Weekly Market Insights: Stocks Mixed Ahead of Election

Stocks were mixed last week as fresh economic data points and election-related uncertainty slowed market momentum.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index fell 0.96 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index rose 0.16 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 2.68 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, slid 2.30 percent.1,2

Nasdaq Leads

Stocks were mixed for the first half of the week as investors geared up for a steady stream of Q3 reports. The 10-year Treasury yield continued to trend higher, which caught the attention of some traders.

Markets fell Wednesday morning with news that existing home sales fell to a 14-year low in October; still slowed by higher interest rates, sales are on track for their worst year since 1995. Also, pre-election jitters remained an undertow with traders.3,4,5

News that durable goods orders rose in September buoyed sentiment a bit. At Friday’s close, the Nasdaq, fueled by technology names, marked its seventh consecutive week of gains but the S&P 500 broke its 6-week winning streak.6,7

Footnotes and Sources

  1. The Wall Street Journal, October 25, 2024
  2. Investing.com, October 25, 2024
  3. MarketWatch.com, October 23, 2024
  4. The Wall Street Journal, October 23, 2024
  5. The Wall Street Journal, October 23, 2024
  6. ABA Banking Journal, October 25, 2024
  7. CNBC.com, October 25, 2024