U.S. stocks continued their positive trend in November as U.S. 3^rd – quarter growth was revised up, to 3.9%. The news sent returns on the S&P 500 2.69% higher, bringing YTD returns on the index to a healthy 13.98%.Volatility continued to decline from its mid-October peak. Commodity prices are headed for their fourth straight year of losses. Both medium and long-term treasury yields declined. Many analysts find the divergence puzzling, 

In spite of a mid-month plunge in global stock prices, upbeat economic and corporate news lifted the S&P 500 Index to close October at an all-time high, notably retuning 2.44% for the period. The sell-off, the worst in two-years, resulted from concerns over global growth, falling oil prices and the stronger US dollar. Though volatility spiked during the period, in the end the S&P 500 VIX short-term futures index declined 2%. The S&P MidCap 400 and the S&P SmallCap 600 both delivered strong performances and gained 4% and 7% respectively.

Despite a mid-month surge, as September drew to a close, the S&P 500 erased all of its earlier gains ending down 1.4%. The S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures index gained 11%. The S&P Mid Cap 400 and the S&P SmallCap 600 both declined by a significantly wider margin (-5%).

 

Equity markets posted positive performance for the quarter, led by emerging markets. This was the first quarterly period in which emerging markets outperformed developed markets since the third quarter of 2012. REITs both in the US and in developed non-US markets outperformed equities. Large cap indices outperformed small cap indices in the developed and emerging markets, including the US. In general, value outperformed growth indices, though performance was mixed within size ranges and regions.

Following a mid-month slump, the S&P 500 finished May with a 2.35% return. Across the Atlantic, the MSCI European Equity Index returned 0.89%. As far as the MSCI Pacific Rim Index, it returned 3.22%.  Momentum returned to the developing markets with the MSCI Emerging Market Equity Index jumping a healthy 3.49%. This was a good month for global equity investors.

April proved to be a choppy month for global equities. Nonetheless, overall the markets delivered fair gains as long as investors were diversified. The MSCI World Index returned 1.02%. U.S. Large Caps, as measured by the S&P 500 Index, returned 0.47%. International developed equities, as measured by the MSCI EAFE, returned 1.53%. The MSCI European Equity Index advanced 2.49%, while its Pacific Rim counterpart regretfully lost 0.71%. As for the MSCI Emerging Market Equity Index, total returns were a shy 0.33%.

Despite choppy global stock markets the S&P 500 Index headed back to record levels at the end of March returning 0.85% for the month. Outside the U.S., the MSCI European stock market Index fell 1.02%, the MSCI Japanese stock market Index lost 1.15%, while the MSCI Emerging stock market Index gained 3.07%. YTD, the European Index returned 2.1%, the U.S. Index returned 1.81%, the Japanese Index lost 5.47% and the Emerging Market Index declined 0.43%.

The amazing performance of US stocks in 2013 was a welcome surprise for investors who are following a simple buy-and-hold strategy and a source of exasperation for many professionals caught flatfooted by the steady rise in share prices.