Posts by Katherine Liola

Brad McMillan, Commonwealth’s CIO, recaps the market and economic news for February. Markets climbed last month, although they faced some turbulence on a spike in interest rates. While markets were choppy, the medical news improved. New cases and hospitalizations dropped, and vaccinations more than doubled. On the economic front, unemployment remains high, but companies are…

Brad McMillan, Commonwealth’s CIO, recaps the market and economic news for January. Most developed markets were down slightly, including the Dow and S&P 500 in the U.S., as well as developed markets abroad. Despite the weak January numbers, markets remain near all-time highs. On the economic front, layoffs were high and retail spending dropped. But…

Brad McMillan, Commonwealth’s CIO, recaps the market and economic news for December. It was a great month for the markets, with gains across the board. Unfortunately, we saw rising economic damage. Job growth dropped, and layoffs rose. Consumer confidence and spending also declined as the medical risks drove governmental shutdowns. Still, business confidence and spending…

Brad McMillan, Commonwealth’s CIO, recaps the market and economic news for November. It was a very strong month for the stock markets, with most up by double digits. With good news on vaccines and the resolution of the presidential election, investors gained confidence. But medical risks remain, and the economic risks rose. Layoffs increased, and…

Brad McMillan, Commonwealth’s CIO, recaps the market and economic news for October. The markets started the month strong but rolled over on rising medical risks. Fortunately, the impact was cushioned by better economic news. Layoffs dropped, and consumer confidence held at higher levels. As a result, spending held up better than expected, and the housing…

Brad McMillan, Commonwealth’s CIO, recaps the market and economic news for September. It was a tough month for the markets. They began September with a drop and ended the month with everything down, but by much less than feared. The economic news was better, with improved data from the labor market and consumer confidence bouncing…

Brad McMillan, Commonwealth’s CIO, recaps the market and economic news for August. It was a very good month for the markets. The Nasdaq and S&P 500 reached new highs, and investors continued to move back into the markets. We also saw infection numbers decline, and the economic recovery started to regain strength. Consumer confidence looks…