What happened to stock market in January 2024?
January 2024 Market Summary
All data sourced from Bloomberg as of 1/31/2024, accessed on 2/1/2024. The market rally continued as the S&P 500 increased by +1.7% in January. After declining by -25% and bottoming on 10/12/22, the S&P 500 has increased by over +38% since then.
Wall Street analysts' consensus estimates predict 3.6% earnings growth and 3.5% revenue growth for S&P 500 companies in the first quarter. Analysts project full-year S&P 500 earnings growth of 11.0% in 2024, but analysts are more optimistic about some market sectors than others.
Sailing through with the growth optimism
The macroeconomic environment would be a key factor in determining one's equity investment strategy for 2024. We believe domestic growth in H1 2024 is likely to stay strong from an acceleration in consumption demand through election-related spending.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) slid 99.06 points, or 0.3%, to close at 37,806.39. Twenty components of the 30-stock index ended in negative territory, while 10 ended in positive. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite gained 55.98 points, or 0.4%, to close at 15,481.92.
The S&P 500 generated an impressive 26.29% total return in 2023, rebounding from an 18.11% setback in 2022. Heading into 2024, investors are optimistic the same macroeconomic tailwinds that fueled the stock market's 2023 rally will propel the S&P 500 to new all-time highs in 2024.
Stock markets got off to a hesitant start in 2024, but gradually found their way to the upside as the month progressed. Government bond yields actually started the year higher, but declined again slightly towards the end of the month.
Stocks and bonds deliver positive returns and cash underperforms both as the Fed pivots to rate cuts. Stocks and bonds may both be poised for success in 2024.
Key Takeaways: Growth stocks may see a robust 2024 on the strength of trends such as AI disruption and decarbonization. Small-cap stocks are trading at attractive valuations as analysts see the possibility of a rebound in 2024. The time could be right for locking in rates on long-term, high-yield bonds.
Economic growth actually accelerated above its 10-year average in 2023. That resilience, coupled with a fascination about artificial intelligence (AI), changed investors' collective mood. The S&P 500 soared throughout the year and finally reached a new high in January 2024, making the new bull market official.
How high will the stock market be by 2025?
The S&P 500 still has 30% upside between now and the end of 2025, according to Capital Economics. "Our end-2025 forecast of 6,500 for the index is premised on its valuation reaching a similar level to its peak during the dot com mania," Capital Economics said.
- Adobe Inc. (NASDAQ:ADBE) ...
- Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) ...
- UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) Number of Q4 2023 Hedge Fund Shareholders: 113. ...
- Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) ...
- Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM) ...
- Apple Inc. ...
- Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) ...
- Visa Inc.
U.S. stock returns: 2023 optimism carries forward
This heightened optimism is on par with the positive outlook in December 2021, when investors anticipated a 6% stock market return for 2022. Investor expectations for stock returns over the long run (defined as the next 10 years) rose slightly to 7.2%.
Year | Open, $ | Close, $ |
---|---|---|
December 2024 | 45370 | 46983 |
December 2025 | 56472 | 59561 |
January 2026 | 59561 | 56446 |
December 2026 | 53164 | 51981 |
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) fell 0.6%, or 231.86 points, to close at 37,361.12. Notably, 20 components of the 30-stock index ended in negative territory, while 10 were in green. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.2% to close at 14,944.35. The S&P 500 slid 0.4% to end at 4,765.98.
The last time the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) closed below $29,000 was on September 30, 2022, having a price of $28,725.51. It was down 1.4% for the day. The latest price is $38,439.19.
It can be nerve-wracking to watch your portfolio consistently drop during bear market periods. After all, nobody likes losing money; that goes against the whole purpose of investing. However, pulling your money out of the stock market during down periods can often do more harm than good in the long term.
Name | Book Value | 1 Year (%) |
---|---|---|
J Taparia Projects | ₹ 18.56 | 345.61% |
Rasi Electrodes | ₹ 9.45 | 52.90% |
3P Land Holdings | ₹ 37.75 | 24.68% |
SAL Steel | ₹ 4.87 | 110.65% |
Here's the Growth Stock to Buy Right Now. The Nasdaq-100 technology index plunged into a bear market in 2022 on the back of a 33% loss for the year.
How Did The Benchmarks Perform? The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) jumped 0.6% or 224.02 points to finish at 38,333.45 points, registering its sixth record close in 2024. The S&P 500 rose 0.8% or 36.96 points, to end at 4,927.93 points, also registering its sixth record close this year.
What is the strongest month for the stock market?
According to Reuters, since 1945, April and December are tied as the best-performing months of the year for stocks, with an average return of 1.6%. (September is notoriously the worst, with an average loss of -0.6%.) During recessions, April's positive performances can be even more pronounced.
At-A-Glance. The S&P 500 delivered its best February performance since 2015, ending the month at 5,096, its 14th record high of 2024. Year-to-date, the S&P 500 is trailing the Nasdaq Composite by just 0.22%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 846-points (+2.50%) in February.
- Stocks.
- Real Estate.
- Private Credit.
- Junk Bonds.
- Index Funds.
- Buying a Business.
- High-End Art or Other Collectables.
The large-cap benchmark S&P 500 index SPX on Thursday notched its 20th all-time closing high in 2024, while the Nasdaq Composite COMP ended at its fourth all-time high and the Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA scored its 16th record close so far this year, according to Dow Jones Market Data.
Among notable Wall Street firms, Yardeni Research holds the most bullish price target, with an anticipated gain of over 14%. On the downside, JPMorgan expects the S&P 500 to fall roughly 11% in 2024. The consensus price target appears to be the 5,100 level, which would signify modest gains for equities next year.