JCB find the YieldReport to be an invaluable summary of all debt market activity. Whilst we are focussed on the highest grade bonds it is important to see what is..Angus Coote, Executive Director, JCB Active Bond Fund
Technology stocks pushed the S&P 500 higher on Friday, closing a rocky week on a positive note. Both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite rose for a fifth consecutive week, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average’s winning streak ended.
On Friday, the S&P 500 gained 0.7%, and the Nasdaq climbed 1.1% to a new record. The Dow added about 4 points. The S&P 500 is up 11% in 2024 and 5.3% in May. This week, the S&P 500 ended slightly up, and the Nasdaq rose 1.4%.
Some Dow components struggled. Boeing fell 5.6% due to higher-than-expected costs, and Salesforce dropped 4.7%. Home Depot, 3M, and McDonald’s also saw declines.
Investors remain optimistic despite inflation concerns. April’s consumer price report eased fears of an economic downturn. Analysts expect S&P 500 earnings to rise 11% this year and 14% in 2025. Nancy Tengler of Laffer Tengler Investments believes the market is in the early stages of a bull run.
Earnings reports influenced individual stocks. Intuit fell 8.3% due to a decline in free TurboTax users, while Deckers Outdoor surged 14% after strong sales and profits. Ross Stores rose 7.8% following strong earnings. Nvidia continued its rise, gaining 2.6% after a robust earnings report.
LOCAL MARKET
Australian shares are set to open higher, with ASX futures up 0.6% or 47 points as of 8:00 am Monday.
In the US, tech stocks boosted the S&P 500 by 0.7% and the Nasdaq by 1.1% on Friday, while the Dow rose slightly by 4 points.
In commodities, Brent crude increased 0.9% to US$82.12 a barrel, and gold edged up 0.2% to US$2,333.83.
In bonds, Australian 2-year yields rose to 4.04%, and 10-year yields to 4.31%. US Treasury yields were mixed, with the 2-year at 4.95% and the 10-year at 4.46%.
The Australian dollar stood at 66.24 US cents, and the Wall Street Journal Dollar Index was down to 99.52.