Markets: The markets had a down week, on mixed earnings results, such as a disappointing Q1 GDP growth rate of just .2, vs. the 1% forecasted, but bounced back big on Friday, as bargain hunters bought beaten down Tech and Healthcare stocks.
Volatility had a bouncy ride, rising to 15.29 on Thursday’s down day, before falling to 12.70 to end the week, up just over 1% for the week.
The US dollar fell vs. most major currencies in April, except for the yen:
Market Breadth: This week, 13 out of 30 DOW stocks rose, vs. 21 last week. 40% of the S&P 500 rose, vs. 65% last week.
US Economic News: The Fed kept its rate at .25%…Initial Claims had its lowest reading since April 2000…Case-Shiller Home Index was better than expected…Consumer Spending rose in the 1st quarter, and Chicago PMI rose more than expected.
Our latest Dividend Stocks Blog article: “The 7 Best Dividend Stocks In 2015″ (You can read our latest blog articles by scrolling down this page)
Week Ahead Highlights: Friday’s Non-Farm Payrolls Report for April should shed some light on the direction of the US economy – did hiring resume its overall upward trend; was March’s weak report a temporary blip? The market expects job creation of 213K, vs. March’s tepid 126K figure.
Next Week’s US Economic Reports:
Sectors and Commodities:
Basic Materials and Energy stocks rallied this week, helped by a falling dollar:
Crude Oil rose 15% this past month, while Natural Gas rose nearly 5%: