Stocks had a difficult year in 2022, with all three major averages experiencing their worst performance since 2008 and ending a three-year streak of gains. The Dow was the least affected of the three indexes, declining approximately 8.8%. The S&P 500 fell 19.4% and is over 20% below its all-time high, while the Nasdaq saw a significant drop of 33.1%. Inflation and aggressive interest rate increases from the Federal Reserve had a negative impact on both growth and technology stocks and affected investor confidence throughout the year. Source: 5-day price movement for 3 major markets, Kitco However, in the first week of January 2023, U.S. stocks experienced a significant rally following the release of employment data for December, which showed a slowdown in wage growth. Investors viewed this as a potential indication that Federal Reserve officials may reduce the frequency of their interest rate increases. As a result, the...