Stocks continue to consolidate just under their prior high, which is offering formidable resistance. Although many long-standing uncertainties have significantly subsided, others have arisen, including turmoil in a new global hot spot (Ukraine) and the disruptions to the economy caused by the unusually long and brutal winter experienced by most of the U.S.

Monday’s market was marginal through most of the day, but all major indices ended the day in positive territory, led by the Nasdaq.  It was the market’s third positive close in a row and the fourth in the last five days. The S&P 500 ended the day at 1799.84, less than 3% from its all-time closing high of 1844.46.  It is now nearly 60 points above its recent low on February 3 (about a 6% drop from its high). 

Today, the market continued its tortuous path of the last two weeks, falling sharply virtually the entire day with the DJI ending down 326 points, the S&P 500 down 2.3% (it’s worst day since June 20, 2013), and the NASDAQ down 2.6%.  We are now down about 6% from the S&P 500’s high on January 15.  A drop of 10% is generally thought of as correction, so we have another 4% or so to fall.