FINANCIAL BLOG

First quarter reporting season was solid, but results didn’t offer much of a confidence boost in the outlook for the rest of the year. It wasn’t corporate America’s fault — tariff uncertainty makes it very difficult for most companies to offer an outlook that they can have confidence in. Analysts did get enough guidance to take estimates down for the rest of the year to credible levels, which is a positive step in restoring market confidence.

LPL Research provides its Weekly Market Performance for the week of May 19, 2025. U.S. equities clawed back part of last week’s strong gains as the tariff relief rally lost steam.

Investor sentiment dramatically changed after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other members of the Trump administration announced a temporary pause on tariffs with China. Was that sentiment shift warranted and did anything materially change? Estimates of the effective tariff rate continue to vary and have wide confidence intervals.

LPL Research provides its Weekly Market Performance for the week of May 12, 2025. Major U.S. averages ended the week sharply higher after China tariffs were lowered significantly.

A busy week of earnings, trade negotiations, and monetary policy meetings left the S&P 500 down around 0.5%. Buyer fatigue appeared to be setting in at this stage of the recovery as risk appetite from positive trade headlines faded by Friday.

LPL Research provides its Weekly Market Performance for the week of May 5, 2025. Major U.S. averages ended lower after snapping a historic winning streak to start the week.

The municipal bond market faced significant volatility in April, driven by spillovers from a turbulent Treasury market. Treasury yields were pressured higher by rising inflation expectations; the Federal Reserve’s cautious policy stance, reduced foreign demand; hedge fund deleveraging, portfolio shifts toward cash, and structural illiquidity.

LPL Research provides its Weekly Market Performance for the week of April 28, 2025. U.S. stocks extended gains over the last five days, closing a historic month less than one percent below the flatline.

The softer tone toward China from the White House, President Trump’s pledge not to fire Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair Jerome (Jay) Powell, and renewed optimism about Fed rate cuts all helped drive a strong market rebound last week.

LPL Research provides its Weekly Market Performance for the week of April 21, 2025. Stocks rallied this week, paring back monthly losses as trade war escalation concerns ebbed.

LPL Research discusses another volatile week for markets, introduces a revised S&P 500 target, and assesses the likelihood of the lows recently being reached.

LPL Research provides its Weekly Market Performance for the week of April 14, 2025.

Last week we were able to check several of the boxes on our stock market bottoming process checklist.

LPL Research provides its Weekly Market Performance for the week of April 7, 2025.

Markets got quite a surprise from the Trump administration last week in the form of tariffs above even the most aggressive forecasts...

LPL Research provides its Weekly Market Performance for the week of March 31, 2025.

Wednesday is the big day when the Trump administration will provide more clarity on their tariff plans.

Tariff and inflation concerns sent stocks tumbling toward the lows of the week on Friday.

Trade uncertainty and nagging inflation made Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair Jerome Powell walk a tightrope at the latest press conference.

LPL Research provides its Weekly Market Performance for the week of March 17, 2025.