May 4, 2026
In April, the S&P 500, Dow, and Nasdaq all surged, driven by earnings growth and a risk-on sentiment for investors. Further, the economic updates released during the month were largely positive. The initial estimate of Q1 GDP growth came in at 2 percent annualized, up from 0.5 percent at the end of last year. The economy also added a solid 178,000 jobs in March, the strongest month of hiring in over a year. On the consumer front, we saw signs of stabilizing sentiment and solid spending growth.
Episode 17
March 18, 2026
Episode 16
February 11, 2026
Episode 15
January 15, 2026
Episode 14
December 17, 2025
Episode 13
November 19, 2025
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The S&P 500 Index is a broad-based measurement of changes in stock market conditions based on the average performance of 500 widely held common stocks. All indices are unmanaged and investors cannot invest directly in an index.
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The Dow Jones Industrial Average is computed by summing the prices of the stocks of 30 large companies and then dividing that total by an adjusted value, one which has been adjusted over the years to account for the effects of stock splits on the prices of the 30 companies. Dividends are reinvested to reflect the actual performance of the underlying securities.
The Russell 2000 is a market-capitalization weighted index, with dividends reinvested, that consists of the 2,000 smallest companies within the Russell 3000 Index. It is often used to track the performance of U.S. small market capitalization stocks.
One basis point (bp) is equal to 1/100th of 1 percent, or 0.01 percent.
The VIX (CBOE Volatility Index) measures the market’s expectation of 30-day volatility across a wide range of S&P 500 options.
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