{"id":1993,"date":"2024-02-01T13:23:25","date_gmt":"2024-02-01T21:23:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mustangprivatewealth.com\/?p=1993"},"modified":"2024-02-01T13:23:26","modified_gmt":"2024-02-01T21:23:26","slug":"2023-year-in-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mustangprivatewealth.com\/2023-year-in-review\/","title":{"rendered":"2023 Year in Review"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Return of \u201cThe Magnificent Seven\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

“The Magnificent Seven,” a cinematic triumph in 1960, mirrored the resonance of audience adoration and critical acclaim. Emerging as one of the year’s highest-grossing films, it solidified its place not just as a commercial success but as a cherished Western classic. The film’s timeless narrative of valor, unity, and the fight against adversity struck a chord, earning it a revered status among moviegoers and critics alike. Its ensemble cast, led by luminaries like Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen and Charles Bronson, brought to life a tale of heroism and camaraderie that has endured over the years, cementing its position as an evergreen favorite in the Western genre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2023, a resonant echo of concentrated leadership emerged in the stock market, akin to the “Magnificent Seven” legacy. This time, however, it wasn’t gunslingers but mega-cap technology companies that took the reins. The new “Magnificent 7,” featuring industry giants Amazon, Apple, Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft, NVIDIA, and Tesla, seized an overwhelming percentage of market gains, propelling the broader market skyward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like the characters in the film, these companies exhibited their prowess and unity, driving innovation and dominating market dynamics. Their collective strength and influence mirrored the unity of purpose seen in the classic film, underscoring a contemporary narrative of market leadership and technological advancement that captivated investors’ attention, much like the cinematic masterpiece captivated audiences of its time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2023 Was a Great Year<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The stock market closed out 2023 on a high note, with the S&P 500 climbing steadily for nine consecutive weeks, marking its most impressive weekly winning streak since 2004.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


This surge came as a relief rally for risk assets, buoyed by a resilient economy, subdued inflation, and the Federal Reserve’s indication of ceasing rate hikes while foreseeing potential rate cuts throughout 2024. Despite grappling with a regional banking crisis and ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, the market remained robust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The standout performers were the big technology stocks, particularly mega-cap companies like Apple, which soared by 48%, Microsoft with an impressive surge of almost 57%, and Nvidia skyrocketing by a staggering 239%. Driving this surge, the tech-focused Nasdaq Composite closed the year with its strongest performance since 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s do the numbers:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/em><\/td>Close<\/em><\/strong><\/td>2023<\/em><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
DJIA<\/td>37,690<\/td>13.70%<\/td><\/tr>
S&P 500<\/td>4,770<\/td>24.20%<\/td><\/tr>
NASDAQ<\/td>15,011<\/td>43.40%<\/td><\/tr>
Russell 2000<\/td>2,027<\/td>15.10%<\/td><\/tr>
MSCI EAFE<\/td>2,236<\/td>15.00%<\/td><\/tr>
Bond Index*<\/td>2162.00<\/td>5.10%<\/td><\/tr>
10-Year Treasury<\/td>3.90%<\/td>0.30%<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
*Source: Bonds represented by the Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond TR USD.\u00a0 This chart is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent the performance\u00a0 of any specific security. Past performance cannot guarantee future results<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

2023 Versus 2022 \u2013 A Tale of Two Years<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The year 2023 commenced with gloomy forecasts and recession fears as 2022 was a year investors wanted to quickly forget. But 2023 was a year investors want to never forget, as it culminated in a surge of optimism and robust performance across diverse asset classes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet 2023 was not without its challenges, as Investors navigated through a landscape fraught with suspense and obstacles, including the steepest borrowing costs witnessed in over 20 years, a regional banking crisis, and geopolitical turbulence. However, the economy’s resilience, a trend toward lower inflation, the conclusion of Federal Reserve tightening (hopefully), and the enthusiasm surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) outweighed these challenges, pushing almost all asset classes into very positive territory for the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Source: Bloomberg<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sector Returns in 2023<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The overall trend for sector performance for each of the four quarters in 2022 and most of the 12 months was volatile, as the performance leaders and laggards rotated all year. And interestingly, the last three quarters of the year saw a mini-pattern develop that investors are hopeful is not repeated in the first quarter of 2024 as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n