Weekly Investment Update March 15, 2021

March 15, 2021

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Weekly Investment Update

Markets continued their climb last week with the S&P 500 once again reaching all-time highs and now within striking distance of 4,000. For now, market leadership has shifted from the large technology-related companies to more cyclical businesses such as financials and energy. This can be seen within the performance of the three most-widely tracked US indices: S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, and the NASDAQ. While the technology sector represents nearly 50% of the NASDAQ, the sector comprises only 26% and 21% of the S&P 500 and Dow Jones, respectively. Furthermore, financial companies are relatively absent from the NASDAQ, but represent 12% and 15% of the S&P 500 and Dow Jones, respectively. Yields on US Treasury securities have been rising, which is typically seen as a positive for financial companies like banks which can profit from higher interest rates.

Year-to-Date Major Index Performance

Line graph depicting the Year-to-Date Major Index Performance, including SPDR S&P Financials ETF, SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF, SPDR S&P 500 ETF, and Invesco NASDAQ ETF from December 31, 2020 to March 11, 2021

The chart above reflects the price return for a $100 investment the various ETFs listed. Source: Bloomberg

Key Economic Releases This Week

Day Report Period Consensus Est. Previous
Tuesday, Mar. 16th Retail Sales (monthly rate) February -0.1% 5.3%
  Industrial Production (monthly rate) February 0.5% 0.9%
Wed., Mar. 17th Building Permits (annual rate) February 1.75 million 1.89 million
  Housing Starts (annual rate) February 1.56 million 1.58 million
Thursday, Mar. 18th Conf. Board Leading Economic Indicators February 0.4% 0.5%
Source: Bloomberg

Asset Class Returns

Category Representative Index YTD 2021 Full Year 2020
Global Equity MSCI All-Country World 4.6% 16.3%
US Large Cap Equity  S&P 500  5.3% 18.4%
US Small Cap Equity  Russell 2000 19.3% 20.0%
Foreign Developed Equity MSCI EAFE 3.7% 7.8%
Emerging Market Equity MSCI Emerging Markets 4.6% 18.3%
US High Yield Fixed Income ICE BofAML High Yield Bond 0.5% 6.2%
US Fixed Income Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond -3.4% 7.5%
Cash Equivalents ICE BofAML 0-3 Mo Deposit 0.0% 0.5%
Source: Morningstar as of March 15, 2021

Prices & Interest Rates

Representative Index Current Year-End 2020
S&P 500 3,942 3,749
Dow Jones Industrial Avg. 32,772 30,497
NASDAQ 12,934 12,886
Crude Oil (US WTI) $65.61 $48.52
Gold $1,720 $1,893
US Dollar 91.68 89.94
2 Year Treasury 0.14% 0.13%
10 Year Treasury 1.64% 0.93%
30 Year Treasury 2.40% 1.65%
Source: Bloomberg, US Treasury as of March 15, 2021

Past performance may not be representative of future results.  All investments are subject to loss.  Forecasts regarding the market or economy are subject to a wide range of possible outcomes.  The views presented in this market update may prove to be inaccurate for a variety of factors.  These views are as of the date listed above and are subject to change based on changes in fundamental economic or market-related data.  Please contact your Financial Advisor in order to complete an updated risk assessment to ensure that your investment allocation is appropriate.   

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Categories”}},{“type”:”list_item”,”source”:{“query”:{“name”:”categories.customCategories”,”arguments”:{“id”:0,”offset”:0,”limit”:10,”order”:”term_order”,”order_direction”:”ASC”}},”props”:{“content”:{“name”:”name”,”filters”:{“search”:””}},”link”:{“name”:”link”,”filters”:{“search”:””}}}}}],”name”:”Blog Category List”}]},{“name”:””,”type”:”column”,”props”:{“image_position”:”center-center”,”media_overlay_gradient”:””,”width_small”:”2-3″},”children”:[{“type”:”headline”,”props”:{“title_element”:”h1″,”content”:”Weekly Investment Update”},”source”:{“query”:{“name”:””},”props”:{“_condition”:{“filters”:{“condition”:”!!”},”name”:”title”}}}},{“name”:””,”type”:”text”,”props”:{“margin”:”default”,”column_breakpoint”:”m”,”content”:”

Markets continued their climb last week with the S&P 500 once again reaching all-time highs and now within striking distance of 4,000. For now, market leadership has shifted from the large technology-related companies to more cyclical businesses such as financials and energy. This can be seen within the performance of the three most-widely tracked US indices: S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, and the NASDAQ. While the technology sector represents nearly 50% of the NASDAQ, the sector comprises only 26% and 21% of the S&P 500 and Dow Jones, respectively. Furthermore, financial companies are relatively absent from the NASDAQ, but represent 12% and 15% of the S&P 500 and Dow Jones, respectively. Yields on US Treasury securities have been rising, which is typically seen as a positive for financial companies like banks which can profit from higher interest rates.”},”source”:{“query”:{“name”:””},”props”:{}}},{“type”:”text”,”props”:{“margin”:”default”,”column_breakpoint”:”m”,”content”:”

Year-to-Date Major Index Performance”}},{“type”:”image”,”props”:{“margin”:”default”,”image_svg_color”:”emphasis”,”image”:”wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Year-to-Date-Major-Index-Performance-OneAscent-Weekly-Investment-Update-March-17-2021.png”,”image_alt”:”Line graph depicting the Year-to-Date Major Index Performance, including SPDR S&P Financials ETF, SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF, SPDR S&P 500 ETF, and Invesco NASDAQ ETF from December 31, 2020 to March 11, 2021″}},{“type”:”text”,”props”:{“margin”:”default”,”column_breakpoint”:”m”,”content”:”

The chart above reflects the price return for a $100 investment the various ETFs listed. Source: Bloomberg”,”text_size”:”small”}},{“type”:”text”,”props”:{“margin”:”default”,”column_breakpoint”:”m”,”content”:”

Key Economic Releases This Week”,”css”:”p { \n margin-top: 50px\n}”}},{“type”:”text”,”props”:{“margin”:”default”,”column_breakpoint”:”m”,”content”:”

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

Day\n

Report\n

Period\n

Consensus Est.\n

Previous\n\n

Tuesday, Mar. 16th\n

Retail Sales (monthly rate)\n

February\n

-0.1%\n

5.3%\n\n

\u00a0\n

Industrial Production (monthly rate)\n

February\n

0.5%\n

0.9%\n\n

Wed., Mar. 17th\n

Building Permits (annual rate)\n

February\n

1.75 million\n

1.89 million\n\n

\u00a0\n

Housing Starts (annual rate)\n

February\n

1.56 million\n

1.58 million\n\n

Thursday, Mar. 18th\n

Conf. Board Leading Economic Indicators\n

February\n

0.4%\n

0.5%\n\n

Source: Bloomberg\n\n\n”,”text_size”:”small”,”css”:”table.center {\n margin-left:auto; \n margin-right:auto;\n border-collapse: collapse\n \n}\nth {background-color: #13284B; padding:5px }\ntd {padding:5px}\n”}},{“type”:”text”,”props”:{“margin”:”default”,”column_breakpoint”:”m”,”content”:”

Asset Class Returns”}},{“type”:”text”,”props”:{“margin”:”default”,”column_breakpoint”:”m”,”content”:”

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

Category\n

Representative Index\n

YTD 2021\n

Full Year 2020\n\n

Global Equity\n

MSCI All-Country World\n

4.6%\n

16.3%\n\n

US Large Cap Equity\u00a0\n

S&P 500\u00a0\n

5.3%\n

18.4%\n\n

US Small Cap Equity\u00a0\n

Russell 2000\n

19.3%\n

20.0%\n\n

Foreign Developed Equity\n

MSCI EAFE\n

3.7%\n

7.8%\n\n

Emerging Market Equity\n

MSCI Emerging Markets\n

4.6%\n

18.3%\n\n

US High Yield Fixed Income\n

ICE BofAML High Yield Bond\n

0.5%\n

6.2%\n\n

US Fixed Income\n

Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond\n

-3.4%\n

7.5%\n\n

Cash Equivalents\n

ICE BofAML 0-3 Mo Deposit\n

0.0%\n

0.5%\n\n

Source: Morningstar as of March 15, 2021\n\n\n”,”text_size”:”small”,”css”:”table.center {\n margin-left:auto; \n margin-right:auto;\n border-collapse: collapse\n \n}\nth {background-color: #13284B; padding:5px }\ntd {padding:5px}\n”}},{“type”:”text”,”props”:{“margin”:”default”,”column_breakpoint”:”m”,”content”:”

Prices & Interest Rates”}},{“type”:”text”,”props”:{“margin”:”default”,”column_breakpoint”:”m”,”content”:”

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

Representative Index\n

Current\n

Year-End 2020\n\n

S&P 500\n

3,942\n

3,749\n\n

Dow Jones Industrial Avg.\n

32,772\n

30,497\n\n

NASDAQ\n

12,934\n

12,886\n\n

Crude Oil\u00a0(US WTI)\n

$65.61\n

$48.52\n\n

Gold\n

$1,720\n

$1,893\n\n

US Dollar\n

91.68\n

89.94\n\n

2 Year Treasury\n

0.14%\n

0.13%\n\n

10 Year Treasury\n

1.64%\n

0.93%\n\n

30 Year Treasury\n

2.40%\n

1.65%\n\n

Source: Bloomberg, US Treasury as of March 15, 2021\n\n\n”,”text_size”:”small”,”css”:”table.center {\n margin-left:auto; \n margin-right:auto;\n border-collapse: collapse\n \n}\nth {background-color: #13284B; padding:5px }\ntd {padding:5px}\n”}}]}]}]},{“name”:”Disclaimer”,”type”:”section”,”props”:{“style”:”muted”,”width”:”default”,”vertical_align”:”middle”,”title_position”:”top-left”,”title_rotation”:”left”,”title_breakpoint”:”xl”,”image_position”:”center-center”,”animation_delay”:false},”children”:[{“name”:””,”type”:”row”,”props”:{“column_gap”:”large”,”row_gap”:”large”},”children”:[{“name”:””,”type”:”column”,”props”:{“image_position”:”center-center”,”media_overlay_gradient”:””,”width_medium”:”1-1″},”children”:[{“name”:””,”type”:”text”,”props”:{“margin”:””,”column_breakpoint”:”m”,”content”:”

Past performance may not be representative of future results. \u202fAll investments are subject to loss.\u202f Forecasts regarding the market or economy are subject to a wide range of possible outcomes. \u202fThe views presented in this market update may prove to be inaccurate for a variety of factors.\u202f These views are as of the date listed above and are subject to change based on changes in fundamental economic or market-related data. \u202fPlease contact your Financial Advisor in order to complete an updated risk assessment to ensure that your investment allocation is appropriate.\u202f\u202f\u00a0″,”text_align”:”left”,”text_size”:”small”,”text_color”:”muted”}}]}]}]}],”version”:”2.2.2″} –>

Past performance may not be representative of future results.  All investments are subject to loss.  Forecasts regarding the market or economy are subject to a wide range of possible outcomes.  The views presented in this market update may prove to be inaccurate for a variety of factors.  These views are as of the date listed above and are subject to change based on changes in fundamental economic or market-related data.  Please contact your Financial Advisor in order to complete an updated risk assessment to ensure that your investment allocation is appropriate.