The Week Ahead: Time To Get a Jump On The January Effect?

The stock market was generally higher last week led by the 2.3% gain in iShares Russell 2000 (IWM). This was impressive compared to the 0.4% gain in the S&P 500 or the 0.14% loss in the Dow Industrials. The Dow Transports fell 1.0% while the Dow Utilities lost 1.4% for the week. Nevertheless the advancing stocks led the declining stocks by a healthy 2 to 1 margin. In a holiday shortened session on Friday the US market seemed to ignore the 5.5% drop in the Shanghai Composite and the 2% drop in Ho...