Investment Review - August 2018
- The major U.S. stock indexes were strong in July. The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 4.71%, the S&P 500 was up 3.60% and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 2.15%.
- The U.S. Dollar Index was virtually flat in July. The Index is used to measure the value of the U.S. dollar versus six major foreign currencies. A stronger dollar lowers the cost of imports and increases the price of exports to foreign purchasers. A lower dollar value has opposite impacts.
- Cash trends in mutual fund investing are a proxy for market shifts in asset class investing sentiment. Equity funds posted an outflow of $20.81 billion in June, compared with an outflow of $8.73 billion in May. Bond funds had an inflow of $10.28 billion in June, compared with an inflow of $7.10 billion in May. Money market funds had an outflow of $32.50 billion in June, compared with an inflow of $56.41 billion in May.
Sources: Bloomberg LLC, FactSet, U.S. Department of Labor
Disclosure: This commentary reflects the opinions of Welch & Forbes based on information that we believe to be reliable. It is intended for informational purposes only, and not to suggest any specific performance or results, nor should it be considered investment, financial, tax or other professional advice. It is not an offer or solicitation.
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