Stock Market Blog -Jan 4th

We got a year end sell-off this week -maybe some profit taking... we could see the rally continue next week, and then take a direction based on earnings reports. I'm still looking for the NASDAQ to surpass the 2000 high in the near future.

The S&P500 closed the year with a gain of just over 11% while the NASDAQ was up just over 13%. The Small-cap Russell 2000 was only up around 4%. Oil was down almost 50% for the year. Bonds outperformed the S&P500!

Interesting Global Macro Charts

Best performer in the S&P500:  LUV
Best performer in the DOW:  INTC
Best performer in the NASDAQ:  AAL

Worst performer in the S&P500:  RIG
Worst performer in the DOW:  IBM

Best Sectors:  Biotech, Utilities
International:  China, India

Worst sectors: Energy, Gold miners

Sector performance -2014

New all time highs:   AGN, DGX, M, RCL, UA
All time lows:   SODA

Pops:        Drops:   

Next week:  Economic reports,   Monthly JOBS report...

Earnings:     

Tue: MU

This week's charts:

S&P 500 -
10yr Interest Rates
Labor Force Participation Rate (10 year chart)

Commodities/Futures (charts):
Crude Oil was down, closing near $52.69 -still dropping  

Natural Gas was unchanged, closing at $3.00
Gold was down a bit, closing near 1186  

The 30 year Bond was up, closing near 145.50

The US Dollar was up, closing at 91.38 -now over 90, and the 2010 high

NEWS:

Predictions: Looking ahead to 2015

Why 2015 market looks too good to be true

Don't worry about the US economy...until 2018: Economist

Something odd happening in market (vid)

The 100% Club: These stocks doubled this year
Best and worst performing ETFs this year
S&P 500 Closes 2014 Weak, Up 6th Year In A Row; Treasuries Triple Dow's Gains
Gundlach Sees 10Y Treasury Testing 1.38% In 2015, Warns Of "Trouble Ahead"

Annual iPad sales expected to fall for first time
Dollar set to rack up strongest year since 2005
The year of dollar danger for the world
Venezuela economy falls into recession