Stocks retreated moderately this week as a barrage of negative news hit. There is an ongoing conflict in Iran that started at the end of last week, bringing real risks of inflation if it does not end within a reasonable amount of time, as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz would create a crunch in global oil supplies. Furthermore, the jobs report released today reflected that jobs were lost in February and the unemployment rate did not decline as expected, challenging the Federal Reserve’s view of a stabilizing labor market.
All major U.S. stock indices ended the week lower. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined by 1,476 points to 47,502. The NASDAQ slid 1.27% to 24,643, and the S&P 500 dipped 1.98% to 6,740. Energy was the best-performing sector this week, posting a 1.16% gain as oil and gas prices rose sharply. All other sectors experienced meaningful losses. Notably, materials posted a 6.63% loss, and other supply-chain-sensitive sectors also posted losses of more than 4%.
The bond market did not respond positively to the conflict either, with inflation fears pushing up interest rates. Compared to last week, the U.S. 5-year Treasury yield rose 21 basis points to 3.72%, and the 10-year yield increased 18 basis points to 4.14%. As a consequence of higher yields, gold prices also fell by nearly $100 per ounce.
With a Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting taking place in two weeks, the two inflation reports scheduled for release next week will provide the market with significant insight into how much relief the economy may receive.
This is Adams Wealth Advisor, and we hope you have a great weekend.