Summer 2009 Stock Market Evaluation

With the end of June comes the start of summer: warm air, hot beaches and, sometimes, choppy waters. The following is a recap of last month’s market action and key developments from “30,000 feet” .

The month of June saw North American stocks end up in slightly positive territory. On a total return basis, the S&P/TSX Composite Index gained 0.3% and the S&P 500 Index was up just 0.2% .

However, volatility in the C$/US$ exchange rate was a big story yet again as the return on the S&P 500 in C$ terms was 6.6%. The story was similar for international equities. The MSCI EAFE Index (Europe, Australasia and Far East) was down -0.8% in US$ terms but up 5.6% in C$.

In June, the C$ lost ground against the US$. This was in stark contrast to May when the loonie posted its biggest monthly advance versus the US$ since 1950. We expect currency movements to continue to be hot topic in the weeks ahead.

Energy and Materials were a drag on performance for the S&P/TSX last month dropping 2.2% and 6.6% respectively (these two sectors represent 46% of the index currently). Even with the 2.2% pullback in Energy, the sector still posted an almost 22% gain to close the second quarter. Solid gains in Industrials, Consumer Discretionary and Financials (in particular banks which were up 9.8% this month) were sectors that kept the S&P/TSX in positive territory in June.

Key Messages

While uncertainty still looms, the data suggests that the worst of the economic and credit crisis appears to be behind us. Although U.S. consumer confidence numbers released earlier this week fell to 49.3 from 54.8 last month, the confidence index remains well above February’s low of 25.3. Many other indicators are now suggesting an easing in the pace of economic contraction in the aftermath of the deepest, most synchronous recession in the world economy in 60 years.

Most analysts expect continued volatility in stocks, currencies, and economic indicators as, although many agree we have embarked on some type of recovery, the timing and pace of that recovery may prove to disappoint investors.

For investors this means that our balanced, long-term view is as important as ever. There is still value to be found in dividend growth stocks.

Dividend Money purchases in the past month include:

Transcanada Pipeline (TRP)
Sun Life Financial (SLF)
Royal Bank (RY)
Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS)
Power Corporation

Comments

[Pax Americana:]

Thanks Tyler, nice article, and also enjoyed your piece on finding your
own Investing style , condusive to one's own personality that you wrote some time back?

Jul 05 08:24 AM

[ozzy43:]

In the pages of history, will this assertion:

"While uncertainty still looms, the data suggests that the worst of the economic and credit crisis appears to be behind us."

Join with these?

"The spring...marks the end of a period of grave concern ... American business is steadily coming back to a normal level of prosperity,"
Julius Barnes, Head of Hoover's National Business Survey, March 16, 1930.

"We are now near the end of the declining phase of the depression," the Harvard Economic Review, November 15, 1930

Only time will tell...

Jul 05 10:40 AM