2024 Market Scorecard: Stocks and Bonds Deliver Annual Gains

As the year 2024 comes to a close, investors can look back on a period of significant gains for both stocks and bonds. Despite initial concerns about high interest rates and rising unemployment, the U.S. economy grew robustly, powered by resilient consumer spending and a dominant services sector. This economic strength, coupled with ebbing inflation and the Federal Reserve's aggressive rate cuts, contributed to solid performances in both the stock and bond markets.