Erratic Holiday Trading Leaves Stocks in Doldrums – Weekly Update

January 3, 2023 | By Steven DiGregorio

In a holiday-shortened week, erratic trading left stocks marginally down for the week.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.17%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 slipped 0.14%. The Nasdaq Composite index fell 0.30%. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, edged 0.61% higher.1,2,3

Stocks End Lower

Steps by China to move past its zero-Covid policies triggered concerns that its economic reopening might aggravate inflation pressures, sending stocks lower and bond yields higher to begin the week. Technology stocks saw the most significant hit.

With dimming prospects of a Santa Claus rally (the historical tendency of stocks to rise in the final trading days of the year and the first two days of the new year), stocks rebounded strongly on Thursday to erase the losses of the previous two days. However, stocks again turned lower to end the week with small losses.

Lower Risk Appetite Amid Uncertainty 

In an otherwise slow week for news, two monthly reports were released highlighting the market’s headwinds. The first was State Street’s Investor Confidence Index, which measures the risk appetite of institutional investors. The December report showed the confidence of large asset managers in investing in risk assets, like stocks, has dropped over the past two months, explaining, in part, why stocks may have struggled of late.4

Meanwhile, the Atlanta Fed released its Survey of Business Uncertainty, which reflected both declining expectations around sales growth and employment, along with growing uncertainty about revenue and employment growth over the next 12 months.5 

This Week: Key Economic Data

Tuesday: Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI)-Manufacturing. Institute of Supply Management (ISM) Manufacturing. Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS).
Thursday: Jobless Claims. Automated Data Processing (ADP) Employment Report. Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI)-Services.
Friday: Employment Situation.

Source: Econoday, December 30, 2022
The Econoday economic calendar lists upcoming U.S. economic data releases (including key economic indicators), Federal Reserve policy meetings, and speaking engagements of Federal Reserve officials. The content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The forecasts or forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and may not materialize. The forecasts also are subject to revision.

This Week: Companies Reporting Earnings

Thursday: Constellation Brands, Inc. (STZ), Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (WBA), Conagra Brands (CAG).

Source: Zacks, December 30, 2022
Companies mentioned are for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of the securities. Investing involves risks, and investment decisions should be based on your own goals, time horizon, and tolerance for risk. The return and principal value of investments will fluctuate as market conditions change. When sold, investments may be worth more or less than their original cost. Companies may reschedule when they report earnings without notice.

Footnotes and Sources

1. The Wall Street Journal, December 30, 2022
2. The Wall Street Journal, December 30, 2022
3. The Wall Street Journal, December 30, 2022
4. State Street, December 28, 2022
5. Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, December 28, 2022


Share the Wealth of Knowledge!
Please share this market update with family, friends, or colleagues. 
If you would like us to add them to our list, 
simply click on the “Forward email” link below. We love being introduced!


If you would like to opt-out of future emails, please reply to this email with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line.

The content of this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as an offer of investment advice, investment strategy or to buy, transfer or sell any security or other investment vehicle. Information contained herein has been obtained from sources deemed reliable but Spire Wealth Management LLC, Spire Securities LLC and their affiliates, including Compass Asset Management Group LLC, do not guarantee its accuracy. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Spire Wealth Management LLC, Spire Securities LLC or its affiliates.

Spire Wealth Management LLC is a federally Registered Investment Advisor. Securities offered through an affiliate, Spire Securities LLC. Member FINRA/SIPC

By accessing any links contained in this article you will be leaving Spire Wealth Management LLC & its affiliates and Compass Asset Management Group LLC websites and entering a website hosted by another party. Although Spire Wealth Management LLC & its affiliates and Compass Asset Management Group LLC have approved these as reliable partner sites, please be advised that you will no longer be subject to, or under the protection of, the privacy and security policies of Spire Wealth Management LLC & its affiliates Compass Asset Management Group LLC websites. The other parties are solely responsible for the content of their websites. We encourage you to read and evaluate the privacy and security policies on the sites you are entering, which may be different than those of Spire Wealth Management LLC & its affiliates Compass Asset Management Group LLC.

Diversification does not guarantee profit nor is it guaranteed to protect assets.

International investing involves special risks such as currency fluctuation and political instability and may not be suitable for all investors.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) is an unmanaged group of securities considered to be representative of the stock market in general.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted average of 30 significant stocks traded on the New York Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ. The DJIA was invented by Charles Dow back in 1896.

The Nasdaq Composite is an index of the common stocks and similar securities listed on the NASDAQ stock market and is considered a broad indicator of the performance of stocks of technology companies and growth companies.

The MSCI EAFE Index was created by Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) that serves as a benchmark of the performance in major international equity markets as represented by 21 major MSCI indices from Europe, Australia, and Southeast Asia.

The 10-year Treasury Note represents debt owed by the United States Treasury to the public. Since the U.S. Government is seen as a risk-free borrower, investors use the 10-year Treasury Note as a benchmark for the long-term bond market.

Opinions expressed are subject to change without notice and are not intended as investment advice or to predict future performance.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

You cannot invest directly in an index.

Consult your financial professional before making any investment decision.

Fixed income investments are subject to various risks including changes in interest rates, credit quality, inflation risk, market valuations, prepayments, corporate events, tax ramifications and other factors.

By clicking on these links, you will leave our server, as the links are located on another server. We have not independently verified the information available through this link. The link is provided to you as a matter of interest. Please click on the links below to leave.

Tags: China, DJIA, Economic Uncertainty, NASDAQ, S&P 500

Steve Digregorio Headshot
STEVEN M DIGREGORIO is President of Compass Asset Management Group, LLC and an Investment Advisor Representative with Spire Wealth Management, LLC.
Connect with him on LinkedIn.
Back to Results | |