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US stocks fall following ECB rates decision

THURSDAY – U.S. stocks traded lower Thursday as investors digested the European Central Bank’s latest monetary policy decision and remarks made by its president, Mario Draghi.

The Dow Jones industrial average traded about 60 points lower, with Apple contributing the most losses.

The ECB kept interest rates unchanged and did not announce an extension of its quantitative easing program. Draghi said in a news conference the central bank did not discuss an extension of said program, but added the program will run until the end of next March or beyond, if necessary.

U.S. stock futures traded mostly flat after the ECB announced its decision, before holding lower.

Investors have been closely eyeing each data set, looking for clues about whether the Fed will raise interest rates in September. Market expectations for a rate hike in September were 18 percent, according to the CME Group’s FedWatch tool.

Coming Up:

Thursday

3:00 p.m. Consumer credit

Friday

7:45 a.m. Boston Fed President Eric Rosengren
10:00 a.m. Wholesale

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Wall Street To Open Slightly Higher

TUESDAY – U.S. stock index futures pointed to a slightly higher open on Tuesday, as investors remained watchful over the recovery in U.S. crude, ahead of important economic data.

For the U.S.’ first trading day of the week after Labor Day, oil is expected to keep investors abuzz after leading oil producers Russia and Saudi Arabia agreed on Monday to cooperate on stabilizing the energy market.

On the data front, the final Markit services PMI is due out at 9.45 a.m. ET, followed by the ISM non-manufacturing data, set to come out at 10 a.m. ET.

The data will be of key importance for the U.S., as investors look for indications as to how well the U.S. economy is performing. The data come just days after a disappointing jobs figure for the U.S. In August, nonfarm payrolls increased by 151,000, below what Wall Street economists were expecting of 180,000.

When it comes to earnings, Marvell Technology posted quarterly results before the bell Tuesday. Dave & Buster’s Entertainment and Casey’s General Stores are also expected to release their latest earnings.

European stocks traded slightly higher, while Asia-Pacific indexes finished mixed to higher overnight.

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Stocks slightly higher; materials lead

THURSDAY – U.S. equities traded slightly higher Thursday, a day ahead of a key speech from Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen, and following the release of solid economic data.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose just 10 points, with Home Depot contributing the most losses. The S&P 500 rose about 0.15 percent, with materials leading. Investors also kept an eye on health care a day after posting its worst day since June 24.

The sector fell Wednesday after presidential candidate Hillary Clinton tweeted about Mylan’s price increases of the allergy drug EpiPen.

The three major indexes have held in a tight range recently amid low trading volume and a lack of volatility. On Wednesday, the S&P recorded its 33rd straight session without a 1 percent move on a closing basis.

Coming Up:

Thursday

Earnings: Autodesk, GameStop, Pure Storage, Splunk
1 p.m. $28 billion 7-year note auction

Friday

Earnings: Big Lots
Fed Chair Janet Yellen speaks at Jackson Hole, Wyoming
8:30 a.m. Real GDP Q2 (second); international trade
9:45 a.m. Services PMI
10 a.m. Consumer sentiment

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Stocks trade flat despite a sharp fall in oil prices

MONDAY – U.S. stocks tried for gains on Monday as investors digested falling oil prices, low trading volume and looked ahead to a key speech from the top Federal Reserve official.

Stocks posted new record highs last week, despite the S&P notching its 30th straight session without a 1 percent move on a closing basis, its longest streak since 2014.

Fed Chair Janet Yellen is scheduled to deliver a speech Friday on the U.S. economy and monetary policy at the Economic Policy Symposium at Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Yellen’s remarks will be delivered following hawkish rhetoric from Fed Vice Chairman Stanley Fischer and New York Fed President William Dudley.

There are no major economic data reports due Monday, but the second read on second-quarter GDP is scheduled for release Friday.

Coming Up:

Tuesday

10 a.m. New home sales
1 p.m. $26 billion 2-year note auction

Wednesday

9 a.m. FHFA home prices
9:45 a.m. Manufacturing PMI
10 a.m. Existing home sales
1 p.m. $34 billion 5-year note auction

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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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All major indexes lower; oil falls after inventory data

THURSDAY – U.S. stocks traded narrowly mixed Thursday as investors eyed oil prices ahead of the highly anticipated jobs report due Friday.

The Dow Jones industrial average gave up opening gains to trade a touch lower, with Chevron, Exxon Mobil and Travelers having the greatest negative impact. The S&P 500 turned negative, attempting to hold the psychologically key 2,100 level. Utilities and telecoms led decliners, while energy also gave up earlier gains.

U.S. crude oil futures erased gains to trade more than 3 percent lower just below $46 a barrel after the EIA said weekly crude inventories declined 2.2 million barrels, far less than the 6.7 million barrel drawdown the American Petroleum Institute reported late Wednesday. A reversal in oil prices higher helped stocks close higher on Wednesday.

European markets bounced back Thursday, with the pan European Stoxx 600 Index trading more than 1 percent higher, helped by gains in banking stocks.

On the earnings front, PepsiCo reported better-than-expected earnings. Barracuda Networks and Helen of Troy are among companies set to report after the bell.

Coming Up:

Friday

8:30 a.m. Employment report
3 p.m. Consumer credit

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Dow Falls 100 Points

U.S. stocks opened lower Tuesday as the yen and euro strengthened against the dollar. Weaker-than-expected Chinese manufacturing data also weighed slightly.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell more than 100 points soon after the open, with Goldman Sachs contributing the most to declines.

Among the few advancers were Pfizer and Apple, which attempted to break its first eight-day losing streak since 1998.

The euro traded near highs not seen since last August, while the yen was around its strongest against the dollar since October 2014. The dollar index hovered near 15-month lows after falling half a percent Monday for its sixth-straight day of decline.

Coming Up:

Tuesday

Earnings: Avis Budget, CBS, Illumina, Mylan Labs, Western Union, Etsy, Glu Mobile, Live Nation Entertainment, Match Group, Newfield Exploration, Noodles & Co., Papa John’s, Potbelly, Zillow

Vehicle sales
10:30 a.m. Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester
7 p.m. Atlanta Fed President Dennis Lockhart

Wednesday

Earnings: AB InBev, Priceline, Royal Dutch Shell, Siemens, Time Warner, Humana, IntercontinentalExchange, Zoetis, Cedar Fair, Kate Spade, Shopify, Shutterstock, Virtu Financial, Wix.com, 21st Century Fox, MetLife, Allstate, Fitbit, Kraft Heinz, Murphy Oil, Tesla Motors, Transocean, Whole Foods, Eldorado Gold, GoDaddy, Weight Watchers, Yamana Gold, Zynga

7 a.m.: Mortgage applications
8:15 a.m. ADP employment
8:30 a.m. International trade; productivity and costs
9:45 a.m. Services PMI
10 a.m. ISM nonmanufacturing; factory orders
10:30 a.m.: Oil inventories
6:30 p.m. Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari

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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 Higher; S&P 500 Positive For 2016

U.S. stocks opened higher Friday, extending a recent rally as oil prices rose and the dollar weakened following the Federal Reserve’s more accommodative policy decision earlier in the week.

The S&P 500 traded in positive territory for 2016 with financials leading nearly all sectors higher.

U.S. crude oil futures for April delivery extended recent gains to briefly top $41 a barrel in morning trade ET.

Options expiration on Friday will likely contribute to volatility.

The U.S. dollar index recovered slightly from a recent decline to trade mildly higher, but is still off more than 1 percent for the week so far. The euro was just below $1.13 and the yen at 111.53 yen against the greenback.

Friday:
Quadruple Witching
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
St. Louis Fed President James Bullard

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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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