Weekly Economic Update for January 31, 2022
In this week’s recap: Volatile week ends on rebound
Weekly Economic Update
THE WEEK ON WALL STREET
An exceptionally volatile week, marked by wide intraday price swings, whipsawed investors with stocks ending higher following a surge to the upside on the final trading day of the week.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.34%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 gained 0.77%. The Nasdaq Composite index ended flat (+0.01%) for the week. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, declined 3.54%.1,2,3
MARKET VOLATILITY
Rising bond yields, Federal Reserve uncertainty, and escalating tensions on the Ukrainian-Russian border unsettled markets all week. The week opened with two successive days of deep early losses that were erased by furious, late-afternoon rebounds. The following two-trading sessions that started with strong gains that evaporated with late-session selling.
The most dramatic session was Monday, in which stocks ended slightly higher after hitting intraday lows that saw the NASDAQ fall 4.9%, the Dow shed 1,115 points, and the S&P 500 moved into correction territory. Technology was at the epicenter of the volatility all week as rate fears weighed on sector. Stocks rebounded strongly on Friday, managing to conclude a week on an upbeat note.4
FED READIES MARKET FOR RATE HIKES
Last week’s meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) left rates unchanged, though officials signaled short-term rates would likely be raised at its next meeting in March. As expected, the Fed also approved one last round of bond purchases, bringing quantitative easing to an end by March.5
Left a bit more nebulous were details on the pace and timing of reducing the Fed’s balance sheet, a lingering worry of some investors. But Fed Chair Powell indicated that shrinking the Fed’s asset holdings may occur at a faster rate than in past periods of balance-sheet reductions, such as in 2014 and 2017.6
T I P O F T H E W E E K
Is your business structured to limit your liability? Your financial professional may be able to provide some insights about what business structures to consider.
THE WEEK AHEAD: KEY ECONOMIC DATA
Tuesday: ISM (Institute for Supply Management) Manufacturing Index. JOLTS (Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey).
Wednesday: ADP (Automated Data Processing) Employment Report.
Thursday: Factory Orders. Jobless Claims. ISM (Institute for Supply Management) Services Index.
Friday: Employment Situation.
Source: Econoday, January 28, 2022
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
Tuesday: Alphabet, Inc.(GOOGL), Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD), Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM), PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL), General Motors Company (GM), Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD), Starbucks Corporation (SBUX), United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS), Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. (SWK).
Wednesday: Meta Platforms, Inc. (FB), AbbVie, Inc. (ABBV), Qualcomm, Inc. (QCOM), Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (TMO), Spotify Technology (SPOT), TMobile US, Inc. (TMUS), D.R. Horton, Inc. (DHI).
Thursday: Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN), Ford Motor Company (F), Snap, Inc. (SNAP), Eli Lilly and Company (LLY), Fortinet, Inc. (FTNT), Skyworks Solutions, Inc. (SWKS), Honeywell International, Inc. (HON), Prudential Financial, Inc. (PRU).
Friday: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (APD), Bristol Myers Squibb Company (BMY).
Source: Zacks, January 28, 2022
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.
Q U O T E O F T H E W E E K
“A very great vision is needed, and those who have it must follow it as the eagle seeks the deepest blue of the sky.”
TȞAŠÚŊKE WITKÓ (CRAZY HORSE)
T H E W E E K L Y R I D D L E
Two children are born in the same hospital (and in the same hospital room) in the same year, month, day, and minute. They have the same two parents, yet they are not twins and have no brothers. How is this possible?
LAST WEEK’S RIDDLE: A woman sailed into the Bahamas with her boat on the 28th of April. She stayed in the Bahamas for three weeks and then left in April. How is this possible?
ANSWER: The name of her boat is April.
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CITATIONS:
1. The Wall Street Journal, January 28, 2022
2. The Wall Street Journal, January 28, 2022
3. The Wall Street Journal, January 28, 2022
4. CNBC, January 24, 2022
5. The Wall Street Journal, January 26, 2022
6. The Wall Street Journal, January 26, 2022