Earnings season last week and this week is all about financials. The early reports were a bit messy, with earnings dragged down by special bank charges to replenish the FDIC deposit insurance fund following last year’s bank failures.  

LPL Research still thinks a respectable 5% increase in S&P 500 Index earnings per share overall is achievable given low analyst expectations. But one big determining factor in whether that upside materializes will be the “Magnificent Seven.” That is, the big seven tech companies, which sit atop the S&P 500 Index are expected to collectively grow earnings 46% in t

As China emerged a year ago from the shadow of the stringent zero COVID-19-related measures that all but shut down its economy for over two years, much was expected in terms of its economic growth prospects. There were numerous reports suggesting the world’s second largest economy would ignite a bout of inflation as its industrial base would require vast quantities of commodities to power a newly energized China. Clearly that didn’t happen. Here we explore why and provide our updated thoughts on investing in China and emerging markets.

Revisiting China, 2024

To be sure, coming out of the pandemic, consumers init

Opportunities abound in the markets, even during periods when the economy appears ripe for a regime shift. Recent growth metrics surprised to the upside, but leading indicators point toward some downside risk. In this edition of the Weekly Market Commentary, we examine potential opportunities amid a rotation in housing, buying patterns, and inflation.

Inflation Trajectory Is Favorable for Risk Assets

Headline inflation in October was unchanged month over month, pulling the annual rate down to 3.0% from 3.4%. Markets often focus on the core services rate of inflation excluding housing, and that important category decelerated

Key Takeaways:

• Oversold conditions and tumbling interest rates have brought buyers back into equity markets this week. The S&P 500 has recaptured its closely watched 200-day moving average (dma).

• Historically, index returns following a move back above the 200-dma have yielded positive but underwhelming returns, suggesting crossovers should be used more as a confirmation of trend than a binary trading signal.

• Seasonal tailwinds could keep this recovery moving forward. The S&P 500 has generated an average return of 7.0% from November through April, marking the best six-month return period for the market sin