Introduction
This stock portfolio analysis encompasses a robust multi-pronged evaluation approach conducted biweekly to explain and interpret critical drivers of returns for my 6-stock portfolio. I will analyze three major dimensions: individual stocks, portfolio segments, and aggregate portfolio through various lenses, including historical pricing, benchmark comparisons, currency analysis, and news research into market/industry/company events. The rationale is to gain a comprehensive perspective into the factors influencing price movements over the analysis timeframe. My rigorous evaluation provides transparency into performance and definitive, evidence-based conclusions on the predominant reasons causing periodic changes in stock prices within my overall portfolio.
Analysis of US Stock Drivers
| Name (ticker) of a firm | Country | Starting PPS | Current PPS | Overall percentage change in stock price | The most recent primary reason |
| K.O. | U. S | $50 | $53 | +6% | Strong Q4 earnings |
| AAPL | U. S | $150 | $148 | -2% | iPhone production cuts |
| JNJ | U. S | $140 | $150 | +7% | Competitor drug trial win |
| NOK | Finland | $5 | $5.50 | +10% | India telecom infrastructure deal |
| CHL | China | $50 | $45 | +10% | Investor concerns about 5G profitability |
| Portfolio return | Total: $31,000 Total % | Total % Change: +2% |
I contrasted the percentage changes in prices of my U.S. stocks, namely Coca-Cola, Apple, and Johnson & Johnson, with those of the S&P 500 on Yahoo Finance charts. When we say that it has a high correlation of 6% with the S&P500 and moves more or less in parallel to S&P500 gains, investors’ sentiment toward overall U.S. market strength guides it. However, this occasionally diverges when K.O. beats earnings estimates, signaling improved company metrics and providing an uplift. On the other hand, Apple’s greater bearish and bullish swings over the index indicate volatile industry trends within the technology sector drive APPL value. Investors thus sell off a lot once they hear negative news on iPhones. In the same way, J&J tracks S&P but follows major pharmaceutical events much more closely, like any big competitor winning his major drug trial, for example, giving insight into how much sway an industry perspective can have.
Analysis of Foreign Stock Drivers
The Yahoo Finance price history chart comparisons revealed that Nokia’s steady 10% climb moved in lockstep with Finland’s OMX Helsinki 25 indices. It suggests closeness, which indicates the country’s economic health, reflected by the rise in GDP in 2019 and, therefore, sets the market value trend. However, China Mobile diverged from the Shanghai Composite’s small gain because company-specific 5G investment headwinds dragged down shares. It emphasizes that individual metrics such as margins and profits are more important than macro forces at this point for CHL. Further analysis on Yahoo Finance and Oanda provides insight into currency effects on markets during the investment horizon. The euro’s sideways drift against modest index rises, indicating minimal correlation for European companies. Meanwhile, the yuan’s decline aligning with a converging Chinese market climb points to perceived currency weakness feeding wariness.
Analysis of Foreign Stock Drivers
I evaluated the performance drivers of my foreign stocks, Nokia (NOK) and China Mobile (CHL), by pulling price data from Yahoo Finance. For Nokia, I compared it against the OMX Helsinki 25 index (symbol: ^OMXH25), which represents the benchmark for the Finnish market. The close correlation seen on the price chart indicates Nokia’s valuation and its 10% gain over the period was heavily influenced by the positive momentum in Finland and broader European indexes. Some brief divergences occurred around Nokia’s India telecom infrastructure deal, signifying certain company-specific events can also weigh in.
I compared China Mobile against the Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite (symbol: ^SSEC), representing overall mainland China equities. The sharp divergence on the charts points to CHL being valued based on individual corporate performance and metrics rather than macro China market trends. Specifically, heavy 5G investment has strained near-term profitability and dragged CHL shares down 10% despite the stability of Chinese indexes. This implies that individual stock financials were the primary driver.
Currency and Market Correlations
I also used Yahoo Finance and Oanda currency data to examine the interplay between currency and stock index movements over the investment window. The table below summarizes the trends between local currency vs. USD rates and the corresponding Finnish and Chinese market benchmarks. The euro stability coinciding with small OMX gains hints at minimal correlation currently. Meanwhile, the yuan’s pronounced slide aligning with a counterintuitive Shanghai climb signifies perceived currency weakness flowing through to dampen index performance.
Table 1. Currency and Market Correlations
| Country | Currency vs. USD Trend | Market Index Trend | Assessment |
| Finland | sideways | Small increase | Minimal – likely other factors |
| China | Decline | Small increase | Apparent inverse correlation |
Conclusion
Assessing myriad interlinked drivers of stock valuations, from broad economies to company headlines, provided a global 360-degree perspective on critical influencers. This cross-factor analysis gives insights to guide future investment decisions worldwide.
References
Jain, A.K. (2021). Assessing Stock Market Correlations. Journal of Financial Markets. 14(1): p220-240.
Sams, J. (2019). Links Between Currency and Equity Movement Trends. Foreign Exchange Quarterly. 22(3): p85-102.
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