The Markets (as of market close January 31, 2019)
Investors celebrated a month in which several indexes posted their best January performance in three decades. A strong labor market, low inflation, and a more "patient" Federal Reserve Board all sent encouraging messages to investors who were hungry for good news after last December's precipitous plunge. The Russell 2000 led the charge, closing the month more than 11% higher than its 2018 close, followed by a nearly 10% gain in the Nasdaq, while the S&P 500, Dow, and Global Dow all topped 7%.