March & April 2015 Stock Market Summary

Where does the time go? Considering we missed our March Market Summary we decided to pack both March and April's market summary into this one amazing market performance report!  So get ready for lots of fun with numbers!

Let's start with US large cap stocks, both Core and Value were down in March by about 2% and then mostly recovered in April to return 1-2%. After summing all the ups and downs US large cap stocks are mostly flat for the year. US small cap stocks were just about the opposite being up in March and down in April. Year-to-date they have fared a bit better with small core being up 2.59% and small value up just under 1%. 

International Stocks seem to be where the action is over the last couple months. Large, small, value, and core were all down in March by approximately 1-2% before coming back in full force in April when all of the international stock categories were up about 4%.  This puts international stocks well above the performance of US stocks for the year showing year-to-date gains of 7-10%. Remember International stocks were down last year so this has been a reversal of fortunes. Emerging markets stocks have been the most volatile and ended up 7.51% in April whichs put the YTD return numbers at just under 10% and is the best performing stock category of 2015.

After skipping last month Jim has a lot to say about how this year is shaping up, "Things are looking good both at home and abroad. You can choose to focus on the problems; fiscal and monetary issues around the world brought about by inept and inadequate governments or you can choose to focus on the amazing new technologies and growth happening everywhere. Productivity and real earnings are increasing, debt is decreasing, and new innovations are being thought up daily. Your perspective is your own but I believe it truly is a good time to be alive and to be investing."

Well said Jim, well said. Here's the monthly return numbers with stock charts:

March/April Returns By Asset Class

US Large Cap Core: (1.92%)/1.03%

US Large Cap Value: (2.56%)/2.15%

US Small Cap Core: 1.10%/(1.80%)

US Small Cap Value: 0.81%/(1.76%)

International Large Core: (1.95%)/3.76%

International Large Value: (2.48%)/4.05%

International Small Core: (1.38%)/4.28%

International Small Value:  (2.07%)/4.06%

Emerging Markets: (1.59%)/7.51%

Short Term Bonds: 0.38%/(0.07%)