THE WEEK ON WALL STREET
A strong Friday rally triggered by fresh signs of moderating inflation pushed stocks into positive territory to begin the new year.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.46%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 advanced 1.45%. The Nasdaq Composite index gained 0.98%. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, added 0.90% higher.1,2,3
STOCKS RALLY
A new year did little to change the market’s overall tenor as trading remained choppy. The first two trading sessions of a holiday-shortened week saw major averages swing wildly between gains and losses as investors balanced an improving outlook on inflation against concerns of faltering economic growth. Mega-cap technology and other high-growth names endured the brunt of the selling pressure.
Stocks took a decisive turn lower Thursday on strong private payroll growth and declining jobless claims, which heightened fears that the Fed would need to push interest rates higher for longer. However, stocks staged a powerful rally on Friday despite another strong job number, partly due to a deceleration in wage growth.
1. The Wall Street Journal, January 6, 2023
2. The Wall Street Journal, January 6, 2023
3. The Wall Street Journal, January 6, 2023