Read This Before You Buy the Invesco QQQ Trust ETF

The VIX Sent The Stock Market Higher, Not A 'Dovish' Fed

The stock market rally during Powell's press conference was due to the 2:35 PM ET VIX melt. Powell's recent press conference did not indicate a dovish stance on rate cuts in 2024. The immediate price action following the Fed meeting does not accurately reflect the market's longer-term direction.

Here's How Saving Just $5 per Day for 30 Years Can Create a $1 Million Portfolio

The key is to target growth stocks. The Invesco QQQ Trust invests in the top 100 non-financial stocks on the Nasdaq. Growth stocks are more likely to generate market-beating returns in the long run. Investing $5 per day can put you on a path to growing your portfolio to $1 million.

May 2024 Monthly

Truist says stocks are in reset mode versus a fundamental retreat

Truist says stocks are in reset mode versus a fundamental retreat. Truist says earnings-growth potential among the supportive pillars for equities over the next year. The S&P 500 fell 4.2% last month, the first monthly decline since October. The firm upgraded equities to a more attractive view.

Weekly Indicators: Energy Prices Now Closer To Bottom Of 3-Year Range

High frequency weekly indicators provide a good "now cast" of the economy and suggest a "soft landing" scenario. Energy prices are now closer to the bottom of their three-year range. Long leading indicators continue to be “less negative” April data started out with a positive but mediocre jobs report.

Will U.S. Economy Stabilize In Q2 2024 After 2 Quarterly Downshifts?

Weaker U.S. Job Numbers Boost Expectations Of A September Rate Cut

Weaker U.S. Job Numbers Boost Expectations Of A September Rate Cut. Non-farm payrolls rose 175k in April versus the 240k consensus. Job creation was weaker, unemployment higher and wage growth more subdued than expected in the April employment report. The unemployment rate moves up to 3.9% from 3.8% and the average work week dropped to 34.4 hours. The report has breathed new life into Federal Reserve interest rate cut calls.

Weekly Commentary: Instability

SCHD: A Must-Have In Every Dividend Portfolio

Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF is a popular choice for income-oriented investors. SCHD offers exposure to dividend-paying firms with healthy balance sheets and a 3.46% dividend yield. The fund tracks the total return of the Dow Jones U. S. Dividend 100 Index.

Jobs: Household Report Is Way Below A Weak Headline Number

The BLS reported a gain of 175k jobs which was below expectations of about 200k. The Household Survey was high last month but came in way below the Headline number. The unemployment rate rose slightly to 3.9%. April saw a reversal where part-time jobs were replaced by full-time. The BLS report was released on the first Friday of every month.

Weak Labor Market? Not Quite Yet

April saw a larger than expected drop in job creation, but the 12-month trend remains relatively flat. The Bureau of Labor Statistics released the April nonfarm payroll report. Early indicators suggest the labor market may be settling down. The labor market is not weak enough to justify a rate cut, says Jeremy LaKosh.

S&P 500: Recession To Hit Right Before The Election

Ism Services for April shows contraction in the U.S. Service sector. The labor market report for April showed that the economy added 175K fewer jobs than expected. The ISM Services PMI for April came at 49.4, which indicates a recession in Q3 2024. S&P 500 is facing a recessionary bear market. An imminent recession is due to an inverted yield curve.

Apple ETFs Jump on Earnings, $110 Bln Buyback

XNTK: Recent Outperformance, But Will Likely Lag Peers Long Term For 3 Reasons

SPDR NYSE Technology ETF warrants a hold rating due to long-term factors impacting its expected returns. XNTK is an equal-weighted tech fund that has outperformed over the past year but will likely lag behind peers. The fund may lag behind larger, mega-cap companies. The information technology sector has performed well in the past decade.

Stocks Rally As Jobs Report Rekindles Rate Cut Hopes, Apple Rockets, Bitcoin Soars Above $61,000: What's Driving Markets Friday?

A weaker-than-expected jobs report sparked a widespread market rally in the last session of the week. The S&P 500 surged by 1.2% and the Nasdaq 100 experienced a 2% surge. Apple Inc. Rose nearly 7% following the announcement of a record-breaking buyback program. Bitcoin surged by 4.8%, surpassing the $61,000 mark following the April jobs report.

QDPL: An Excellent Income Option For Retirement

QDPL seeks to produce 4x the dividend yield of the S&P 500, while retaining 87% exposure to the index. The fund invests in treasuries that are used as collateral to gain exposure to dividend futures. QDPL is an excellent investment option for those looking to 'downshift' to income in retirement.

Jobs Growth Slows, Unemployment Ticks Up, Wage Increase Cools: 'The Market Should Love This Report'

In April, the U.S. Economy added 175,000 jobs, falling short of expectations. The unemployment rate inched up to 3.9% for the 27th consecutive month. Nominal wage growth slowed to 0.2% in April. The April jobs report has rekindled expectations for the Federal Reserve to ease policy.

Stocks Close Higher as the Outlook Improves for Fed Rate Cuts

US stock indexes close moderately higher Friday. Apple closes up more than +6% after reporting better-than-expected Q1 earnings. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 posted 2-1/2 week highs. Corporate earnings results Friday were mixed, with Apple up +6%. Stocks fall back from their best levels on hawkish Fed Governor Bowman's comments. The Apr nonfarm payrolls and the ISM services index were weaker than expected.

Employment April 2024: Trigger For Rally In Oversold Market

Nonfarm Payrolls in April grew by 175 thousand, below expectations of 238 thousand. The labor market is slightly weaker than expected, with lower growth rates in Average Hourly Earnings and Average Hours Worked. U.S. Economy may face a "no landing" scenario in the second half of 2024. Markets rallied strongly on the softer-than-expected data.