News & Insights

Last week, most major indexes were lower as third-quarter earnings reporting season began in earnest, and investors weighed inflation data and their implications for Federal Reserve policy. By the end of the week, the S&P 500 Index had surrendered nearly half of its gains since its March 2020 bottom. Within the index, the typically defensive healthcare and consumer staples sectors outperformed. In contrast, consumer discretionary and communication services shares lagged, dragged lower by heavily weighted Amazon.com, Tesla, and Meta Platforms (parent of Facebook). Likewise, slower-growing value stocks handily outperformed their growth counterparts.

Last week stocks ended higher for the first time in four weeks. Still, they surrendered most of their gains, as some data suggested that the economy was not slowing enough to satisfy Federal Reserve policymakers. The energy sector was the standout performer in the S&P 500 Index as oil prices surged following a decision by major exporters to cut global production. Volumes were muted as investors awaited the start of the earnings season, and some observed the Yom Kippur holiday.

Last week was another choppy week as turmoil in UK financial markets and signs that the Federal Reserve still has some way to go in its efforts to temper inflation sent stocks to their third consecutive weekly decline. At the same time, the yield on the benchmark 10-year US Treasury note briefly breached 4% for the first time since 2008. The S&P 500 Index broke below its mid-June lows and fell back to November 2020 levels. The week closed out a third consecutive quarter of declines for the index for the first time since 2009.

Last week stocks recorded a second week of pronounced losses after Federal Reserve policymakers revealed that they expected official short-term interest rates to continue going sharply higher over the next several months. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 400 Midcap Index fell to new intraday lows in late 2020, while the S&P 500 Index, small-cap Russell 2000 Index and Nasdaq Composite managed to stay slightly above their bottoms in mid-June 2022.

Last week, stocks fell sharply as inflation fears intensified and short-term bond yields reached levels last seen in 2007. The S&P 500 Index recorded its most significant weekly drop since mid-June and hit its lowest point on an intraday basis since mid-July. Growth stocks fared worst, with the technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite falling nearly 5.5%. Communication services and information technology shares led the declines within the S&P 500 as Google parent Alphabet and Facebook parent Meta Platforms hit new 52-week lows. Industrials and materials shares were also fragile.

Last week stocks broke a string of three weekly losses as investors appeared to grow more confident that the market had reached at least a temporary bottom after surrendering about half of its summer rally.

Last Week In ReviewLast week stocks finished lower as investors continued to digest the implications of hawkish messages from Federal Reserve officials. The S&P 500 Index extended the daily losing streak that began with Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s August 26 speech...

Last Week In ReviewLast week stocks moved sharply lower—if in a week of primarily light summer trading—as investors became less optimistic that the Federal Reserve would be able to tame inflation without causing a significant economic slowdown. Technology and other...

Last Week In ReviewLast week stocks gave back a portion of the month’s substantial gains after a prominent “hawkish” Federal Reserve policymaker appeared to dampen hopes that inflationary pressures had peaked. The growth-oriented technology and communication services...