The Week on Wall Street
Stocks slumped last week as investors winced over the potential for oil-shock inflation and concerns that strong jobs data could lead to higher interest rates.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.32 percent, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index dropped 2.59 percent. The Nasdaq Composite Index fell 4.68 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, slid 1.41 percent.1,2
Under Pressure
June kicked off with modest gains as a tech rally overcame rising oil prices. On Monday, all 3 averages logged new all-time intraday highs and record closes. The S&P 500 recorded its first close above 7,600 on Tuesday, while the Dow advanced nearly a half percentage point.3
But stocks fell midweek as oil prices rose further. The S&P 500 broke its nine-day winning streak as investors fretted about the inflationary effects of the Middle East. By Wednesday’s close, the S&P and Dow Industrials had given back all the gains from the start of the week.4,5
On Friday, a stronger-than-expected jobs report prompted worries that the Fed may have to adjust short-term interest rates. Markets fell broadly, with the S&P down over 2½ percent for the session and the Nasdaq down over 4 percent.6
May Jobs
The federal government’s nonfarm payrolls report was out on Friday. The economy added 172,000 jobs in May, more than double what economists expected.7
Employers were playing catch-up after pausing hiring amid last year’s trade policy uncertainties and federal government budget cuts. Unemployment remained at 4.3 percent for the month. ADP’s report on private-sector hiring, released Wednesday, tracked similarly to the federal data.7
Weekly Riddle
On a summer day, two fathers and two sons went fishing, and each one of them caught one fish. Why did they return home with just three fish?
Last Week’s Riddle: It traveled from Kentucky to Texas in three days, and it did so while staying in a corner. What is it?
Answer: A stamp.
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