Index Performance

S&P 500 Index: 1.8%

Dow Jones Industrial Average: 1.0%

Nasdaq Composite: 4.0%

Equities

US equities delivered positive results this week. In addition, indexes representing both the small and mid-cap space were lower. The Nasdaq, after being down approximately 25% in late- March, is up almost 18% this year and reached an all-time high Thursday.

With regard to sector performers, consumer discretionary and, given the Nasdaq’s strength, technology and communication services were the leaders. Energy, real estate, healthcare, and industrials lagged the markets this week. L

The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is in the news again, as the list of the small businesses who received loans and for how much, is officially in hands of the public. Nearly 5 million small businesses took more than $650 billion in loans as of the end of June, used a lifeline to keep things going during the slowdown. The problem though is some of the loans made were quite questionable at best, upsetting many on Main Street why those who didn’t need a loan got it.

“The intent of PPP was to help a steadier employment picture during the COVID-19 shutdown, but yes, some businesses have tapped into the program who shou

The wild ride of 2020 continues, with the S&P 500 Index down 20% in the first quarter and up 20% in the second quarter. Much like dropping a 20 dollar bill and picking it up, this doesn’t mean you are 20 dollars wealthier. Down 20% and then up 20% actually comes out to a 4% drop for the first half of the year.

What does a negative first half of the year tell us? Turns out, gains could be hard to come by the second half of this year. “Although 2020 is like nothing we’ve seen before, the fact of the matter is a weak first half of the year could mean weaker than normal returns for the rest of the year,” a

It’s certainly been a wild ride for stocks in 2020. Barely past the halfway point, the year has already brought the worst pandemic to hit the US in over 100 years, an unprecedented government-induced recession as much of the country was locked down, some stomach-churning market volatility, and massive, unprecedented stimulus from policymakers totaling several trillion dollars—that’s trillion with a “t”.

The dizzying volatility began in late February with the fastest-ever bear market decline (going back to the inception of the Dow Industrials in 1896). It took just 19 trading days for the Dow to close