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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}

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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. 

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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.

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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”

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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.

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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

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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}

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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

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

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Stocks trade choppily after S&P 500 and Nasdaq set record intraday highs

Stocks trade choppily after S&P 500 and Nasdaq set record intraday highs

Stocks ended at records on Friday as investors digested disappointing earnings results from Apple (AAPL) and Amazon (AMZN) that came during an otherwise solid quarterly reporting season from many major companies. 

The S&P 500 set record intraday and closing highs. The index posted monthly gain of more than 6.5{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} in October, or its best single-month advance since November 2020. The consumer discretionary, energy and information technology sectors outperformed during the month. 

The Nasdaq also eked out a fresh record level, even as a couple of heavily weighted technology giants saw shares dip. 

Amazon shares dropped after the e-commerce juggernaut missed third-quarter expectations and forecasted a jump in expenses in the fourth quarter due to supply chain disruptions and rising costs for labor, materials and freight. These factors are expected to generate “several billion dollars of additional costs” to Amazon in the current quarter, the company said in its earnings statement. 

Peer tech giant Apple also disappointed Wall Street in its fiscal first-quarter results, with key iPhone sales missing expectations even following the launch of its latest iPhone 13 handset series. Shares of Apple’s suppliers including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSM), Qualcomm (QCOM) and Broadcom (AVGO) also fell immediately following the results. 

For Wall Street, the results appeared to vindicate concerns that mounting supply chain disruptions, labor costs and materials shortages were impacting companies of all sizes heading into the holiday season, and were creating challenges for corporations to keep pace with rising demand. 

And for Apple, Amazon and some other technology companies, investors have been additionally fearful that these key members of last year’s lucrative “stay-at-home” trade would be unable to maintain lofty growth rates following a pandemic-induced surge in their businesses. Amazon’s sales grew 15{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} in the third quarter, slowing down markedly from 27{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} rate in the second quarter. 

“I will agree, they are overvalued,” Rebecca Felton, Riverfront Investment Group senior market strategist, told Yahoo Finance Live about technology companies on Thursday. “But remember valuation is a condition, not a catalyst. And the catalyst I think for technology is going to be the consistency both on the top and bottom line.”

Meanwhile, investors continued to digest a mixed batch of economic data results, which included a weaker-than-expected print on third-quarter gross domestic product. The report, while comprehensive in scope, still offered an only backwards-looking view of state of the economy. Some pundits suggested economic activity had already begun to pick up, helping to underpin companies’ performance into the final months of the year and equity prices.

“I still think the best is yet to come,” Heritage Capital President Paul Schatz told Yahoo Finance on Thursday. “GDP for Q3 is going to be a trough. We’re going to have much stronger growth in Q4 and Q1 of next year, inflation is going to peak in the next six months, supply chain issues strongly moderate by early Q2 of next year. And this rising tide is going to lift most ships.”

“The economically sensitive trade, whatever you want to call it — reopening, reflation, inflation — that trade is very alive, very well and it’s not over,” he added.

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4:03 p.m. ET: Stocks end at records, S&P 500 posts best monthly advance since Nov. 2020

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

  • S&P 500 (^GSPC): +8.96 (+0.19{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 4,605.38

  • Dow (^DJI): +89.01 (+0.25{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 35,819.49

  • Nasdaq (^IXIC): +50.27 (+0.33{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 15,498.39

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2:39 p.m. ET: Microsoft overtakes Apple as most highly valued stock in the U.S. by market cap 

Microsoft (MSFT) shares jumped on Friday, sending the stock’s market capitalization above that of Apple and making it the most valuable stock in the U.S. 

The Redmond, Washington-based company was the best performer in the Dow on Friday, extending gains after reporting better-than-expected quarterly results earlier this week as its Microsoft Azure cloud unit surged in growth yet again. As of Friday afternoon, Microsoft’s market capitalization was hovering at $2.478 trillion, versus Apple’s $2.466 trillion, based on Yahoo Finance data.

—

12:30 p.m. ET: S&P 500, Nasdaq turn higher to jump to record intraday highs

Stocks reversed course to push into positive territory in afternoon trading, led by gains in the communication services and health-care sectors in the S&P 500. The Dow reversed earlier losses of as many as 97 points to rise by more than 110 points, or 0.3{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}.

The Nasdaq Composite and Nasdaq 100 also each eked out intraday records despite drops in heavily weighted technology stocks Amazon and Apple. 

—

9:31 a.m. ET: Stocks drop as tech shares lag 

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

  • S&P 500 (^GSPC): -23.57 (-0.51{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 4,572.85

  • Dow (^DJI): -15.81 (-0.04{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 35,714.67

  • Nasdaq (^IXIC): -111.67 (-0.72{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 15,339.63

  • Crude (CL=F): -$0.72 (-0.87{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $82.09 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): -$21.60 (-1.2{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $1,781.00 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): +2.9 bps to yield 1.598{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}

—

8:41 a.m. ET: Core PCE inflation rose 3.6{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} in September over last year, matching August’s rate

The Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation rose at the expected annual rate in September, holding at an elevated level on a historical basis but averting an expected acceleration. 

Core personal consumption expenditures, which capture underlying price changes and exclude volatile food and energy prices, rose 3.6{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} in September over last year, the Bureau of Economic Analysis said Friday. This was in-line with the expected rate of change, according to Bloomberg data, and matched the prior month’s gain. 

On a month-over-month basis, the core PCE rose 0.2{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}, slowing slightly from August’s 0.3{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} rise. 

The broadest measure of personal consumption expenditures rose 0.3{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} in September compared to August and 4.4{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} in September over last year. Both of these metrics matched expectations. 

—

8:33 a.m. ET: Personal income drops more than expected in September while spending meets estimates

Personal income posted a larger than expected monthly decline in September as stimulus from more government crisis-relief programs waned. Spending, however, rose in-line with estimates.

U.S. consumer income fell 1.0{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} in September compared to August, the Bureau of Economic Analysis said on Friday. This was bigger than the 0.3{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} decline expected, according to Bloomberg consensus data. The Bureau of Economic Analysis noted that the end of enhanced federal unemployment benefits in early September was one major factor contributing to the drop.

Spending, meanwhile, rose at a 0.6{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} clip, matching expectations. This followed a 0.8{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} monthly rise in consumer spending in August.

—

7:22 a.m. ET Friday: Stock futures fall, with Apple, Amazon weighing on Nasdaq 

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

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): -22.25 points (-0.49{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 4,565.25

  • Dow futures (YM=F): -42 points (-0.12{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 35,571.00

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): -137.00 points (-0.87{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 15,627.75

  • Crude (CL=F): +$0.20 (+0.24{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $83.01 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): -$5.80 (-0.32{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $1,796.80 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): +3.4 bps to yield 1.603{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}

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

Posted on

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

Posted on

Stocks mixed as volatile month rolls on; Nasdaq pares earlier losses

Stocks mixed as volatile month rolls on; Nasdaq pares earlier losses

Stocks turned positive Wednesday, with all three major stock indexes pushing higher during the afternoon session following a report that Congress might reach a short-term agreement to raise the government borrowing limit and prevent a default.

The Nasdaq pared earlier losses to trade in slightly positive territory Wednesday afternoon, with investors swooping in to buy a dip in tech and growth stocks. The index had been down by as much as 1.2{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} earlier in Wednesday’s trading day. Both the S&P 500 and Dow also gained, cutting losses after Bloomberg reported that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell was set to offer Democratic lawmakers a deal to temporarily raise the government debt ceiling through November. 

Earlier, the three major indexes had been lower as concerns over inflation and spiking energy and commodity prices outweighed optimism over the pace of the economic recovery.

So far in October, equities have see-sawed between steep gains and losses, with investors struggling to ascertain whether the economic and policy backdrop will be supportive enough for risk assets to prevent a repeat of September’s volatility. The CBOE Volatility Index, or VIX, has jumped to hold above 20, after spending much of the summer in the mid-teens. 

“It’s unclear what October holds. I have a big question market in my mind: Could it be the ugly sequel to September?” Kristina Hooper, Invesco U.S. chief global market strategist, told Yahoo Finance Live on Tuesday. 

“Certainly what we’ve seen thus far is that any time there is a selloff, investors are quick to move in and find opportunities,” she added. “I would assume that we’re likely to see more volatility going forward as we anticipate the Fed’s tapering announcement. And so that creates an announcement where investors can dollar-cost average on down days in areas where they would like to, and where they’re interested in adding exposure. This is probably not the only selloff we’ll see for October.”

One of the primary concerns for markets has been around inflation, with prices of goods and services rising for both businesses and end users as demand remains elevated and supply chain constraints continue to weigh. Traders have been waiting to see whether these persistent issues ultimately drag on economic activity and corporate profits, with details on the latter set to come into focus with the unofficial start of third-quarter earnings season next week with the big banks. 

At least for now, the latest batch of economic data has been largely upbeat on the state of the U.S. economy. Durable goods orders, retail sales and purchasing managers’ indices tracking activity across both the U.S. manufacturing and services sector have all recently topped expectations. However, this data has also brought copious signs of inflation: A subindex tracking prices paid by suppliers rose in the Institute for Supply Management’s latest services index, and personal consumption expenditures rose at the highest annual rate since 1991 based on government data released last week.

“It’s not a surprise that the world ‘stagflation’ is coming back into everybody’s vernacular. Energy prices are going up, these cargo ships are stacked up on both sides of the coast, shortages of everything … and those prices are going up. But the core news is good,” Simeon Hyman, ProShares Advisors head of investment strategy, told Yahoo Finance Live on Tuesday.

“Is there going to be a little bit of inflation? Probably. Are rates going to go up? Just with tapering, almost absolutely,” Hyman added. “But will there be a contraction of economic activity? Very unlikely — the economy is likely to remain pretty strong.” 

—

4:06 p.m. ET: Stocks swing into positive territory after debt ceiling extension reports; S&P 500 ends 0.4{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} higher

Here were the main moves in markets as of 4:06 p.m. ET:

  • S&P 500 (^GSPC): +17.83 (+0.41{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 4,363.55

  • Dow (^DJI): +102.32 (+0.30{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 34,416.99

  • Nasdaq (^IXIC): +68.08 (+0.47{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 14,501.91

  • Crude (CL=F): -$1.87 (-2.37{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $77.06 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): +$4.10 (+0.23{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $1,765.00 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): -0.5 bps to yield 1.5240{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}

–

2:00 p.m. ET: McConnell reportedly set to offer agreement to temporarily raise debt limit

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is reportedly poised to offer Democratic lawmakers a deal to temporarily raise the government debt ceiling through November, Bloomberg reported Wednesday afternoon, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter. 

The move would help avert a government default in the near-term, or an outcome policymakers including Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen have warned would be catastrophic to the U.S. economy. 

—

1:45 p.m. ET: Nasdaq turns slightly positive

The Nasdaq pared earlier losses to trade in positive territory Wednesday afternoon. The S&P 500 and Dow held lower but game off session lows.

The energy, materials and healthcare sectors lagged in the S&P 500, while consumer discretionary, utilities and consumer staples outperformed. The Dow dropped nearly 100 points, or 0.2{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}, led by a drop in materials company Dow Inc.  

—

10:39 a.m. ET: Bitcoin reaches highest level since May

Bitcoin prices (BTC) briefly touched their highest level in nearly five months during Wednesday’s session, with traders flocking to digital currencies despite the drawdown across other risk assets like stocks.

Prices for the largest cryptocurrency by market cap reached as much as $55,173 Wednesday morning in New York, based on Yahoo Finance data. This was the first time since May that the token crossed the $55,000 threshold, and represented a spike of more than 10{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}.

Other cryptocurrencies also traded broadly higher. Ethereum (ETH) gained more than 5{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} at session highs to top $3,600, while Litecoin (LTC) and XRP (XRP) also rose. 

—

9:30 a.m. ET: Stocks open sharply lower 

Here’s where markets were trading after the opening bell Wednesday morning: 

  • S&P 500 (^GSPC): -37.96 (-0.87{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 4,307.76

  • Dow (^DJI): -255.89 (-0.75{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 34,058.78

  • Nasdaq (^IXIC): -137.49 (-0.95{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 14,298.00

  • Crude (CL=F): -$0.69 (-0.87{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $78.24 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): -$3.90 (-0.22{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $1,757.00 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): -1.4 bps to yield 1.517{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}

—

8:50 a.m. ET Private payrolls rose more than expected in September as Delta variant constraints recede 

U.S. private employers added back more jobs than expected in September as COVID-19 cases moderated from a summer peak and alleviated some stress on the labor market.

Private payrolls grew by 568,000 last month, according to ADP’s closely watched monthly report on Wednesday. Economists were looking for private payrolls to grow by 430,000, according to Bloomberg consensus data. During the prior month, private-sector jobs had risen by 340,000. This figure was downwardly revised from the 374,000 previously reported for August.

ADP’s report comes, as usual, two days ahead of the “official” government jobs report from the Labor Department. Consensus economists are looking for non-farm payrolls to have risen by 488,000 in that report.

—

7:45 a.m. ET Wednesday: Stock futures reverse course, Nasdaq heads for a drop of 1.4{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} 

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

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): -49.85 points (-1.15{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 4,284.25

  • Dow futures (YM=F): -329.00 points (-0.96{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 34,854.00

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): -195.75 points (-1.34{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 14,459.50

  • Crude (CL=F): -$0.38 (-0.48{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $78.55 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): -$5.90 (-0.34{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $1,755.00 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): +1.4 bps to yield 1.545{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}

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6:10 p.m. ET Tuesday: Stock futures hold onto gains

Here’s where markets were trading Tuesday evening:

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): +3.75 points (+0.09{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 4,337.75

  • Dow futures (YM=F): +50 points (+0.15{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 34,233.00

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): +13.75 points (+0.09{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 14,669.00

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)

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

Posted on

Nasdaq Composite jumps 1.3{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} in best day since August as tech stocks recover losses

Nasdaq Composite jumps 1.3{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} in best day since August as tech stocks recover losses

Stocks advanced on Tuesday as technology stocks recouped some losses from Monday, when a rotation away from growth names picked up steam as concerns over inflation lingered. 

The Nasdaq Composite gained 1.3{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} in its best day since August, after the index dropped over 2{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} a day earlier. The S&P 500 and Dow also closed higher. 

Shares of technology heavyweight Facebook (FB) recovered and rose by 2.1{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} in its best day in five weeks. The stock had shed nearly 5{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} at the start of the week, as an hours-long platform outage added to a string of negative coverage raising further scrutiny of the social media giant. 

Equity markets have faced a slew of concerns about the economy and policy landscapes heading into the final quarter of the year. Wall Street’s anxiety over the debt-limit debates in Washington increased further, with Democratic and Republican lawmakers still struggling to reach an agreement to raise the federal government borrowing limit and avert what some policymakers have warned would be economy-wide disaster as soon as mid-month.

Investors are also awaiting signals from individual companies over how they have navigated supply chain challenges, rising labor costs and other pandemic-related pressures over the past several months, with third-quarter earnings season due to begin in earnest next week. 

“The growth scare probably happened, and we’ve seen a better alignment of expectations for higher inflation and lower growth. But where earnings come into play … is that we’re still going to have pockets of really high price pressure that are going to make business hard for select areas,” Francis Donald, Manulife Global chief economist, told Yahoo Finance.

“We need to be watching the earnings season not necessarily because of its broad impact – of course that matters to the market — but because we really need to be in a stock-picker’s market where those who really understand these companies are seeing who’s going to get whacked by the supply chain issues, and who’s going to benefit from the underlying fundamentals that are improving going into 2022,” she added.

Despite the plethora of headline risks to the market, a number of strategists have warned against becoming too pessimistic just yet.

“I don’t see this as the big one, the big pullback, where we’re going to go down 20{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} and get into bearish territory,” D.R. Barton, Jr., principal at Woodshaw Financial Group, told Yahoo Finance Live about Monday’s equity decline. “We’re still awash in so much money – that overcomes so much other bad news, and I think that’s the one umbrella that’s still going to keep this market propped up for a while.”

Others offered a similar take.

“We think most of the dips here are buyable. I concur with the idea that the legs that the bull case stands on, which are accommodative policy, fiscal and monetary, plus just really strong corporate operators and a really strong consumer, are enough to outweigh the headline risks of a debt ceiling standoff or policy machinations,” Ross Mayfield, Baird Investment strategy analyst, told Yahoo Finance Live.

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4:03 p.m. ET: Nasdaq Composite jumps 1.3{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} in best day since August as tech stocks recover losses

Here were the main moves in markets as of 4:03 p.m. ET:

  • S&P 500 (^GSPC): +45.27 (+1.05{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 4,345.73

  • Dow (^DJI): +311.75 (+0.92{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 34,314.67

  • Nasdaq (^IXIC): +178.35 (+1.25{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 14,433.83

  • Crude (CL=F): +$1.56 (+2.01{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $79.18 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): -$7.20 (-0.41{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $1,760.40 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): +4.8 bps to yield 1.5290{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}

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12:23 p.m. ET: Stocks extend gains, Dow adds 350+ points, or 1{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}

A rebound rally was under way Tuesday afternoon, with each of the three major stock indexes up more than 1{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} shortly after noon in New York. The Nasdaq gained 1.5{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}. 

The information technology and communication services sector outperformed in the S&P 500, marking a stark reversal from Monday’s session when these areas were the biggest laggards. Energy and real estate were the only sectors in negative territory during intraday trading. 

Goldman Sachs and Microsoft outperformed in the 30-stock Dow. Merck lagged to give back some gains after a four-session winning streak, which came on the heels of upbeat data from the drugmaker on its antiviral COVID-19 pill. 

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10:06 a.m. ET: U.S. service sector expands more than expected in September: ISM

Activity in the U.S. services sector expanded at a faster rate than expected in September, aided by a boost in new orders during the month and still-solid labor market conditions. 

The Institute for Supply Management’s September Services Index came in at 61.9, rising from 61.7 in August. This came in above consensus estimates for a reading of 59.9, according to Bloomberg consensus data. Readings above the neutral level of 50.0 indicate expansion in a sector.

One of the biggest contributors to the estimates-topping print in September came from new orders and order backlogs, which both accelerated during the month. Price paid by firms for materials and services also increased, tracking a rise in inflation seen across the economy over the past several months. And while an index tracking employment trends held in expansionary territory, it moderated slightly compared to August. 

“The slight uptick in the rate of expansion in the month of September continued the current period of strong growth for the services sector,” Anthony Nieves, chair of the institute for Supply Management Services Business Survey Committee, said in a statement. “However, ongoing challenges with labor resources, logistics, and materials are affecting the continuity of supply.”

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9:32 a.m. ET: Stocks open higher

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

  • S&P 500 (^GSPC): +19.51 points (+0.45{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 4,319.97

  • Dow (^DJI): +135.38 points (+0.4{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 34,138.30

  • Nasdaq (^IXIC): +81.11 points (+0.57{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 14,341.92

  • Crude (CL=F): +$1.05 (+1.35{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $78.67 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): -$14.70 (-0.83{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $1,752.90 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): +2 bps to yield 1.501{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}

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7:35 a.m. ET: PepsiCo posts 3Q results that top estimates, raises full-year sales forecast

PepsiCo (PEP) delivered third-quarter results that exceeded Wall Street’s estimates, boosted by a rebound in the company’s key North American beverage businesses. Shares rose more than 1{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} during the pre-market session. 

Net revenue grew 12{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} over last year to $20.2 billion, topping expectations for $19.4 billion, based on Bloomberg consensus data. PepsiCo’s Beverages North America business unit saw organic revenue, or sales excluding the impact of acquisitions and currency impacts, grow 7{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}, accelerating from the previous year’s 3{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} growth rate. 

“We are pleased with our results for the third quarter as we delivered very strong net revenue growth while carefully navigating a dynamic and volatile supply chain and cost environment,” PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta said in a press statement. “Given our year-to-date performance, we now expect our full-year organic revenue to increase approximately 8{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} and core constant currency earnings per share to increase at least 11{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}.” 

Previously, PepsiCo saw organic revenue growth of 6{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a} for the full year. 

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7:20 a.m. ET Tuesday: Stock futures hold onto overnight gains, tech stocks aim to recoup some losses

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

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): +14.75 points (+0.34{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 4,306.00

  • Dow futures (YM=F): +123 points (+0.36{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 33,993.00

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): +46.75 points (+0.32{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 14,509.00

  • Crude (CL=F): +$0.77 (+0.99{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $78.39 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): -$11.90 (-0.67{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to $1,755.70 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): +2 bps to yield 1.501{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}

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6:10 p.m. ET Monday: Stock futures steady after technology stock rout

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

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): +2.5 points (+0.06{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 4,293.75

  • Dow futures (YM=F): +10 points (+0.03{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}), to 33,880.00

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): +20.75 points (+0.14{1b90e59fe8a6c14b55fbbae1d9373c165823754d058ebf80beecafc6dee5063a}) to 14,483.00

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 04: Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on October 04, 2021 in New York City. In afternoon trading the Dow was down over 300 points as investors continue to worry about inflation, supply chain issues, and a political stalemate over the debt ceiling between Republicans and Democrats in Washington, DC. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 04: Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on October 04, 2021 in New York City. In afternoon trading the Dow was down over 300 points as investors continue to worry about inflation, supply chain issues, and a political stalemate over the debt ceiling between Republicans and Democrats in Washington, DC. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

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