Fitch Ratings downgraded U.S. government debt last week by one notch from its prized top rating of ‘AAA’ to ‘AA+.’ Fitch said its decision “reflects the expected fiscal deterioration over the next three years, a high and growing general government debt burden,” and repeated political brinkmanship surrounding the debt ceiling debates.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is a very broad measure of the value of goods and services in the economy over a certain period. Last week, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that GDP rose at an annual pace of 2.4% in Q2, accelerating from Q1’s 2.0% and topping the forecast of 2.0% (Wall Street Journal).

The S&P 500 Index is up 18.15% since the end of last year. It has advanced 26.82% since bottoming on October 12, 2022 (through 7/21/23; data St. Louis Fed, MarketWatch). Both metrics exclude dividends reinvested. The S&P 500 Index covers about 80% of available market capitalization, per S&P DJ Indices.

It has been a surprising year for the labor market, as job growth has been much more resilient than anticipated. According to CNBC, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ monthly nonfarm payrolls report has surpassed analyst expectations for 14-straight months, that is, until June’s report came up short.

As we commemorate the 247th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, let’s take a moment to appreciate some interesting facts about this treasured document. Here are nine fun facts to enjoy!

High home prices and the jump in rates have locked some prospective buyers out of the market. Last week, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that existing home sales (this excludes newly built homes), which account for almost 90% of all housing sales, were down 20% versus one year ago (through May).

The S&P 500 Index, which tracks 500 large publicly traded companies, entered a new bull market last Thursday, according to the general definition of a 20% rise from the most recent low. The index hit an all-time high of 4,797 on January 3, 2022. It proceeded to decline 25.4% to the most recent low of 3,577 on October 12th. A bear market is typically defined as a 20% or greater drop from the closing peak to the closing trough.

May nonfarm payrolls surged past economists’ projections of 190,000 per DJ Newswires, soaring by 339,000 (see Figure 1) as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Surprised? Despite its strength, payrolls have mostly exceeded expectations in the past year. This serves as another reminder of the challenges of economic forecasting.

The days of pulling up to a gas station, rolling down the window, and asking the attendant to fill ‘er up are long gone. Nowadays, the responsibility falls on someone in the car to pump the gas. As we head into the summer season, it’s no coincidence that the price of gasoline tends to increase, especially as we approach Memorial Day weekend.

Some investors were bracing for an earnings apocalypse. Once again, fears were exaggerated. It’s not the first time some have been expecting dire results. A CNBC story six months ago previewing Q3 profits suggested earnings could disappoint in a big way. They didn’t.