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The US dollar continued to slide in November reaching a 15-month low against the euro. Other factors influencing the markets were better than expected US home sales and a decline in unemployment claims. However, consumer confidence levels and manufacturing activity declined this month. In addition, on November 24, the US Commerce Department revised downward the third-quarter GDP from an annualized rate of 3.5% to 2.8%. The following day, the Dow, S&P 500 and NASDAQ declined 1.5%, 2.1% and 1.7%, respectively. Nevertheless, the US markets proved resilient, as the Dow, S&P 500 and NASDAQ climbed higher the following trading day to end the month up 6.5%, 5.7% and 4.9%, respectively. Year...

