Market rallies for 2nd week – Quant 30 and Legacy Portfolios make all time highs – – Update 04/13/26


USA Stock market week ending 04/10/26

Major Index Performance (Weekly)

  • S&P 500 proxy (SPY): +3.6% 
  • Nasdaq proxy (QQQ): +4.5% 
  • Dow proxy (DIA): +3.1% 
  • Russell 2000 proxy (IWM): +4.0% 

Takeaways

  • Oil and geopolitics drove the action: Markets surged on April 8 as ceasefire news eased tensions and sent oil prices sharply lower, though underlying risks hadn’t fully disappeared beneath the surface rally.
  • Short-covering amplified the move: Hedge funds rushed to cover short positions in the wake of the ceasefire announcement, adding momentum to the rally and potentially setting the stage for near-term sector rotations. Inflation data provided a quiet tailwind:
  • A slightly cooler-than-expected core CPI reading on Friday gave markets an additional lift, helping indexes close the week in positive territory despite lingering geopolitical uncertainty.

Market Drivers Next Week (04/13/26 – 04/17/26)

  • Mon Apr 14 — Big Bank Earnings Kick Off: Goldman Sachs leads Q1 reporting, with JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citigroup, and BlackRock all following on Tuesday. Analysts expect strong financials sector earnings growth, but forward guidance and executive commentary will be the real focus given war-related uncertainty and economic growth concerns.
  • Mon Apr 14 — March Existing Home Sales: A read on housing demand amid elevated mortgage rates and consumer spending pressure from high energy costs.
  • Tue Apr 15 — March PPI (Producer Price Index): Markets are watching for the impact of higher energy prices flowing through to wholesale inflation, which could shape expectations for the Fed’s next move.
  • Wed Apr 16 — Heavy Mid-Week Earnings: ASML, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, Netflix, and Taiwan Semiconductor (TSM) all report — a critical cluster that will test sentiment in tech, financials, and semiconductors simultaneously.
  • Thu Apr 17 — March Housing Starts & Building Permits: Fresh data on construction activity as the housing market navigates high rates and cost pressures from energy and materials inflation.
  • All Week — Iran Ceasefire Watch: The two-week pause Trump announced April 8 remains the dominant macro wildcard. Any breakdown in negotiations or re-escalation in the Strait of Hormuz would send oil prices surging again and rattle markets broadly.

The CNN Fear and Greed Index ends the week at Fear 38. After four straight weeks at the Extreme Fear reading, the reading has moved up.



Portfolio Changes
Portfolio Changes

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Portfolio Performance
Portfolio Performance
Portfolio start date 6/27/25
Quant Alpha Weekly43.60%
EQAL (Russell 1000 Equal Weight ETF)15.66%
Portfolio start date 6/27/25
Quant 3043.72%
EQAL (Russell 1000 Equal Weight ETF)15.66%
Portfolio start date 4/14/23
Quant Alpha’s – Legacy331.73%
EQAL (Russell 1000 Equal Weight ETF)39.42%

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Investment Education
Investment Education

Best Overall (most balanced)

  • Fidelity Investments
    • Best all-around for fractional shares
    • Buy as little as $1 across thousands of stocks & ETFs
    • Strong research + long-term investing tools
    • Good for: serious investors + beginners

Bottom line: If you want one broker and be done with it—this is it.

Best for Simplicity / Beginners

  • Robinhood
    • Super easy app, clean UI
    • Fractional shares starting around $1
    • Commission-free

Bottom line: Easiest way to start, but lighter on tools.

Best for Advanced / Active Traders

  • Interactive Brokers
    • Access to 10,000+ fractional stocks globally
    • Pro-level tools, low costs
    • Not beginner-friendly

Bottom line: If you’re serious and want global + pro tools, this is your lane.

Solid Alternatives

  • Charles Schwab
    • “Stock Slices” (S&P 500 only, $5 minimum)
  • SoFi
    • Easy platform, good for beginners
  • Webull
    • More trading tools + fractional shares

Recap:

  • Want the best combo of everything? → Fidelity
  • Just getting started / want easy? → Robinhood or Sofi
  • Serious trader? → Interactive Brokers
  • Only buying big names (S&P 500)? → Schwab works

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All content on this site is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Consult relevant financial professionals in your country of residence to get personalized advice before you make any trading or investing decisions. This post was written with the assistance of artificial intelligence. The original ideas and final review are human-generated. Disclaimer