In Market Scope we slice up the performance of the stock and bond markets by examining the returns of particular investment segments within those broad markets. For example, the first table below looks at seven different segments within the equity or stock market, including both domestic and foreign stocks. Within the U.S. market we look at: Large Cap Growth Stocks; Large Cap Value Stocks; Small Cap Growth Stocks; and Small Cap Value Stocks. In overseas markets, we look at developed market stocks in Europe and the Pacific region as well as Emerging Market Stocks.

The returns for various investment segments are shown over rolling time periods ranging from the last five trading days (1 Week) to the last 260 trading days (52 Weeks). The returns in the table are color-coded from Very Strong to Very Weak,to make scanning an overall "picture" for a segment easier.

Three important notes:
First, the returns shown for the equity indexes are based on changes in index values only and do not include the effects of dividends. Second, the parameters for color-coding change as the length of period measured changes. For example, a return of 2.5% for an equity segment would be Very Strong for the 1 Week period but only in the neutral range for 52 Weeks.