The Markets (as of market close March 11, 2022)

Each of the major benchmark indexes closed lower for the second straight week. The war in Ukraine continued, with Ukraine’s top diplomat indicating he saw no progress in talks with Russia. Inflation continued to run hot ahead of this week’s Federal Reserve meeting. During the week, markets oscillated between panic selling and dip buying. And the volatility wasn’t restricted to stocks — crude oil prices and bond yields also swung higher and lower. By the end of the week, the Nasdaq, the S&P 500, and the Dow fell the furthest. Crude oil prices dipped about $5.00 per barrel. Gold prices rose nearly 1.0%. The dollar inched higher, while 10-year Treasury yields added 28 basis points.

We’ll pick up the action towards the end of the week where Wall Street’s dip last Thursday was a reaction by investors to inflation reaching a 40-year high and a lack of progress in talks between Russia and Ukraine as the war raged on. Ten-year Treasury prices slid, driving yields up 6 basis points to 2.01%.

Stocks continued to slide last Friday as Russia expanded its attack on Ukraine. President Joe Biden called for removal of normal trade relations with Russia, likely the precursor for new tariffs on Russian imports. A drop in tech shares pulled the Nasdaq down 2.2%. The small caps of the Russell 2000 fell 1.6%. The large caps of the S&P 500 (-1.3%) and the Dow (-0.7%) closed in the red. The Global Dow declined 0.4%. Crude oil prices rose over 3.0% to $109.40 per barrel. Ten-year Treasury yields dipped minimally, while the dollar advanced for a second consecutive day.

Eye on the Week Ahead

Some extremely important, potentially market-moving economic information is available this week, beginning with the highly anticipated meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee. A few weeks ago, much of the focus was on escalating inflation likely attributable to labor shortages and backlogs caused by rapidly expanding economic growth. The war in Ukraine has impacted not only inflation, but the global economy as well. How the FOMC responds is up to speculation, although Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has indicated that he would probably favor a 25-basis-point increase to the federal funds rate.

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.