The Markets (as of market close May 3, 2019)

Stocks “labored” for much of last week only to rally following a strong employment report. That report, coupled with the Fed holding interest rates steady, gave investors the confidence to stay in the “game” a little longer. Other than the Dow, each of the benchmark indexes listed here posted moderate gains by week’s end, led by the Russell 2000. While the Nasdaq bumped up a little less than a quarter of a point last week, it was enough to push that index to another record high. Equally impressive is the year-to-date performance of the stock market. The Nasdaq is more than 23.0% above its 2018 closing value, while the Russell 2000 is close to 20.0% higher.

Oil prices fell slightly last week, closing at $61.87 per barrel by late Friday, down from the prior week’s closing price of $62.80 per barrel. The price of gold (COMEX) fell last week, closing at $1,280.10 by Friday evening, down from the prior week’s price of $1,288.40. The national average retail regular gasoline price was $2.887 per gallon on April 29, 2019, $0.046 higher than the prior week’s price and $0.041 more than a year ago.

Chart reflects price changes, not total return. Because it does not include dividends or splits, it should not be used to benchmark performance of specific investments.

Last Week’s Economic Headlines

• As expected, the Federal Open Market Committee maintained interest rates at their present level. The Committee noted that the labor market remains strong and that economic activity rose at a solid rate. However, growth of household spending and business fixed investment slowed in the first quarter. As to the prospect of future rate increases, the FOMC determined that it would be patient in light of global economic and financial developments and inflation running below its 2% objective.
• April saw a whopping 263,000 new jobs added, and the unemployment rate dropped 0.2 percentage point to 3.6% — the lowest rate since December 1969. The April tally far exceeded the average monthly gain over the prior 12 months of 213,000. Notable job gains occurred in professional and business services (76,000), construction (33,000), health care (27,000), and social assistance (26,000). Employment in manufacturing changed little for the third month in a row, evidencing a stagnant manufacturing sector. The number of unemployed persons decreased by 387,000 to 5.8 million. The labor force participation rate declined by 0.2 percentage point to 62.8% in April but was unchanged from a year earlier. The employment-population ratio was unchanged at 60.6% in April and has been either 60.6% or 60.7% since October 2018. In April, average hourly earnings rose by $0.06 to $27.77. Over the year, average hourly earnings have increased by 3.2%. The average workweek decreased by 0.1 hour to 34.4 hours in April.
• Personal income grew marginally in March, increasing 0.1% over February, according to the latest figures from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Disposable (after-tax) income was effectively unchanged in March. On the income side of the report, wages and salaries grew 0.4%, and rental income increased 1.0%. Consumer costs for goods and services rose 0.2% in March. However, excluding food and energy, prices increased less than 0.1%. Consumer spending, as measured by personal consumption expenditures, increased 0.9% in March following a 0.1% bump in February. Of all the household expenditures for March, consumer spending on goods rose 1.7%, while spending on services increased 0.5%.
• The international trade in goods (not including services) deficit for March was $71.3 billion, up $0.5 billion from February. Exports of goods in March were $1.4 billion more than February exports. Imports of goods were $2.0 billion more than February imports.
• The IHS Markit U.S. Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index™ (PMI™) posted 52.6, up slightly from March’s recent low of 52.4. Manufacturing increased moderately in April as new orders increased from March’s dreary totals. Although new business grew at a faster pace, the rate of job creation eased in April.
• The Institute for Supply Management® also conducts a survey of purchasing managers. According to the report, survey respondents were not bullish on their assessment of the manufacturing sector in April. The PMI® fell 2.5 percentage points from its March reading. New orders, production expansion, prices, and employment all fell behind their March ratings. Only supplier deliveries and inventories advanced in April.
• In the services sector, purchasing and supply executives indicated that business activity increased in April. However, new orders, employment, and prices fell off from the prior month.
• For the week ended April 27, there were 230,000 claims for unemployment insurance, unchanged from the previous week’s level. According to the Department of Labor, the advance rate for insured unemployment claims remained at 1.2% for the week ended April 20. The advance number of those receiving unemployment insurance benefits during the week ended April 20 was 1,671,000, an increase of 17,000 from the prior week’s level, which was revised down by 1,000.

Eye on the Week Ahead

The trade deficit has been shrinking through February. Out this week is the international trade report for March. A further narrowing of the trade deficit would be good news for investors.

Data sources: 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. Market data: 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). 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. 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 leading 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. Market indices listed are unmanaged and are not available for direct investment.

The Markets (as of market close April 19, 2019)

Stocks moved very little during the holiday-shortened week (markets were closed in observance of Good Friday). The large caps of the Dow inched up a little over 0.5%, while the S&P 500 dropped less than 0.1%. With light trading, the Cboe Volatility Index® fell to an eight-month low last week. Favorable earnings reports helped push industrial shares higher, offset by dipping health-care stocks. The yield on 10-year Treasuries stayed stagnant last week. Year-to-date, each of the benchmark indexes listed here are comfortably ahead of their respective 2018 closing values, led by the Nasdaq, followed by the Russell 2000, the S&P 500, the Dow, and the Global Dow.

Oil prices rose again last week, closing at $64.00 per barrel by late Friday, up from the prior week’s closing price of $63.77 per barrel. The price of gold (COMEX) fell again last week, closing at $1,277.90 by Friday evening, down from the prior week’s price of $1,293.70. The national average retail regular gasoline price was $2.828 per gallon on April 15, 2019, $0.083 higher than the prior week’s price and $0.081 more than a year ago.

Chart reflects price changes, not total return. Because it does not include dividends or splits, it should not be used to benchmark performance of specific investments.

Last Week’s Economic Headlines

• What is hopefully a sign of a strengthening economy, retail sales increased 1.6% in March and are up 3.6% over March 2018. This is the largest monthly increase since September 2017. Excluding motor vehicles and gas station sales, retail sales advanced 0.9% last month. Certain retailers enjoyed a boost in sales, including motor vehicle and parts dealers (3.1%), furniture and home furnishing stores (1.7%), clothing stores (2.0%), and gas stations (3.5%). Online retail sales increased 1.2% in March and are up 11.6% over the past 12 months.
• Industrial production continues to stagnate, according to the latest report from the Federal Reserve. In March, industrial production edged down 0.1% after inching up 0.1% in February. For the first three months of the year, industrial production has fallen 0.3%. Manufacturing was unchanged in March after receding in both January and February. Motor vehicles and parts production fell 2.5% for the month and 4.5% for the last 12 months. Utilities production rose 0.2% in March, while mining output fell 0.8%. Capacity utilization for the industrial sector decreased 0.2 percentage point in March to 78.8%, a rate that is 1.0 percentage point below its long-run average.
• The goods and services deficit was $49.4 billion in February, down $1.8 billion from January. February exports increased 1.1% for the month, while imports inched up 0.2%. For the first two months of 2019, the trade deficit sits at $100.5 billion, down roughly $8.3 billion from the deficit over the same period in 2018.
• Just when it appeared the housing sector was picking up steam, the figures for housing starts for March pointed in the opposite direction. Housing starts fell 0.3% in March from the previous month, according to the latest report from the Census Bureau. Building permits dropped 1.7% and home completions decreased 1.9% in March. Compared to last March, starts are down 14.2% and building permits are off 7.8%, but completions are 6.8% above last year’s rate.
• For the week ended April 13, there were 192,000 new claims for unemployment insurance, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week’s level, which was revised up by 1,000. This is the lowest level for initial claims since September 6, 1969, when it was 182,000. According to the Department of Labor, the advance rate for insured unemployment claims remained at 1.2% for the week ended April 6. The advance number of those receiving unemployment insurance benefits during the week ended April 6 was 1,653,000, a decrease of 63,000 from the prior week’s level, which was revised up by 3,000.

Eye on the Week Ahead

The initial, or preliminary, release of the first-quarter gross domestic product is out this Friday. The GDP increased 2.2% in the fourth quarter, and 2.9% for 2018. However, economic growth slowed further into last year, as consumer spending and business investment decreased. Neither sector has picked up much steam during the first quarter of 2019, which could continue to hold down the economy.

Data sources: 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. Market data: 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). 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. 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 leading 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. Market indices listed are unmanaged and are not available for direct investment.

Key Dates/Data Releases

4/22: Existing home sales

4/23: New home sales

4/25: Durable goods orders

4/26: GDP

The Markets (as of market close April 12, 2019)

Trading was fairly light last week as investors await the start of quarterly corporate earnings reports. With several large corporations reporting lower-than-expected profits, investors may be leery of this round of earnings results. However, better-than-expected earnings were reported by a few banking giants last Friday, which should help the market kick off the week on a positive note. While investors watch for more earnings reports, they are also keeping a watchful eye on the world economy. According to European Central Bank President Mario Draghi, Europe’s economic slowdown could continue for a while. For the week, each of the benchmark indexes listed here posted moderate gains, except for the Dow, which essentially broke even. The S&P 500 gained about 0.5%, and the Nasdaq closed near 0.6%.

Oil prices continue to climb, closing at $63.77 per barrel by late Friday, up from the prior week’s closing price of $63.26 per barrel. The price of gold (COMEX) fell again last week, closing at $1,293.70 by Friday evening, down from the prior week’s price of $1,295.90. The national average retail regular gasoline price was $2.745 per gallon on April 8, 2019, $0.054 higher than the prior week’s price and $0.051 more than a year ago.

Chart reflects price changes, not total return. Because it does not include dividends or splits, it should not be used to benchmark performance of specific investments.

Last Week’s Economic Headlines

• Inflationary pressures remained weak in March. Consumer prices climbed 0.4% in March after rising 0.2% in February. For the 12 months ended in March, the CPI increased 1.9%. However, driving much of the price increase last month was a 3.5% increase in energy prices (gas prices jumped 6.5%). The CPI less food and energy inched up only 0.1% for the month, and has increased 2.0% over the last 12 months.
• Surging energy prices also pushed producer prices higher in March. According to the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Producer Price Index rose 0.6% last month, ahead of the 0.1% February increase. Gasoline prices zoomed 16% higher in March. Prices excluding foods, energy, and trade services were unchanged in March following a 0.1% advance in February.
• The price of imports rose by 0.6% in March following a 1.0% jump in February. Soaring energy prices drove import costs higher. For the first quarter of the year, import prices have risen 1.7% — the largest three-month rise since prices surged 1.9% for the October 2017 through December 2018 stretch. Exports advanced 0.7% last month, the same increase as in February.
• According to the Federal Reserve, the government deficit in March was $146.9 billion ($208.7 billion in March 2018). For the fiscal year, the deficit sits at $691.2 billion — over 15% greater than the deficit over the same period last year. Big-ticket expenditures last month included Social Security ($87 billion), national defense ($58 billion), income security ($57 billion), and Medicare ($53 billion).
• The number of job openings fell to 7.1 million (-538,000) on the last business day of February from January’s total, according to the Job Openings and Labor Turnover report. Job openings decreased in a number of industries, with the largest decreases in accommodation and food services (-103,000), real estate and rental and leasing (-72,000), and transportation, warehousing, and utilities (-66,000). The number of job openings fell in the Northeast, South, and Midwest regions. Over the 12 months ended in February, hires totaled 69.3 million and separations totaled 66.6 million, yielding a net employment gain of 2.7 million.
• For the week ended April 6, there were 196,000 new claims for unemployment insurance, a decrease of 8,000 from the previous week’s level, which was revised up by 2,000. This is the lowest level for initial claims since October 4, 1969, when it was 193,000. According to the Department of Labor, the advance rate for insured unemployment claims remained at 1.2% for the week ended March 30. The advance number of those receiving unemployment insurance benefits during the week ended March 30 was 1,713,000, a decrease of 13,000 from the prior week’s level, which was revised up by 9,000.

Eye on the Week Ahead

Economic indicators have shown that industrial production has slowed during the first quarter of 2019. The Federal Reserve’s March report is out this week, which may (hopefully) show some acceleration in manufacturing. Also, this week, the February figures on the international trade deficit are available. The January trade deficit was over $51 billion, down from December’s nearly $60 billion figure.

Data sources: 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. Market data: 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). 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. 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 leading 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. Market indices listed are unmanaged and are not available for direct investment.

The Markets (as of market close April 5, 2019)

Stocks marked a second consecutive week of solid gains, led by the small caps of the Russell 2000 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq. The S&P 500 recorded seven consecutive days of gains through last Friday — the longest such streak since 2017. Once again, investors heard positive rhetoric relative to a trade deal with China. This time, President Trump announced that an “epic” deal could be in the not-too-distant future. Long-term bond prices slipped, evidenced by the rise in the yield of 10-year Treasuries (bond prices move in the opposite direction of bond yields). Following the last two weeks of trading, each of the benchmark indexes listed here have reached year-to-date gains comfortably exceeding their 2018 closing values.

Oil prices continue to surge, closing at $63.26 per barrel by late Friday, up from the prior week’s closing price of $60.19 per barrel. The price of gold (COMEX) fell again last week, closing at $1,295.90 by Friday evening, down from the prior week’s price of $1,297.00. The national average retail regular gasoline price was $2.691 per gallon on April 1, 2019, $0.068 higher than the prior week’s price but $0.009 less than a year ago.

Chart reflects price changes, not total return. Because it does not include dividends or splits, it should not be used to benchmark performance of specific investments.

Last Week’s Economic Headlines

• March saw 196,000 new jobs added, according to the latest information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment growth averaged 180,000 per month in the first quarter of 2019, compared with 223,000 per month in 2018. The unemployment rate remained at 3.8%. Notable job gains occurred in health care (49,000), professional and technical services (34,000), food services and drinking places (27,000), and construction (16,000). There were approximately 6.2 million unemployed in March, roughly the same total as February. The labor force participation rate was 63.0% in March (63.2% in February), and has changed very little over the prior 12 months. The employment-population ratio was 60.6% in March and has been either 60.6% or 60.7% since October 2018. The average workweek for all employees increased by 0.1 hour to 34.5 hours in March, offsetting a decline of 0.1 hour in February. In March, average hourly earnings for all employees rose by $0.04 to $27.70, following a $0.10 gain in February. Over the past 12 months, average hourly earnings have increased by 3.2%.
• In February, consumers tightened their wallets, possibly due to rising gas prices at the pumps. After climbing 0.7% in January, retail sales fell 0.2% in February, according to the latest report from the Census Bureau. Sales are up 2.2% from February 2018. Keeping overall sales afloat were strength in auto sales (0.7%) and gas stations (1.0%). Retail sales excluding auto and gas stations fell 0.6% in February.
• February was not a banner month for manufacturing. According to the latest report from the Census Bureau, durable goods orders decreased 1.6% for the month after three consecutive monthly increases. Transportation equipment, particularly aircraft orders, drove the decrease, falling 4.8% in February. Excluding transportation, durable goods orders inched up 0.1%. Shipments of manufactured durable goods, up three of the last four months, increased 0.2%, as did inventories, which increased 0.3%. Nondefense new orders for capital goods plummeted in February, dropping 6.3%.

• Purchasing managers reported marginal growth in the manufacturing sector, according to the Manufacturing ISM® Report On Business® for March. The PMI registered 55.3%, an increase of 1.1 percentage points over February’s reading. New orders, production, employment, and prices all increased in March. Deliveries and inventories decreased.
• The IHS Markit US Manufacturing PMI™ fell in March to its lowest level since June 2017. The PMI™ posted 52.4 in March, down 0.6 percentage point from February’s rate. According to survey respondents, slower output kept manufacturing growth down. Total new orders expanded at a modest pace that was the slowest since June 2017. On the price front, input price inflation softened further to the slowest since August 2017.
• Economic activity in the non-manufacturing (services) sector slowed in March, according to the latest report from the Institute for Supply Management®. Survey respondents indicated that growth in business activity and new orders slowed in March. On the other hand, employment and prices increased last month.
• For the week ended March 30, there were 202,000 new claims for unemployment insurance, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week’s level, which was revised up by 1,000. This is the lowest level for initial claims since December 6, 1969, when it was 202,000. According to the Department of Labor, the advance rate for insured unemployment claims remained at 1.2% for the week ended March 23. The advance number of those receiving unemployment insurance benefits during the week ended March 23 was 1,717,000, a decrease of 38,000 from the prior week’s level, which was revised down by 1,000.

Eye on the Week Ahead

The latest information on inflationary trends is out this week with the release of the March reports on the Consumer Price Index and Producer Price Index. The CPI advanced 0.2% in February, while producer prices rose a mere 0.1%. Neither index is expected to advance significantly as inflationary pressures remain lukewarm through the first quarter of 2019.

Data sources: 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. Market data: 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). 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. 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 leading 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. Market indices listed are unmanaged and are not available for direct investment.

Key Dates/Data Releases

4/9: JOLTS

4/10: Consumer Price Index, Treasury budget

4/11: Producer Price Index

4/12: Import and export prices

The Markets (as of market close March 29, 2019)

Stocks rebounded last week to close the final week of March and the first quarter of 2019 in the black. Each of the benchmark indexes listed here gained over 1.0% for the week, except the Global Dow, which inched ahead less than 0.2%. Year-to-date, the tech-heavy Nasdaq leads the way, followed by the small caps of the Russell 2000, the S&P 500, the Dow, and the Global Dow. Technology shares jumped, as did energy stocks, on the heels of rising oil prices. While stock prices rose, long-term bond yields fell (yields fall as bond prices rise) as investors’ demand pushed bond prices higher.

Oil prices climbed higher last week, closing at $60.19 per barrel by late Friday, up from the prior week’s closing price of $58.97 per barrel. The price of gold (COMEX) fell for the first time in several weeks, closing at $1,297.00 by last Friday evening, down from the prior week’s price of $1,313.40. The national average retail regular gasoline price was $2.623 per gallon on March 25, 2019, $0.075 higher than the prior week’s price but $0.025 less than a year ago.

Chart reflects price changes, not total return. Because it does not include dividends or splits, it should not be used to benchmark performance of specific investments.

Last Week’s Economic Headlines

• The economy slowed at the end of last year. The third and final estimate of the gross domestic product for the fourth quarter of 2018 showed the economy grew at an annual rate of 2.2%. The third-quarter GDP advanced by 3.4%. Consumer spending, business investment, and state and local government spending all slowed during the fourth quarter. Net income generated in the production of goods and services, as measured by gross domestic income, increased 1.7% in the fourth quarter, compared with an increase of 4.6% in the third quarter. The average of GDP and GDI, a supplemental measure of U.S. economic activity that equally weights GDP and GDI, increased 1.9% in the fourth quarter, compared with an increase of 4.0% in the third quarter. After-tax corporate profits fell 1.7% in the fourth quarter — the first such decline since 2017. For 2018, the GDP increased 2.9% (2.2% in 2017).
• The latest report on consumer income and spending (personal income and outlays) combines estimates for January and February, due to the partial government shutdown. February’s estimates account only for income — information on outlays will be available with April’s report. That said, for January, consumer income fell 0.1% and disposable (after-tax) income dropped 0.2%. Consumer spending increased only 0.1%. The prices consumers paid for goods and services (personal consumption price index) fell 0.1%. In February, personal income increased 0.2%, as did disposable personal income.
• New home sales advanced in February, climbing 4.9% over January’s estimate. The median sales price of new houses sold in February was $315,300. The average sales price was $379,600. The estimate of new houses for sale at the end of February was 340,000. This represents a supply of 6.1 months at the current sales rate.
• Still trying to catch up from the temporary government shutdown, the latest information on housing starts is for February. According to the Census Bureau, housing starts fell by 8.7% in February from January. Building permits were also down, falling 1.6%, although new home completions were up a solid 4.5% in February. Cold and stormy weather played a part in February’s figures, which are expected to improve in March.
• The latest information from the Bureau of Economic Analysis on international trade is also a bit dated. Nevertheless, for January, the trade deficit for goods and services was $51.1 billion — down $8.8 billion, or 14.6%, from the December deficit. Year-over-year, the goods and services deficit decreased $1.9 billion, or 3.7%, from January 2018. Of interest, the trade-in-goods deficit with China decreased $5.5 billion to $33.2 billion; the balance with Canada had a $1.4 billion surplus; and the deficit with the European Union was $13.1 billion.
• For the week ended March 23, there were 211,000 new claims for unemployment insurance, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week’s level, which was revised down by 5,000. According to the Department of Labor, the advance rate for insured unemployment claims remained at 1.2% for the week ended March 16. The advance number of those receiving unemployment insurance benefits during the week ended March 16 was 1,756,000, an increase of 13,000 from the prior week’s level, which was revised down by 7,000.

Eye on the Week Ahead

There are plenty of important economic reports on tap this week, led by March’s employment figures. Job gains were moderate in February, and some experts expect March to show a sizable boost in new hires. Also, manufacturing and industrial production reports are available this week, particularly the February figures for durable goods orders.

Data sources: 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. Market data: 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). 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. 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 leading 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. Market indices listed are unmanaged and are not available for direct investment.

The Markets (as of market close March 22, 2019)

Last week started well for investors as stock indexes continued to climb on the heels of the prior week’s robust performance. However, reports of a weakening global economy prompted a sell-off last Friday, plunging each of the benchmark indexes listed here lower. With a pronouncement from the Federal Reserve that it is hesitant to raise interest rates for fear of slowing domestic economic growth further, investors sold stocks and sought long-term bonds, pushing yields lower (as bond prices rise, yields fall). Last Friday’s manufacturing report for the eurozone showed industrial output sank, particularly in Germany, as its purchasing manager’s index fell to its lowest rate in several years. Each of the indexes listed here posted losses, led by the small caps of the Russell 2000, which fell more than 3.0%. Year-to-date, the Nasdaq is comfortably in the black at over 15%, ahead of the S&P 500, Russell 2000, Global Dow, and the Dow.

Oil prices inched higher last week, closing at $58.97 per barrel by late Friday, up from the prior week’s closing price of $58.38 per barrel. The price of gold (COMEX) rose again last week, closing at $1,313.40 by last Friday evening, up from the prior week’s price of $1,302.20. The national average retail regular gasoline price was $2.548 per gallon on March 18, 2019, $0.077 higher than the prior week’s price but $0.050 less than a year ago.

Chart reflects price changes, not total return. Because it does not include dividends or splits, it should not be used to benchmark performance of specific investments.

Last Week’s Economic Headlines

• The Federal Open Market Committee maintained the federal funds rate at its current range of 2.25%-2.50%, following the Committee’s meeting last week. According to the FOMC statement, the labor market remains strong, but growth of economic activity has slowed in the fourth quarter. In addition, recent indicators point to slower growth of household spending and business fixed investment in the first quarter of 2019. On a 12-month basis, overall inflation has declined, largely as a result of lower energy prices; inflation for items other than food and energy remains near the Committee’s 2% objective. As to the timing of future interest rate increases, the Committee will be patient in light of global economic and financial developments and muted inflation pressures. There are no rate hikes projected this year, unless circumstances change dramatically enough to warrant an increase.
• Finally good news from the housing sector as the National Association of Realtors® reported that existing home sales enjoyed their largest month-over-month gain since December 2015, when sales expanded by 11.8% in February. Sales of single-family existing homes rose by 13.3% for the month. The median existing-home price in February was $249,500, up 3.6% from February 2018 ($240,800). Sales cut into the inventory of available existing homes for sale, which fell from a 3.9-month supply in January to a supply of 3.5 months in February.
• The government deficit jumped to $234 billion in February. January saw a government budget surplus of $8.7 billion. Government receipts were significantly lower in February compared to January ($167.3 billion to $340 billion), while government outlays rose from $331 billion in January to $401 billion last month. Through the first five months of the fiscal year, the deficit sits at $544 billion — $153 billion higher than the comparable period last fiscal year.
• For the week ended March 16, there were 221,000 new claims for unemployment insurance, a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week’s level, which was revised up by 1,000. According to the Department of Labor, the advance rate for insured unemployment claims remained at 1.2% for the week ended March 9. The advance number of those receiving unemployment insurance benefits during the week ended March 9 was 1,750,000, a decrease of 27,000 from the prior week’s level, which was revised up 1,000.

Eye on the Week Ahead

The end of the month and first quarter of 2019 is upon us. The second estimate of the fourth-quarter gross domestic product isn’t expected to change much from its initial estimate, which had the GDP increase by 2.6%. The housing sector is also front and center with the latest reports on housing starts and new home sales.

Data sources: 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. Market data: 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). 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. 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 leading 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. Market indices listed are unmanaged and are not available for direct investment.

The Markets (as of market close March 15, 2019)

Tech shares were bullish last week, leading the way for what turned out to be a very strong performance in the market. The tech-heavy Nasdaq outperformed each of the other benchmark indexes listed here, and leads in overall year-to-date performance. Bond yields sank to their lowest level since January as prices soared on weak inflation reports (bond yields fall as bond prices rise). Signs that global and domestic economic growth may be slowing, coupled with lagging inflation, may be giving investors confidence that U.S. and foreign central banks will temper a push to increase interest rates.

Oil prices climbed higher last week, closing at $58.38 per barrel by late Friday, up from the prior week’s closing price of $55.99 per barrel. The price of gold (COMEX) rose again last week, closing at $1,302.20 by last Friday evening, up from the prior week’s price of $1,298.70. The national average retail regular gasoline price was $2.471 per gallon on March 11, 2019, $0.049 higher than the prior week’s price but $0.088 less than a year ago.

Chart reflects price changes, not total return. Because it does not include dividends or splits, it should not be used to benchmark performance of specific investments.

Last Week’s Economic Headlines

• Is economic growth slowing? Some indicators may be pointing in that direction. The Consumer Price Index increased only 0.2% in February after being unchanged the prior month. Excluding the volatile food and energy groups, consumer prices advanced just 0.1%. Over the last 12 months, the CPI has increased a relatively scant 1.5%. The index less food and energy rose 2.1% over the last 12 months, a slightly smaller figure than the 2.2% increase for the period ended in January. The latest CPI, coupled with the February producer price report and the January retail sales figures, suggest inflationary pressures are back to being relatively flat.
• Prices for goods at the retail level increased 0.2% in January following a 1.6% drop in December. For the 12 months ended in January, retail prices are up 2.3%. Excluding auto sales, which were very weak in January, retail sales advanced 0.9% over December. Sales, excluding motor vehicles and gas stations, experienced a monthly gain of 1.2% in January. Online trade climbed 2.6% in January and is up 7.3% from a year ago. While January’s data is positive, it doesn’t come close to recouping December’s drop in retail prices — the largest in almost 10 years.
• The Producer Price Index edged up 0.1% in February after falling 0.1% in both January and December. For the 12 months ended in February, producer prices are up 1.9%. Prices producers received for goods increased 0.4% in February, led by energy prices, which rose 1.8%. Prices for goods, less food and energy, inched up 0.1%. Prices for services were unchanged in February after a 0.3% hike in January.
• Sales of newly constructed homes continue to lag. According to the latest report from the Census Bureau, sales of new single-family homes in January were 6.9% below December’s rate and 4.1% under the January 2018 estimate. The median sales price of new houses sold in January was $317,200. The average sales price was $373,100. There was a 6.6-month supply of hew houses for sale across the country in January.
• The manufacturing sector posted some positive data in January. New orders for durable goods increased 0.4% over December’s figures. This is the third consecutive increase in new orders, following a 1.3% jump in December. A 1.2% advance in transportation equipment, which has been up five of the last six months, drove the increase. Excluding transportation, new orders for durable goods slipped 0.1%. Shipments of durable goods fell 0.5% in January. This increase, up three consecutive months, followed a 1.3% December increase. Inventories of manufactured durable goods in January, up 24 of the last 25 months, increased 0.4%. This followed a 0.3% December advance. Nondefense new orders for capital goods in January increased 2.5%, shipments declined 1.6%, and inventories increased 0.5%.
• The number of job openings increased by roughly 100,000 in January compared to December. Job openings increased in a number of industries, with the largest increases in wholesale trade (91,000), real estate and rental and leasing (60,000), and information (42,000). The job openings level decreased in other services (98,000), retail trade (97,000), and arts, entertainment, and recreation (40,000). January saw about 5.8 million new hires and 5.6 million total separations (including quits and layoffs).
• Industrial production edged up 0.1% in February, according to the Federal Reserve. Manufacturing production fell 0.4% in February for its second consecutive monthly decline. Pushing the industrial production index higher were utilities, which rose 3.7%, and mining, which increased 0.3%. Overall, industrial production was 3.5% higher in February than it was a year earlier.
• Prices for both imports and exports rose 0.6%, respectively, in February. The rise in import prices was largely driven by higher fuel prices. Despite the February increase, import prices declined 1.3% from February 2018 to February 2019. Over the same 12-month period, export prices have risen 0.3%.
• For the week ended March 9, there were 229,000 new claims for unemployment insurance, an increase of 6,000 from the previous week’s level. According to the Department of Labor, the advance rate for insured unemployment claims remained at 1.2% for the week ended March 2. The advance number of those receiving unemployment insurance benefits during the week ended March 2 was 1,776,000, an increase of 18,000 from the prior week’s level.

Eye on the Week Ahead

The Federal Open Market Committee meets this week for the first time since January. Interest rates haven’t changed since last December, so it’s possible the Committee could hike rates 25 basis points following its meeting.

Data sources: 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. Market data: 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). 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. 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 leading 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. Market indices listed are unmanaged and are not available for direct investment.

The Markets (as of market close March 8, 2019)

The benchmark indexes listed here suffered their worst showing last week since December. Hardest hit was the Russell 2000, which fell over 4.0%. Unsettling global economic news had investors scrambling for cover from stocks. The prospects of a trade deal with China suddenly took a turn for the worse after several weeks of promising rhetoric. Adding to the turmoil was last Thursday’s decision by the European Central Bank to offer additional stimulus to spur economic activityin the European Union. In addition, Chinese exports fell and U.S. job growth was marginal at best in February. All of these factors led to a fear that the economy may be slowing. While stock prices dropped, long-term bond prices rose, as did the price of gold.

Oil prices inched higher last week, closing at $55.99 per barrel by late Friday, up from the prior week’s closing price of $55.74 per barrel. The price of gold (COMEX) climbed higher last week, closing at $1,298.70 by last Friday evening, up from the prior week’s price of $1,294.20. The national average retail regular gasoline price was $2.422 per gallon on March 4, 2019, $0.032 higher than the prior week’s price but $0.138 less than a year ago.

Chart reflects price changes, not total return. Because it does not include dividends or splits, it should not be used to benchmark performance of specific investments.

Last Week’s Economic Headlines

Note: Due to the government shutdown, some affected federal agencies are providing reports for December, while others have information available for January. These monthly reporting differences are noted below.

• Total employment gained only 20,000 new hires in February, according to the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. There were 311,000 new hires in January. The unemployment rate fell 0.2 percentage point to 3.8% as the number of unemployed persons decreased by 300,000 to 6.2 million. Notable job gains occurred in health care (21,000) and wholesale trade (11,000), while construction lost 31,000 workers. The labor force participation rate held at 63.2% in February, the same as January. The employment-population ratio, at 60.7%, was unchanged over the month. The average workweek decreased by 0.1 hour to 34.4 hours in February. Average hourly earnings rose by $0.11 to $27.66, following a $0.02 gain in January. Over the year, average hourly earnings have increased by 3.4%.
• For January, the government budget enjoyed an $8.7 billion surplus. For the first four months of the fiscal year, the government is running at a $310.3 billion deficit ($175.7 billion over the same period last fiscal year). Government receipts totaled just shy of $340 billion in January. Individual income taxes provided the bulk of receipts for the month. January expenditures were $331 billion, led by Social Security payments ($86 billion) and national defense outlays ($52 billion). Also of note, for the current fiscal year to date, the government has received about $570 billion in individual income taxes ($603 billion in fiscal 2018) compared to $60 billion in corporation income taxes ($76 billion in fiscal year 2018).
• Housing starts gained some ground in January, jumping up 18.6% over December’s paltry total. Home completions climbed 27.6% from December and building permits increased by 1.4% in January.
• This week’s report from the Census Bureau on new residential sales covers December. Next week’s report will be for January. In December, sales of new single-family homes increased by 3.7% over November’s total. New home sales are still 2.4% below their December 2017 rate. The median sales price of new houses sold in December 2018 was $318,600 ($303,500 in November). The average sales price was $377,000 ($357,600 in November). Available inventory increased to a supply of 6.6 months — about the same as November.
• The international trade deficit for goods and services was $59.8 billion in December, up $9.5 billion from November. December exports were $3.9 billion less than November exports, and imports in December were $5.5 billion more than the prior month. For 2018, the goods and services deficit increased $68.8 billion, or 12.5%, from 2017. Exports increased $148.9 billion, or 6.3%. Imports increased $217.7 billion, or 7.5%. Final figures for 2018 showed trade surpluses with some countries, including Hong Kong ($31.1 billion), Netherlands ($24.8 billion), Australia ($15.2 billion), and Belgium ($14.2 billion). Trade deficits were recorded with other trade partners, with the largest including China ($419.2 billion), European Union ($169.3 billion), Mexico ($81.5 billion), Germany ($68.3 billion), and Japan ($67.6 billion).
• Economic activity in the non-manufacturing (services) sector expanded in February, according to the latest Non-Manufacturing ISM® Report On Business®. Business activity and new orders grew over January. However, survey respondents noted that employment and prices fell in February.
• For the week ended March 2, there were 223,000 new claims for unemployment insurance, a decrease of 3,000 from the previous week’s level, which was revised up by 1,000. According to the Department of Labor, the advance rate for insured unemployment claims dropped back to 1.2% for the week ended February 23. The advance number of those receiving unemployment insurance benefits during the week ended February 23 was 1,755,000, a decrease of 50,000 from the prior week’s level.

Eye on the Week Ahead

Government reporting agencies are playing a bit of “catch-up” with economic data following the partial government shutdown. The Consumer Price Index is for February (current), while the retail sales report is for January (delayed). As such, it’s a bit harder to compare current consumer spending with retail sales. Also available this week is the first of two reports on new home sales. This week’s report covers December, while next week’s information will be for January.

Data sources: 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. Market data: 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). 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. 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 leading 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. Market indices listed are unmanaged and are not available for direct investment.