December 10, 2024

The Markets

The performance of the U.S. stock market is striking. Last week, the Standard & Poor’s (S&P) 500 closed at a record high for the 57^th time this year, reported Rita Nazareth of Bloomberg. Here are some of the notable factors that sent stocks higher last week:

Political upheaval overseas. A declaration and cancellation of martial law in South Korea and the toppling of the French government roiled financial markets overseas, making United States markets attractive. “The political chaos spanning Seoul to Paris this week is reinforcing why many investors have chosen to stick to American markets,” reported Simon Kennedy and Phil Serafino of Bloomberg.

A powerful technology rally. Spending and excitement around the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) continue to delight investors. Both the communication services and information technology sectors are expected to report double-digit earnings growth during the last three months of 2024, reported John Butters of Factset.

Rising company profits have been driven by higher spending. “While the ROI [return on investment] of any given AI project remains uncertain, one thing is becoming clear: CIOs [chief investment officers] will be spending a whole lot more on the technology in the years ahead. Research firm IDC projects worldwide spending on technology to support AI strategies will reach $337 billion in 2025—and more than double to $749 billion by 2028,” reported Paula Rooney of CIO.

Continued U.S. economic strength. Employers added 227,000 new jobs in November. That was well above the 200,000 forecasted, reported Barron’s. Stocks rose on the news, and so did expectations that the Federal Reserve will lower interest rates again at its December meeting. Lower rates are typically good for companies because they often lower the cost of borrowing and lead to higher spending.

By the end of the week, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite Indexes were higher. The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished lower as it has less exposure to technology stocks, according to Barron’s, and more significant exposure to a large health insurance company that saw its stock price fall sharply after the assassination of its chief executive officer last week, reported Caroline Valetkevitch of Reuters. Treasury bonds gained last week, too, as yields moved lower on expectations of a Fed rate cut.

When any asset class experiences significant gains during the year, it’s important to review your investment allocations and make adjustments to maintain the risk profile that makes you most comfortable. Rebalancing also helps investors follow an important investment strategy: buy low and sell high.

Data as of 12/6/24	1-Week	Y-T-D	1-Year	3-Year	5-Year	10-Year
Standard & Poor's 500 Index	1.0%	27.7%	33.9%	9.9%	14.1%	11.5%
Dow Jones Global ex-U.S. Index	1.6	7.0	12.0	1.4	3.2	2.6
10-year Treasury Note (yield only)	4.2	N/A	4.1	1.4	1.8	2.3
Gold (per ounce)	-0.5	26.9	30.2	14.0	12.4	8.3
Bloomberg Commodity Index	-0.7	-1.2	-0.1	0.6	4.5	-1.3

‘Tis the Season for Cybercrime

While scammers and cybercriminals are always on the take, people tend to be particularly vulnerable to fraud amid the whirlwind of winter holiday shopping, giving, and travel. In a recent survey, 82 percent of participants reported they had experienced online scams from “encountering a deceptive advertisement to receiving a fake shipment notice or request from a fraudulent charity,” according to Jennifer Sauer of AARP Research.

During 2023, losses from internet crime totaled $12.5 billion. It’s a staggering sum—and may wildly underrepresent the actual amount taken. The FBI’s 2023 Internet Crime Report stated, “…when the FBI recently infiltrated the Hive ransomware group’s infrastructure, we found that only about 20 [percent] of Hive’s victims reported to law enforcement.”

Common 2024 Holiday Scams

In 2024, cybercriminals have become more aggressive and more devious, according to the FBI. The top schemes this holiday season include scammers:

• Posting websites and social media ads offering goods at unusually low prices,
• Soliciting donations for fake charities,
• Encouraging “investment” through phony cryptocurrency platforms,
• Selling fake gift cards to be used for donations or time-sensitive purchases, and
• Offering fake gift cards and event tickets on social media to steal personal data.

Here’s How to Protect Yourself

Being aware of the risks is the first step toward protecting yourself from cybercrime. The FBI and Lars Daniel of Forbes offered tips for protecting yourself this holiday season. They include:

• Resist temptation. Do not click on links received via e-mail, text, or messaging apps. If you receive a communication that a delivery has been delayed or there was an issue with a payment or something else has happened, don’t click on the link provided. Go to the company’s website or app to check.
• Verify before sharing, donating, or paying. If you receive a communication from a charity or financial institution you know, take time to verify the contact is truly from the organization. Cybercriminals can fake real numbers on caller ID and send messages that lead you to fake websites. One way to verify is to contact the organization directly with a phone number or email found on its official website, an account statement, or the back of a credit or debit card.
• Be wary of urgent requests. Holidays are often pressure-filled. Scammers often create a false sense of urgency, encouraging people to act without thinking carefully. Before you respond to an urgent and unexpected request, take time to think, research, and verify. Also, remember that government and law enforcement agencies will never ask that payments be made over the phone, via email, or through gift card purchases.

Any time you’re asked to share personal information, think carefully about who is asking and whether they should have the information. If you have any questions about how to protect yourself this holiday season, please get in touch.

Weekly Focus – Think About It

“We are all now connected by the Internet, like neurons in a giant brain.”

—Stephen Hawking, physicist and cosmologist

Wishing you and your families well,
Sean M. Dowling, CFP, EA
President, The Dowling Group Wealth Management

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