Insights

Most markets were closed last Friday in observance of Juneteenth National Independence Day. Wall Street rallied last week as investors displayed optimism over the signing of an initial agreement ending hostilities in the Middle East.

Wall Street began last week with a heavy sell-off as investors appeared anxious about the U.S.-Iran war, elevated inflation, and fears of a potential tech correction. However, stocks staged a massive turnaround midweek, driven by easing tensions in the Middle East and the largest initial public offering in U.S. financial history. Consumer staples and real estate led the market sectors, while information technology and communication services lagged.

For much of last week, stocks continued a rally that appeared headed for another week of gains. However, investors, who had been clinging to the prospect of monetary easing, had those hopes all but dashed after a better-than-expected jobs report (see below) doused any hopes of an interest rate reduction in the immediate future.

Wall Street ended the week with broad gains, record-setting index performances, and a notable shift toward broader market participation beyond tech and AI shares.

U.S. stocks opened last week with notable momentum, pushing the Dow, the NASDAQ, and the S&P 500 to record highs by mid-week. Investors apparently ignored lingering inflation and a politically charged Federal Reserve.

Two hotter-than-expected inflation reports and a lack of progress in negotiations to end the war in Iran created havoc in some corners of the financial markets last week.

The U.S. stock market ended last week with strong gains, which led to record highs for the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ. The surge in stock values was largely driven by a better-than-expected jobs report (see below), falling crude oil prices, and robust tech company earnings.

Wall Street continued to rally with equities ending last week on a strong note. The S&P 500 and the NASDAQ closed at record highs, driven by robust corporate earnings, a potential end to the U.S. military involvement in Iran, and easing crude oil prices.