Monday marks the last trading day of the first quarter of 2014. The first three months of market action this year have been anything but similar to the first three months of 2013. In the first quarter last year, the S&P 500 VIX Index returned over 10%. Before trading on Monday, the first quarter return in 2014 equals about .5%. As the below chart shows, January saw some profit taking after strong returns in 2013. The S&P 500 Index recovered the January losses in February and proceeded to generate positive returns in March. However, as the below chart shows, the market is near breakeven for the quarter.
A number of article links in this week's magazine highlight economic data, both in the U.S. and in the euro zone, that indicates the global economic environment has stabilized and is growing moderately.
Which stock should you buy in your very next trade?
AI computing powers are changing the stock market. Investing.com's ProPicks AI includes 6 winning stock portfolios chosen by our advanced AI. In 2024 alone, ProPicks AI identified 2 stocks that surged over 150%, 4 additional stocks that leaped over 30%, and 3 more that climbed over 25%. Which stock will be the next to soar?
Unlock ProPicks AI