From NASDAQ:

1) After years of trading, the S&P 500 index finally surpassed all-time highs set back in January 2022, making it the sixth longest stretch without a new high since 1950. 2) The markets are looking familiar for 2024, with tech, comms, and healthcare outperforming, while utilities, materials, energy, and small caps underperform. 3) Concerns about job market, earnings beats not rewarded, and large-cap growth back to outperformance are causing volatility.

4) The markets show equities and oil on the rise, while gold, the dollar, and treasury yields are down. The University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Index jumped 13.1% in January. Exxon is suing two ESG investors, and a US Supreme Court ruling may impact Biden’s ESG investing rule. Companies’ reluctance to roll back price rises poses a US inflation risk, and Euro Zone’s job-market puzzle shows the risk of early ECB rate cuts. The Red Sea crisis is affecting European manufacturers and retailers. Donald Trump moves closer to Republican coronation, and the US-C



Read more: Market Climbing Wall of Worry