THE WEEK ON WALL STREET
Stocks fell last week as investors assessed the implications of a fresh Middle East conflict while digesting mixed reports on the jobs market.
The S&P 500 Index fell 2.02 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index slid 1.24 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 3.05 percent. The MSCI EAFE Index, which tracks developed overseas stock markets, lost 6.62 percent.
FACT OF THE WEEK
On March 11, 1811, in the original rage against the machine, a group of British weavers and textile workers calling themselves "Luddites" begin breaking the new industrial machines they believed would eliminate their livelihoods. Similar protests spread across England.
MARKET MINUTE
Middle East Conflict
Stocks opened lower on the first trading day as investors reacted to news of military action in the Middle East. However, the decline was short-lived as investors “bought the dip.” All three major averages recovered or nearly recovered from their intraday lows by Monday’s close.
Stocks opened lower again on Tuesday as the markets mulled over the possibility of a protracted conflict. However, afternoon comments from the White House—promising to provide risk insurance and U.S. Navy escorts to oil tankers and other maritime trade vessels in the Persian Gulf—seemed to calm investor nerves enough for stocks to partially recover before the close.
Stocks opened higher at the opening bell on Wednesday, driven by a tech rebound and stabilized oil prices. News of stronger-than-expected private employer hiring from ADP boosted sentiment. By the closing bell, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq were in the green for the week to date.
But markets were under pressure the rest of the week on concerns over a widening conflict. Stocks opened lower on Friday after the latest jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed the economy unexpectedly lost 92,000 jobs last month. Meanwhile, news that some oil fields in the Middle East had begun to cut production amid dwindling storage capacity added new complexity to the ongoing conflict.
Focus On Oil
U.S. crude oil prices rose 36 percent—the biggest weekly gain since 1983. The conflict has brought tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for energy supplies, to a near standstill. Also, an ongoing concern is how insurance companies will adjust rates in the coming weeks due to heightened risks.
FINANCIAL STRATEGY OF THE WEEK
Managing Money Together
When you marry or simply share a household with someone, your life changes—and your approach to managing your money may change as well. The good news is it’s usually not so difficult.
At some point, you will have to ask yourselves some money questions—questions that pertain not only to your shared finances but also to your individual finances. Waiting too long to ask (or answer) those questions might have some consequences.
First off, how do you propose setting priorities? One of your first priorities should be simply setting aside money that may help you build an emergency fund. But there are other questions to ask. Should you open joint accounts? How should you title assets that are owned by both of you?
How much will you spend & save? Budgeting can help you arrive at your answer. A simple budget, an elaborate budget, or any attempt at a budget can prove more informative than you realize. A thorough, line-item budget may seem a little over the top, but what you learn from it may be truly eye-opening.
How often will you check up on your financial progress? When finances affect two people rather than one, statements can become more important. Checking in on these details once a month (or at least once a quarter) may keep you both informed, so that neither one of you have misconceptions about household finances or assets. Arguments can be avoided when money misunderstandings are resolved through check-ups.
What degree of independence do you want to maintain? Do you want to keep some money separate? Some spouses need individual financial “space” of their own. There is nothing wrong with this approach.
Can you be businesslike about your finances? Spouses who are inattentive or nonchalant about financial matters may encounter more financial trouble than they anticipate. So watch where your money goes, and think about ways to pay yourself first. Set shared short-term, medium-term, and long-term objectives.
Communication is key to all this. Watching your progress together may well have benefits beyond the financial, so a regular conversation should be a goal.