FYI: The long bull market for U.S. stocks showed signs of ending in 2018, with some parts of the market already falling into bear-market territory by late December, and other parts threatening to do so. The U.S. economy remained healthy for the most part, and for most of the year stocks marched upward amid healthy corporate profits. But in the fourth quarter, the Trump Administration’s trade war with China, along with concerns over rising interest rates and general geopolitical uncertainty, spooked the markets and caused stock prices to tumble. A post-Christmas rally erased some of the losses, but through Dec. 27, the S&P 500 was down 5% for the year to date, including a 14% loss in the fourth quarter. The Russell 2000 Index of small-cap stocks was down 12% for the year to date and 21% in the fourth quarter, while the NASDAQ Composite was down 4% and 18% in the fourth quarter.
Regards,
Ted
https://www.morningstar.com/articles/906625/the-year-in-us-equity-funds-2018.html
