As one market observer keenly noted, the third quarter was a difficult year.
Twists and turns in the data and a constant stream of disturbing headlines made the quarter drag on. Political turmoil dominated U.S. news, with one Presidential candidate stepping down and the other narrowly escaping two assassination attempts. Military conflicts escalated in the Middle East and Ukraine, and global shifts in currency and interest rates triggered a sharp drop in stocks.
The stock rally was revived in September when the Federal Reserve cut interest rates a full half percent. And after much turmoil, the stock market pushed higher, with the S&P 500 index ending the third quarter at an all-time high and small-cap and international stocks joining the broad rally.
Read our Q3 market update to learn more about the forces at play, and get our perspective on it all.
