The first major economic report for March suggests that the economy continued to expand last month thanks to manufacturing activity growing at a slightly faster rate. The ISM factory index rose to 53.4, up from 52.4 in February. A reading above 50 indicates a growing manufacturing sector.
Daily Archives: April 2, 2012
Major Asset Classes | March 2012 | Performance Review
March was a mixed bag of performance for the major asset classes. REITs (MSCI REIT) were the big winner last month, posting a strong 5.2% gain, in sharp contrast with a 4.1% loss for a broad definition of commodities (DJ-UBS Commodity). Returns within the global equity space varied quite a bit too, with U.S. stocks (Russell 3000) advancing 3.1% as foreign markets in developed nations (MSCI EAFE) suffered a slight loss of 0.5% as emerging markets (MSCI EM) fell 3.3% in March (in US $ terms).