Weekly Market Insights: Stocks show small losses after mixed week
Stocks remained resilient last week amid mixed earnings reports, hawkish Fed-speak, and lingering recession fears, closing out the five trading days with small losses.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.23%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 lost 0.10%. The Nasdaq Composite index fell 0.42% for the week. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, added 0.10%.1,2,3
Stocks Hold Firm
Stocks traded most of last week around the flatline as investors grappled with several headwinds.
The first was disappointing earnings results, coupled with the absence of earnings guidance from some companies due to an uncertain economic climate. Weak economic data, including declines in housing and leading economic indicators, also weighed on investor sentiment. Finally, multiple Fed officials spoke last week, signaling that inflation remained too high and that further rate hikes may be likely.
Underneath the seemingly placid surface of the major market indices, there was substantial price action at the individual stock and sector level. Poor earnings results hit communication services stocks and regional banks, while margin pressures put pressure on auto stock valuations.
Housing Weakness
Two housing reports reflected ongoing fragility in the housing market and fed prevailing economic slowdown worries.
Sales of new homes fell 0.8% in March, dragged down by a 5.2% slide in new multi-family home construction. Sales of single-family homes were a bright spot, rising 2.7% to a three-month high, though that hopeful note was tempered by an 8.8% drop in new application permits–an indicator of future new home building.4
Existing home sales also suffered a month-over-month decline in March, falling 2.4%. Sales plummeted 22% from March 2022 levels as higher mortgage rates and tight inventories impacted affordability.5
This Week: Key Economic Data
Tuesday: Consumer Confidence. New Home Sales.
Wednesday: Durable Goods Orders.
Thursday: Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Jobless Claims.
Friday: Personal Income and Outlays. Consumer Sentiment.
Source: Econoday, April 21, 2023
The Econoday economic calendar lists upcoming U.S. economic data releases (including key economic indicators), Federal Reserve policy meetings, and speaking engagements of Federal Reserve officials. The content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The forecasts or forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and may not materialize. The forecasts also are subject to revision.
This Week: Companies Reporting Earnings
Monday: The CocaCola Company (KO).
Tuesday: Microsoft Corporation (MSFT), General Electric Company (GE), Verizon Communications, Inc. (VZ), Visa, Inc. (V), Alphabet, Inc. (GOOGL), General Motors Company (GM), McDonald’s Corporation (MCD), Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (AMP), 3M Company (MMM), Texas Instruments, Inc. (TXN), United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS), PepsiCo, Inc. (PEP), NextEra Energy, Inc. (NEE), Spotify Technology (SPOT), Kimberly-Clark Corporation (KMB).
Wednesday: The Boeing Company (BA), ServiceNow, Inc. (NOW), Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (TMO), General Dynamics Corporation (GD), eBay, Inc. (EBAY), Boston Scientific Corporation (BSX), Norfolk Southern Corporation (NSC).
Thursday: Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN), Intel Corporation (INTC), AbbVie, Inc. (ABBV), Mastercard, Inc. (MA), Bristol Myers Squibb Company (BMY), Caterpillar, Inc. (CAT), Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK), The Southern Company (SO), Eli Lilly and Company (LLY), Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC), Comcast Corporation (CMCSA).
Friday: Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM), Chevron Corporation (CVX), Charter Communications, Inc. (CHTR).
Source: Zacks, April 21, 2023
“It has always been easy to hate and destroy. To build and to cherish is much more difficult.”
– Queen Elizabeth II
Tax Benefit and Credits: FAQs for Retirees
Lots of questions can come up about income taxes after retirement. Listed are answers to just a few common questions from retired taxpayers.
What types of income are taxable?
Some common types of taxable income include military retirement pay, all or part of pensions and some retirement accounts, unemployment compensation, gambling income, bonuses and awards for work, and alimony or prizes.
What types of income are non-taxable?
A few examples of non-taxable income are veteran’s benefits and disability pay for specific military or government-related incidents, worker’s compensation, and cash rebates from a dealer or manufacturer of an item you purchased.
Why is my pension taxed?
It might depend on how the money was put into the pension. For example, if the money was not taxed before going into the plan, it may be taxable. Conversely, if your contribution is from already-taxed dollars, that portion of the pension may not be taxed.
*This information is not intended to substitute for specific individualized tax advice. We suggest you discuss your specific tax issues with a qualified tax professional.
Tip adapted from IRS.gov6
Practicing Gratitude
Psychologists have defined gratitude as a positive emotional response to receiving a benefit from someone or something. In positive psychology, gratitude is the human way of acknowledging the good things in life. Thankfully, you can learn gratitude if it does not come innately.
There are benefits to practicing gratitude, especially in times of stress and uncertainty. Gratitude invites positive emotions that can have physical benefits through the immune or endocrine systems. Research shows that when we think about what we appreciate, the parasympathetic or calming part of the nervous system is triggered, which can have protective benefits for the body—including decreasing levels of the stress hormone cortisol and increasing oxytocin, the bonding hormone involved in relationships that make us feel good.
There are a few great ways to get started today and practice gratitude in your own life:
- Write thank you notes
- Keep a gratitude journal
- Follow-up with family and friends
- Give back to your family, friends, and community
- Pay kindnesses forward
Tip adapted from Mindful.org7
It can be told, made, cracked, and played, yet it is only spoken. What is it?
Last week’s riddle: Two fathers and two sons shopped for computers at their local big box retailer. Each bought a PC, yet they purchased only three PCs in total. How could this be? Answer: The shoppers were a man, his son, and his grandson.
Pura Ulun Danu Bratan, Bali, Indonesia
Footnotes and Sources
1. The Wall Street Journal, April 21, 2023
2. The Wall Street Journal, April 21, 2023
3. The Wall Street Journal, April 21, 2023
4. Yahoo Finance, April 18, 2023
5. CNBC, April 20, 2023
6. IRS.gov, 2023
7. Mindful.org, February 7, 2023
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