Q2 Market Statistics – 2011
By Mark FisselPosted on July 7th, 2011
After strong first-quarter gains in the stock markets, it was mostly downhill from there. Following April’s year-to-date highs, when the Russell 2000 hit its highest level on record, week after week of declines battered all four U.S. indices. However, a rally in June’s final week left the Dow industrials the only one of the four major indices with a gain for the quarter, taking the lead from the small caps for 2011’s first half.
After breaking below 1,300, the S&P 500 barely managed to claw its way back to that level just before crossing the quarter’s finish line, though it was negative for the quarter. The Russell 2000 suffered the most as investors preferred the reassurance of defensive sectors and large caps, while the NASDAQ escaped with barely a scratch. Meanwhile, saddled with Greece’s woes, the Global Dow continued to stagger.
Greece’s debt problems caused investors to decide that despite the United States’ budgetary woes, Treasuries didn’t look so bad after all. As demand pushed prices up, yields on the 10-year fell below 3% before rebounding a bit.
Market/Index | 2010 Close | As of 3/31 | End of Qtr | Qtrly Change | YTD Change |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
DJIA | 11577.51 | 12319.73 | 12414.34 | .77% | 7.23% |
NASDAQ | 2652.87 | 2781.07 | 2773.52 | -.27% | 4.55% |
S&P 500 | 1257.64 | 1325.83 | 1320.64 | -.39% | 5.01% |
Russell 2000 | 783.65 | 843.55 | 827.43 | -1.91% | 5.59% |
Global Dow | 2087.44 | 2186.41 | 2134.29 | -2.38% | 2.24% |
Fed. Funds | .25% | .25% | .25% | 0 bps | 0 bps |
10-year Treasuries | 3.30% | 3.47% | 3.18% | -29 bps | -12 bps |
Source: Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc