Category Archives: Economy/Stock Market

Both the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 Index started the week slightly down, as investors continued to assess the proposed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. The slip continued Tuesday after early market momentum faded following news of Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson’s ouster. Elsewhere, consumer prices ticked up in February, as the Consumer Price Index rose 0.2%, cooling slightly from a 0.5% jump in January.

Indices kicked off the first full week of March closing in the green zone on Monday, amid a variety of economic news. The ISM non-manufacturing index fell to 59.5 from 59.9 in January, indicating service activity decreased slightly. The upward momentum continued Tuesday as investors saw signs of disapproval to the potential tariffs on imported aluminum and steel. Mixed moves were on deck Wednesday.

The major U.S. indexes were uniformly strong on Monday, carrying over Friday’s bullishness into the new week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added as much as 400 points during the day, while the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ both benefited from a rally in Technology sector stocks. Indices traded into the red zone on Tuesday with stocks dipping on a variety of economic news.

The U.S. Markets were closed Monday, commemorating Presidents Day; however, the break from trading didn’t stop indices from sliding into red territory on Tuesday, marking the first declines for the indices since they entered correction territory on Feb. 8. The decline continued Wednesday as concerns about higher interest rates resurfaced with the release of the Federal Open Market Committee meeting minutes from the January meeting.

The major indices closed in green territory on Monday as commodity prices stabilized. Energy stocks moved ahead on an increase in crude oil prices. The following day, the indices closed with slight gains, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average ending in the green zone, rebounding up off early low levels.

Indices closed well into red territory on Monday with both the S&P 500 Index and Dow Jones Industrial Average declining more than 4%. Oil also slipped 1.9% to settle at $64.24 a barrel. Meanwhile, services industry activity increased in January as the ISM non-manufacturing index jumped to 59.9 from 56 in December.

Indices closed in the red zone on Monday, as the Utilities and Energy sectors lagged on the S&P 500. The slip continued Tuesday with the major indices closing the session in red territory. Energy brands dipped on a slip in crude oil prices. Midweek, the indices rebounded up off back-to-back downswings with stocks stepping up on a variety of economic news.