The Stock Market Rollercoaster continued at full speed during the second half of May. Markets reversed course during the final days of the month, resulting in a positive return for that period.
The market is grappling with many questions today including: How long will inflation remain elevated? Can the Federal Reserve (Fed) tame inflation without tipping the economy into a recession? Is economic growth slowing? How will the conflict in Ukraine end? Concern over these issues will likely continue to fuel volatility – while answers could provide clarity and stability.
Are we nearing the bottom of this pullback? We certainly do not have that crystal ball, but we believe the year-to-date pullback in stocks reflects a high level of negative sentiment, and at least in part many of the concerns addressed above are already priced in.
Wrapping up returns for the second half of the month, the markets were all higher. The Dow gained 793 points (2.46%), the S&P 500 rose by 108 points (2.68%) and the NASDAQ gained 276 points (2.34%).