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Data showed U.S. services industry activity unexpectedly picked up in November, with employment rebounding, offering more evidence of underlying momentum in the economy. "Right now it's more of an issue of watching the Fed and they are going to need to tighten and longer than needed." Investors see an 89% chance that the U.S. central bank will increase interest rates by 50 basis points next week, with the rates peaking in May 2023. All major Wall Street indexes notched a second straight week of gains last week, with the S&P 500 rising 1.13%, the Dow gaining 0.24% and the Nasdaq climbing 2.1%. The S&P index recorded four new 52-week highs and one new low, while the Nasdaq recorded 54 new highs and 39 new lows.

☆ Futures fall as investors await more data before Fed meet
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SummarySummary Companies Futures down: Dow 0.41%, S&P 0.44%, Nasdaq 0.28%Dec 5 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures fell on Monday as investors awaited more data, including a report on the services sector, to gauge the Federal Reserve's next move at its rate-setting meeting later this month. But near the end of the week, equities lost some momentum after November's robust U.S. payrolls report challenged hopes for a less aggressive Fed. Investors see a 91% chance that the U.S. central bank will increase the interest rates by 50 basis points next week, with the rates peaking in May 2023. ET, Dow e-minis were down 139 points, or 0.4%, S&P 500 e-minis were down 17.75 points, or 0.44%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 33.75 points, or 0.28%. Reuters reported China was set to announce the further easing of some of the world's toughest COVID curbs as early as Wednesday.

"Adding to the Fed's problems, monetary conditions have loosened in recent weeks as the dollar and longer-dated Treasury yields have fallen and credit spreads have narrowed. This is undoing the tightening effects of the Fed's recent rate rises." Investors now see an 87% chance that the Fed will increase interest rates by 50 basis points in December, down from 91% before the jobs data was published on Friday. Declining issues outnumbered advancers for a 5.14-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and a 3.09-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq. The S&P index recorded two new 52-week highs and no new low, while the Nasdaq recorded 15 new highs and 40 new lows.

☆ Futures slip ahead of November jobs report
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SummarySummary Companies Futures off: Dow 0.07%, S&P 0.02%, Nasdaq 0.07%Dec 2 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures edged lower on Friday as investors await the monthly jobs report for November, which would provide more clues on the Federal Reserve's path of monetary tightening. The Labor Department's jobs report due at 8:30 a.m. Investors now see a 91% chance that the U.S. central bank will increase interest rates by 50 basis points in December, with the rates peaking under 5% in May 2023. "The market is looking for the Goldilocks scenario for U.S. jobs numbers on Friday," said Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell. Benchmark 10-year Treasury yields fell to 10-week lows and the two-year note , which often indicates interest rate expectations, slipped to early October lows.

A reading from the Commerce Department showed consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, rose 0.8% after an unrevised 0.6% increase in September. The core personal consumption expenditure (PCE) index, excluding volatile items, eased to 0.2%, against expectations of 0.3%. "People are feeling that the worst is behind us," said Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA Research in New York. The S&P 500 index (.SPX) closed above its 200-day moving average for the first time since April in the previous session, while the Nasdaq index (.IXIC) ended over 4% higher. FEDWATCHInvestors also await nonfarm payrolls data on Friday, with the ADP report on Wednesday suggesting cooling demand for labor.

☆ Futures flat after strong Wall Street rally; Salesforce slides
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Ankika Biswas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SummarySummary Companies Futures: Dow dips 0.16%, S&P flat, Nasdaq off 0.11%Dec 1 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were little changed on Thursday after a strong Wall Street rally in the previous session on hopes of a potential downshift in the Fed's policy on aggressive rate hikes, while Salesforce fell on news of its co-CEO to step down. The S&P 500 index (.SPX) closed above its 200-day moving average for the first time since April in the previous session, while the Nasdaq index (.IXIC) ended over 4% higher. "Seeing a little bit of profit taking," said Rick Meckler, partner at Cherry Lane Investments in New Vernon, New Jersey. Powell, however, cautioned that the fight against inflation was far from over and indicated that the terminal rate will be "somewhat higher" than the 4.6% indicated by policymakers in their September projections. ET, Dow e-minis were down 56 points, or 0.16%, S&P 500 e-minis were down 2 points, or 0.05%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 13.25 points, or 0.11%.

☆ Wall St set to open flat as focus turns to Powell speech
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Shreyashi Sanyal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) has gained nearly 18% in the last two months, while the Nasdaq index (.IXIC) has added about 4%. Traders expect the Fed to increase rates by 50 basis points in December, with the rates peaking in June 2023. The data is expected to show 200,000 job additions in November, compared with 261,000 jobs in the prior month. So I don't really make much out of that, I'd like to see what Powell has to say," Saluzzi added. Biogen Inc (BIIB.O) jumped 4.3% after its experimental Alzheimer's drug slowed cognitive decline in a closely watched trial.

☆ Futures rise as focus turns to Powell speech
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Shreyashi Sanyal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"Fed Chair Powell is speaking, but past comments have done little other than chant 'hike, hike, hike'," said Paul Donovan, chief economist, UBS Global Wealth Management. "Powell has yet to explain the mechanism by which hiking rates is supposed to reduce inflation (which matters to analyzing when rates might peak) ... today's speech should signal a slowing of rate hikes." Hopes that the Fed will now hike rates in smaller increments and recent data pointing to a mild cooling in prices have positioned the benchmark S&P 500 index (.SPX) for its second straight month of gains. Traders see the Fed increasing rates by 50 basis points in December, with the rates peaking in June 2023. Reporting by Shreyashi Sanyal & Devik Jain; Additional reporting by Shubham Batra; Editing by Anil D'SilvaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ S&P 500 inches higher as Black Friday sales kick off
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Ankika Biswas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SummarySummary Companies Retailers in focus as Black Friday sales startActivision down on likely FTC lawsuit to block Microsoft dealApple slips, Foxconn China plant sees lower shipmentsIndexes: Dow up 0.5%, S&P inches 0.1% higher, Nasdaq off 0.3%Nov 25 (Reuters) - The benchmark S&P 500 edged higher on Friday, with focus on retailers as Black Friday sales kicked off against the backdrop of stubbornly high inflation and cooling economic growth. The S&P 500 retail index (.SPXRT) slipped 0.1% on Friday, bringing its year-to-date losses to a little over 30%, while the S&P 500 is down 15% so far this year. "We're going have a higher-than-expected Black Friday sales number. The S&P 500 (.SPX) rose 3.41 points, or 0.08%, at 4,030.67, while the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) slipped 36.70 points, or 0.33%, at 11,248.61. The S&P index recorded 16 new 52-week highs and no new low, while the Nasdaq recorded 39 new highs and 42 new lows.

Best Buy Co Inc (BBY.N) jumped 12.4%, leading gains on S&P 500 (.SPX) index, after forecasting a smaller drop in annual sales than previously estimated, confident that a ramp up in deals and discounts will lure more customers. "People are hopeful that consumers can still squeeze out a strong holiday season despite the headwinds they're facing," said Brandon Pizzurro, director of public investments at GuideStone Capital Management. "It would be an upside surprise if consumers really brought their full wallet to the table this year, probably what's driving Best Buy movement today." Gains in Best Buy boosted the S&P 500 retail (.SPXRT) sector index, but a 9.4% fall in Dollar Tree Inc (DLTR.O) capped the upside as the discount retailer lowered its annual profit forecast for the second time. Energy (.SPNY) led gains among the 11 major S&P 500 sector indexes, up 3.0%, as oil prices rose after top exporter Saudi Arabia said OPEC+ stuck with output cuts.

Dow component (.DJI) Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (WBA.O) rose 1.9% after Cowen & Co upgraded the drug distributor stock, citing its healthcare services business push. Best Buy Co Inc (BBY.N) soared 9.4%, rising the most among S&P 500 (.SPX) components after forecasting a smaller-than-expected drop in annual sales. Energy (.SPNY) led gains among the 11 major S&P 500 sector indexes, bouncing off four-week lows by adding 2%. Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a 2.70-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and by a 1.12-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq. The S&P index recorded 19 new 52-week highs and two new lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 49 new highs and 122 new lows.

SummarySummary Companies Best Buy up, sees smaller annual sales dropMedtronic down, lowers FY profit outlookTesla attempts to recoup losses post slumpFutures up: Dow 0.44%, S&P 0.49%, Nasdaq 0.40%Nov 22 (Reuters) - Wall Street's main indexes were set to open higher on Tuesday, with gains in shares of Walgreens and Best Buy helping investors assuage worries around the economic fallout of stricter COVID-19 curbs in China. Leading gains among S&P 500 (.SPX) components trading before the bell, Best Buy Co Inc (BBY.N) jumped 9.1% after forecasting a smaller-than-expected drop in annual sales ahead of the crucial holiday season. Dow component (.DJI) Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (WBA.O) rose 1.7% after Cowen & Co upgraded the drug distributor stock, citing its healthcare services business push. ET, Dow e-minis were up 148 points, or 0.44%, S&P 500 e-minis were up 19.25 points, or 0.49%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were up 46 points, or 0.4%. Analysts expect thin trading volumes as markets will be shut on Thursday for Thanksgiving holiday and will remain open for half day on Friday.

☆ Wall Street slips as concerns rise of stricter China COVID curbs
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Carolina Mandl | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

U.S. casino operators with businesses in China including Wynn Resorts Ltd (WYNN.O), Las Vegas Sands Corp (LVS.N), MGM Resorts International (MGM.N) and Melco Resorts & Entertainment Ltd all fell at least 2%. [1/2] Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., November 21, 2022. Energy was the only major S&P 500 sector eying gains for the year, surging around 63%. Declining issues outnumbered advancing ones on the NYSE by a 1.27-to-1 ratio; on Nasdaq, a 1.60-to-1 ratio favored decliners. The S&P 500 posted 9 new 52-week highs and 2 new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 96 new highs and 220 new lows.

[1/2] Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., November 21, 2022. "That's a piece of what's driving the tech stocks down because we rely so much on China and Taiwan for critical components." Energy was the only major S&P 500 sector eying gains for the year, surging around 63%. Declining issues outnumbered advancing ones on the NYSE by a 1.26-to-1 ratio; on Nasdaq, a 1.57-to-1 ratio favored decliners. The S&P 500 posted 9 new 52-week highs and 2 new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 76 new highs and 194 new lows.

[1/2] Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., November 21, 2022. Energy was the only major S&P 500 sector eying gains for the year, surging around 58%. Travel stocks including American Airlines Group Inc (AAL.O) and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd (NCLH.N) fell 0.5% and 1.2%, respectively. Keeping declines on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) and S&P 500 (.SPX) in check was a 5.8% jump in Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) after Bob Iger's return as chief executive to the entertainment giant. The S&P index recorded eight new 52-week highs and two new lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 68 new highs and 156 new lows.

☆ Futures decline as China COVID cases rise; Disney jumps
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SummarySummary Companies Futures down: Dow 0.27%, S&P 0.55%, Nasdaq 0.74%Nov 21 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures declined on Monday as COVID-19 flare ups in China added to concerns about slowing growth, while Disney shares jumped as investors cheered Bob Iger's surprise comeback as chief executive. Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) leapt 8.1% higher in premarket trading as Iger's return less than a year after he retired coincided with the entertainment company's attempt to boost investor confidence and profits at its streaming media unit. Traders are placing a 19% bet on the Fed hiking its key benchmark rate by 75 basis points in the December policy meeting, with a peak for rates expected in June. ET, Dow e-minis were down 92 points, or 0.27%, S&P 500 e-minis were down 22 points, or 0.55%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 86.75 points, or 0.74%. Reporting by Shubham Batra; Editing by Shounak DasguptaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) rose 199.37 points, or 0.59%, to 33,745.69, the S&P 500 (.SPX) gained 18.78 points, or 0.48%, to 3,965.34 and the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) added 1.11 points, or 0.01%, to 11,146.06. For the week, the S&P 500 fell 0.7%, retreating modestly after a strong month-long rally spurred by softer-than-expected inflation data that sparked hopes the central bank could temper its market-punishing rate hikes. "We are not likely to see any real evidence in terms of potentially declining wage pressure or inflation pressure for another couple of weeks.”Defensive groups led the way among S&P 500 sectors, with utilities (.SPLRCU) up 2%, real estate (.SPLRCR) rising 1.3% and healthcare (.SPXHC) 1.2% higher. The S&P 500 posted 8 new 52-week highs and 3 new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 62 new highs and 141 new lows. About 9.7 billion shares changed hands in U.S. exchanges, compared with the 12 billion daily average over the last 20 sessions.

The S&P 500 has retreated this week after a month-long rally following softer-than-expected inflation data that sparked hopes the central bank could temper its market-punishing rate hikes. “What is driving all equities of course is Fed policy and the gravitational force that rising interest rates have on the equity complex as a whole," Goodwin said. Energy fell 1.7%, most among S&P 500 sectors, as oil prices dropped, stemming from concern about weakened demand in China and further increases to U.S. interest rates. Gap Inc (GPS.N) shares rose about 5% after the company beat Wall Street estimates for quarterly sales and profit. The S&P 500 posted 7 new 52-week highs and 3 new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 49 new highs and 112 new lows.

Traders' bets of a 75-bps rate hike in December have gone up to 24.2% from 19.4% the previous week, according to the CME Group's FedWatch tool. The benchmark S&P 500 (.SPX) and the Nasdaq (.IXIC) have lost 17% and nearly 29%, respectively, so far this year on worries that the aggressive rate hikes could push the economy into a recession. Among S&P 500 sectors, defensive stocks advanced on Friday, with utilities (.SPLRCU) and health (.SPXHC) rising 1.5% and 0.9%, respectively, and in the lead. Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a 1.19-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and for a 1.01-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq. The S&P index recorded seven new 52-week highs and two new lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 45 new highs and 96 new lows.

St. Louis Fed President James Bullard said on Thursday the U.S. central bank needed to keep raising interest rates given that its tightening so far "had only limited effects on observed inflation". The comments, coming on the heels of strong retail sales data, dampened hopes of the Fed toning down its hawkish approach following softer-than-expected inflation reports. They are getting more comfortable with a generally higher interest rate regime," said Paul Nolte, portfolio manager at Kingsview Asset Management in Chicago. ET, Dow e-minis were up 224 points, or 0.67%, S&P 500 e-minis were up 35.5 points, or 0.9%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were up 118.25 points, or 1.01%. Applied Materials Inc (AMAT.O) gained 4.0% after the chip tools maker forecast first-quarter revenue above estimates, on hopes of easing supply chain constraints.

"Initially when that (Bullard commentary) came out, you saw the market sell off and then there was some discussion about was he being over-reactive?" Equities had seen strong gains last week after a softer-than-expected inflation report boosted hopes of smaller rate hikes from the Fed. Most of the 11 major S&P 500 sectors advanced, with defensive utilities (.SPLRCU) and real estate (.SPLRCR) leading gains, up about 1% each. The S&P index recorded six new 52-week highs and no new low, while the Nasdaq recorded 34 new highs and 60 new lows. Reporting by Shubham Batra, Ankika Biswas and Amruta Khandekar in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta and Vinay DwivediOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/4] The Wall Street entrance to the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is seen in New York City, U.S., November 15, 2022. Equities were boosted by Tuesday's inflation report that showed producer prices rising 8% in the 12 months through October against an estimated 8.3% rise. The gains built on a rally that was kicked off late last week by a cooler-than-expected report on consumer prices. "The decline was triggered by reports of a Russian missile landing in Poland," said Steve Sosnick, chief strategist at Interactive Brokers. About 13.1 billion shares changed hands in U.S. exchanges, compared with the 12.2 billion daily average over the last 20 sessions.

[1/2] Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., November 15, 2022. Home Depot Inc (HD.N) left its annual forecasts unchanged, but the home improvement chain's results exceeded Wall Street expectations and shares rose 1.6% amid a jump in shares of retailers. Among the S&P 500 sectors, consumer staples was up (.SPLRCS) 1.2%, while the consumer discretionary (.SPLRCD) index jumped 1.9%. Atlanta President Raphael Bostic echoed the views, saying he sees little evidence that the central bank's aggressive monetary policy tightening is slowing inflation. Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a 5.30-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and by a 2.80-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq.

The Labor Department's producer prices index rose 8% in the 12 months through October, lower than an estimated 8.3% rise, according to a Reuters poll of economists. Excluding volatile food and energy costs, the index rose 5.4% on an annual basis last month after increasing 5.6% in September. The report follows softer-than-expected consumer prices data late last week, which sparked a massive rally on hopes of a less aggressive monetary policy. "It (the data) is going to confirm people's hopes that inflation is starting to turn the corner. The S&P index recorded no new 52-week highs and no new lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 23 new highs and 27 new lows.

☆ Futures rise on U.S.-China talks, inflation data in focus
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

U.S.-listed shares of Chinese firms Alibaba Group Holding Ltd , Baidu Inc , Pinduoduo Inc (PDD.O) and JD.Com Inc climbed between 5.7% and 11.2%. Biden and Xi agreed to allow senior officials to renew communication on climate, debt relief and other issues, according to the White House. ET, which is expected to show producer prices rose 8.3% annually in October after advancing 8.5% in September, according to a Reuters poll of economists. Excluding volatile food and energy costs, the producer prices index is expected to have increased 7.2% last month, in line with September's gains. ET, Dow e-minis were up 156 points, or 0.46%, S&P 500 e-minis were up 30.5 points, or 0.77%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were up 143.5 points, or 1.22%.

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