Stocks were mixed at midday on Monday ahead of the Fed meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday. The 10-year Treasury yield fell to a three-month low. The Dow fell 0.5%, the S&P fell 0.2%, and the Nasdaq was up 0.3%. Crude oil traded near $71 per barrel, while gold fell $12 to $1867 per ounce.

The Vickers Top Buyers & Sellers is a daily report that identifies the five companies the largest insider purchase transactions based on the dollar value of the transactions as well as the five companies the largest insider sales transactions based on the dollar value of the transactions.

The outlooks of purchasing managers (and the manufacturing sectors they represent) generally are improving in recent months, benefitting from the positive news of COVID-19 vaccine development, approval, and distribution. The UK is leading the recovery, as its PMI has risen to 64.2 from sub-50 last quarter. (Note: any survey reading above 50 indicates economic expansion.) The Eurozone is also surging. The non-German economies in Europe recorded a 63.1 PMI in May -- a sharp gain from 48.1 in the prior quarter. Nations that are less reliant on consumer services and have heavier exposure to industrial activity, such as Germany and the U.S., have reported more consistent (and solid) PMI readings. China has pulled back a bit, due to a slowing in exports as the dollar has declined. Still, manufacturing trends in China remain positive. Japan has finally moved into expansion phase, with a reading of 53.

Stocks were largely flat at midday on Friday, with gains in the Financial and Technology sectors and losses in Healthcare and Real Estate. The University of Michigan said that its consumer sentiment index for the first half of June rose to 86.4, up from a final reading of 82.9 in May and above the Reuters consensus forecast of 84.0. The Dow fell 0.2%, the S&P fell 0.1%, and the Nasdaq was flat. Crude oil traded near $71 per barrel, while gold fell $15 to $1882 per ounce.

The Vickers Top Buyers & Sellers is a daily report that identifies the five companies the largest insider purchase transactions based on the dollar value of the transactions as well as the five companies the largest insider sales transactions based on the dollar value of the transactions.

The Vickers Top Insider Picks is a daily report that utilizes a proprietary algorithm to identify 25 companies with compelling insider purchase histories based on transactions over the past three months.

Stocks rose on Thursday as investors looked past more signs of inflation in the government's May consumer price data. The Labor Department said that the CPI rose 5.0% year-over-year in May, up from 4.2% in April. The reading was above the Reuters consensus forecast of 4.7% and the sharpest annual increase since 2008. The core CPI, excluding food and energy, also rose 3.8% from the prior year. On the employment front, first-time jobless claims fell to a new pandemic era low of 376,000, down from the prior week but slightly above consensus. Continuing claims fell to 3.499 million, down from 3.757 million a week earlier and below the consensus forecast of 3.665 million. The Dow rose 0.06%, the S&P 0.47%, and the Nasdaq 0.78%. Crude oil rose slightly to $70 per barrel, while gold fell $6 to $1901 per ounce.

Stocks rose modestly on Thursday morning following new consumer price and employment data. The Labor Department said that its consumer price index rose 0.6% in May, above the consensus forecast of 0.4% growth though down from 0.8% in April. The core CPI, excluding food and energy, also rose 0.7% last month after a jump of 0.9% in April. On the employment front, first-time claims for state unemployment benefits fell to 376,000 for the week ended June 5, down from 385,000 a week earlier but slightly above the Bloomberg consensus of 370,000. The Dow, the S&P, and the Nasdaq were all up about 0.3%. Crude oil rose slightly to $70 per barrel, while gold traded near $1891 per ounce.

The Vickers Top Insider Picks is a daily report that utilizes a proprietary algorithm to identify 25 companies with compelling insider purchase histories based on transactions over the past three months.

Stocks edged higher on Wednesday morning as the yield on the 10-year Treasury fell below 1.5%, signaling reduced inflation concerns. On the earnings front, Campbell Soup shares fell nearly 6% after the company reported below-consensus fiscal 3Q results and lowered its full-year guidance. The Dow rose 0.1%, the S&P 0.2%, and the Nasdaq 0.2%. Crude oil traded near $70 per barrel, while gold fell $2 to $1893 per ounce.

The Vickers Top Insider Picks is a daily report that utilizes a proprietary algorithm to identify 25 companies with compelling insider purchase histories based on transactions over the past three months.

The Vickers Top Buyers & Sellers is a daily report that identifies the five companies the largest insider purchase transactions based on the dollar value of the transactions as well as the five companies the largest insider sales transactions based on the dollar value of the transactions.