My Posts
Dividends Can Help Investors Navigate Volatile Markets Ahead
In light of January’s pullback in U.S. equities, following an uninterrupted nine-month rally, investors are looking to protect their portfolios from a potentially volatile 2010. With the huge losses of 2008 still fresh in their minds, investors appear skittish about their investments going forward due to uncertainties in the business environment such as the tightening of easy central bank policies,... [Read more]
Has Crude Taken the First Step Towards a Breakout and Reversal?
North American Commodity Update Commodities – Energy Has Crude Taken the First Step Towards a Breakout and Reversal? Crude Oil (LS NYMEX) - $81.21 // -$0.90 // -1.10% Volatility perked up modestly for the active NYMEX crude contract Friday such that the market would test a new eight-week high of $83.16 before reversing course and potentially forging a bearish breakout. With the week’s... [Read more]
U.S. Equities Dip Lower On Mixed Data, S&P Gains 1 Percent For Week
U.S. Session Key Developments • Reuters/University of Michigan Consumer Confidence Unexpectedly Declines in March • Retail Sales Surprisingly Rose in February Despite Winter Storms • Commodities Trade Lower Despite Dollar Index Closing Below 80 Level U.S. stocks were generally lower today as a surprisingly weak consumer confidence report overshadowed February gains in retail... [Read more]
U.S. Equities Rally Late On Eased Concerns Over Regulatory Reforms
U.S. Session Key Developments • Government Officials Struggle to Put Together Health Care, Financial Reforms • Initial Jobless Claims and Continuing Claims Higher Than Expected • Commodities Post Slight Gains on Dollar Weakness U.S. stocks rallied into market close today, as investor concerns were eased regarding health care reconciliation and financial regulatory reforms. ... [Read more]
U.S. Stocks Rise on One-Year Anniversary of Bear-Market Low
U.S. Session Key Developments • Dollar Traders Provide Direction For General Market • Fitch Issues Warnings on UK and Portugal Budget Deficits • Commodities Moderately Lower on Higher Dollar Exactly a year after US equity markets had their lowest close in over twelve years, stocks resumed last week’s gains after closing slightly lower yesterday. The broad-based Standard & Poor’s 500... [Read more]
Stocks Slip On One-Year Anniversary of 12-Year Low For European Equities
Europe Session Key Developments • German Chancellor Merkel Urges Derivatives Regulation • Greece Continues Efforts to Cut Deficit, May Have Overstated Tax Revenues • Commodity Prices Drop on Greenback Strength, European Currencies Weak European stocks were generally lower today, the one-year anniversary of the “bottom” for European stocks- March 9, 2009 when equities traded... [Read more]
U.S. Equities Open Week With Mixed Results
U.S. Session Key Developments • Dow Jones Industrial Average Returns to Positive Territory For 2010 • Jobless Claims Slightly Better Than Expected, Home Sales Plunge • Commodities Decline as Greenback Gains Against European Counterparts U.S. stocks were generally higher today following mixed trading in Europe’s session as well as the Asian session overnight. The Nasdaq... [Read more]
European Equities Generally Higher On Greece Speculation, Portugal Cuts
Europe Session Key Developments • Speculation of Greece Bailout Continues Following Sarkozy Comments • Crude Oil Trades Higher For Second Day, Precious Metals Fall • Euro Gains Against Greenback, Cable Lower European stocks traded around last week’s close most of the session before closing the day slightly lower. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index was down 0.1 percent to break a streak... [Read more]
U.S. Stocks Rise on Better-Than-Expected Non-Farm Payrolls
U.S. Session Key Developments Labor Department Reports Payrolls Dropped By 36,000 in February Consumer Credit Unexpectedly Rises in January Investors Sell Off US Dollar, Crude Gains 2 Percent U.S. Equities are on track to test January highs after a better-than-expected non-farm payrolls report sent stocks higher. The Labor Department reported that payrolls dropped by 36,000 in February, compared... [Read more]
European Equities Climb For Sixth Day on Greece Speculation, U.S. Payrolls
Europe Session Key Developments • European Union Working to Develop Rescue Plan For Greece • German Factory Orders Increase, U.S. Nonfarm Payrolls Better Than Expected • Commodities Trade Higher On Dollar Weakness and Better Economic Outlook European stocks rallied for a sixth consecutive day on speculation for an EU rescue of Greece and better-than-expected jobs data from the U.S. ... [Read more]
