Fund performance

Even though the stock market has been extraordinarily volatile over the past month, most investors are not changing their allocations to stocks and bonds, according to the RCB Consumer Outlook Index.

Over the next five business days through Sept. 6, the Dow Jones Golden Crossover Large-Cap Total Stock Market Index will decrease its equity allocation from 100% to 25%, moving that 75% allocation into the cash equivalent of short-term U.S. Treasury bills.

Fears of another recession could prompt corporate Treasurers and lenders to withhold financing, which in and of itself could raise the probability of less liquidity and further economic weakening.

A trio of finance professors are blasting the big three rating agencies, Moody’s in particular, claiming in a new report that they've unearthed evidence that asset classes that provide the agencies with most of their revenue benefit from better credit ratings while classes that provide less revenue receive harsher treatment.

Despite their reputation for taking advantage of upsets in the markets, hedge funds wisely ran for the exit from stocks between 2007 and 2009, according to a report by Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business Assistant Professor of Business Itzhak Ben-David. Ben-David conducted the study along with Rabih Moussawi of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and Francesco Franzoni of the Swiss Finance Institute and the University of Lugano.

Investors have developed a serious aversion to U.S. equity mutual funds, which is upsetting the balance of fund flows, according to Morningstar.

The correlation between stocks and the S&P 500 has reached a 20-year high of 0.73, up from 0.44 in July—posing a real challenge for individual fund managers, according to Goldman Sachs.

Both the Conference Board and the State Street confidence indexes plummeted in August, with the Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index falling 14.7 points from July, to a reading of 44.5, and the State Street Investor Confidence Index declining by 12.9 points, to 89.6.

While economists have predicted U.S. GDP growth of 3.1% over the next 12 months, Mellon Capital Management foresees growth of 2.0%—primarily due to government policy stalemates and the lingering impact of the debt crisis in Europe.

Two-thirds of donors are cutting back on their charitable giving due to economic worries, a survey by non-profit consulting firm Dunham+Company found. Another 10% plan to cut back entirely until the economy gets back on track.

A new report just released by Moody’s Capital Markets Research Group says that the recent volatility of equities markets in the U.S. -- along with other dreary economic news -- is having an unmistakably negative impact on the nation’s economy.

As if the stock market's wild vacillations in the past few weeks weren't evidence enough that few have a firm hold on the U.S. economy's near- and long-term outlook, Fannie Mae this week issued an analysis that says the likelihood of a dreaded double-dip recession is now a 50/50 proposition.

The ongoing sovereign debt crisis in Europe, debt concerns in the U.S. following its credit downgrade, weak GDP growth in the U.S. and Japan still reeling from the March earthquake have put the global economy in a fragile state, according to Business Monitor International.

A barrage of dour economic reports, the recent market correction, the U.S. credit downgrade, job insecurity and lower individual net worth pulled the Bankrate Financial Security Index down to 92.3.

With stocks bouncing around like they’re on a trampoline, it can be difficult for investors to find companies that offer any possibility of steady growth or protection against a further slump -- particularly with the economy looking increasingly weak.

The downgrade of U.S. debt may have led to more market volatility than the Flash Crash.

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index for the U.S. increased 0.5% in July to 115.80 ( 2004 = 100 ), marking the third month in a row that the index has risen. June saw a 0.3% gain, and May say a 0.7% increase.

With the market and economy turbulent, fund managers are steering away from equities and toward the safe haven of cash.

The debt ceiling debate, the nation’s credit rating downgrade, market declines and unemployment are taking a serious toll on investors, causing the Country Financial Security Index to fall 1.3 points in August to 62.4, a record low.

The inability of stock analysts and others to say, “Oops, I was wrong” may help cause even more serious damage in the stock market over time.