Hampered growth in the early part of the year that was in the event that eyepopping number showing the economy contracted nearly 3 in the first quarter. But then slowly the economy seems to be finding its footing again. So does that mean were on track for stronger growth in the second half . Steve liesman takes a look. Here is what to watch for in the economy in the second half. The best guess is that the economy and jobs will both strengthen. Is not so much because of any positives, but the lack of negative ones. Most economists see 2014 as a year where the headwinds that have held back growth are easing up. The political high jinks that hobbled the economy last year like the fight to the death over the budget resulting in the Government Shutdown seems to have been resolved at least for now. Job growth hurt by a severe winter look to be picking up. Europe seems to be clawing its way back, at least no longer negative. The big challenge weve been maintaining 200,000 plus job growth mont
Showing the economy contracted nearly 3 in the first quarter. But then slowly the economy seems to be finding its footing again. So does that mean were on track for stronger growth in the second half . Steve liesman takes a look. Here is what to watch for in the economy in the second half. The best guess is that the economy and jobs will both strengthen. Is not so much because of any positives, but the lack of negative ones. Most economists see 2014 as a year where the headwinds that have held back growth are easing up. The political high jinks that hobbled the economy last year like the fight to the death over the budget resulting in the Government Shutdown seems to have been resolved at least for now. Job growth hurt by a severe winter look to be picking up. Europe seems to be clawing its way back, at least no longer negative. The big challenge weve been maintaining 200,000 plus job growth monthly and how the economy will react as the Federal Reserve gradually draws down its stimulus
Right now down as much as 5 this week, down 20 since july. What low Oil Prices Mean for the economy, for consumers like you and for retailers. And get ready. A ton of earnings next week. The names you should be watching and how to trade them ahead of the results. Sue is here today. Cnbc headquarters. I am. And wow tgif. It has been a wild week for stocks. They are near session highs roith now. We will see whether that holds going into the close. Right now the Dow Jones Industrial average traded up 54 points. The s p in the green by about two. The nasdaq is the troubled child for the market today down 33 points, the chip stocks getting decimated. The russell 2000 is on the upside but just about by two points. The transports which were down close to triple digits at one point have dramatically paired their losses. The three major down about 2 . The nasdaq down more than 3 . The dow transports we mentioned were having a tough week down more than 6 for the week. In terms of the oil market
Actually lower. 2. 193. Off the lows we saw earlier this week. Investors looking to extend gains in the back of the largest trading day of the year. Why nike shares are actually lower in the premarket. The treasury sells its last shares in ally financial. The take more than 1 billion. Thats the profit. Well talk about financials. Best twoday run in three years spurred by the feds saying it would remain patient when it comes to raising Interest Rates. S p 500 has climbed 4. 5 over the last two sessions. The dow coming off thursdays 421point surge posting backtoback gains of more than 200 points for the first time in six years. Of course when they did that six years ago, the percentages were far higher given where we were. I dont like to talk about the dow as much. Weve got an s p up over 11 this year as we head into the final trading days of the year with next week. I think why this is surprising is because there were so many people looking for the opposite to happen. I was talking with
The biggest point drop in over a year. The broader index closing at the lowest level in two months. And if youre feeling a little nauseous after this weeks trading, you have good reason. The dow is exhibiting the most volatile period in five months. The blue chip index closing up or down at least 100 points. And 12 out of the last 18 sessions, yeah, its about twothirds of the time. The vicx is spiking. The gauge is up 39 pest over the last month. We know its down 4. 5 for the s p 500. The dow at this point is now just 83 points above where it started the year. So talking about potentially wiping out the gains for the year. We wiped them out one other time and then put in good ones. But when you think we deal in gains per year that some people say we should do 7 or 8 . When you can 2 in a day, it can be december 27th and flat and be up 7 for the year. Im ratcheting down all of my just, you know, i normally remember the media. But we went up to 17,000 on the dow over the last few years.