The Markets (as of market close June 2, 2023)
Stocks began the week on a downturn, but rallied later to end last week higher. Each of the benchmark indexes posted solid weekly gains, led by the Russell 2000, followed by the Nasdaq, the Dow, the S&P 500, and the Global Dow. Investors began the week concerned that the debt ceiling agreement between President Biden and House Speaker McCarthy would not pass the House and Senate. However, both chambers of Congress passed the debt ceiling bill later in the week, removing the risk of government default. In addition, investors may have been encouraged by a strong jobs report (see below), which is somewhat paradoxical as a strong labor market could support more interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve. Nevertheless, Wall Street ended the week on a positive note. The Nasdaq rose for the sixth consecutive week, the longest weekly winning streak since January 2020. Despite a surge last Thursday and Friday, crude oil prices ended the week lower. The yield on 10-year Treasuries slipped lower, while the dollar changed little. Gold prices advanced nearly 1.0%.
Eye on the Week Ahead
There is very little economic data available during the first full week of June. The services purchasing managers’ index for May is available. April saw growth in the services sector, with new orders posting their best rate of growth since May 2022. Also out this week is the report on international trade in goods and services for April. March saw the trade deficit narrow by about $64.0 billion, as both imports and exports edged higher.
Data sources: Economic: Based on data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (unemployment, inflation); U.S. Department of Commerce (GDP, corporate profits, retail sales, housing); S&P/Case-Shiller 20-City Composite Index (home prices); Institute for Supply Management (manufacturing/services). Performance: Based on data reported in WSJ Market Data Center (indexes); U.S. Treasury (Treasury yields); U.S. Energy Information Administration/Bloomberg.com Market Data (oil spot price, WTI, Cushing, OK); www.goldprice.org (spot gold/silver); Oanda/FX Street (currency exchange rates). News items are based on reports from multiple commonly available international news sources (i.e., wire services) and are independently verified when necessary with secondary sources such as government agencies, corporate press releases, or trade organizations. All information is based on sources deemed reliable, but no warranty or guarantee is made as to its accuracy or completeness. Neither the information nor any opinion expressed herein constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any securities, and should not be relied on as financial advice. Forecasts are based on current conditions, subject to change, and may not come to pass. U.S. Treasury securities are guaranteed by the federal government as to the timely payment of principal and interest. The principal value of Treasury securities and other bonds fluctuates with market conditions. Bonds are subject to inflation, interest-rate, and credit risks. As interest rates rise, bond prices typically fall. A bond sold or redeemed prior to maturity may be subject to loss. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. All investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal, and there can be no guarantee that any investing strategy will be successful.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is a price-weighted index composed of 30 widely traded blue-chip U.S. common stocks. The S&P 500 is a market-cap weighted index composed of the common stocks of 500 largest, publicly traded companies in leading industries of the U.S. economy. The NASDAQ Composite Index is a market-value weighted index of all common stocks listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange. The Russell 2000 is a market-cap weighted index composed of 2,000 U.S. small-cap common stocks. The Global Dow is an equally weighted index of 150 widely traded blue-chip common stocks worldwide. The U.S. Dollar Index is a geometrically weighted index of the value of the U.S. dollar relative to six foreign currencies. Market indexes listed are unmanaged and are not available for direct investment.
