Economic Update 5-13-2024
- In a light week for economic data, jobless claims ticked higher, while consumer sentiment dropped sharply.
- Equities saw gains in the U.S. and Europe, with marginal economic data keeping hopes alive for lower rates. Bonds were little changed in the U.S. on net, while foreign bonds were held back by a strong dollar. Commodity gains were led by precious metals and agriculture, while crude oil was little changed.
U.S. stocks saw a positive week, the third in a row, with price levels inching back toward all-time highs. This was in keeping with low volume, with little new economic data during the week. By sector, utility stocks led the way again, up over 4% on the week, followed by solid gains of over-2% in financials, materials, industrials, and consumer staples. Consumer discretionary lagged with minimal gains for the week, largely due to a sizable drop in Tesla shares. The somewhat surprising strength of lower-beta utility stocks has been seemingly led by strong earnings showings in Q1, hopes for lower rates later this year, and perhaps most importantly from sentiment, with an expected ramp-up in electricity needs from artificial intelligence in coming years.