April showers brought market flowers, as investors largely shrugged off geopolitical noise and pushed stocks higher across the board.
It was a broadly positive month, driven by strong corporate earnings and a renewed appetite for AI-focused technology companies. On the economic front, the labor market showed some resilience, adding more jobs than expected during the month. However, inflation ticked higher alongside rising oil prices, and consumer sentiment fell to its lowest level on record. Despite the backdrop of mixed economic signals and ongoing global uncertainties, markets saw solid gains in most asset classes.
The Nasdaq 100 led the charge, climbing 15.66% as large-cap tech roared back into favor. The S&P 500, CRSP US Small Cap Index, and Dow Jones Industrial Average followed with gains of 10.49%, 8.63%, and 7.24% respectively. Growth outpaced value as a style for the month, and larger companies held an edge over their smaller counterparts, reflecting concentrated enthusiasm around mega-cap tech names.
International markets joined the rally as well, slightly lagging their US counterparts. Emerging markets advanced 9.03% and developed international stocks gained 7.37% as the broader risk-on sentiment lifted stocks overseas, while geopolitical tensions and trade policy uncertainties kept a lid on gains.
Bonds were essentially flat for the month, with aggregate US bonds eking out a gain of just 0.11%. The 10-year Treasury yield rose from 4.30% to 4.40% as persistent inflation concerns amid higher oil prices kept pressure on rates. With the Fed holding firm, markets are no longer pricing in any rate cuts for 2026, marking a notable shift from earlier in the year.
April was a good reminder that markets can move in ways that feel disconnected from the daily headlines. Consumer sentiment at record lows, inflation creeping higher, and no rate cuts on the horizon, yet stocks finished the month solidly in the green. This is why staying anchored to a long-term plan, rather than reacting to short-term uncertainty, remains one of the most important tools for investment success.
Houston, we have a splashdown, and a new record for the history books.
On April 10, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, completed a nearly 10-day journey that took them 252,756 miles from home.
During the Artemis II mission, the crew became the first humans to travel toward the moon in more than 50 years, setting a new record for the farthest distance ever traveled from Earth.
Following their return, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said the US is “back in the business of sending astronauts to the moon” marking the beginning of regular lunar missions.
With Artemis II in the books, teams at Kennedy Space Center are already pressing forward with Artemis III preparations to further test the technology, ultimately targeting another moon landing with Artemis IV in 2028.
Quite the feat for feet…
Humans have been running marathons since the days of ancient Greece, and until recently breaking the two-hour barrier felt like chasing the impossible. On April 26th, it happened twice.
Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe became the first athlete ever to run a sub-two-hour marathon in legal race conditions, crossing the finish line at the London Marathon in 1 hour, 59 minutes, and 30 seconds.
If that wasn’t enough, Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha crossed 11 seconds later in 1:59:41, also breaking the two-hour mark in his very first marathon.
Both athletes were wearing Adidas, which is a nice tailwind for the German shoe company trying to get a leg up in on the competition.
Running shoes has been a booming business, with the US market growing 13% to $8.1B according to Bloomberg.
Broad Market Returns
| Asset Class | 1 Month | 3 Month | YTD | 1 Year |
| S&P 500 (VOO) | 10.55% | 4.16% | 5.67% | 31.15% |
| NASDAQ (QQQ) | 15.69% | 7.51% | 8.83% | 41.12% |
| Large Cap Growth (VUG) | 14.25% | 3.74% | 2.40% | 32.49% |
| Large Cap Value (VTV) | 5.39% | 4.09% | 8.87% | 26.87% |
| Small Cap Growth (VBK) | 10.82% | 7.19% | 11.00% | 35.82% |
| Small Cap Value (VBR) | 6.98% | 4.78% | 10.37% | 31.71% |
| Developed International (VEA) | 7.37% | 4.10% | 10.32% | 34.25% |
| Emerging Markets (VWO) | 9.03% | 4.36% | 9.62% | 33.86% |
| REITs (VNQ) | 8.60% | 7.22% | 10.02% | 13.39% |
| Aggregate Bonds (BND) | 0.15% | -0.01% | 0.20% | 3.98% |
| Corporate Bonds (VCIT) | 0.54% | -0.15% | 0.09% | 6.21% |
| High Yield Bonds (JNK) | 1.72% | 0.65% | 1.28% | 9.20% |
| Long Term Treasuries (VGLT) | -0.65% | -0.62% | -0.74% | 0.75% |
| International Bonds (BNDX) | 0.23% | -0.41% | 0.11% | 1.30% |
Market Health Indicator
The Market Health Indicator (MHI) measures market health on a scale of 0 – 100, analyzing various market segments such as economics, technicals, and volatility. Higher scores indicate healthier market conditions.
Fun Facts
- Fruit flies were the first animal sent to space in 1947, to study radiation exposure at high altitudes.
- Living up to the name, watermelons are 92% water, with the remaining 8% consisting of nutrients, fiber, and sugar.
- Elephants are the only mammals that can’t jump, primarily due to their immense weight and unique leg anatomy.
- The largest amount of coins you can have without making exact change for a dollar is 3 quarters, 4 dimes, and 4 pennies (totaling $1.19).
– The Aspire Wealth Team
