top of page

Bumping the Benchmark

Writer's picture: Erik T. LongErik T. Long

The chasm between the Nasdaq Composite and its rival benchmarks in the first half of 2020 has been much like that between Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt and everyone else in the world. The technology-laden index has enjoyed an ever-widening lead between itself and the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 index so far this year due to its perceived resilience against the COVID-19 pandemic that wreaked havoc on financial markets and the economy starting in March.


The Nasdaq is up 10% year to date, while the Dow is down 10.8% so far, the S&P 500 is down around 6% and the small-capitalization Russell 2000 index is off more than 15% in the first six months of a dramatic year of events headlined by the viral outbreak.

The main benchmarks have actually staged a powerful resurgence from a rout induced by worries about the economic damage from closures and social-distancing measures implemented to curtail the spread of the deadly contagion that has recently gathered more momentum in a number of states. Since a low hit on March 23, the Dow has gained about 37%, the S&P 500 has gained 36% and the Russell 2000 index has climbed 41%, while the Nasdaq has surged by more than 43% since that nadir, and it is that outperformance that has the Nasdaq up for the year to date.


Indeed, the last time the Nasdaq has been higher in the middle of the year while the Dow and S&P 500 were down was 1977, according to Dow Jones Market Data, and that this is only the second such occurrence in the existence of the Nasdaq, which was first established in 1971.


The Nasdaq is enjoying the best outperformance against the economically sensitive Dow since 1983, when it had a 20.3-percentage-point lead over the blue-chip index. It’s also the widest half-year divergence between the Dow and the S&P 500 since 1983, when it held a 17.6-percentage-point lead.



0 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Good News On the Jobs Front

This jobs number should ease some recession fears, although next weeks CPI will be a key indicator as we all know. Payrolls were up...

More Products to Manage Risk

It is incredible the products the CME Group keep developing to efficiently manage risk. Coming in October they will be releasing products...

CME to Launch New Lumber Futures Contract

The CME in August will be introducing a new Lumber Futures Contract that is very beneficial to hedgers. Her are the highlights... New...

Comments


Fractal Finance

872-225-2110 ext. 2

FAX: 872-225-2110

  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin

©2023 BY QUANT TRADE, LLC. QUANT TRADE, LLC IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR CLIENT OR SUBSCRIBER LOSSES. TRADING FUTURES, STOCKS, FOREX AND OPTIONS INVOLVES THE RISK OF LOSS. YOU SHOULD CONSIDER CAREFULLY WHETHER FUTURES, STOCKS, FOREX AND OPTIONS ARE APPROPRIATE TO YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION. YOU MUST REVIEW THE CUSTOMER ACCOUNT AGREEMENT AND RISK DISCLOSURE PRIOR TO ESTABLISHING AN ACCOUNT. ONLY RISK CAPITAL SHOULD BE USED WHEN TRADING FUTURES, STOCKS, FOREX AND OPTIONS. INVESTORS CAN LOSE MORE THAN THEIR INITIAL INVESTMENT. PAST RESULTS ARE NOT NECESSARILY INDICATIVE OF FUTURE RESULTS. THE RISK OF LOSS IN TRADING FUTURES OR OPTIONS CAN BE SUBSTANTIAL, CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE INHERENT RISKS OF SUCH AN INVESTMENT IN LIGHT OF YOUR FINANCIAL CONDITION. INFORMATION CONTAINED, VIEWED, SENT OR ATTACHED IS CONSIDERED A SOLICITATION.

bottom of page