The Week on Wall Street

Traders paid close attention to coronavirus developments and earnings last week, while wondering how the former might eventually impact the latter. Concern over updated infection numbers moderated risk appetite.

The Week on Wall Street

Daily headlines about the coronavirus had little impact on stock market averages last week. Earnings and mergers had more influence. 

The Week on Wall Street

Stocks advanced four days out of five during the past market week, erasing the losses of the week before. 

The Nasdaq Composite surged 4.04%, the S&P 500 3.17%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average 3.00%. Foreign stocks also rallied: the MSCI EAFE index added 2.21%.[1][2]

The Week on Wall Street

Stock benchmarks declined for a second straight week as coronavirus news tempered risk appetite.

The S&P 500 fell 2.14% on the week. The Nasdaq Composite dipped 1.76%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average, 2.55%. Away from North America, developed markets slumped 2.24%, according to MSCI's EAFE index.[1][2]

The Week on Wall Street

Stock prices fell last week as investors considered the potential health and economic risks of the flu-like coronavirus.

The Week on Wall Street

The Week on Wall Street

The market had a choppy five days, with traders reacting to geopolitical developments and weaker-than-expected jobs data. Even so, the three major U.S. equity indices posted weekly gains and continued their strong start to the new year. During Friday's trading session, the Dow Jones Industrial Average topped 29,000 for the first time.

The Week on Wall Street

Stocks descended from record highs Friday, as traders reacted to a U.S. drone strike that killed Iran's top military officer. Oil prices rose more than 3% following the breaking news.[1]

What Drove the Markets?

Four factors influenced investment performance in 2019: a shift in U.S. monetary policy, the ongoing trade dispute between the U.S. and China, earnings, and the economy.

The Week on Wall Street

The U.S. and China announced a limited trade agreement last week. That news lifted U.S. and foreign stocks, leading to weekly gains.