The major indices moved higher for the week, as investors appear to be shifting from macro concerns to a micro focus on earnings reports. Economic reports through the week were overshadowed by eagerly anticipated earnings news.  After a rough start to the week, investors began to positively respond to better-than-expected earnings by the end of the day on Thursday.  Equity markets wobbled on Monday at the news that S&P lowered its outlook on US debt to negative.  Although pundits argued that this was no surprise, it was announced on top of the already overflowing basket of negativity:  Japan, Middle East, Eurozone debt concerns, etc.  Stocks plummeted at the open, bottomed out in mid-morning trading and gradually regained some ground during the rest of the day.  The major indices traded off their lows for …

Mixed earnings results have given pause to investors.  The major indices traded sideways for the week with the S&P 500 Index losing 0.6% and the DJIA off by 0.3%.  Earnings reports over the coming weeks should make for a very volatile market.  The S&P 500 Index is up 25.8% since the beginning of September 2010 which is the start of the recent rally.  The equity markets may be poised for a pullback and earnings disappointments may be enough to pull the trigger.  Stay tuned!   

Monday, equities declined progressively throughout trading, finishing just off the lows of the day.  Market news and economic headlines were scarce, in advance of the earnings reporting season beginning later in the week.  The S&P 500 Index closed down 3.72 points to 1,324.45 while the DJIA rose 1.06 points to 12,381.11.  There was …

As a result of concerns about a possible government shut down coupled with inflation concerns, the market has hit a hurdle.  Traders cheered the jobs data during the week although many think a better jobs environment is already priced into the markets. Airlines have begun to suffer from Southwest Airlines 737 woes and higher oil prices.

Monday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 12400, a gain of only 23 points, but the highest close since June 5, 2008.  Stocks were mixed with Johnson & Johnson and Wal-Mart moving up 1% offset by a 1.6% drop in the value of Hewlett-Packard and a 1.2% loss in the shares of Intel.  Technology shares are holding the NASDAQ back on concerns surrounding the supply chain from Japan in light of the recent tragedy due to the …

The markets rallied back to erase recent losses and then some.  The week ended on a positive note for all the major indices.  While the Dow was unable to close Friday at a two and one half year high it was able to hit that target early in Friday’s trading.  No April fools! 

After a small loss on Monday, as investors waited for US economic news, namely employment data, the major US markets rallied into the end of the first quarter. While equities had advanced Monday morning, the Dow Jones Industrials ended down 23 to close at 12198.  Marriot International dragged down the consumer discretionary sector with a loss of 6.3%, on news of slower demand in North America, although the company did experience growth globally. …