) weaken past the 7 per dollar level, and investors may be more concerned than ever that global tensions could drag down the economy and stocks.