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The Week on Wall Street

Stocks ended last week higher as volatility slowed, completing their best quarter since 2009. A Friday tweet from Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin encouraged investors, referring to "constructive" discussions in the ongoing U.S.-China trade negotiations.

Stocks rallied last week as optimism about a potential U.S.-China trade deal grew. The S&P 500 advanced 0.80% during the 4-day trading week to 2,792.67. The Nasdaq Composite improved 0.86% to 7,527.54, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.64% to 26,031.81. The U.S. Aggregate Bond index inched up 0.11%.

For the first time in months, U.S. stock markets experienced little movement last week. The Dow and NASDAQ did have their 5th week of gains in a row, but their increases were small: 0.12% and 0.11%, respectively. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 broke its 4-week winning streak with a 0.22% loss.  International Stocks also posted modest returns, gaining 0.47% for the week and the U.S.

Last week brought more volatility to the markets. While domestic indexes had some rallies as positive trade news emerged earlier in the week, by Friday, December 14, they had erased any gains.

For the week, the S&P 500 dropped 1.26% and the Dow lost 1.18%. International Stocks also had a 0.89% weekly loss while the U.S. Aggregate Bond Index was up a slight 0.06%.

U.S. markets ended a volatile month on a high note Friday. All major indices posted impressive increases for the week, buoyed by news from the Fed Reserve and international trade. The S&P 500 jumped 4.85% and the Dow increased 5.16% for the week.  International Stocks rose 0.95% and the U.S. Aggregate Bond Index gained 0.13%.

Last week was a tough Thanksgiving week for domestic stock markets. The S&P 500 dropped 3.79% and the Dow continued its recent slide, losing 4.44%. International Stocks also declined, but posted a smaller 1.12% loss, while the U.S. Aggregate Bond Index gained a slight 0.03%. Once again, portfolio diversification helped to cushion losses.

Last week did nothing to dispel October's reputation as a tough month for the markets. The S&P 500 lost 3.94%, the Dow declined 2.97%, and the NASDAQ dropped 3.78% during what was one of 2018's most volatile weeks so far. All three indexes are down significantly for the month, and both the S&P 500 and Dow have entered negative territory for 2018.

Last week brought new tariffs and data. Overall, the S&P 500 gained 0.85% and the Dow was up 2.25%. International Stocks had sizable growth, posting a 2.89% increase while the U.S. Aggregate Bond Index slipped -0.26%.

A Look Back: Last Week's Tariffs and Mixed Housing Data

Both the S&P 500 and NASDAQ closed last week with new record highs. The S&P 500 added 0.86%, the Dow increased 0.47%%, and the NASDAQ gained 1.66%. International stocks also grew, increasing 1.52% for the week and the U.S Aggregate Bond Index added 0.26%.

Markets experienced a push-and-pull last week between data indicating strong economic growth and lagging performance from several tech stocks' earnings reports. Domestic indexes had mixed results, as the S&P 500 gained 0.61%, the Dow was up 1.57%, while the NASDAQ dropped 1.06%. International stocks had more of an uptick, gaining 1.32% for the week while the U.S.