THE WEEK ON WALL STREET
Stock prices dropped last week as hopes for a fiscal stimulus bill faded and investors focused on rising COVID-19 infections, here and abroad.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 6.47%, while the Standard & Poor's 500 tumbled 5.64%. The Nasdaq Composite index lost 5.51% for the week. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, slumped 5.02%.1,2,3
A Difficult Week for Stocks
Stocks opened the week lower as lawmakers failed to pass a fiscal stimulus bill and a pick up in the number of new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and Europe. Hardest hit were companies most exposed to pandemic-related economic impacts, including energy, travel and leisure, and industrials.
Losses accelerated mid-week on reports of rising coronavirus-related hospitalizations, along with news that Germany and France were reinstating partial shutdown restrictions.4
Stocks attempted to recover on Thursday, but took another leg lower on Friday as earnings reports from the mega-cap technology companies failed to impress investors.
Positive Economic News
There were several strong economic reports during the week, but investors paid little attention. Among the highlights were durable goods orders, which rose for the fifth consecutive month, a sharp drop in initial jobless claims that were the lowest since March 14th, and a 33.1% annualized jump in economic growth during the third quarter.5,6,7
Investors also ignored a strong start to earnings season, which has seen 85% of reporting companies in the S&P 500 index beating earnings estimates by an average margin of 19%.8
BY THE NUMBER$
AFTER TEN MONTHS - Over the last 30 years (1990-2019), November and December have ranked as the # 1 and # 3 "best months" for the S&P 500 (source: BTN Research).
BEST EVER - The US economy rose a record +33.1% in the 3rd quarter 2020, i.e., quarter-over-quarter change expressed as an annualized result (source: Department of Commerce).
THE MOST PAID - The maximum Social Security benefit paid to a worker retiring at full retirement age in 2021 is $3,148 per month, more than double the $1,536 per month maximum benefit paid 20 years earlier in 2001 (source: Social Security). 9
THE WEEK AHEAD: KEY ECONOMIC DATA
Monday: ISM (Institute for Supply Management) Manufacturing Index.
Wednesday: ADP (Automated Data Processing) Employment Report. ISM (Institute for Supply Management) Services Index.
Thursday: Jobless Claims. FOMC (Federal Open Market Committee) Meeting Announcement.
Friday: Employment Situation.
Source: Econoday, October 30, 2020
The Econoday economic calendar lists upcoming U.S. economic data releases (including key economic indicators), Federal Reserve policy meetings, and speaking engagements of Federal Reserve officials. The content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The forecasts or forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and may not materialize. The forecasts also are subject to revision.
THE WEEK AHEAD: COMPANIES REPORTING EARNINGS
Monday: Paypal Holdings (PYPL), The Clorox Company (CLX), Mondelez International (MDLZ), Eversource Energy (ES).
Tuesday: Humana, Inc. (HUM), Prudential Financial (PRU), Emerson Electric (EMR).
Wednesday: Qualcomm (QCOM).
Thursday: Alibaba Group (BABA), Square, Inc. (SQ), Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY), General Motors (GM), Duke Energy (DUK), Cigna Corp. (CI), T-Mobile:US (TMUS), Booking Holdings (BKNG), MetLife (MET).
Friday: CVS Health Corp. (CVS), Marriott International (MAR).
Source: Zacks, October 30, 2020
Companies mentioned are for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of the securities. Investing involves risks, and investment decisions should be based on your own goals, time horizon, and tolerance for risk. The return and principal value of investments will fluctuate as market conditions change. When sold, investments may be worth more or less than their original cost. Companies may reschedule when they report earnings without notice.
THE WEEKLY RIDDLE
Is there a number made of eleven tens of thousands, eleven thousands, eleven hundreds, and eleven units? If so, what is it?
LAST WEEK'S RIDDLE: Three light switches are in the "off" position. Each connects to a light bulb in an adjoining room that you cannot see into. You can freely switch the light bulbs on and off, but you can only go into the adjoining room once to check on the state of the bulbs. Is it possible to tell which switch controls which bulb?
ANSWER: Yes. Leave switch A on for several minutes, then switch it off and turn on switch B before entering the next room. The lit bulb correlates with switch B, the dark cool bulb with switch C, and the dark but still-warm bulb with switch A.
