The highly transmissible Delta variant of COVID-19 now makes up an overwhelming majority of the new cases in the U.S., bringing with it a rise in cases and hospitalizations. Widespread vaccine distribution and distancing measures have helped limit the variant’s...
Dear Valued Investor, Six months and counting. That is the current monthly winning streak for the S&P 500 Index. To take that a step further, this key equity benchmark has posted gains in 13 of the last 16 months—dating back to the March 2020 low. With stocks...
The ISM Manufacturing Index fell to 59.5 in July, below the consensus expected 61.0. (Levels higher than 50 signal expansion; levels below 50 signal contraction.) The major measures of activity were mostly lower in July, but all above 50, signaling growth. The...
Last week was a huge news week, from the Fed, to gross domestic product (GDP), to a giant week of earnings reports. Below we review the big events from last week, while also looking ahead to what could be an eventful August for investors. Earnings Continue To Soar...
2021 has been a very strong year for both stocks and the economy, but that doesn’t mean there haven’t been some surprises. Below we take a look at some things that have happened so far in 2021 that have surprised the LPL Research team. Surprise 1: Yields Aren’t...
