Tag Archives: stock market

Stocks Slide, But On Track For Positive Week

FRIDAY – Stocks traded lower on Friday amid weak overseas data, but remained on track to post solid weekly gains after the release of better-than-expected earnings.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average traded 97 points lower, or 0.4%. The S&P 500 pulled back 0.3% while the Nasdaq Composite declined by 0.5%.

More than 70 S&P 500 companies have reported calendar third-quarter earnings this week. Of those companies, 81% have posted better-than-expected results, FactSet data shows.

Weak data from China weighed down the market on Friday.

Still, concerns over the state of the global economy lingered. Overnight, China posted its weakest growth in nearly three decades, as the U.S.-China trade war hit demand at home and abroad. The world’s second-largest economy grew 6% in the third quarter, less than expected, and its weakest pace of expansion in over 27 years.

Sentiment around U.S.-China trade talks improved slightly this week, however. Larry Kudlow, director of the National Economic Council, told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Thursday there is “a lot of momentum” to get a deal done.

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Japan, South Korea, China Markets Higher As U.S. Markets Closed For Good Friday

FRIDAY – Markets in Japan, South Korea and China traded higher on Friday while other Asia Pacific markets, including Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore and Indonesia, were closed for a public holiday.

The Nikkei 225 in Japan rose 0.5% to 22,200.56 as a number of tech stocks posted gains, with Nintendo shares jumping 14.12%.

On Thursday, Chinese tech giant Tencent won an important approval to start selling the Nintendo Switch game console in China, one of the largest video games market in the world, Reuters reported. The Switch was first released in 2017. U.S.-listed Nintendo ADRs rose more than 12% in the previous session.

In the currency market, the dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of its peer, traded at 97.363, climbing from levels near 96.900 earlier in the week. The Japanese yen traded at 111.90 to the dollar, weakening from levels near 111.20 in the previous week.

Oil prices ticked up overnight following declines in crude exports from Saudi Arabia. Global benchmark Brent rose about 35 cents to $ 71.97 a barrel while U.S. crude was up 24 cents to $64.

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Stocks turn lower, heads for 4-day slide after ECB cuts growth forecast

THURSDAY – Stocks fell on Thursday after the European Central Bank slashed its economic growth forecast for 2019 and announced a new round of stimulus to help banks in the region, stoking worries over the global economy.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average traded 246 points lower as shares of 3M and United Technologies lagged. The S&P 500 fell 0.7 percent, led by declines in the industrials and materials sectors. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.8 percent. The indexes were headed for their fourth consecutive loss.

Both the Nasdaq and S&P 500 also broke below their 200-day moving averages, levels that are closely watched by traders.

ECB President Mario Draghi said the central bank cut its growth estimate to 1.1 percent, down from a 1.7 percent expansion forecast released in December.

Thursday’s moves come after the major indexes posted their third straight day of losses, with investors eager to know details from trade negotiations between the U.S. and China.

Stocks are still up sharply for the year despite Thursday’s losses. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq have both risen more than 10 percent while the Dow is up more than 9 percent.

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Stock Market Higher on Positive Banking Earnings

U.S. equities rose on Friday as investors parsed through quarterly results from several big banks and economic data.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose more than 150 points before holding about 110 points higher, with Goldman Sachs contributing the most gains. The S&P 500 rose approximately 0.4 percent, with information technology and financials leading advancers.

The Nasdaq composite gained 0.4 percent.

JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and Citigroup all posted better-than-expected quarterly results, beating estimates on both the top and bottom lines.

In economic news, U.S. retail sales rose 0.6 percent in September, matching expectations. Meanwhile, the Labor Department said its producer price index for final demand increased 0.3 percent after being unchanged in August.

Other data released Friday included business inventories, which rose 0.2 percent in August. Meanwhile, October consumer sentiment came in at 87.9, well below an estimate of 92, as concerns over the U.S. presidential election weighed.

Investors have been heavily scrutinizing U.S. economic data recently, trying to gauge the likelihood that the Federal Reserve raises interest rates later this year. According to the CME Group’s FedWatch tool, market expectations for a December rate hike are more than 60 percent.

The dollar rose 0.43 percent against a basket of currencies, with the euro near $1.099 and the yen around 104.18.

In oil markets, U.S. crude traded about 1 percent lower at $49.96 per barrel.

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Stocks close mostly lower

U.S. equities closed mostly lower on Friday as investors digested disappointing economic data, following a record-setting day on Thursday.

Retail sales for July came in unchanged, with economists expecting a 0.4 percent increase. Meanwhile, the July reading of the producer price index showed a decline of 0.4 percent, as economists forecast a 0.1 percent gain.

The weak retail sales data were released a day after strong earnings from retail giants Macy’s and Kohl’s pointed to further strength for the overall U.S. consumer.

Excluding Thursday, U.S. stocks have traded in a very narrow range this week, with volatility hovering around multi-year lows. The CBOE Volatility index (VIX), widely considered the best gauge of fear in the market, traded about 1.4 percent lower, near 11.5. In afternoon trade Friday, Schwab’s Frederick said there were four calls on on the Vix for every put in the options market, which indicates investors think the index “can’t go much lower.”

Earlier on Friday, the S&P and the Nasdaq briefly traded in positive territory.

TheDow Jones industrial averagefell 37.05 points, or 0.2 percent, to close at 18,576.47, with DuPont leading decliners and ExxonMobil the top advancer.

TheS&P 500 closed 1.74 points lower, or 0.08 percent, at 2,184.05, with materials leading seven sectors lower and energy the biggest riser.

TheNasdaq rose 4.5 points, or 0.09 percent, to end at 5,232.89.

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Market-Makers Signals: Reading the signals they send each other to move a stock.

Many traders believe that market makers will “signal” moves in advance buy using small amounts of buys or sells as “signals”. The “signals” are from one market maker to another to communicate their intentions.

Having worked on trading floors with market makers, we can attest that this does happen. Here are the signs…

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Stocks Start Lower Monday

U.S. stocks traded in a range Monday, after five straight weeks of gains, as investors eyed oil and housing data in the holiday-shortened week.

The major averages tried to reclaim opening losses to hold mostly higher, with telecommunications leading S&P 500 advancers and Boeing the top contributor to gains in the Dow Jones industrial average.

Citigroup traded more than 1 percent higher. KBW said in a Sunday note the firm “could be one of the only U.S. (global systematically important banks) that could successfully split up,” a move that “should unlock meaningful shareholder value—50+% returns versus the current market capitalization.”

The Nasdaq composite outperformed in morning trade, as Apple gained more than half a percent and the iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (IBB) rose 1.5 percent.

U.S. crude oil futures for April delivery attempted to hold higher above $39.50 a barrel. After the settle, the contract rolls to May, which was above $41 in morning trade.

Today’s Data:

Monday

12:40 p.m.: Atlanta Fed President Dennis Lockhart speaks on the economic outlook and monetary policy.

8:30 p.m.: St. Louis Fed President James Bullard speaks on economic inequality

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Stocks Try For Gains As Energy Rises

U.S. stocks traded in a narrow range Thursday as the Federal Reserve’s Wednesday announcement remained in focus amid several data releases.

The Dow Jones industrial average tried for slight gains in morning trade, with Exxon Mobil and Boeing among the top contributors to gains.

Energy led S&P 500 advancers.

Coming Up:

Thursday

Earnings: Adobe Systems
10 a.m.: JOLTS
10 a.m.: Leading indicators
10:30 a.m.: Natural gas inventories
4:30 p.m.: Fed balance sheet/Money supply

Friday

Quadruple Witching
Earnings: Tiffany
9 a.m.: New York Fed President William Dudley speaks
10 a.m.: Consumer sentiment
10 a.m.: Atlanta Fed business inflation expectations
11 a.m.: Boston Fed President Eric Rosengren speaks
1 p.m.: Oil rig count
1:30 p.m.: St. Louis Fed President James Bullard

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Nasdaq briefly positive; Street awaits Fed

WEDNESDAY – U.S. stocks traded in narrow range Wednesday after morning data and ahead of the scheduled afternoon conclusion of the Fed meeting.

Treasury yields climbed, with the 2-year topping 1 percent for its highest since Jan. 8, after inflation and housing data.

Stocks opened lower and held mostly in the red in morning trade. The Nasdaq composite briefly attempted gains.

The FOMC is due to conclude its two-day meeting on Wednesday with the 2 p.m. ET release of its statement and economic projections. Those include the highly scrutinized “dot plot,” which shows the targets for appropriate federal funds rates by FOMC participants. Fed Chair Janet Yellen is also scheduled to give a news conference at 2:30 p.m.

Oil traded higher, with WTI above $37 a barrel following news producers will meet next month in Qatar to discuss a proposal to freeze output.

Coming Up:

Wednesday

Earnings: FedEx, Ctrip.com Intl., Guess, Herman Miller, Jabil Circuit
10:30 a.m.: Oil inventories
1 p.m.: European Central Bank President Mario Draghi gives welcoming remarks at ECB Contemporary Art From Poland Exhibition
2 p.m.: FOMC meeting announcement
2:30 p.m.: Fed Chair Janet Yellen press conference

Thursday

Bank of England monetary policy announcement and minutes
Earnings: Tencent, Michaels Cos., Intl. Game Technology, Lands’ End, Adobe Systems
8:30 a.m.: Jobless claims
8:30 a.m.: Philly Fed business outlook survey
8:30 a.m.: Current account
10 a.m.: JOLTS
10 a.m.: Leading indicators
10:30 a.m.: Natural gas inventories
4:30 p.m.: Fed balance sheet/Money supply

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In 2012, Many Felt the Market Was Rigged

Stock market specialists

In 2012, investors’ long-harbored suspicion that the stock market was a rigged game became something of a majority opinion.

In 2012, investors’ long-harbored suspicion that the stock market was a rigged game became something of a majority opinion.

This year, exasperation over the predominantly electronic mechanics of trading stocks, in which hyper-fast computer algorithms maneuver against one another for fractions of pennies collected over microseconds, boiled over. The level of disgust has gotten broad enough, in fact, that authorities might be prepared to rethink some of the basic rules and processes driving the system.

The opaque and complex structure for trading stocks electronically across dozens of exchanges and alternative networks has long been justified by industry leaders and regulators as the messy but logical result of investor-friendly reforms. Technology has enabled mind-melting speed, unfathomable communications capacity and brutal competition for order flow – all of which have made trading cheaper and faster than ever.

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