Market Outlook Archives - Page 5 of 5 - Rocky Mountain Financial Solutions

How Quickly Will the Economy Recover

jim Economy, Financial advisor, Investing, investment strategy, Market Brief, Market Commentary, Market Outlook, Market Review, Retirement Planning, Stock Market, wealth management February 8, 2021February 8, 2021financial advisor, Investing, market brief, Market Commentary, Market Outlook, Market Review, retirement planning, Stock Market, wealth management

Now that the great short-squeeze has lost most of it’s air, it’s back to business as usual. The indexes shook off the weak job numbers and are looking ahead to the economy recovering and growing. Last week all indexes finished up.

Last Week

January jobs created less than 50,000 new jobs. On the positive side, unemployment fell from 6.7% to 6.3%. The number of Americans filing for unemployment also declined for the 3rd straight week. Most of the Nasdaq’s gains were attributed to good earnings reports, surpassing estimates. And the volatility index dropped back into the 20’s, calming the fears of an immediate 2021 correction. Readings from the ISM report were above 50, signaling expansion. This is good news when trying to grasp how quickly the economy will recover.

The Week Ahead

The economy is continuing to recover, both at home and abroad, as vaccination efforts spread. When a stumble comes, fiscal and monetary policy will undoubtedly offer an arm to stabilize or stand up. That remains supportive to equities, government bond yields, and credit markets. Roughly 59% of the S&P500 has reported earnings, and 81% have beaten EPS estimates. Per FactSet, the blended EPS growth rate is +1.7% y/y versus December 31’s estimate of -9.3%. For now, investors will continue economic implications of the race between widespread vaccination and virus mutation, the resumption of consumption, and the likelihood of higher prices or inflation across the economy.

Total after tax income was up 7.2% in 2020, the most in any year since 2000. Right now, there is plenty of demand for goods. Incomes and savings are up year-over-year. While production is not. It is supply that is hurting. The perfect recipe for inflation. A very real threat to the long-term health of the US economy. This we will keep an eye on. Year-to-date index performance; Dow up 1.77%, S&P up 3.48%, and Nasdaq up 7.51% through the close on Friday.

Have a safe week!

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Impeachment, Inauguration, and a Whole Lot More

jim Economy, Financial advisor, Market Brief, Market Commentary, Market Outlook, Market Review, Stock Market January 19, 2021January 19, 2021Economy, financial advisor, market brief, Market Commentary, Market Review, Stock Market

Last Week

Investors’ appetite for risk-on positions took a breather after disappointing December retail sales. Also, President elect Biden’s proposed $1.9 trillion fiscal stimulus plan fell short of expectations. Biden’s plan includes $1,400 stimulus checks to individuals, as well as, aid for state and local government. While President Trump’s impeachment in the House had little market impact. Friday’s January options expiration did exacerbate volatility ahead of the holiday weekend. Earnings season kicked off with better than expected results from financial giants J.P. Morgan, Citi, and Wells Fargo as they released loan loss reserves. The banks still warned of the economic recovery’s fragility.

On the data front, the notable miss was December retail sales falling 0.7% versus flat expectations. This registered the third consecutive monthly decline. Driven by the latest round of stimulus checks not delivered until the end of the month. Small business optimism cooled in December. As did consumer sentiment, dented by political uncertainty and feet shuffling on the fiscal stimulus front.

This Week

U.S. financial markets closed on Monday in observation of Dr. Martin Luther King Day. The 59th Presidential Inauguration on Wednesday will dominate news headlines, as President Elect Biden is sworn into office. His aim is for 100 million Americans to receive a COVID-19 vaccination in his first 100 days. Much of investors’ developing economic outlook hinges on his success.

The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits anticipates recovery after last week’s bad figure. But still will remain uncomfortably elevated. Housing data is anticipates to come in mixed, but the sector remains strong. Friday is global PMI day, and nearly every region is anticipates a slide. Most significantly in the UK given the recently discovered mutated virus strain.

Year-to-date, the S&P 500 is up 0.32%, the Dow up 0.68% and Nasdaq up 0.86%.

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The Great Divide – Economy and Markets

jim Economy, Financial advisor, financial plan, Financial Planning, invest, Investing, investment strategy, Market Brief, Market Commentary, Market Outlook, Retirement Planning, Stock Market, wealth management August 17, 2020August 17, 2020financial advisor, Investing, investment strategy, market brief, Market Review, Stock Market, stocks, wealth management

The Dog Days are here! School is back in session, some in-person, some virtual. The virus continues to be present and the economy slowly is rebuilding while the markets continue to climb. Last week indexes finished slightly up. The Dow up 1.8%, S&P up 0.64%, and Nasdaq up 0.08%. The S&P began the week rising for it’s 7th straight session in the green and briefly passed the all-time high on Wednesday. The flat performance was a result of uncertainty with economic data, the latest virus patterns, and a second fiscal stimulus package that never was.

Last Week

The S&P 500 index is close to record territory once again. The economy and the stock market seem far off. Thursday marked the 100th day since the market lows on March 23. The markets have rebounded 50% since then. A strong recovery for investors, while millions have lost jobs and over 160,000 Americans have lost their lives. Management reports on earnings calls have been surprised at the speed and scale of the demand rebound. Many companies expected a short lived drop, followed by a gradual recovery. Not so much the “snap-back” experienced.

It is encouraging that the U.S. has added back millions of jobs lost during the first wave. Last Thursday marked the first jobless claims report under 1 million since March. Also, from earnings calls, consensus views are pointing towards record breaking earnings next year. Strongly supported by interest rates, which continue to be favorable for the foreseeable future. Investor fears over companies falling into financial distress are offset by the Feds support of buying bonds and Congress spending on relief. Retail sales also rose in July 1.2% higher than June, setting a new all-time high, and another sign of recovery.

The Week Ahead

The equity markets will have their eyes on Washington in hopes of a new stimulus. On Thursday, unemployment claims will be reported and the hope is that a under 1 million trend goes on. Continuing unemployment claims are still above 15 million, however, this is much lower than the 25 million in May. Stress for parents remains as school openings have created more unrest than security. How the school year unfolds for parents will no doubt impact the workforce productivity. Some areas of the country have already started so watching closely for signs that reopening in person can be done safely is key.

At the end of the day, it is clear the markets and the economy are not one in the same. Very different directions, as reflected in year-to-date index performance; Dow down 2.1%, S&P up 4.4%, and Nasdaq up 22.8% through the close on Friday.

Have a safe week!

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Market Brief – 2020 Mid-Year Review

jim Economy, family wealth management, Financial advisor, financial plan, Financial Planning, invest, Investing, Market Brief, Market Commentary, Market Outlook, Market Review, Retirement Planning, Stock Market, wealth management July 20, 2020July 20, 2020economic outlook, Economy, financial advisor, financial plan, financial planning, Investing, market brief, Market Commentary, Market Outlook, Market Review, retirement planning, Stock Market, wealth management

Dog days of summer have arrived. For 2020, it feels like the dog days arrived in March. From the moment the pandemic began to spread, to stay-at-home orders, to lock-downs, to protest rallies, to reopening phases, and back to more restrictions… what a year, and we are only halfway home. Didn’t even mentions the murder hornets! Let’s take a minute to catch our breath and see where we have been, where we are, and where we will go. Currently, we are in the midst of earnings season. Big name stocks will report second quarter earnings this week. Last week the main indexes finished mixed. The Dow up 2.3%, S&P up 1.25%, and Nasdaq down 1.1%. The S&P 500 outperformed the Nasdaq index by the widest margin since February 2016. The markets were mainly buoyed by progress of a virus vaccine.

What Happened?

The year started off strong through mid-February. Early cases and the fast spread of the coronavirus took hold in Asia and quickly jumped country borders to become a worldwide pandemic. Just about a month from the market peak in February came the market lows in March, a 33.9% drop for the S&P index. In just a few weeks, the U.S. economy erased 7 years of employment gains. 30 million Americans lost jobs, driving unemployment as high as 22% in April. By June, the unemployment rate hovered around 14%. Still extremely high, but significantly lower from 2 months prior.

In March, the Fed stepped in and provided a backstop to the equity markets. Stabilizing and possibly adding turbo to the economy via stimulus for individuals and businesses. The pandemic accelerated tech disruption. It changed how companies reach consumers, how supply chains work, how to deal with remote employees, and still build their brands.

Where Are We Today?

Year-to-date index performance; Dow down 6.54%, S&P down 0.2%, and Nasdaq up 17.0% through the close on Friday. Last week, Treasury Secretary Mnuchin said the Trump administration and Senate leadership are discussing a new stimulus bill. The end of July is the target time frame as the previous stimulus benefits are ending. The housing market reports are exceeding expectation. Current metrics show a shortage of existing home inventory, limited housing labor to build new homes, and a shortage of entry level homes for the first time home buyer. Historically low mortgage rates help boost the housing demand. Labor income across the board is surging and consumer spending is rebounding.

The markets are in fairly good position today. Much of the strength is attributed to the Fed and swift implementation of monetary policy. With interest rates near zero, investors are willing to pay for future earnings. Growth stocks have done well, value stocks have lagged. When the economy improves and interest rates rise, growth stocks will be challenged by high valuations. Communities have begun to re-open. The U.S. seems to have chosen independence over lock-down. This has led to a recent uptick in coronavirus cases. Deaths due to the virus have decreased as health care has gotten smarter about how to handle symptomatic cases. The resurgence of hiring and end of mass layoffs indicate the job market is recovering. While the decreasing layoffs and increasing hires offer hope, the reopening process has been trending in the wrong direction.

Where Are We Going?

It’s election season. From here on out, politics will headline media reports. Snippets and quotes from leadership on both sides will sway the markets. Bigger than the election is the Fed’s actions. Interest rates are low and likely to remain low for a very long time. This creates a scenario of easy lending and the opportunity for trillions of dollars to remain invested in the market. The future months will measured by the resurgence of the coronavirus, how quickly a vaccine can be developed, another round of monetary stimulus, and the upcoming election. If you thought the first half of 2020 was a roller coaster, the second half might be just as wild! Take care and be safe.

Market Brief’s are taking a summer hiatus, see you at the end of August!

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