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It seems appropriate that Mother's Day is upon us as stock
market gyrations are making everyone cry out for
Mommy. Of course, we know that the market progresses in
fits and starts, with any extended rise likely to be followed by a
setback. This one was probably overdue, though clearly
exacerbated by what is variously being described as "trader-error"
or "computer-glitch," which briefly triggered a 1,000 point drop in
the Dow yesterday. For a moment, in fact, shares of Accenture,
which had been trading at close to $40 a share, dropped to a
penny. I'd love to have been on the buying side of that
trade!
If you're worried that renewed volatility in the markets is
signaling economic trouble, however, consider the following:
The productivity of American workers continues to soar.
Employers added 290,000 jobs in April, greatly exceeding even the
most optimistic projections.
The jobless rate rose from 9.7% to 9.9%, but only because of a
surge of new job-seekers, usually a positive sign during a
recovery.
And all those dollars leaving the stock market this week went
into Treasury bonds, driving yields down along with the rates on
home mortgages.
So, be of good cheer this Mother's Day weekend, for this too
shall pass.
Have a great weekend!
The Yeske Buie Team |