Index Performance

Equities Cap Off Strong First Half with Solid Second Quarter Gains

The S&P 500 continued its strong 2023, returning 8.7% including dividends in the second quarter to bring its first-half gain to 16.9%, its best since 2019. The Dow Jones Industrial Average posted a quarterly gain of 4%, but the big winner was the Nasdaq Composite, which gained 13.1% during the quarter as growth outpaced value on significant gains in mega-cap technology stocks. The Nasdaq’s more than 32% first-half gain was its best since 1983.

Price pressures have steadily declined, with the consumer infl

The long dormant capital markets have recently begun showing signs of interest from institutional investors and deal makers anxious to bring companies to market. While activity remains muted at best, expectations are focused on 2024, when there is a prevailing consensus that the Federal Reserve (Fed) will be finished with its rate hike campaign, and that economic conditions will be resilient enough to underpin a strong capital markets environment. Given the country's unique characteristics in nurturing innovation and technological leadership, the role of capital markets is crucial in maintaining hegemony. That Apple's market capitaliz

It’s been a case of one step forward, two steps back for municipal (muni) bond investors this year. What started out as one of the best January’s in recent memory for munis, quickly turned into one of the worst February’s on record. And monthly returns have been uneven since. So, what can muni investors expect the rest of the year? Some thoughts:

• The muni curve is almost always steeper than the Treasury curve due to uncertainty about future tax rates, as well as strong demand from individuals for bonds maturing within 10 years, and because longer-dated issuance is normally tied to the expected life of an

We know it’s old news at this point, but on June 8, 2023, the S&P 500 entered a new bull market. After such a strong rally off the October lows, this young bull probably needs a breather. A look at the charts suggests this market may be due for a pause. Bull markets are not linear. However, the impending end of the Federal Reserve (Fed) rate-hiking campaign, and the economy’s and corporate America’s resilience, help make the bull case that steers LPL Research toward a neutral, rather than negative, equities view from a tactical asset allocation perspective. 

New Bull Market Has Arrived

The S&P