Is a Stock Market Correction in the Cards?

The Standard & Poor's 500-stock index rocketed more than 15% higher through mid-April. But it's telling that the lion's share of the gains came in the first two months. Stocks have moved higher since the start of March, but at a much more leisurely pace with several stops in between.

Is this merely a pause en route to further gains, allowing investors to digest the strong start to the year? Or could something else be afoot?

Could it be that the bounce in January and February was merely a short respite in the downtrend that started late last year, and that another stock market correction could be on the way - as soon as this quarter?

Naturally, there is no way to know with 100% accuracy until after the fact. But there are plenty