Equities
After a slow a sometime turbulent first half of the year, the S&P 500 Index of large U.S. stocks surged 7.7% in the third quarter; its biggest three-month gain in nearly five years and ending near an all time high. Analysts credit the rally to investors’ faith in the growing U.S. economy, which has shown new potency this year. Meanwhile other major global stock markets’ returns for the quarter and year-to-date have been much less robust.