Despite an over two-month long surge in prices, there was little good news to maintain the market’s upward trend of 
the week ending on May 23rd. Advising caution, Harry Rady of Rady Asset Management remarked,
“Everything is overpriced. A very long, protracted recession is still very much alive.”
According to an article on “BradentonHerald.com” the week began on a positive note with stocks rallying on Monday. As the week progressed however, markets began a downward slide in response to several pieces of “not-so-good’ news which were announced during the week.
The federal government expects unemployment to reach as much as 9.6 percent, a much worse prediction than previously, and Standard and Poor’s may demote the British government from their present credit rating of AAA.
Hopes were thwarted when an early market gain on Friday ended the day with a total 15 point loss for the Dow Jones industrial average. As for the gains of the week, the major indicators all finished in the black, but only just. The Dow squeeked ahead by 0.10 percent; S & P 500 index did slightly better with a 0.47 percent rise; and the Nasdaq did the best, almost finishing up by one whole percentage point at 0.71 percent increase in value.
The 10 week rally has lifted stocks by 30 percent since their 12-year low in March. With not much good news to continue to fuel this market surge stocks have been teetering and tottering without much gain in recent days.
The upcoming economic calendar is full of data such as reports of home sales levels, orders for manufactured products and indicators of consumer confidence, which should help determine which way this market is heading for the next few weeks.
A general downturn in small capitalization stocks was posted last Monday, April 21st, 2009. In addition to smaller, regional banks crude oil prices, metals such as copper, and energy, and materials stocks all helped contribute to the reversal of what had been a six-week steady improvement in stock market results.