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Dec 10, 2024 | 
westudymarkets.beehiiv.com | Matthew Gutierrez |Shawn O’Malley |Shawn O'Malley
By Matthew Gutierrez and Shawn O’MalleyWe’ve missed you guys! Hopefully, you haven't already forgotten about us. We’re working hard on what comes next — as a reminder, starting in January, this newsletter will be devoted to covering the most interesting investment opportunities in markets and breaking down a range of different business models in the hopes of making you just a little smarter about investing.
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Oct 21, 2024 | 
westudymarkets.beehiiv.com | Matthew Gutierrez |Shawn O’Malley |Shawn O'Malley
Your browser does not support the audio element. By Matthew Gutierrez and Shawn O’MalleyThe three major stock averages finished their sixth consecutive positive week, the longest such stretch of the year. More companies are hitting record highs, while gold reached another fresh record of its own and crossed $2,700 for the first time. Bullion is one of 2024’s strongest-performing commodities, with gains of more than 30% so far this year.
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Oct 16, 2024 | 
westudymarkets.beehiiv.com | Matthew Gutierrez |Shawn O’Malley |Shawn O'Malley
Your browser does not support the audio element. By Matthew Gutierrez and Shawn O’MalleyBank stocks are flying. The financial sector hit a fresh all-time high Wednesday and has outperformed the broader market this year. Strong financial earnings (more below) helped power the S&P 500. Suddenly, 6,000 is within striking distance. When accounting for reinvested dividends, the U.S. stock market has now been up over 70% since the index’s Oct 13, 2022 bottom of 3,492.
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Oct 7, 2024 | 
westudymarkets.beehiiv.com | Matthew Gutierrez |Shawn O’Malley |Shawn O'Malley
Your browser does not support the audio element. By Matthew Gutierrez and Shawn O’MalleyContrarian investing is a thing for a reason. One of the latest examples: Right as headlines emerged that the 60-40 portfolio is dead, bonds picked up the slack. The U.S. bond market has rallied ~8% over the last five months, the biggest five-month gain since 1995.
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Sep 30, 2024 | 
westudymarkets.beehiiv.com | Matthew Gutierrez |Shawn O’Malley |Shawn O'Malley
By Matthew Gutierrez and Shawn O’MalleyHey, hey — We’re out of the office this week, so below, we’re highlighting some of our top podcasts, YouTube videos, and social posts in recent months. (Next week, we’ll be back in your inbox again on Monday as normal, covering the biggest news stories in markets.) Enjoy!— Matthew & ShawnHere’s today’s rundown: POP QUIZWhat is the average length of a bull market?
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Sep 19, 2024 | 
westudymarkets.beehiiv.com | Matthew Gutierrez |Shawn O’Malley |Shawn O'Malley
Your browser does not support the audio element. By Matthew Gutierrez and Shawn O’MalleyThe cuts are here! The Federal Reserve reduced interest rates by a half-percentage point. Much more below. What’s next for stocks? Today’s charts show that the Fed has cut rates with stocks around all-time highs on 20 occasions. The S&P 500 was higher a year later all 20 times, with an average gain of 13.9%.
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Aug 20, 2024 | 
westudymarkets.beehiiv.com | Matthew Gutierrez |Shawn O’Malley |Shawn O'Malley
By Matthew Gutierrez and Shawn O’MalleyWhen you buy Berkshire Hathaway stock, what are you really getting? The former Rhode Island textile manufacturer is now a ~$950 billion behemoth. America’s largest non-technology company includes a lot of insurance, energy, and railroads, a growing hoard of cash, and stocks like Apple, Coca-Cola, American Express, and Chevron. Check it all out in the breakdown below.
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Aug 19, 2024 | 
westudymarkets.beehiiv.com | Matthew Gutierrez |Shawn O’Malley |Shawn O'Malley
Your browser does not support the audio element. By Matthew Gutierrez and Shawn O’MalleyIt was a pretty quiet, low-volume August Friday for markets, but make no mistake: The S&P 500 just clocked a 3% gain this week, its best week since November 2023. Japan’s Nikkei 225 added 3.6%. Strong consumer spending and falling inflation have driven the latest rebound, putting the S&P about 2% from its mid-July record high.
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Aug 13, 2024 | 
westudymarkets.beehiiv.com | Matthew Gutierrez |Shawn O’Malley |Shawn O'Malley
By Matthew Gutierrez and Shawn O’MalleyMarket breadth keeps expanding. Today, 38% of S&P 500 companies are outpacing the benchmark itself, up from just 25.2% in late June. (The historical average is 48%.)That evidence of breadth expansion runs counter to what strategists and pundits on TV have said in recent months. As today’s chart below illustrates, a growing number of S&P 500 stocks are outperforming.
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Aug 8, 2024 | 
westudymarkets.beehiiv.com | Matthew Gutierrez |Shawn O’Malley |Shawn O'Malley
By Matthew Gutierrez and Shawn O’MalleyThe panic subsided a bit — for now. Wall Street’s fear gauge, the CBOE Volatility Index, has fallen sharply, and most global indexes have risen since Monday’s global selloff.
