THE WEEK ON WALL STREET

Overcoming jitters about the Delta variant and the reintroduction of mask requirements, stocks climbed higher on strong employment data and a fresh batch of strong corporate earnings.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.78% while the Standard & Poor’s 500 advanced 0.94%. The Nasdaq Composite index gained 1.11% for the week. The MSCI EAFE index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, picked up 1.61%.^1,2,3

 PUSH AND PULL

The crosscurrents of strong corporate profits and the rise in Delta variant infections led to a roller coaster week of price action, as markets alternated between daily gains and losses. By Thursday, however, investors appeared to grow more optimistic that the economic reopening was not under serious threat when back-to-back employment reports suggested that the economic recovery remained on track.

A favorable initial jobless claims report was enough to send the S&P 500 and Nasdaq to new all-time highs. Thanks to Friday’s stronger-than-expected employment report, the S&P 500 managed to add to its previous record close, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average set its own record high. The more tech-centric Nasdaq, however, slipped off its highs.⁴