Final Week of November Puts Stock Market in Positive Territory

​Stocks finished strong on the last day of November, helping major indices move further into positive territory. The S&P 500 closed up 1.8% to 2,760.17, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) ended up 1.7% to 25,536.46, and the NASDAQ closed up 0.3% to 7,330.54. Rumors of easing trade tensions with China on Friday helped the NASDAQ move into positive territory for the month. Only the Russell 2000 is in negative territory for the year. 

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The month was highly volatile, as investors feared continued trade tensions as well as a tightening monetary policy. The end-of-the-week optimism surrounding trade with China reinforced the week’s overall market optimism, which stemmed from Fed Chairman Jerome Powell’s comment that rates are just below their neutral level. The S&P 500 finished the week up 4.8%, or its best week since 2011, and the DJIA closed the week up 5.2%, its best week since November 2016.