Stock market news

Good economic news propelled U.S. and Canadian stocks to new highs last week, with equities and commodities rallying. The Dow surpassed 34,000 for the first time, as signs of 1) rising demand (consumer spending), 2) rising inflation and 3) rising earnings all point to an accelerating recovery. Improving trends in consumer spending and corporate earnings will be key factors in extending the durability of the new economic expansion and bull market, while inflation pressures can be problematic if they persist. We'd offer the following takeaways on whether the gains in these three areas can be sustained and what that implies for the markets.

The quarterly market outlook offers our perspective on recent activity in the capital markets. The Edward Jones Investment Policy Committee offers its viewpoints on the U.S. economy, stocks, the bond market, international markets and asset classes, as well as a special topic of interest to investors each quarter.

These aren’t short-term predictions. Rather, this is Edward Jones’ perspective on market and economic topics, designed to help you make decisions affecting your long-term financial strategy. As you read through each topic, you'll find specific actions you can discuss with your financial advisor.