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☆ European stocks head for higher open after Fed Chair Powell's comments
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

European markets are heading for a higher open Wednesday as investors digested the latest comments from U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Speaking at an event at The Economic Club of Washington, D.C., Powell said Tuesday that inflation is beginning to ease but that he expects the "disinflationary process" to be a long one, and cautioned that interest rates could rise more than markets anticipate if the economic data doesn't cooperate.

☆ Premarket stocks: Here's what keeps Jerome Powell up at night and interest rates high
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Structural changes in the labor market: The US economy added an astonishing 517,000 jobs in January, blowing economists’ expectations out of the water. “The labor market is extraordinarily strong,” he said. Core services inflation: Powell noted that he’s seeing disinflation in the goods sector and expects to soon see declining inflation in housing. Service-sector inflation, which is more sensitive to a strong labor market, is up 7.5% from the year prior through the end of 2022, and has not abated, he said. Tech layoffs, Big Oil and soft landings: What investors are watching▸ The labor market is strong, but tech layoffs keep coming.

☆ ChatGPT has investors scrambling to get on the AI bandwagon so much that obscure stocks are soaring just like big-name chip companies
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

That's that for the latest Fed talk — but today, we're taking a closer look at the AI hype train passing through the stock market. And small-cap tech stocks with names that nod to bots like BigBear.ai and SoundHound AI have similarly notched gains so far this year. Tech stocks have come back with a "vengeance," Fundstrat's Mark Newton said. It's a necessary step for policymakers to take, the group said, even if it means declines in stock market returns. Wall Street's biggest firms are warning their clients not to trust the stock market rally.

His comments renewed investor hopes for less aggressive monetary policy that wavered after a strong U.S. jobs report last Friday. The tech-heavy Nasdaq (.IXIC) rallied on news form Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O), and the S&P 500 (.SPX) also got a boost. Most sectors on the S&P 500 ended higher. So far, more than half of the companies on the S&P 500 have reported quarterly earnings, with 69.1% of them beating expectations, according to Refinitiv. The S&P 500 posted 5 new 52-week highs and 2 new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 90 new highs and 31 new lows.

/USThe dollar index fell 0.21% from one-month highs, while the Japanese yen gained 1.21% to 131.08 per dollar after unusually strong Japanese wage data. The Australian dollar bolted 1.02% higher after its central bank reiterated further increases would be needed. Asian stocks stabilized overnight after they, like most global share markets, suffered steep losses following that U.S jobs data. Oil prices climbed more than 3% after Powell eased market concerns over rate hikes, while recovering demand in China also boosted prices. Gold eked out gains, tracking a slight pullback in the dollar, as investors mulled comments by Powell and the outlook for the Fed's rate-hike policy.

Brent crude futures were up $2.70, or 3.3%, to $83.69 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose $3.03, or 4.1%, to $77.14 per barrel. The U.S. dollar index fell after the data, raising oil prices. The BTC terminal, which exports Azeri crude oil to international markets, will be closed through Wednesday. Iraqi crude oil loadings from storage in Ceyhan were ready for resumption on Tuesday, but bad weather was preventing vessels from berthing, a trade source said. Iraq's crude oil pipeline to Turkey's Ceyhan port was still halted, the Kurdistan Regional Government's energy ministry said.

"We didn't expect it to be this strong," Powell said, but it "shows why we think this will be a process that takes quite a bit of time." It has just confounded all sorts of attempts to predict," Powell said, noting that wage growth has slowed even with continued strong job gains. Officials raised the target interest rate a quarter point to a range between 4.5% and 4.75% at that session, and said in the latest policy statement that "ongoing increases" would be needed. 1 2 3 4 5As of December, the Fed's preferred measure of inflation was increasing at a 5% annual rate, still more than double the Fed's target. While Powell said he expected "significant declines in inflation" this year, the U.S. economy was still "in the beginning of getting that down."

His comments came after a strong jobs report last week stymied rising hopes of less aggressive monetary policy. The Nasdaq and the S&P 500 fluctuated during and after Powell's remarks. Boosting the tech-heavy Nasdaq (.IXIC) and the S&P 500 (.SPX) was Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O). Six of the top 11 sectors on the S&P 500 fell, but technology (.SPLRCT) was among top gainers, up 1.61%. So far, more than half of the companies on the S&P 500 have reported quarterly earnings, with 69.1% of them beating expectations, according to Refinitiv.

The U.S. dollar index fell after the data, raising oil prices. Forecasted stronger demand in China also lifted crude prices on Tuesday. The BTC terminal, which exports Azeri crude oil to international markets, will be closed on Feb. 6-8. Iraqi crude oil loadings from storage in Ceyhan were ready for resumption on Tuesday, but bad weather was preventing vessels from berthing, a trade source with direct knowledge said. Iraq's crude oil pipeline to Turkey's Ceyhan port was still halted, the Kurdistan Regional Government's energy ministry said.

☆ SNAPSHOT Wall Street gains on Powell comments
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 7 (Reuters) - Wall Street's main indexes rose on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq up more than 1% following comments from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell that were perceived to be less hawkish than expected. Powell said, in a Q&A session at the Economic Club of Washington, that he expects 2023 to be a year of "significant declines in inflation". "He's (Powell) not saying anything that would make you think he's going to raise rates more than what the market is anticipating at this point," said Joe Saluzzi, co-manager of trading at Themis Trading in New Jersey. ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) was up 253.68 points, or 0.75%, at 34,144.70, the S&P 500 (.SPX) was up 48.93 points, or 1.19%, at 4,160.01, and the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) was up 207.82 points, or 1.75%, at 12,095.27. Reporting by Shreyashi Sanyal, Johann M Cherian and Amruta Khandekar in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak DasguptaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

"It tells me that so far, we're not seeing much of an imprint ... on the labor market," Kashkari said. Bond yields have rocketed higher and interest rate futures markets now are squarely priced for a federal funds rate reaching at least 5.1%. LABOR MARKET CONCERNSOn Monday, Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic was one of those who said the central bank may need to lift borrowing costs higher than previously anticipated given the job gains. "We've seen no progress so far, virtually no progress in core services ex housing, and that's very tied to the labor market." Reporting by Lindsay Dunsmuir; Editing by Andrew Heavens, Chizu Nomiyama, Andrea Ricci and Paul SimaoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Capping declines on the tech-heavy Nasdaq (.IXIC) was megacap Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O). Seven of the top 11 sectors on the S&P 500 were in declines, but technology (.SPLRCT) was among top gainers propped up by Microsoft. Expectations of high rates for a protracted period dragged Wall Street's main indexes down on Monday. But, all three major averages are in the black for 2023, with the Nasdaq (.IXIC) adding over 13%, led by a revival in battered mega-cap growth stocks. So far, more than half of the companies on the S&P 500 have reported quarterly earnings, with 69.1% of them beating expectations, according to Refinitiv.

Investors will be looking for Powell's take on the labor market in a speech at the Economic Club of Washington due later in the day, after a sharp rise in jobs growth last week punctured hopes for a tempered Fed. "We expect Chair Powell to emphasize stubbornness in underlying inflation pressures while highlighting the labor market’s strength and capacity to withstand higher rates." U.S. interest-rate futures show that markets are expecting the Fed funds rate to peak just above 5.1% by June, compared with expectations of a peak below 5% prior to Friday's jobs report. "The Fed still has some progress to make, there are signs of positivity in terms of the disinflationary pressures that are in the pipeline, but there is still a labor market problem." Sterling was last 0.4% down against the dollar at $1.1982, after tumbling to a one-month low of $1.1974 in the previous session.

Expectations of high rates for a protracted period dragged Wall Street's main indexes down on Monday. So far, 272 companies on the S&P 500 have reported quarterly earnings, with 69.1% of them beating expectations, according to Refinitiv. ET, Dow e-minis were down 108 points, or 0.32%, S&P 500 e-minis were down 7.25 points, or 0.18%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 1.5 points, or 0.01%. DuPont (DD.N) reversed earlier declines to rise 1.0%, on a higher-than-expected quarterly profit supported by higher pricing for its products. Reporting by Shubham Batra in Bengaluru; Editing by Savio D'Souza and Saumyadeb ChakrabartyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

He noted that a process of "disinflation" seemed to be taking hold so far without throwing employment off course - a hoped-for outcome if it can continue but one that might prove unsustainable if job growth doesn't slow. The full impact of the Fed's already-anticipated rate increases still has not been felt on the economy, meaning the current strength in the job market and elsewhere may in fact begin to wane, Kamin said. Though job growth has remained remarkably strong, the economy is by many estimates still perhaps a million or more positions short of what would have been reached given job growth trends before the onset of COVID-19, suggesting more room for growth. "The data overran the Fed last week, and Powell and his colleagues are falling behind the curve again. Reporting by Howard Schneider; Additional reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Dan Burns and Paul SimaoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Dollar rally pauses ahead of Powell speech; Aussie lifted by hawkish RBA
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Rae Wee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The dollar index , which measures the greenback against a basket of six rivals, made a brief breach of Monday's one-month highs, and was last trading at 103.52, roughly flat on the day. Sterling was last 0.1% higher against the dollar at $1.20275, after tumbling to a one-month low of $1.2006 in the previous session. In Asia, the Japanese yen attempted to make back Monday's losses, with the dollar-yen pair down 0.6% at $131.78, moving away from Monday's one-month low of 132.90 per dollar. A newspaper report on Monday said Japan's government has sounded out Bank of Japan (BOJ) Deputy Governor Masayoshi Amamiya to succeed incumbent Haruhiko Kuroda as central bank governor. Reporting by Rae Wee and Susan Mathew; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman, Kenneth Maxwell and Arun KoyyurOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Sell-off fizzles out ahead of Fed, ECB and BoE speeches
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Marc Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] The Federal Reserve building is seen in Washington, U.S., January 26, 2022. Then comes Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell at the Economic Club of Washington during U.S. trading plus U.S. President Joe Biden's State of the Union address. DEADLY QUAKEAmong the main commodities, oil jumped for a second straight session driven by optimism about recovering demand in China, and after Monday's devastating earthquake in Turkey had shut down one of the region's major oil export terminals. "Equities have had a strong run since the start of the year so seeing an air pocket emerge now is no major surprise." Additional reporting by Scoot Murdoch in Sydney; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore and Jacqueline WongOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Asia stocks steady, dollar firm as investors consider higher rate outlook
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Scott Murdoch | Thomson Reuters | Scott Murdoch Has Been A Journalist For More Than Two Decades Working For Thomson Reuters | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Australia's S&P/ASX200 (.AXJO) was trading higher ahead of the Reserve Bank's decision but slid into negative territory after the official cash rate was raised by 25 basis points. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index (.HSI) was trading 0.67% higher and China's bluechip CSI300 Index (.CSI300) was up 0.07%. The two-year yield , which rises with traders' expectations of higher Fed fund rates, touched 4.4267% compared with a U.S. close of 4.456%. The repricing of higher rates began after strong U.S jobs growth in January, with employment rising 517,000, more than double economists expectations. The dollar index , which tracks the greenback against a basket of major trading partner currencies, was down marginally at 103.45 from its U.S. trading levels.

☆ Fed’s Jerome Powell Braces for Longer Inflation Fight Amid Hiring Surge
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Nick Timiraos | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the labor market’s surprising strength underscores why bringing inflation down will take longer and require higher interest rates than many investors have been anticipating. A government report Friday that showed hiring accelerated in January was “certainly strong—stronger than anyone I know expected,” Mr. Powell said Tuesday during a moderated discussion before the Economic Club of Washington, D.C. “It kind of shows you why we think this will be a process that takes a significant period of time.”

☆ Fed’s Jerome Powell Says Hiring Surge Shows Why Inflation Fight Could Be Difficult
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Nick Timiraos | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the labor market’s surprising strength underscores why the central bank thinks it will face a longer battle to bring inflation down than many investors have been anticipating. A Labor Department report Friday that showed hiring accelerated in January was “certainly strong—stronger than anyone I know expected,” Mr. Powell said on Tuesday during a moderated discussion before the Economic Club of Washington, D.C. “It kind of shows you why we think this will be a process that takes a significant period of time.”

☆ Fed Chair Powell: We're passively shrinking the balance sheet
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailFed Chair Powell: We're passively shrinking the balance sheetFederal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell speaks Tuesday afternoon with Carlyle Group Chairman David Rubenstein at The Economic Club in Washington, D.C.

☆ Jim Cramer says to not lose sight of investing fundamentals despite the bull market
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

CNBC's Jim Cramer on Tuesday told investors to stay selective with stocks despite the market's strong run. "I just want you to have a real earnings cushion with real buybacks or real dividends — ideally both — and I can't feel comfortable recommending anything without them," he said. But he acknowledged that despite his belief that the market is in bull mode, investors shouldn't get ahead of themselves by investing in untouchable tech names. Instead, investors should be looking to pick up shares in "rational, old-line companies," he said. Disclaimer: Cramer's Charitable Trust owns shares of Linde.

☆ Fed Chair Powell: 2023 will be a year of significant declines in inflation
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailFed Chair Powell: 2023 will be a year of significant declines in inflationFederal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell speaks Tuesday afternoon with Carlyle Group Chairman David Rubenstein at The Economic Club in Washington, D.C.

☆ Fed Chair Powell: There will be more rate increases to get to our 2 percent inflation goal
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailFed Chair Powell: There will be more rate increases to get to our 2 percent inflation goalFederal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell speaks Tuesday afternoon with Carlyle Group Chairman David Rubenstein at the Economic Club in Washington, D.C.

☆ Asia stocks steady, dollar strong as markets reassess rates outlook
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Scott Murdoch | Thomson Reuters | Scott Murdoch Has Been A Journalist For More Than Two Decades Working For Thomson Reuters | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) bounced slightly 0.4%, after U.S. stocks ended the previous session with mild losses. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index (.HSI) opened up 0.68% and China's bluechip CSI300 Index (.CSI300) was 0.3% higher in early trade. The repricing of higher rates began after strong U.S jobs growth in January, with employment rising 517,000, more than double economists expectations. The dollar index , which tracks the greenback against a basket of major trading partner currencies, was down marginally at 103.47 from its U.S. trading levels. Gold was slightly higher.

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