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Nasdaq jumps as Amazon, Apple gain while Dow posts back-to-back session of losses

Nasdaq jumps as Amazon, Apple gain while Dow posts back-to-back session of losses

Stocks were mixed on Thursday as investors weighed a batch of solid corporate earnings results against lingering inflation concerns. 

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq ended a choppy session higher. The Dow lagged, led by a drop in shares of Cisco (CSCO). The company posted quarterly results that were dented by components shortages, and the computer networking equipment company posted a disappointing current-quarter forecast. And meanwhile, Alibaba’s (BABA) sharply disappointing quarterly report and slashed guidance for the full year raised alarm bells about the pace of growth in China — the world’s second-largest economy — as company executives highlighted slowing consumption trends

Nvidia (NVDA) shares jumped, however, after the semiconductor company posted record quarterly revenues and strong full-year guidance. The report suggested it was effectively navigating a lingering global shortage and meeting elevated demand. 

The past couple days of equity market volatility have coincided with a mixed set of economic data, with a new print Thursday showing jobless claims ticked down only modestly last week, and a report Wednesday showing a surprise drop in new-home construction last month. Commentary about inflation also mounted and added to investors’ concerns over elevated price pressures. Target (TGT) executives flagged rising labor and other input costs during their earnings call on Wednesday and added to a chorus of other company mentions of inflation. 

The possibility that elevated inflation will stick around longer than previously anticipated remained a central focus for investors, both for its potential dampening effect on consumer spending, and as a potential catalyst for the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates sooner than previously telegraphed. The U.S. central bank has so far maintained its accommodative tilt and telegraphed that an initial interest rate hike could take place sometime next year, depending on the evolution of the economic recovery. Investors also continue to await a formal announcement from President Joe Biden about his nominee for Fed chair, with the most likely candidates being current Fed Chair Jerome Powell, and current Fed Governor Lael Brainard.

The Fed’s present still-accommodative leaning has helped support equity markets and capped Treasury yields, which has in turn further kept investors focused on riskier assets like stocks over bonds. 

“The yield question is kind of global in nature,” Uma Pattarkine, CenterSquare senior analyst, told Yahoo Finance Live on Wednesday. “We still see [central] banks being very, very accommodative. So it seems like we might be kind of in this ‘lower rate for a longer time’ environment. 

“At this point investors really need to be looking at yields, where they can get it elsewhere in the market if they’re not planning on getting it through fixed income in the near future, until we see that movement in the global rate market,” Pattarkine added.  

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4:13 p.m. ET: Nasdaq and S&P 500 end higher as Amazon, Apple gain; Dow closes slightly lower

Here were the main moves in markets as of 4:13 p.m. ET:

  • S&P 500 (^GSPC): +15.87 (+0.34{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 4,704.54

  • Dow (^DJI): -60.10 (-0.17{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 35,870.95

  • Nasdaq (^IXIC): +72.14 (+0.45{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 15,993.71

  • Crude (CL=F): +$0.35 (+0.45{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $78.71 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): -$7.80 (-0.42{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $1,862.40 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): -1.5 bps to yield 1.5890{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}

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1:32 p.m. ET: ‘It’s not just an inflation story, it’s a growth story’: UBS 

Investors should take into consideration both rising inflation and improving economic growth in the current macro environment when contemplating investments, Jason Draho, UBS head of asset allocation Americas, noted to Yahoo Finance Live on Thursday.

“The environment right now that’s leading to inflation is also tied to a very strong economic recovery in the U.S., but even increasingly globally. Part of that story means, it’s not just an inflation story, it’s a growth story,” Draho said. “So things that you can do in your portfolio and ways to take advantage of it and sort of get the benefit of both aspects, which means buying things tied to what’s in demand … things like commodities, financials, things of that sort. So part of this is a hedge for inflation but part of it is also a play for a longer-term recovery.” 

Draho also added that some of the factors contributing to present levels of inflation — namely, supply-side disruptions — may soon dissipate. 

“I’d say we’re at the peak or even probably past the peak,” of supply chain bottlenecks, he added. “It’s still going to probably take at least a few quarters for things to really sort of be running fully efficiently.” 

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12:30 p.m. ET: Microsoft shares set record intraday high, Amazon’s stock jumps to reach highest since July 

Big Tech stocks outperformed on Thursday to help pull the S&P 500 and Nasdaq higher, and both shares of Microsoft and Amazon set new milestones. 

Microsoft (MSFT) shares rose to a record intraday high, sending the stock’s market capitalization further above $2.5 trillion. Amazon (AMZN) shares, meanwhile, jumped to their highest level since July, helping unwind a multi-month drift that still left the stock underperforming against the S&P 500 for the year-to-date. 

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10:11 a.m. ET: Macy’s shares jump more than 18{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} after topping 3Q results, raising guidance

Macy’s (M) became the latest retailer to exceed quarterly estimates this week, suggesting U.S. consumer spending was staying solid and foot traffic to department stores was rebounding more quickly than expected. 

Macy’s owned plus licensed comparable same-store sales jumped by 35.6{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}, exceeding the 33.5{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} growth rate expected, based on Bloomberg consensus data. The company also swung back to a profit, with adjusted earnings coming in at $1.23 per share, following a loss of 19 cents a share in the same quarter last year. Gross margins expanded by about 100 basis points, “driven by stronger regular price selling, fewer markdowns” that offset rising delivery costs, CEO Jeff Gennette said during the company’s earnings call. 

“On the health of the customer, we definitely see that continuing,” Gennette added. 

For the full year, Macy’s sees adjusted earnings coming in between $4.57 to $4.76 per share, marking a significant increase from its prior outlook for $3.41 to $3.75 a share. 

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9:50 a.m. ET: Alibaba shares slide after missing earnings estimates, slashing guidance

Alibaba posted September quarter results and guidance that sharply missed estimates, with a slowing economic environment in China and efforts to contain the coronavirus in the region weighing on consumer spending on the e-commerce platform.

“Over the last 6 months, we have observed softer market conditions with slowing consumption growth in China,” Alibaba Chief Financial Officer Wei Wu said during the company’s earnings call Thursday. “Given slower-than-expected domestic consumption growth, since we provided our revenue guidance in May, we now expect our fiscal ’22 revenue growth to be 20-23{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} year-over-year.” 

Consensus analysts were expecting full-year sales growth of 27{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}, based on Bloomberg data. 

For Alibaba’s latest reported quarter, sales grew by a smaller-than-expected 29{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} to reach 200.7 billion yuan ($31.4 billion), whereas analysts were looking for 206.2 billion yuan. Adjusted earnings per American depository share were 11.20 yuan, also short of the 12.37 expected. The weakness was mostly contained to Alibaba’s core retail business, with its newer cloud computing business posting a 33{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} rise in revenue during the quarter. 

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9:30 a.m. ET: Stocks mixed, tech leads Nasdaq higher 

Here’s where markets were trading shortly after market open on Thursday: 

  • S&P 500 (^GSPC): +8.82 (+0.19{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 4,697.49

  • Dow (^DJI): -20.03 (-0.06{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 35,913.81

  • Nasdaq (^IXIC): +24.55 (+0.15{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 15,941.73

  • Crude (CL=F): +$0.45 (+0.57{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $78.81 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): -$5.60 (-0.3{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $1,864.60 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): unchanged to yield 1.6040{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}

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8:35 a.m. ET: Initial unemployment claims come in slightly higher-than-expected, but still reach fresh pandemic-era low

First-time unemployment claims narrowly set a new pandemic-era low last week, representing further steady progress in the labor market’s recovery as the number of those newly unemployed marched closer to pre-pandemic levels. 

New unemployment claims came in at 268,000 during the week ended Nov. 13. This was down by a tick compared to the upwardly revised 269,000 reported for the previous week. Consensus economists were looking for new claims to come in at 260,000 for the latest period, according to Bloomberg data.

Continuing claims across regular state programs also came in at their lowest level since March 2020 at 2.080 million for the week ended Nov. 6. This was a bigger improvement than expected, since economists were looking for continuing claims to total 2.120 million. 

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7:32 a.m. ET Thursday: Stock futures advance 

Here’s where markets were trading Thursday morning:

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): +11.75 points (+0.25{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 4,696.00

  • Dow futures (YM=F): +34 points (+0.09{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 35,901.00

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): +84.25 points (+0.52{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 16,395.75

  • Crude (CL=F): -$0.67 (-0.84{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $77.69 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): -$4.20 (-0.22{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $1,866.00 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): -0.5 bps to yield 1.599{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}

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6:17 p.m. ET Wednesday: Stock futures open mixed 

Here’s where markets were trading Wednesday evening:

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): +0.5 points (+0.01{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 4,686.75

  • Dow futures (YM=F): -34 points (-0.09{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 35,833.00

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): +18 points (+0.11{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 16,329.5

A man walks past the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street on May 10, 202 in New York City. - Wall Street stocks were mixed early May 10, 2021 ahead of key consumer price and retail sales data expected to influence the outlook for US monetary policy. Major stock indices closed at records Friday following a disappointing April jobs report that bolstered expectations the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates low for a long period of time to support the economic recovery. (Photo by Angela Weiss / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

A man walks past the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street on May 10, 202 in New York City. – Wall Street stocks were mixed early May 10, 2021 ahead of key consumer price and retail sales data expected to influence the outlook for US monetary policy. Major stock indices closed at records Friday following a disappointing April jobs report that bolstered expectations the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates low for a long period of time to support the economic recovery. (Photo by Angela Weiss / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

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Emily McCormick is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter

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S&P, Nasdaq pop to new records while Dow sinks after Fed

S&P, Nasdaq pop to new records while Dow sinks after Fed

Stocks traded mixed on Thursday, with tech stocks and the broader market setting new highs as investors digested the Federal Reserve’s decision to begin paring back some of its monetary policy support as the economic recovery progressed. 

Although the Dow dropped, tech stocks were boosted by Tesla, which set a new record high above $1200 per share, and helped the Nasdaq set a fresh record. The S&P 500 also eked out a new high. 

A day earlier, all of the major benchmarks set records, with the Fed’s latest monetary policy decision compounding with optimism over a slew of stronger-than-expected quarterly corporate earnings results. 

The Fed’s decision on Wednesday unfolded the way many investors had been expecting, wherein the central bank formally announced it would begin tapering its pandemic-era asset purchase program starting this month. That came as Federal Open Market Committee members deemed that the economy had made “substantial further progress” in recovering to warrant the gradual removal of this policy support. 

But importantly, the newly announced contours of the Fed’s tapering plan appeared to appease equity traders. 

“The Fed has baked in some flexibility in their tapering,” Ryan Nauman, Zephyr market strategist, told Yahoo Finance Live on Wednesday. “They were very clear that in November and December how much they were going to taper. After that, they did not put in a dollar amount on it.”

Specifically, the Fed said it would begin reducing its asset purchases this month by a total of $15 billion, and then by another $15 billion in December, but said the outlook for the pace of tapering in the future would depend on “changes in the economic outlook.” Fed Chair Jerome Powell also reiterated his prior stance that the ultimate end of the tapering process next year would not automatically signal the start to interest rate hikes. 

“So they added some flexibility, and a lot of it has to do with the uncertainty around inflation,” Nauman added. “And even though they said inflation is transitory, they added that word ‘expected,’ which kind of hedges their bets a little bit and buys them some more flexibility. And finally I think that [last] piece … is the timeline. They added more transparency, more clarity to the timeline and the markets really liked that … that transparency showing that they’re expecting inflation to start slowing during mid-2022, Q2, Q3.”

Separately Wednesday afternoon, third-quarter earnings season rolled on with a parade of names across industries reporting results. Booking Holdings (BKNG) share rose after third-quarter results pointed to a pick-up in travel trends especially in Europe, with revenue jumping 77{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} over last year to top Wall Street’s estimates. Semiconductor company Qualcomm (QCOM) also posted better-than-expected quarterly earnings, revenue and guidance, suggesting strong demand was buoying the company despite a global chip shortage and supply chain snarls. Etsy (ETSY), on the other hand, offered a lower-than-expected forecast for the holiday shopping season, with the e-commerce site losing some momentum after a surge in online sales over the course of the pandemic. 

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4:05 p.m. ET: S&P 500 closes at a record high for sixth straight session, powered by jump in tech stocks

Here were the main moves in markets as of 4:05 p.m. ET:

  • S&P 500 (^GSPC): +19.49 (+0.42{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 4,680.06

  • Dow (^DJI): -33.35 (-0.09{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 36,124.23

  • Nasdaq (^IXIC): +128.72 (+0.81{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 15,940.31

  • Crude (CL=F): -$1.79 (-2.21{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $79.07 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): +$30.90 (+1.75{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $1,794.80 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): -5.5 bps to yield 1.5240{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}

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11:33 a.m. ET: Small cap and technology stocks could be some of the winners going forward: CIO 

Select areas of the market are poised to benefit as the Federal Reserve remains accommodative in its monetary policy posturing and the economic recovery moves along, and those could include small-cap and technology stocks, according to one strategist.

“We are seeing momentum right now both in small cap stocks … and technology stocks,” Kevin Mahn, Hennion & Walsh Asset Management president and chief investment officer, told Yahoo Finance Live on Thursday. “And we believe that as we move further and further away from the COVID-19 pandemic and more of the economy starts to open, technology will become an even more critical component of that reopening in areas such as … artificial intelligence, robotics, the internet of things, fintech, and even 5G. as we try and expand our country’s broadband access.”

“So we see more upside potential for small-cap stocks as the economy continues to expand, and as credit conditions remain accommodative, but particularly in those areas of revolutionary technologies.” 

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10:00 a.m. ET: U.S. trade deficit hits new high

The Commerce Department said U.S. the trade gap surged 11.2{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} to a record $80.9 billion in September. Exports tumbled 3.0{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} to $207.6 billion in September. Goods exports plunged 4.7{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} to $142.7 billion. The decline was led by industrial supplies, with crude oil exports decreasing $1.0 billion. Imports rose 0.6{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} to a record $288.5 billion. Goods imports rose 0.8{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} to $240.9 billion, also a record high.

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9:30 a.m ET: Stocks mixed at the open

Here were the main moves in markets as of 9:30 a.m. ET:

  • S&P 500 (^GSPC): 4,669.18, +8.61 (+0.18{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a})

  • Dow (^DJI): 36,125.63, -31.95 (-0.09{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a})

  • Nasdaq (^IXIC): 15,871.98, +60.39 (+0.38{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a})

  • Crude (CL=F): $83.09 a barrel, +$2.23 (+2.76{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a})

  • Gold (GC=F): $1,793.70, +29.80 (+1.69{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a})

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): -1 bps to yield 1.5610{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}

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8:36 a.m. ET: New jobless claims set fresh pandemic-era low, coming in below 300,000 for fourth straight week

New weekly jobless claims came at a fresh pandemic-era low, with further improvements in the labor market coming as companies continue to compete to attract and retain workers amid elevated demand.

Initial unemployment claims came in at 269,000 for the week ended Oct. 30, or the lowest since March 2020. This came following the prior week’s total of 283,000 new claims, with that sum upwardly revised from the 281,000 reported previously. Consensus economists were looking for 275,000 new claims for last week, according to Bloomberg consensus data. 

Continuing claims for regular state programs also fell more than expected to reach their best level since the start of the pandemic. These were at 2.105 million for the week ended Oct. 23, compared to the 2.150 million expected and 2.239 million from the prior week. 

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7:47 a.m. ET Thursday: Stock futures mixed after Fed decision, tech stocks outperform

Here’s where markets were trading Thursday morning:

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): +7 points (+0.15{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 4,659.25

  • Dow futures (YM=F): -5 points (-0.01{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 36,030.00

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): +62 points (+0.38{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 16,191.75

  • Crude (CL=F): $82.39 per barrel, +$1.53 (+1.89{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a})

  • Gold (GC=F): $1,779.50 per ounce, +$15.60 (+0.88{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a})

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): -0.2 bps to yield 1.577{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}

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6:07 p.m. ET Wednesday: Stock futures drift sideways

Here’s where markets were trading as the overnight session kicked off: 

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): +1.25 points (+0.03{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 4,653.50

  • Dow futures (YM=F): -1 points (-0.00{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 36,034.00

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): +8 points (+0.05{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 16,137.75

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 30: Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on September 30, 2021 in New York City. In afternoon trading the Dow was down over 250 points as investors continue to worry about inflation, wages and supply chain issues. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 30: Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on September 30, 2021 in New York City. In afternoon trading the Dow was down over 250 points as investors continue to worry about inflation, wages and supply chain issues. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

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Emily McCormick is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter

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S&P 500, Dow and Nasdaq rise to reach fresh all-time highs; markets await Fed decision

S&P 500, Dow and Nasdaq rise to reach fresh all-time highs; markets await Fed decision

Stocks reached fresh all-time highs on Tuesday in another record-setting session, with investors cheering another set of better-than-expected corporate earnings results. 

The Dow and S&P 500 gained while the Nasdaq rose more modestly, weighed by a drop in Tesla (TSLA) after CEO Elon Musk downplayed the expected impact of a deal with car rental giant Hertz. Investors watched with optimism as more corporate earnings results exceeded expectations and defied concerns over ongoing supply chain constraints, shortages and cost pressures. 

Clorox (CLX) became one of the latest major names to top estimates in results posted Monday after the closing bell, with the cleaning supplies and home goods company topping third-quarter sales and profits estimates and reaffirming its full-year guidance even as the company said it expects “cost pressures to persist.” Shares of Avis (CAR) and Simon Property Group (SPG) also jumped, with both of these companies posting quarterly earnings that exceeded expectations after market close. 

Heading into this week, the expected earnings growth rate for the S&P 500 was at 36.6{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} for the third quarter, which while a step down from the second quarter’s rate, would still mark the third-highest pace in data spanning back to 2010, according to FactSet. 

“I don’t think what’s going on is terribly surprising,” when it comes to the sizable year-over-year earnings growth many companies have reported for the third quarter, Pacer ETF’s President Sean O’Hara told Yahoo Finance Live. “I think what we need to see going forward is, is it sustainable, or are some of these outside factors going to be a bigger challenge than we expect?”

“Is inflation and the input costs that the producers are dealing with, is that going to derail things? Is the lack of workers?” he added. “There’re a lot of things out there that could potentially derail the market, especially as you’re making this transition from where we are, which is easy comparables versus last year, to more difficult ones going forward.” 

In addition to the solid backdrop of corporate earnings, an ongoing economic recovery and still-accommodative positioning by monetary policymakers have also helped underpin equities in their march to new highs. For investors, the Federal Reserve’s latest monetary policy decision on Wednesday will help suggest how long the central bank will maintain its current levels of support. Many pundits expect to see the bank begin to pull back the asset purchases that comprised its quantitative easing program that had helped support the recovery, with fresh economic data reflecting a U.S. economy closing in on pre-pandemic conditions. 

“We think that better days are ahead. Earnings are still growing at a pretty healthy clip. There’s a lot of people focusing on peak growth rates. That’s probably not the way to look at it,” Sameer Samana, Wells Fargo senior global market strategist, told Yahoo Finance Live. “From our standpoint, those low interest rates, still stimulative policy and really strong growth are what set the stage for strong equities in the next year.” 

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4:05 p.m. ET: S&P 500, Dow and Nasdaq rise to reach fresh all-time highs; markets await Fed decision

Here were the main moves in markets as of 4:05 p.m. ET:

  • S&P 500 (^GSPC): +16.98 (+0.37{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 4,630.65

  • Dow (^DJI): +138.79 (+0.39{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 36,052.63

  • Nasdaq (^IXIC): +53.69 (+0.34{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 15,649.60

  • Crude (CL=F): -$0.55 (-0.65{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $83.50 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): -$6.90 (-0.38{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $1,788.90 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): -2.6 bps to yield 1.5490{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}

—

12:36 p.m. ET: Residential rental vacancy rate dips in 3Q to near pre-pandemic levels

The U.S. vacancy rate for rental housing fell in the third quarter to close in on pre-pandemic levels. 

Rental vacancies reached 5.8{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} in the three months ending in September, marking the lowest level since the second-quarter of 2020. This fell by 6.2{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} compared to the second quarter and from 6.4{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} in the same period last year. 

Rent prices have also been increasingly notably over the course of the past year, with the median asking rent for vacant units rising to $1,203 in the third quarter from $1,160 a year earlier. And in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ consumer price index, rent of primary residence prices last increased by 0.5{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} in September compared to August, accelerating from a rise of 0.3{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} during the prior month. 

—

11:35 a.m. ET: Avis shares surge, triggering volatility halt after 3Q estimates point to strong car-rental demand

Shares of Avis (CAR) more than doubled on Tuesday alone after the car-rental company posted third-quarter estimates that far exceeded consensus estimates, pointing to solid demand for rentals. 

At session highs on Tuesday, the stock more than tripled to reach a record $545.11 per share. This outsized move to the upside triggered at least one volatility halt in the stock. Third-quarter net revenue nearly doubled over last year to reach $3 billion, and adjusted earnings per share of $10.74 were much better than the $7.24 expected. The company also said it would add more electric vehicles to its fleet over time during its quarterly earnings call with analysts.

—

11:27 a.m. ET: Chegg shares plunge after lowering guidance, with company saying ‘education industry is experiencing a slowdown’ 

Shares of education company Chegg (CHGG) sank 45{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} Tuesday morning after the company lowered its full-year guidance and highlighted a slowdown in the broader higher education industry. 

For the third quarter. Chegg reported revenue of $171.94 million, which missed expectations for $174 million, according to Bloomberg consensus data. The firm also lowered its forecast for both revenue and adjusted EBITDA for the full year, and now sees revenue coming in at as much as $764 million, versus the as much as $815 million seen previously. 

“In late September it became clear to us that the education industry is experiencing a slowdown that we believe is temporary and is a direct result of the Covid-19 pandemic,” CEO Dan Rosensweig said in prepared remarks for the company’s earnings call. 

“A combination of variants, increased employment opportunities and compensation, along with fatigue, have all led to significantly fewer enrollments than expected this semester,” he added. And those students who have enrolled are taking fewer and less rigorous classes and are receiving less graded assignments”

—

9:42 a.m. ET: Tesla gives back some gains as Musk plays down Hertz deal

The carmaker’s high-flying stock is under pressure in early trading, after Elon Musk tweeted that Tesla has not yet signed on the dotted line with Hertz, which announced a deal last week to add Model 3s to its fleet of rentals. Musk also stated that regardless, the deal would have “zero impact” on Tesla’s bottom line.

But Hertz said it’s already receiving cars under its plan to add 100,000 Tesla EVs through 2022, but didn’t respond directly to Musk’s remark:

As we announced last week, Hertz has made an initial order of 100,000 Tesla electric vehicles by the end of 2022 and is investing in new EV charging infrastructure across the company’s global operations. Deliveries of the Teslas already have started, and consumer reaction to our commitment to lead in electrification has been beyond our expectations.

—

9:30 a.m. ET: Stocks open flat ahead of the Fed

Here were the main moves in markets as of 9:30 a.m. ET:

  • S&P 500 (^GSPC): 4,619.64, +5.97 (+0.13{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a})

  • Dow (^DJI): 35,924.83, +10.99 (+0.03{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a})

  • Nasdaq (^IXIC): 15,611.21, +15.30 (+0.10{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a})

  • Crude (CL=F): $83.42 per barrel, -$0.63 (-0.75{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a})

  • Gold (GC=F): $1,792.90 per ounce, -$2.90 (-0.16{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a})

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): 1.5590{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}, -0.016 bps

—

7:25 a.m. ET Tuesday: Stock futures point to a mixed open

Here’s where markets were trading Tuesday morning:

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): -0.25 points (-0.01{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 4,605.50

  • Dow futures (YM=F): +9 points (+0.03{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 35,809.00

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): -28.25 points (-0.18{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 15,866.00

  • Crude (CL=F): -$0.39 (-0.46{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $83.66 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): -$2.70 (-0.15{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $1,793.10 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): -1.7 bps to yield 1.556{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}

—

6:07 p.m. ET Monday: Stock futures edge lower 

Here’s where markets were trading as the overnight session kicked off: 

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): -2 points (-0.04{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 4,603.75

  • Dow futures (YM=F): -18 points (-0.05{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 35,8782.00

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): -16.25 points (-0.1{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 15,878.00

A street sign for Wall Street is seen outside the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, New York, U.S., July 19, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

A street sign for Wall Street is seen outside the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, New York, U.S., July 19, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

—

Emily McCormick is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter

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Stock futures drift after S&P 500, Dow log record highs

Stock futures drift after S&P 500, Dow log record highs

Inventory futures opened a bit larger Monday evening, steadying near record degrees as buyers awaited one more hefty set of earnings and financial data. 

The S&P 500 and Dow had each achieved all-time highs during Monday’s session, with equity buyers proving resilient even in the encounter of ongoing source chain challenges and elevated inflationary pressures. 

The Nasdaq Composite jumped by .9{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}, coming within just 1{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} of its very own file closing superior as shares of Tesla (TSLA) rallied for a fourth straight session, bringing the stock’s sector capitalization above $1 trillion for the to start with time. Engineering shares also obtained broadly as investors awaited earnings final results from the likes of Alphabet (GOOGL), Twitter (TWTR) and Sophisticated Micro Devices (AMD) on Tuesday, and other tech heavyweights like Amazon (AMZN) and Apple (AAPL) later on this 7 days.

Fb (FB) shares attained in late investing even soon after the organization posted mixed third-quarter benefits and profits assistance that skipped expectations. The social media big also reported it would be shifting its reporting structure to break out Facebook Actuality Labs in its very own separate segment, next the firm’s enough financial commitment in creating out its digital fact products and solutions and metaverse. It observed it envisioned investment decision in Fb Actuality Labs to reduce total working gain by about $10 billion this year. 

Shares have jumped so significantly in Oct as investors at least quickly shook off problems around increasing input and labor fees, and popular shortages, for organizations across a wide selection of industries. Even specified these pressures, quite a few providers have managed to exceed Wall Street’s earnings anticipations in their most up-to-date quarterly benefits, which largely reflected companies’ skills to take in or move on heightened expenses at minimum for the time remaining. 

With earnings rolling in this month, the S&P 500 has so much obtained 6{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} in October, and is heading for its most effective thirty day period considering that November 2020. 

“The S&P 500 Index has obtained more than 20{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} so far this 12 months, generating extra than 50 record highs alongside the way. Certainly no person really should be upset with that return if that was all 2021 brought us,” Ryan Detrick, Chief Marketplace Strategist for LPL Economical, wrote in an electronic mail. “Having said that, we see indications that there could be much more gains to occur in the last two months of the calendar year.”

“Seasonal tailwinds, increasing market internals, and crystal clear signs of a peak in the Delta variant all present potential fuel for equities heading into calendar year-conclusion, and we retain our over weight equities recommendation as a end result,” he additional. 

—

6:03 p.m. ET Monday: Stock futures tick up

This is the place marketplaces were investing as the right away session kicked off: 

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): +6 details (+.13{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 4,564.00

  • Dow futures (YM=F): +22 details (+.06{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 35,642.00

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): +33 factors (+.21{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 15,528.75

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., October 18, 2021. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

Traders do the job on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York Metropolis, U.S., Oct 18, 2021. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

—

Emily McCormick is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. Adhere to her on Twitter

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Dow posts all-time closing high, Nasdaq dips as Snap shares drop by record

Dow posts all-time closing high, Nasdaq dips as Snap shares drop by record

Stocks were mixed on Friday as investors digested new commentary on asset-purchase tapering and inflation from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, amid a slew of fresh earnings reports from major companies. 

The Dow set a record closing high, taking out a previous record close from August 16. The S&P 500 retreated after setting a fresh intraday record high. The reversal to the downside came as Powell said the central bank was “on track to begin a taper of our asset purchases that, if the economy evolves broadly as expected, will be completed by the middle of next year” during a virtual event hosted by the South African Reserve Bank Friday. The central bank had previously telegraphed it believed the economy was nearing the recovery threshold that would warrant the start to tapering of the Fed’s crisis-era asset purchase program. 

Powell also noted he expected elevated inflationary pressures spurred by global supply constraints “are likely to last longer than previously expected, likely well into next year.”

The Nasdaq underperformed following a couple of weaker-than-expected technology earnings. 

Snap (SNAP) shares sank by a record 27{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} after missing third-quarter revenues and offering weak current-quarter guidance, with Apple’s iOS privacy updates denting the social media platform’s advertising business. The miss also catalyzed a drop in shares of peer social media companies including Facebook (FB) and Alphabet (GOOGL). 

Shares of Intel (INTC) also dropped after the company said margins would be under pressure for the next up to three years, in part reflecting challenges from global materials shortages. And Chipotle (CMG) shares fluctuated between small gains and losses despite posting better-than-expected quarterly same-store sales, though the company flagged widespread staffing shortages. 

Despite some of the more recent, mixed earnings results, the S&P 500 and Dow have hovered within striking distance of their all-time highs, boosted by a string of earlier estimates-topping quarterly corporate profits and economic data. Both have served to stave off concerns over a decelerating growth environment after a surge in reopening activity earlier this year. 

New data on Thursday showed weekly jobless claims improved to their lowest level since March 2020 last week, falling more-than-expected as firings, layoffs and other involuntary separations slowed further in the labor market. And existing home sales posted their biggest jump since September 2020 last month, showing still-robust demand for homes even as inventory remained tight and prices crept higher.

And based on quarterly results so far, many companies have shown they managed to grow profits even in the face of rising input and labor costs and supply chain challenges.

“Let’s not forget, we’re coming off of very high margins, so there is room for a little compression there. What we’re seeing in the early earnings releases, which is maybe the reason for equity markets hitting new highs, is that the operating leverage inside of companies right now is so significant,” Gibson Smith, Smith Capital Investors founder, told Yahoo Finance Live on Thursday. “Think of top-line growth in the 18{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} arena, or you see bottom-line growth in the 50, 60, 70{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}. These are all positives for corporate America, and I think will actually be the fuel to launch equity prices to higher levels.”

Investors are hoping for more affirmation on the solid trends seen so far in corporate profits next week, with a more robust set of third-quarter earnings results due for release. The heavily weighted stock index components, from Apple to Amazon and Facebook, are set to report quarterly results throughout next week.

—

4:13 p.m. ET: Stocks end mixed, Dow logs record close

Here’s where markets closed out Friday’s session: 

  • S&P 500 (^GSPC): -4.88 (-0.11{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 4,544.90

  • Dow (^DJI): +73.94 (+0.21{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 35,677.02

  • Nasdaq (^IXIC): -125.5 (-0.82{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 15,090.20

—

11:37 a.m. ET: American Express shares jump to a record after strong Q3 results, while VF Corp. slides on lingering manufacturing constraints

American Express (AXP) shares hit an intraday all-time high Friday morning after posting third-quarter results that easily topped estimates. 

Revenue of $10.93 billion was up 25{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} over last year, and exceeded the $10.54 billion expected, according to Bloomberg consensus data. Earnings per share of $2.27 were also better than the $1.77 estimate. 

American Express also issued upbeat commentary on the state of the U.S. consumer, suggesting spending among individuals and small businesses was rebounding to pre-virus levels. 

The card company said it saw a “continued rebound in travel and entertainment spending, with restaurant spending notably resilient, growing above pre-pandemic levels.” It also noted consumer and small business spending on goods and services grew 19{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} over the third quarter of 2019, on a currency adjusted basis. New users to premium Platinum and Gold Cards also reached all-time highs

Meanwhile, VF Corp.’s (VFC) posted disappointing quarterly results in a report also issued Friday morning, reflecting the negative impacts from ongoing supply-chain challenges for apparel-makers.

The parent company of brands including The North Face and Vans posted adjusted earnings from continuing operations of $1.11, or four pennies below estimates, for its fiscal second quarter. Revenue came in $3.2 billion, or a 23{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} jump over last year but still a miss compared to the $3.5 billion consensus estimate. 

VF Corp attributed the miss to a resurgence of Covid-19 lockdowns in its key sourcing companies, which generated manufacturing capacity constraints during the quarter.

“Additionally, continued port congestion, equipment availability and other logistics challenges have contributed to increasing product delays,” the company added. “VF is working with its suppliers to minimize disruption and is employing expedited freight as needed.”

—

11:13 a.m. ET: U.S. service sector activity expands at a faster-than-expected clip in October, while manufacturing activity decelerates slightly

U.S. service sector activity picked up by a greater-than-expected margin in early October, while ongoing supply chain constraints weighed on goods-producing industries, according to new data from IHS Markit on Friday.

IHS Markit’s U.S. services purchasing managers’ index rose to 58.2 in the preliminary October print, exceeding consensus estimates for a reading of 55.2, according to Bloomberg data. The PMI had come in at 54.9 in September, and the latest October print reflected the strongest growth in three months. Readings above the neutral level of 50.0 indicate expansion in a sector. 

“Driving growth in October was the quickest rise in inflows of new work since July, that was commonly attributed to stronger demand conditions as COVID-19 worries eased during the month,” IHS Markit said in its release. “Concurrently, service providers recorded more intense capacity pressures amid reports that firms were struggling to cope with growing sales due to labour issues and supplier delays.”

The manufacturing sector, however, posted a larger-than-expected dip in its PMI compared to September, largely reflecting the impact of rising input costs and materials and labor shortages. The U.S. manufacturing PMI slipped to 59.2 in early October from 60.7 in September, marking a third straight monthly decline. Consensus economists were looking for a reading of 60.5 in October.

“The slower improvement in conditions reflected a weaker expansion in output and a moderation in order book growth during October,” IHS Markit said in its release. “Factory production rose only modestly, with the pace of increase the slowest since July 2020 as output continued to be hampered by supply chain issues and shortages. October saw a record lengthening of suppliers’ delivery times. Supply issues and sustained sales growth prompted firms to further increase their buying activity and inventories.” 

—

9:32 a.m. ET: Stocks open mostly lower amid mixed earnings

Stocks were mixed as markets opened for trading on Friday, but still paced toward weekly gains following a record-setting march higher earlier this week.

The Dow traded higher by just 22 points, or less than 0.1{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}, shortly after the opening bell. Both the Nasdaq and S&P 500 dropped as technology stocks sank following earnings misses from Snap and Intel. U.S. crude oil prices rose more than 1{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} to break back above $83 per barrel, while the 10-year Treasury yield hovered around 1.67{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}. 

—

7:21 a.m. ET Friday: Stock futures trade mixed, with Nasdaq under pressure

Here’s where markets were trading ahead of the opening bell: 

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): +4.75 points (+0.1{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 4,546.5

  • Dow futures (YM=F): +59 points (+0.17{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 35,539.00

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): -25.75 points (-0.17{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 15,453.00

  • Crude (CL=F): +$0.54 (+0.65{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $83.04 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): +$11.50 (+0.65{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $1,793.40 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): unchanged, yielding 1.674{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}

—

6:07 p.m. ET Thursday: Stock futures edge lower

Here’s where markets were trading Thursday evening: 

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): -13.25 points (-0.29{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 4,528.50

  • Dow futures (YM=F): -31 points (-0.09{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 35,449.00

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): -93.75 points (-0.61{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 15,385.00

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 30: Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on September 30, 2021 in New York City. In afternoon trading the Dow was down over 250 points as investors continue to worry about inflation, wages and supply chain issues. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 30: Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on September 30, 2021 in New York City. In afternoon trading the Dow was down over 250 points as investors continue to worry about inflation, wages and supply chain issues. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

—

Emily McCormick is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter

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Stocks trade mixed, Dow pulls back from record as earnings roll in

Stocks trade mixed, Dow pulls back from record as earnings roll in

Stocks were mostly higher on Thursday, with the S&P 500 rising to log an all-time high as a parade of strong earnings results and economic data helped buoy equity prices.

The S&P 500 gained 0.3{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} to reach record intraday and closing highs, led by outperformance in the consumer discretionary and information technology sectors. A better-than-expected report on new weekly jobless claims also helped boost risk assets, with these improving to a fresh pandemic-era low. The Dow dipped but came off session lows. The 30-stock index had set a fresh record intraday high during the regular trading day on Wednesday, marking its first all-time high since mid-August. 

Netflix and Tesla also logged record highs on Thursday, helping pull the tech-heavy Nasdaq up by 0.6{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}. 

Bitcoin prices (BTC-USD) pulled back from an all-time high of $66,000 reached earlier on Wednesday.

Estimates-topping earnings results from companies from Verizon (VZ) to Anthem (ANTM) and Abbott Laboratories (ABT) extended a streak of strong quarterly reports kicked off by the big banks last week. Tesla (TSLA) shares pushed higher after the electric-vehicle maker posted profits that exceeded estimates on the back of record quarterly deliveries, though revenues fell short.

With stocks trading near record levels, these kinds of earnings beats will need to be maintained in order to fuel further appreciation, some strategists said.

“Both the fiscal stimulus and monetary stimulus has been driving markets really since the ricochet off the bottom of COVID,” Michael Vogelzang, chief investment officer for Captrust, told Yahoo Finance Live on Wednesday. “What we’re looking at now is, the easy work is done. The Fed is beginning to taper shortly, we expect. We don’t expect interest rates to rise much from here. But what it means is that the market is reasonably valued. It’s not cheap by anyone’s estimation. And in order to progress here … we’re going to have to see stronger earnings growth, and continued strong earnings growth.”

“We’ve seen the peak cycle acceleration,” he added. “Now it’s the hard work – can we continue to create profit growth in our various companies? Can the market and the economies around the globe work through some of the logistical issues?”

So far this earnings season, many goods-producing companies have highlighted concerns over rising input prices and ongoing supply chain disruptions. Tesla noted in its earnings release that “a variety of challenges, including semiconductor shortages, congestion at ports and rolling blackouts, have been impacting our ability to keep factories running at full speed.” And Procter & Gamble (PG) earlier this week estimated it would see over $2 billion in expenses this fiscal year related to rising commodity and freight costs. 

However, investors have so far at least momentarily looked through these concerns, and clutched to optimism that these pressures will prove temporary.

“What we have done, in large part, by having massive aggregate demand outpacing aggregate supply is likely not destroyed demand. We likely delayed demand,” Art Hogan, chief market strategist at B Riley-National, told Yahoo Finance Live on Wednesday. “And I think that elongates the economic cycle into ’22.”

“It means we’re going to have above-mean economic growth or GDP growth in ’22, higher than we’re estimating right now, likely, as we start seeing some of that supply response come online,” he added. “I certainly think that when we look at those companies that have to discuss things like margin degradation because of supply chain logistics and not having pricing power, you’re definitely going to have that environment where you have winners and losers.”

—

4:04 p.m. ET: S&P 500 logs record as Netflix, Tesla set new all-time highs 

Here’s where the major indexes closed out the session on Thursday:

  • S&P 500 (^GSPC): +13.59 (+0.3{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 4,549.78

  • Dow (^DJI): -6.26 (-0.02{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 35,603.08

  • Nasdaq (^IXIC): +94.02 (+0.62{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 15,215.70

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2:12 p.m. ET: It’s still an ‘equity friendly’ investing environment for stocks: Strategist

Even as concerns over inflation and the global economic outlook remain at the forefront of investors’ attention, the overarching backdrop for equities remains strong due to two key factors, according to at least one strategist. 

“We’re continuing to believe that we’re in what we’re calling an ‘equity friendly’ investing environment. We’re right in the middle of earnings … and two key drivers to the market are always earnings and interest rates,” Leo Grohowski, BNY Mellon chief investment officer, told Yahoo Finance Live. “Coming into the third quarter, we had a lot of [earnings] warnings. In fact we had the third-highest warnings of any quarter in the last 10 years. So I think expectations were measured. And so far, with about 20{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} of the [S&P 500] companies in, we’re running about 80{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} better than expected. So earnings we believe will continue to move forward at a nice clip.”

“And the key is interest rates. Our thought has been the 10-year doesn’t get higher than maybe 1.75{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}, 2{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} by the end of the year,” he added. “That supports market multiples at around the 23 level … [getting] us to a market forecast of 4,600 to 4,700 this year. So we’re continuing to be constructive on the equity market based on the earnings and interest rate market.” 

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10:00 a.m. ET: Existing homes sales bounced back in September, jumping far more than expected 

Existing home sales rebounded in September after a dip in August, jumping by the most in a year as demand for housing remained robust. 

Sales of previously owned homes were up 7{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} in September month-on-month, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) said in a new report Thursday. This was the biggest leap since September 2020, and brought sales to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6.29 million units. Consensus economists were looking for an only 3.7{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} rise in September, according to Bloomberg data. In August, existing home sales had dropped by 2{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} in their first decline since May. 

“Some improvement in supply during prior months helped nudge up sales in September,” Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist, said in a press statement. “Housing demand remains strong as buyers likely want to secure a home before mortgage rates increase even further next year.”

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9:51 a.m. ET: WeWork opens at $11.28 per share after hitting public markets via SPAC merger 

Co-working company WeWork opened for trading at $11.28 per share after making its public debut via a merger with the special-purpose acquisition company BowX Acquisition Corp. The combined company is now trading under the ticker “WE” on the New York Stock Exchange. The SPAC had closed Wednesday at $10.38 per share. 

The listing comes after a series of stumbles for WeWork, which resulting in the ousting of its co-founder Adam Neumann after a failed attempt to go public via a traditional initial public offering in 2019. The SPAC merger gives the company a valuation of about $9 billion, versus an as much as $47 billion valuation after a an investment by SoftBank in the private markets. 

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9:32 a.m. ET: Stocks open slightly lower 

Here’s where markets were trading just after the opening: 

  • S&P 500 (^GSPC): -3.92 (-0.09{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 4,532.27

  • Dow (^DJI): -42.63 (-0.12{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 35,566.71

  • Nasdaq (^IXIC): -6.73 (-0.04{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 15,114.95

  • Crude (CL=F): -$0.45 (-0.54{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $82.97 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): -$1.90 (-0.11{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $1,783.00 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): +2.1 bps to yield 1.656{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}

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8:33 a.m. ET: New weekly jobless claims set fresh pandemic-era low, dropping to 290,000

Initial unemployment claims improved to their lowest level since March 2020 last week, as the number of firings and other voluntary separations slowed amid widespread labor shortages. 

Weekly unemployment claims totaled 290,000 during the week ended Oct. 16, the Labor Department’s data showed on Thursday. The prior week’s jobless claims were upwardly revised slightly to 296,000 from the 293,000 previously reported.

Continuing jobless claims for the week ended Oct. 9 also came in at their lowest level since March of last year. These unexpectedly broke below 2.5 million for the first time since the start of the pandemic, totaling 2.481 million.

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7:25 a.m. ET Thursday: Stock futures give back some gains after Dow’s record-setting session 

Here’s where markets were trading Thursday morning: 

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): -12 points (-0.27{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 4,516.00

  • Dow futures (YM=F): -104 points (-0.29{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 35,373.00

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): -34.25 points (-0.22{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 15,343.25

  • Crude (CL=F): -$0.65 (-0.78{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $82.77 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): -$3.40 (-0.19{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $1,781.50 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): +2.6 bps to yield 1.661{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}

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6:05 p.m. ET Wednesday: Stock futures edge lower

Here’s where markets were trading Wednesday evening: 

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): -2.25 points (-0.05{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 4,525.75

  • Dow futures (YM=F): -30 points (-0.08{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 35,447.00

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): -18 points (-0.12{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 15,359.5

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 30: Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on September 30, 2021 in New York City. In afternoon trading the Dow was down over 250 points as investors continue to worry about inflation, wages and supply chain issues. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 30: Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on September 30, 2021 in New York City. In afternoon trading the Dow was down over 250 points as investors continue to worry about inflation, wages and supply chain issues. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

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Emily McCormick is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter