Markets Flat-to-Higher; Bears Look Exhausted

Market Performance - Three of the four major indexes saw gains, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq experiencing three consecutive up-days. Tesla's stock rose by 28% over the past week and 3.3% today, although it remains down 29% year-to-date [1] - The Dow was flat at +0.01%, while the S&P 500 increased by 0.16%. The Nasdaq outperformed with an increase of 83 points, or 0.46%. The small-cap Russell 2000 declined by 14 points, or 0.66% [2] Consumer Confidence - The Conference Board reported a decline in Consumer Confidence, falling 7.75% month-over-month to a headline of 92.9, below the expected 95.0 and down from the revised 100.1 of the previous month. This marks the fourth consecutive month of decline [3] - The Expectations Index dropped by 9.6 points to 65.2, the lowest level in 12 years. This decline is reflected in significant stock price drops for specialty retailers, such as Abercrombie & Fitch down 48% and Victoria's Secret down 50% year-to-date [4] Housing Market - New Home Sales for February were reported at 676K, slightly below the estimate of 677K but up from the revised 664K in January. This indicates a stable housing market, although the Case-Shiller Home Prices data, which is a month behind, will need to be monitored for further trends [5] Upcoming Economic Indicators - Anticipation for new Durable Goods Orders for February, expected to show a month-over-month cooling. Additionally, earnings results from Dollar Tree will be announced ahead of the market opening [6]