QQEW News and Press, First Trust NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted Index Fund From 01/17/24

2024-01-17 14:45:00 ET Summary The sharp drop in the New York Federal Reserve’s Empire State business conditions index in January triggered a wave of warnings. The NY Fed Manufacturing Index, as it’s popularly known, is prized as an early read each month on the manuf...

2024-01-13 01:12:00 ET Summary In the most recent BLS employment report, the percentage of full-time jobs relative to the population dropped sharply. By increasing the cost of employing low-wage workers, a higher minimum wage generally leads employers to reduce the size of their w...

2024-01-12 22:35:00 ET Summary Federal Reserve policy rates are set to fall in 2024. However, clear evidence that inflation has been tamed likely needs to emerge before cuts can commence, likely around mid-year. While a smooth landing is still far from certain, rate cuts accompani...

2024-01-12 01:30:00 ET Summary While recession continues to be a base case of 55%, the odds of a soft landing are getting better. As you near a cycle peak, the economy transitions quickly from strong job formation to outright losses. The Fed has the latitude to cut rates and, ...

2024-01-08 14:15:00 ET Summary There has never been an incidence in history where US Conference Board LEI had a 6-month average growth rate sub -4.5%. The six-month smoothed LEI growth rate in November was -7.5% and has been negative for 20 consecutive months. When we combine ...

2024-01-08 09:52:00 ET Summary The S&P 500 has backed away from its all-time (trading) high of 4,818, while the Nasdaq is off to its weakest start since January 2008. Any data point that helps Treasury yields rise a little after the torrid two-month rally from late October thr...

2024-01-08 08:00:00 ET Summary The stock market rally in 2023 was primarily enjoyed by seven large-cap technology stocks, but I expect the rally will ultimately widen in 2024 for both stocks and bonds. The Federal Reserve is projected to shift from tightening to accommodation as i...

2024-01-08 04:43:00 ET Summary We are entering a period whereby supportive structural flows for stocks are much less prominent, leaving the market open to a window of vulnerability. Measures of market internals and market breadth are no longer wholly supportive of higher stock pri...

2024-01-03 11:15:00 ET Summary Assets bid up by irrational amounts eventually end up on clearance sale. Large-cap companies are typically more financially stable but still saw a tripling of the negative earnings share during past recessions. January clocks stock market gains f...

2024-01-01 11:26:00 ET Summary Here's my list of 10 potential surprises for investors in 2024. Note they are not expected, but should be respected as possibilities. I'm as optimistic as anyone when a new year starts, but I insist on looking both ways before I cross the street as a...