Strong Week on Wall Street
October 25, 2021
Stocks rallied last week on a stream of positive corporate earnings surprises.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.08%, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 advanced 1.64%. The Nasdaq Composite index gained 1.29% for the week. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, was up 0.23%.1,2,3
Earnings Ignite Rally
Fears over inflation, supply shortages, and slowing economic growth in China were pushed aside last week as investors reacted to a daily succession of positive corporate earnings surprises. After the Dow Industrials reached an all-time high intraday on Wednesday, fresh earnings reports, an increase in existing home sales, and a new pandemic low in initial jobless claims–and continuing claims–propelled the S&P 500 index to a new record high the following session.4,5
Disappointing earnings before the market opened on Friday hurt a few social media stocks, resulting in a choppy trading session and a selloff in the Nasdaq to close out the week.
Solid Start To Season
Investors came into the earnings season anxious about whether businesses could extend the earnings growth momentum of recent quarters amid an increase in Delta infections, inflation, labor shortages, and supply-chain bottlenecks. The early results were encouraging. Of the 23% of companies comprising the S&P 500 index that have reported, 84% beat Wall Street consensus earnings estimates by an average of more than 13%.6
The earnings season may get more uneven in coming weeks since many of the companies potentially affected by labor shortages and inflation have yet to report. Nevertheless, these better-than-expected earnings buoyed investor spirits and allowed stocks to build on their October gains.
This Week: Key Economic Data
Tuesday: New Home Sales. Consumer Confidence.
Wednesday: Durable Goods Orders.
Thursday: Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Jobless Claims.
Friday: Consumer Sentiment.
Source: Econoday, October 22, 2021
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
Monday: Facebook (FB), KimberlyClark Corporation (KMB).
Tuesday: Microsoft Corporation (MSFT), General Electric Company (GE), Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD), Twitter, Inc. (TWTR), Visa, Inc. (V), Alphabet, Inc. (GOOGL), Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT), Eli Lilly and Company (LLY), Texas Instruments (TXN), United Parcel Service (UPS), Capital One Financial Corporation (COF).
Wednesday: The Boeing Company (BA), Ford Motor Company (F), Bristol Myers Squibb Company (BMY), General Motors (GM), Twilio, Inc. (TWLO), CocaCola Company (KO), McDonald’s Corporation (MCD), GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), ServiceNow, Inc. (NOW), Spotify Technology (SPOT), General Dynamics Corporation (GD).
Thursday: Apple, Inc. (AAPL), Mastercard (MA), Caterpillar, Inc. (CAT), Starbucks Corporation (SBUX), Merck & Company, Inc. (MRK), Shopify, Inc. (SHOP), Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC), Comcast Corporation (CMCSA), Illinois Tool Works, Inc. (ITW).
Friday: AbbVie, Inc. (ABBV), Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM), Chevron Corporation (CVX), LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (LYB).
Source: Zacks, October 22, 2021
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.
Tax Tips on Identity Theft
Here are a few things to know when attempting to protect yourself against identity thieves:
The IRS never will contact you via email or phone to request personal information. If you receive a scam email or call that claims to be from the IRS, report it to phishing@irs.gov.
People can steal your identity by stealing your wallet or purse, receiving information they need over the phone or email, finding your personal information in the trash, or accessing information you provide to an unsecured website (only enter credit card information on websites that start with “https://”).
Your identity may have been stolen if you receive a letter from the IRS indicating that more than one tax return was filed in your name.7
* This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax advice. We suggest that you discuss your specific tax issues with a qualified tax professional.
The Health Benefits of a Meat-Free Day
There’s no denying the overwhelming health benefits of a plant-based diet. You still can enjoy such a diet’s many health benefits by going “meat free” for just one day a week. Here are some of the main benefits:
- You’ll be cutting out potentially dangerous processed meat – According to the World Health Organization, processed meats rank alongside cigarettes as a major cause of cancer.
- You’ll be decreasing your risk of heart disease – Coronary heart disease is linked to a meat-based diet, and most cardiovascular diseases can be prevented by switching to a plant-based diet.
- You’ll be getting more vitamins, minerals, and fiber – When you don’t turn to meat on your meat-free day, you’ll likely turn to other foods such as veggies, fruits, whole grains, and other plant-based products. This variety helps you round out your diet!8
Breakfast Sweet Potatoes
Servings: 2
Time: 50 Mins
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, washed
- 2 tablespoons natural almond butter
- 1 banana, sliced
- 2 teaspoons chia seeds
- Cinnamon
- Sea salt
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375° degrees F. Line a medium baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
- Use a fork to poke several holes in the sweet potatoes, then place on prepared baking sheet and roast sweet potatoes for 45 minutes-1 hour or until fork tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.
- Once ready to eat, split the warm sweet potatoes open with a knife and sprinkle with a tiny bit of sea salt. Next drizzle 1 tablespoon of almond butter, 1 teaspoon of chia along with banana slices and finally a sprinkle of cinnamon in each sweet potato. Serve immediately.9
Stay safe!
Footnotes and Sources
1. The Wall Street Journal, October 22, 2021
2. The Wall Street Journal, October 22, 2021
3. The Wall Street Journal, October 22, 2021
4. CNBC, October 20, 2021
5. The Wall Street Journal, October 21, 2021
6. FactSet, October 22, 2021
7. IRS.gov, June 8, 2021
8. hellomagazine.com, June 24, 2021
9. ambitiouskitchen.com, September 12, 2016
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.
The forecasts or forward-looking statements are based on assumptions, may not materialize, and are subject to revision without notice.
This content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The information in this material is not intended as tax or legal advice. Please consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation. This material was developed and produced by FMG Suite to provide information on a topic that may be of interest. FMG is not affiliated with the named representative, financial professional, Registered Investment Advisor, Broker-Dealer, nor state- or SEC-registered investment advisory firm. The opinions expressed and material provided are for general information, and they should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security.
Copyright 2021 FMG Suite.
McCarthy Financial Group's Blog: Market Insights & Wealth Watch