The U.S. labor market is rotating toward a post-pandemic world, with a steady stream of adults joining the labor force and employment approaching levels before Covid-19 began its rapid spread. Employers added 670,000 workers to their payrolls in seven months, the Labor Department said Friday. The jobless rate fell to 3.8% from 4.0% a month … Read more
The stock market capped a turbulent week, by rallying on Friday, as investors ‘weighed all the negatives’; How the Federal Reserve will proceed with interest-rate-increases, and the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. Energy is at the crux of this conflict. Oil prices rose sharply when the invasion began, with brent-crude rising as high as $105 … Read more
Stocks are stung by Ukraine tensions, as all markets gave ground at Friday’s closing. The threat of an invasion of Ukraine by Russia looms large, weighting heavily on investors’ minds. A war between Ukraine and Russia could prolong elevated inflation by disrupting supplies of needed commodities-world wide. Russia is among the world’s largest suppliers of … Read more
Inflation Speeds To A 40-Year High… Price rise of 7.5% tops December’s reading as housing and used cars lead the surge. A relentless surge in U.S. inflation reached another four-decade high last month accelerating to a 7.5% annual rate as strong consumer demand collided with the pandemic-related supply-chain disruptions. The Labor Department said Thursday that … Read more
The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite rose Friday, pushing major stock indexes to weekly gains after a better-than-expected January jobs report showed the economy is still growing solidly. Hirings show surprising strength. The U.S. economy added 467,000 jobs in January, the Labor Department said Friday, with wages climbing 5.7%. “We’re seeing a more resilient, more … Read more
After Steep Losses Monday, an upside reversal triggered the start of a market rally that, after whipsawing all week, turned the indices upward Friday. Happy news for stock market bulls, after a choppy week. As the major indices rallied, finishing one of the most tumultuous weeks in memory on a high note, and buoyed by … Read more
Stocks Post Worst Week In 2 Years…Inflation concerns; Fed rate expectations encourage investors to seek safer havens for assets. All three major U.S indices fell for a third consecutive week, continuing their slide to start 2022, (and defying Santa) with investors worried and concerned about the prospect of higher interest rates and their effect on … Read more
Inflation Hits Fastest Clip since 1982… Consumer prices rise by 7% as pandemic disruptions, and consumer demand stays strong. The Labor Department said Wednesday the consumer-price-index-which measures what consumers pay for goods and services–rose 7% in December from the same month a year earlier, up from 6.8% in November. That was the fastest since June … Read more
Markets are off to a rough start in 2022. So much for the Santa Claus Rally; it fizzled as the ‘Ball’ dropped. The Federal Reserve released the minutes of its December meeting this past Wednesday, and what was ‘inside’ them apparently took the market by surprise. Economists point out that the Fed discussed winding down … Read more
Stocks Score Big In A Year Marked By Wild Swings…U.S. stocks are charging toward a third consecutive year of big gains. Stock market investors had a lot to like in 2021. Even with the recent turbulence from the Omicron variant, the S&P 500 is headed toward a 27% advance in 2021. Add in the other … Read more