2017 Stock Market Year in Review (and Charts!)
Another year in the books! Here are some of the highlights:
S&P 500 Index Performance in 2017
U.S. stocks outperformed much of the developed world in 2017. I believe it is the 15th best year in the index’s history when including dividends.
S&P 500 performance (not including dividends) – 17.74%
S&P 500 performance (Including Dividends Re-Invested)- 21.83%
Range of the S&P 500 during the year: Low: 2,245.13, High: 2,694.97
Chart:
Top 5 performers in the S&P 500 for 2017:
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Chart of the Week – International Markets vs. S&P 500
This week’s Chart of the Week comes from the most recent ‘Guide to the Markets’ put out by the wealth management folks at JP Morgan:
How much longer can the trend last? Here’s some thoughts: [continue reading…]
Fund Spotlight Series – Emerging Market Funds
Emerging market stocks have had a rough decade. 3 year annual returns are flat and even long term 10 year annual returns are barely over 1.5%. But there is new life appearing in the emerging markets. This year the FTSE Emerging Market Index is up 18%, breaking a long term downtrend:

Are emerging markets turning the corner?
What’s the best way to invest in emerging markets? We take a look at a few options:
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Fund Spotlight Series: Low Cost Emerging Market ETFs
Emerging market stocks are taking a beating, with many trading near their lowest levels in 2 years. Here are a few emerging market ETFs for investors looking to get in on the action (And all may be commission free depending on your broker!). [continue reading…]