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- Stock Market Today: Futures trade marginally higher ahead of US data
Stock Market Today: Futures trade marginally higher ahead of US data
- US stock index futures trade marginally higher following Monday's choppy action.
- January Durable Goods Orders data will be featured in the US economic docket.
- Stock markets could react to US PCE inflation figures later in the week.
S&P 500 futures rise 0.10%, Dow Jones futures are unchanged, and Nasdaq futures gain 0.19% ahead of the opening bell on Tuesday.
S&P 500 (SPX), Dow Jones (DJIA), and Nasdaq (IXIC) indexes closed on Monday with a 0.38% loss, a 0.16% drop, and a 0.13% fall, respectively.
What to know before stock market opens
The Energy Sector rose 0.32% on Monday as the best-performing major S&P sector for the day. On the other hand, the Utilities Sector fell 2.1%.
Palo Alto Networks Inc. (PANW) and Domino’s Pizza Inc. (DPZ) shares were the top S&P 500 gainers on Monday, rising 7.33% and 5.84%, respectively. Insulet Corp. (PODD) lost nearly 8.4% on the day as the biggest decline, closely followed by Alphabet Class C and Class A shares, shedding 4.5% and 4.4% apiece.
Reviewing Monday’s action in global equity markets, “as we started a new week equities struggled to maintain their spectacular recent momentum, with the S&P 500 -0.38% lower on Monday,” said Jim Reid, global head of economics and thematic research at Deutsche Bank, and continued:
“The NASDAQ declined a marginal -0.13%, while the Magnificent 7 were down -0.39%, dragged lower by a -4.44% decline for Alphabet amid concerns over recent missteps with its AI model. Small-cap stocks were the strongest performers, with the Russell 2000 up +0.61%. Over in Europe the picture was more negative though, with the STOXX 600 down -0.37% as it fell back from its all-time high on Friday. Even so, it wasn’t all bad news there, as the DAX (+0.02%) eked out a new record, and Euro HY spreads reaching their tightest level in over two years.”
Nasdaq FAQs
What is the Nasdaq?
The Nasdaq is a stock exchange based in the US that started out life as an electronic stock quotation machine. At first, the Nasdaq only provided quotations for over-the-counter (OTC) stocks but later it became an exchange too. By 1991, the Nasdaq had grown to account for 46% of the entire US securities’ market. In 1998, it became the first stock exchange in the US to provide online trading. The Nasdaq also produces several indices, the most comprehensive of which is the Nasdaq Composite representing all 2,500-plus stocks on the Nasdaq, and the Nasdaq 100.
What is the Nasdaq 100?
The Nasdaq 100 is a large-cap index made up of 100 non-financial companies from the Nasdaq stock exchange. Although it only includes a fraction of the thousands of stocks in the Nasdaq, it accounts for over 90% of the movement. The influence of each company on the index is market-cap weighted. The Nasdaq 100 includes companies with a significant focus on technology although it also encompasses companies from other industries and from outside the US. The average annual return of the Nasdaq 100 has been 17.23% since 1986.
How can I trade the Nasdaq 100?
There are a number of ways to trade the Nasdaq 100. Most retail brokers and spread betting platforms offer bets using Contracts for Difference (CFD). For longer-term investors, Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) trade like shares that mimic the movement of the index without the investor needing to buy all 100 constituent companies. An example ETF is the Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ). Nasdaq 100 futures contracts allow traders to speculate on the future direction of the index. Options provide the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell the Nasdaq 100 at a specific price (strike price) in the future.
What Factors Drive the Nasdaq 100
Many different factors drive the Nasdaq 100 but mainly it is the aggregate performance of the component companies revealed in their quarterly and annual company earnings reports. US and global macroeconomic data also contributes as it impacts on investor sentiment, which if positive drives gains. The level of interest rates, set by the Federal Reserve (Fed), also influences the Nasdaq 100 as it affects the cost of credit, on which many corporations are heavily reliant. As such the level of inflation can be a major driver too as well as other metrics which impact on the decisions of the Fed.
Stock markets await US data
The US Census Bureau will release Durable Goods Orders data for January ahead of the opening bell on Tuesday. Markets expect Durable Goods Orders to decline 4.5% after staying unchanged in December. Durable Goods Orders ex Transportation is forecast to rise 0.2%.
The US Bureau of Economic Analysis will announce the second estimate of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth for the fourth quarter on Wednesday. Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index, the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) preferred gauge of inflation, figures will be scrutinized by market participants on Thursday.
New York Fed President John Williams said on Friday that he expects the US central bank to start lowering the policy rate in the second half of the year. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, markets are nearly fully pricing in a no change in the Fed policy rate in March and see an 85% probability of another pause in May.
Republic Services Inc. (RSG), Agilent Technologies Inc. (A), Extra Space Storage Inc. (EXR) and Coupang Inc. (CPNG) will release quarterly earnings after the closing bell on Tuesday.
Fed FAQs
What does the Federal Reserve do, how does it impact the US Dollar?
Monetary policy in the US is shaped by the Federal Reserve (Fed). The Fed has two mandates: to achieve price stability and foster full employment. Its primary tool to achieve these goals is by adjusting interest rates.
When prices are rising too quickly and inflation is above the Fed’s 2% target, it raises interest rates, increasing borrowing costs throughout the economy. This results in a stronger US Dollar (USD) as it makes the US a more attractive place for international investors to park their money.
When inflation falls below 2% or the Unemployment Rate is too high, the Fed may lower interest rates to encourage borrowing, which weighs on the Greenback.
How often does the Fed hold monetary policy meetings?
The Federal Reserve (Fed) holds eight policy meetings a year, where the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) assesses economic conditions and makes monetary policy decisions.
The FOMC is attended by twelve Fed officials – the seven members of the Board of Governors, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and four of the remaining eleven regional Reserve Bank presidents, who serve one-year terms on a rotating basis.
What is Quantitative Easing (QE) and how does it impact USD?
In extreme situations, the Federal Reserve may resort to a policy named Quantitative Easing (QE). QE is the process by which the Fed substantially increases the flow of credit in a stuck financial system.
It is a non-standard policy measure used during crises or when inflation is extremely low. It was the Fed’s weapon of choice during the Great Financial Crisis in 2008. It involves the Fed printing more Dollars and using them to buy high grade bonds from financial institutions. QE usually weakens the US Dollar.
What is Quantitative Tightening (QT) and how does it impact the US Dollar?
Quantitative tightening (QT) is the reverse process of QE, whereby the Federal Reserve stops buying bonds from financial institutions and does not reinvest the principal from the bonds it holds maturing, to purchase new bonds. It is usually positive for the value of the US Dollar.
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