Money Watch: Weekly Wrap
Unrest in Egypt did little to deter the bulls. Stocks closed higher, as investors focused on a strengthening US economy and improving corporate sales and profits.
- DJIA: 12,273, up 1.5% on week, up 6% YTD (up 3.8% over past 2 weeks)
- S&P 500: 1329, up 1.4% on week, up 5.7% YTD (up 4.1% over the past two weeks)
- NASDAQ: 2809, up 1.4% on week, up 5.9% YTD (just under a four-year high)
- March Crude Oil: $85.58, down 3.8% on week (lowest settle since Nov, 2010)
- April Gold: $1360.40, up 0.8% (best week since week ending December 31, 2010)
FACTOIDS OF THE WEEK:
- The US Treasury released its recommendations for changes to Fannie and Freddie on Friday. (Here's a primer on mortgage reform) A couple of stats to note from the report:
- 92% of all new mortgage loans are backed by the US government
- Half of all renters spend more than a third of their income on housing, and a quarter spend more than half
- Valentine's Day: Since 1928, the S&P 500 has dropped nearly 2/3 of the time, compared to 52% of all days. The Dow has dropped slightly more than half of Valentine's Days.
- The protests in Egypt were partially fueled by rising food inflation, which is on the move. Corn is up 95% in the past year, wheat has surged 84% and soybeans are up 57%
- No so fast JR: a court overturned actor Larry Hagman's $11.6M award he won against Citigroup for the mishandling of his brokerage account. The case will now go to the appellate court
IN THE WEEK AHEAD: The highlights of the week include President Obama's 2012 budget as well as housing and inflation data.
Mon 2/14:
Marriot
President Obama sends his 2012 budget request to Congress.
China reports on January consumer and producer prices.
Tues 2/15:
Dell
8:30 Retail Sales
8:30 Empire State Manufacturing
8:30 Import and Export Prices
10:00 Business Inventories
10:00 Housing Market Index
Weds 2/16:
CBS, Comcast,Genzyme
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner testifies before House Budget Committee
8:30 Housing Starts
8:30 Producer Price Index
9:15 Industrial Production
2:00 FOMC Minutes
Thurs 2/17:
Duke Energy, PG&E
8:30 Consumer Price Index
8:30 Weekly Claims
10:00 Leading Indicators
Senate Banking Committee hears testimony from Fed Chair Ben Bernanke, the FDIC's Sheila Bair, SEC Chair Mary Schapiro on implementing Dodd-Frank reform.
Fri 2/18:
Campbell Soup
G-20 meeting starts: the world's economic leaders are expected to discuss a new system to oversee international capital flows, the euro-zone debt crisis, currency policy and financial regulation