Stock prices ended the week slightly lower, despite news of positive results from a test trial of a COVID-19 drug treatment and several states easing their economic lockdowns. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.22%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 lost 0.21%. The Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 0.34%. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed stock markets overseas, rose 4.34%.1,2,3
Market optimism was also supported by earnings reports early in the week, which showed that some companies were navigating reasonably well through the crisis. But stocks retreated on Friday as traders reacted to mixed earnings from two tech titans. The two firms offered a reminder that even the strongest companies have not escaped the economic impact of the pandemic. Worries over possible new China trade tariffs also weighed on stocks as the trading week came to a close. Corporate Earnings With 193 of S&P 500 companies reporting, 65% have checked in with results ahead of consensus Wall Street estimates. Among the better-performing sectors to date were Technology and Consumer Staples. Financials were among the laggards.4,5,6 Final Thought 1. The Wall Street Journal, May 1, 2020 |
Weekly Market Insights - May 5th 2020
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May 06, 2020