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Wall Street Warning Signs: Dow Transportation Stocks, Treasuries Fall

The Dow Jones Transportation Average (.DJT) is down about 5% this year, in stark contrast to the S&P 500's (.SPX) 9% year-to-date gain and the Dow Jones Industrial Average's (.DJI) 1% gain, which topped 40,000 for the first time this month.

While major indexes like the S&P 500, Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC), and Dow have all hit new all-time highs this year, the Dow Transportation Average has yet to surpass its November 2021 record and is currently down about 12% from that level.

Some investors believe that the continued decline in the 20-component transportation index, which includes railroads, airlines, trucking companies and trucking firms, could signal weakness in the economy. It could also prevent further strong gains in the broader market if these companies fail to recover.

Other struggling sectors include small-cap stocks, which some analysts say are more sensitive to economic growth than larger companies. Also in trouble are real estate stocks and some large consumer companies such as Nike (NKE.N), McDonald's (MCD.N) and Starbucks (SBUX.O).

Data this week showed that the U.S. economy grew at an annualized rate of 1.3% in the first quarter, well below the 3.4% growth rate seen in the fourth quarter of 2023. A major test of the strength of the economy and markets will be the release of the monthly U.S. jobs report on June 7.

Among the Dow transportation companies, the biggest year-to-date losers have been car rental company Avis Budget (CAR.O), down 37%, trucking company J.B. Hunt Transport (JBHT.O), down 21%, and airline American Airlines (AAL.O), down 17%.

Package delivery giants UPS (UPS.N) and FedEx (FDX.N) also lost ground, falling 13% and 1%, respectively. Railroads Union Pacific (UNP.N) and Norfolk Southern (NSC.N) are down about 7%. Only four of the 20 transportation components have outperformed the S&P 500 this year.

Stock markets have also been lower this week, with the S&P 500 down more than 2% from its record high hit earlier in May. Rising bond yields have raised concerns about the future performance of stocks.

Not all investors agree that the transportation index accurately reflects the health of the broader economy. The index, like the Dow Industrials, is weighted by price rather than market value and includes just 20 stocks.

Meanwhile, another important group of companies that is also considered an economic indicator — semiconductor makers — are doing much better.

The Philadelphia SE Semiconductor Index (.SOX) is up 20% this year. Investors are pouring in Nvidia and other chip companies that could benefit from growing interest in the business opportunity of artificial intelligence.

The overall market trend remains bullish for Horizon's Carlson, who tracks both the transportation and Dow Industrials to gauge market trends according to "Dow Theory."

The MSCI Global Equity Index rose Friday afternoon as investors reassessed their month-end positions. Meanwhile, the dollar and Treasury yields fell as data showed a modest rise in U.S. inflation in April.

After trading heavily lower for much of the session, the MSCI All Country World Price Index (.MIWD00000PUS) turned positive ahead of the index rebalancing.

When trading ended on Wall Street, the global index was up 0.57% to 785.54 after earlier falling to 776.86.

Before the market opened on Friday, the Commerce Department announced that the personal consumption expenditure (PCE) price index, often seen as the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge, rose 0.3% last month. That was in line with expectations and an increase for March.

Meanwhile, the core PCE index increased 0.2%, compared with 0.3% in March.

The Chicago Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), which measures manufacturing in the Chicago region, fell to 35.4 from 37.9 in the previous month, well below economists' forecasts of 41.

The MSCI index posted its second straight weekly decline, but still ended the month up.

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) added 574.84 points, or 1.51%, to 38,686.32. The S&P 500 (.SPX) rose 42.03 points, or 0.80%, to 5,277.51, while the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) lost 2.06 points, or 0.01%, to 16,735.02.

Earlier, Europe's STOXX 600 (.STOXX) closed up 0.3%. The index is up 2.6% for the month but down 0.5% for the week, its second straight weekly decline.

Data showed eurozone inflation beat expectations in May, although analysts say it's unlikely to stop the European Central Bank from cutting rates next week. However, it could strengthen the case for a pause in July.

The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies including the yen and euro, was down 0.15% at 104.61, its first monthly decline in 2024 since the data was released.

The euro was up 0.16% at $1.0849, while the dollar was up 0.27% at 157.24 against the Japanese yen.

Treasury yields fell amid signs that inflation was stabilizing in April, suggesting a possible Fed rate cut later this year.

The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield was down 5.1 basis points to 4.503% from 4.554% late Thursday, while the 30-year yield was down 3.4 basis points to 4.6511% from 4.685%.

The yield on the two-year note, which typically reflects interest rate expectations, fell 5.2 basis points to 4.8768% from 4.929% late Thursday.

In the energy sector, oil prices fell as traders focused on the upcoming OPEC+ meeting on Sunday to decide on further output cuts.

U.S. crude fell 1.18% to $76.99 a barrel, while Brent crude fell 0.29% to $81.62 a barrel.

Gold also lost ground, falling 0.68% to $2,326.97 an ounce on the day. However, the precious metal still posted its fourth straight monthly gain.
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The main events by the morning: June 4

The Ministry of Finance in the Russian Federation intends to officially recognize mining. The agency advocates the definition of cryptocurrency mining as a type of economic activity, as well as the assignment of the code of the all-Russian classifier. The Ministry of Industry and Trade also considers it necessary to legislate the definition of mining, as well as the establishment of rules for the issuance of accounting and circulation of cryptocurrencies.

The Italian bank UniCredit has no plans to leave Russia. The group's chief executive officer stated that the probability of the bank's withdrawal from the Russian market in the current conditions is quite low. At the moment, there are certain difficulties with the sale of the business, including political ones. However, the bank continues to look for options.

In May alone, Trump raised $300 million in donations for his re-election campaign. Almost half of this amount was donated by 2 million ordinary Americans. Another $150 million was sent by companies and organizations supporting the ex-president. On the day after the guilty verdict against Trump, $53 million was raised.

The number of purchases by Russians on foreign marketplaces is decreasing. According to the forecast of Data Insight and GBS, the volume of direct online purchases by Russians will decrease by 9.6% in 2024. The number of orders, on the contrary, may grow by 4% after falling by 22% in 2023. Domestic marketplaces are becoming increasingly popular among Russians.

More than 50% of Russian companies have lost access to Microsoft cloud products. The wave of blackouts began on May 15-16 and continues to this day. This affected Visio Online, Project Online, Power BI and other products. Softline stated that more than 50% of businesses faced restrictions from Microsoft.

Gazprom has problems with China: the Power of Siberia-2 agreement has reached an impasse due to new demands from Beijing. China demands that Gazprom sell gas to the country at domestic prices. Moreover, China is ready to buy only a part of the planned annual capacity of the gas pipeline.
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GBP/USD: trading plan for the US session on June 5th (analysis of morning deals). Sellers managed to protect 1.2779, but what's next

In my morning forecast, I drew attention to the level of 1.2779 and planned to make market entry decisions based on it. Let's look at the 5-minute chart and see what happened. The rise and formation of a false breakout there led to a sell signal, but after moving down by 12 points, the pressure on the pound decreased. As long as trading remains below 1.2779, the signal can be expected to work, but everything will depend on US data. The technical picture for the second half of the day still needs to be revised.

To open long positions on GBP/USD:

Only very strong data on the increase in employment from ADP, exceeding economists' forecasts, and an increase in business activity in the US services sector from ISM will lead to a decline in the pound and a return to yesterday's low, which I plan to take advantage of. A decline and formation of a false breakout around the new support at 1.2746 will provide an entry point for long positions, anticipating a return and update of 1.2779, which could not be surpassed in the first half of the day. Only a breakout and a reverse top-down test of this range will provide a suitable entry point for buying the pound, leading to an update of the next resistance at 1.2810, the month's high. The furthest target will be the 1.2853 area, where I plan to take profit. In the scenario of GBP/USD declining and a lack of bullish activity around 1.2746 amid strong US statistics, all buyers' efforts from yesterday will be negated. This will also lead to a decline and an update of the next support at 1.2721, formed at the end of last week. Only a false breakout formation will be suitable for opening long positions. I plan to buy GBP/USD immediately on a rebound from the 1.2695 minimum with the goal of a 30-35 point correction within the day.

To open short positions on GBP/USD:

The advantage will stay with the sellers as long as trading remains below 1.2779. This will allow the morning sell signal to materialize, but as mentioned above, much depends on the US statistics. In case of weak data, the bears will have to prove their advantage again around 1.2779. A false breakout formation there, similar to what I discussed above, will confirm the presence of large sellers in the market and provide an entry point for short positions with the goal of further GBP/USD decline towards the support at 1.2746. A breakout and reverse bottom-up test of this range will give the bears an advantage and another entry point for a sale to update 1.2721, where I expect more active buyer presence. The furthest target will be the 1.2695 minimum, which will trap the pair in a wide sideways channel. There, I will take profit. With GBP/USD rising and no bears at 1.2779 in the second half of the day, buyers will regain the initiative, having the opportunity to update 1.2810. I will also sell there only on a false breakout. If there is no activity, I advise opening short positions on GBP/USD from 1.2853, anticipating a 30-35 point downward correction within the day.

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EUR/USD. June 6th. Traders calmly await ECB decisions

On Wednesday, the EUR/USD pair rebounded from the corrective level of 76.4%–1.0892, a slight decline, and today—a new return to this level and a new rebound. Trader activity yesterday was quite low, but it may sharply increase today. The decline in quotes may continue towards the Fibonacci level of 61.8%–1.0837. Consolidating the pair's rate below the ascending trend corridor may end the bulls' dominance.

The wave situation remains clear. The last completed upward wave did not break the peak of the previous wave, and the last downward wave broke the low from May 23, but only by a few pips. Thus, we got the first sign of a trend change from "bullish" to "bearish," but it soon became clear that we would not see or get any downward reversal. The next upward wave then broke the peaks of the previous two waves. Therefore, for a prolonged decline in the euro, we must now wait for a new sign of a trend change. Such a sign could be close to 1.0785 or below the ascending corridor.

The information background on Wednesday again did not support bear traders as they would have liked. Currently, the European currency is moderately declining, but soon, the results of the ECB meeting will be known, and ECB President Christine Lagarde will speak in half an hour. The rate cut is already priced into the EUR/USD pair, but it is possible that the regulator will not soften monetary policy today. I do not rule out such an option. If rates are not lowered today, then bull traders will again go on the offensive. If Christine Lagarde adheres to "hawkish" rhetoric today, it will also support the euro. And what could be "hawkish" rhetoric? Lagarde may say that the next rate cut will not happen soon and that ensuring the continuation of the inflation decline is necessary.

On the 4-hour chart, the pair rebounded from the Fibonacci level of 50.0%–1.0794 and reversed in favor of the European currency. A new "bullish" trend line has formed, so the upward process may continue toward the next corrective level of 23.6%–1.0977. Now, declines in the European currency can be expected after the quotes are consolidated below the trend line. No emerging divergences were observed today for any indicator.
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Wall Street Sliding: S&P 500, Nasdaq Fall Ahead of Jobs Data

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite ended Thursday with small losses ahead of a major jobs report, retreating from record highs hit the day before. The Dow, however, edged up slightly.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq started the day higher and hit intraday records, but then retreated as tech stocks slid.

Utilities and industrials also contributed to the S&P 500's decline, with consumer discretionary and energy leading the gains.

Nvidia shares fell 1.1%, falling to third place in the world's most valuable companies, behind Apple, which regained the second spot.

Investors are eyeing a key U.S. nonfarm payrolls report on Friday. The latest weekly jobless claims report points to a softening labor market that could allow the Federal Reserve to begin cutting interest rates. The European Central Bank cut its interest rate for the first time since 2019.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 78.84 points, or 0.20%, to 38,886.17. The S&P 500 lost 1.07 points, or 0.02%, to 5,352.96, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 14.78 points, or 0.09%, to 17,173.12.

Among the Dow Jones components, Salesforce Inc. was the top gainer, up 6.23 points (2.63%) to close at 242.76. Amazon.com Inc. was up 3.72 points (2.05%) to close at 185.00.

Nike Inc. was up 1.40 points (1.48%) to close at 95.72.

Intel Corporation was the top loser, down 0.36 points (1.17%) to 30.42. 3M Company shares added 0.84 points (0.85%) to close at 98.22, while Goldman Sachs Group Inc shares fell 3.58 points (0.78%) to end at 458.10.

Among the S&P 500 index's top gainers were Illumina Inc shares, which rose 7.42% to close at 114.72. PayPal Holdings Inc shares rose 5.49% to close at 67.02, while MarketAxess Holdings Inc shares increased 4.86% to end at 205.97.

NRG Energy Inc shares showed the biggest decline, losing 4.56% to close at 77.83. Hubbell Inc shares fell 4.11% to end at 365.94. Eaton Corporation PLC fell 4.02% to 313.46.

The biggest gainers on the NASDAQ Composite were Virax Biolabs Group Ltd, up 85.85% to 1.97. SilverSun Technologies Inc rose 68.61% to close at 220.00, while Fibrobiologics Inc rose 53.88% to 10.31.

Cue Health Inc was the worst performer, down 79.95% to 0.01. Plutonian Acquisition Corp fell 58.10% to close at 2.43. Actelis Networks Inc fell 47.04% to 1.97.

The rise of Nvidia and other AI-related stocks has been a key factor in supporting Wall Street's rally this year. The chipmaker has contributed significantly to the S&P 500's gain of more than 12% for the year.

Traders are pricing in a 68% chance of a rate cut in September, according to CME's FedWatch tool, and are pricing in two rate cuts this year, according to LSEG data. Forecasters polled by Reuters also expect two rate cuts.

"We're in a period of uncertainty between now and tomorrow," said Thomas Hayes, chairman of Great Hill Capital in New York. "But overall, we're seeing the beginning of a global, coordinated easing policy from central banks in the West, with the exception of Japan, which is tightening," he added.

GameStop shares jumped 47% after a popular online influencer known as "Roaring Kitty" announced on YouTube that she would be livestreaming on Friday.

Lululemon Athletica shares rose 4.8% after the company beat first-quarter earnings and revenue estimates.

U.S.-listed shares of Chinese electric vehicle maker NIO (9866.HK) fell 6.8% after reporting a quarterly net loss.

Five Below shares fell 10.6% after the discount store operator lowered its full-year net sales forecast.

Advancing stocks outnumbered declining stocks on the NYSE by a 1.05-to-1 ratio. On the Nasdaq, 1,729 stocks ended higher and 2,445 ended lower, for a 1.41-to-1 ratio in favor of decliners.

The S&P 500 posted 25 new 52-week highs and five new lows, while the Nasdaq Composite posted 57 new highs and 110 new lows. Total equity trading volume on U.S. exchanges was about 10.4 billion, below the 20-day average of 12.7 billion.

August gold futures rose 0.69%, or 16.50, to $2.00 a troy ounce. WTI crude oil futures for July delivery rose 2.01%, or 1.49, to $75.56 a barrel. Brent crude futures for August delivery rose 1.87%, or 1.47, to $79.88 a barrel.
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Investors disappointed as no U.S. rate cut expected

Wall Street stocks ended slightly lower on Friday amid turbulence after strong U.S. jobs data confirmed the resilience of the economy but also raised concerns that the Federal Reserve may keep interest rates high longer than many investors had expected.

The U.S. Labor Department said it added about 272,000 jobs in May, well above analysts' forecasts of 185,000. The unemployment rate rose to 4%.

The S&P 500 (.SPX) fell sharply after the report, while Treasury yields rose as traders revised down their expectations for a rate cut in September. The index then rebounded and briefly hit a new intraday record as investors viewed the data as confirmation of a healthy economy.

Utilities (.SPLRCU), materials (.SPLRCM) and communications (.SPLRCL) were the biggest losers. Financials (.SPSY) and technology (.SPLRCT) were the best performers.

For the week, the S&P 500 rose 1.32%, the Nasdaq gained 2.38% and the Dow Jones gained 0.29%.

"This shows that a rate cut is not coming anytime soon. Rising bond yields are putting significant pressure on risk assets, including small-caps," said Sandy Villere, a portfolio manager at Villere & Co in New Orleans.

"It's all about interest rates. They may stay higher longer than expected, and investors will have to adjust to the new environment," he added.

Markets reacted to the employment data by changing expectations for the timing of the Fed's rate cut. After the data was released, traders speculated that the Fed's rate cut from the current level of 5.25% to 5.5% may not begin until November. According to Fedwatch LSEG, the probability of the Fed cutting rates by 25 basis points in September has fallen to 56% from about 70% the day before.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) fell 87.18 points, or 0.22%, to 38,798.99, the S&P 500 (.SPX) lost 5.97 points, or 0.11%, to 5,346.99, and the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) fell 39.99 points, or 0.23%, to 17,133.13.

GameStop (GME.N) shares fell 39% in volatile trading that coincided with popular blogger Roaring Kitty's first livestream in three years. The company announced a possible stock offering and a cut in quarterly sales.

Other names popular with retail investors, such as AMC Entertainment (AMC.N) and Koss Corp (KOSS.O), also suffered significant losses, falling 15.1% and 17.4%, respectively.

Nvidia (NVDA.O) shares extended their losses from the previous session, pushing their market cap back below the $3 trillion mark.

Lyft (LYFT.O) shares rose 0.6% after the company forecast 15% growth in total bookings by 2027, announced after the close of trading on Thursday.

Declining stocks outnumbered advancing stocks on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) by a 2.72-to-1 ratio. On the Nasdaq, 1,177 stocks advanced and 3,064 declined, giving decliners a 2.6-to-1 ratio.

The S&P 500 posted 17 new 52-week highs and five new lows, while the Nasdaq Composite posted 34 new highs and 149 new lows. Total volume of shares traded on U.S. exchanges was about 10.75 billion, compared with an average of 12.7 billion over the past 20 trading days.

Lower expectations for quick Fed action weighed on stocks, which ended lower. The MSCI World Share Index (.MIWO00000PUS) was down 0.3% after hitting a record high of 797.48.

The yield on two-year notes, a proxy for interest rate expectations, rose nearly 17 basis points to 4.8868% after six straight days of declines. The rise in yields comes as bond prices have fallen.

Rate changes had been expected in September, especially after the European Central Bank cut its deposit rate to 3.75% from a record 4% on Thursday, in line with expectations.

The Bank of Canada on Wednesday became the first G7 bank to cut its key rate, following Sweden's Riksbank and the Swiss National Bank.

The employment report also changed the dynamics of eurozone rate expectations, with traders now forecasting a 55 basis point cut this year, up from 58 bps before the data.

The European Stoxx 600 (.STOXX), which has gained almost 10% since the start of the year, fell 0.2%.

The euro zone bond market also showed weakness, with German 10-year yields up 8 basis points to 2.618%.

In currency markets, the U.S. dollar rose 0.8% against a basket of major currencies, reversing a week of losses ahead of the employment data. The euro fell 0.8% to $1.0802 after a small gain the previous day.

Brent crude futures fell 0.6% to $79.36 a barrel. The stronger dollar weighed on spot gold, which fell 3.6% to $2,290.59 an ounce.
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S&P 500, Nasdaq hit new highs: What to expect from Fed meeting, CPI data

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq both hit new record closing highs on Monday, despite investor caution ahead of consumer price data and the Federal Reserve's policy announcement this week.

Nvidia (NVDA.O) shares provided some support to the Nasdaq and S&P 500, rising 0.7% after a 10-for-one stock split. Some investors now believe the chipmaker could be added to the Dow.

The May CPI report is due Wednesday, coinciding with the end of the Fed's two-day meeting.

The central bank is expected to leave interest rates unchanged while issuing updated economic and policy forecasts. Investors will be watching closely for any hints of a possible rate cut down the road.

"It's a big week for the market in terms of Fed commentary and statements," said Quincy Crosby, chief global strategist at LPL Financial in Charlotte, North Carolina.

"Additionally, the CPI report is due Wednesday morning. Everything related to the economy and inflation is viewed through the prism of the Fed's actions by the market," he added.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) rose 69.05 points, or 0.18%, to 38,868.04. The S&P 500 (.SPX) rose 13.8 points, or 0.26%, to 5,360.79, and the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) added 59.40 points, or 0.35%, to 17,192.53.

Traders trimmed their expectations for a September rate cut after stronger-than-expected May employment data on Friday, leaving the chance of a cut at 50%.

Apple (AAPL.O) shares fell 1.9% on the first day of its annual iPhone developer conference, with investors eagerly awaiting news on how the company will integrate artificial intelligence into its products.

Among the day's best performers were Southwest Airlines (LUV.N), which jumped 7% after activist investor Elliott Investment Management acquired a $1.9 billion stake in the company.

Diamond Offshore Drilling (DO.N) rose 10.9% after oilfield services company Noble (NE.N) announced it was buying a rival for $1.59 billion. Noble also rose 6.1%.

Advancing stocks outnumbered declining stocks 1.06-to-1 on the New York Stock Exchange, while gainers were outnumbered 1.01-to-1 on the Nasdaq.

The S&P 500 posted 19 new 52-week highs and five new lows, while the Nasdaq Composite posted 56 new highs and 177 new lows.

Trading volume on U.S. exchanges totaled 10.39 billion shares, below the 20-day average of 12.80 billion.

MSCI's global share index rose on Monday, despite investor expectations for key U.S. inflation data and an upcoming central bank meeting. The euro, however, slipped after French President Emmanuel Macron announced an early election.

U.S. Treasury yields rose as investors digested Friday's labor market data and looked ahead to consumer price data and a Federal Reserve statement this week. Eyes were also focused on the Bank of Japan's possible decisions.

Adding to the uncertainty was political instability in the euro zone's second-largest economy. Far-right gains in the European Parliament elections on Sunday prompted Macron to call a national election.

The euro hit a one-month low against the dollar, while European stocks also suffered.

"The uncertainty is coming from multiple sources. "The European elections over the weekend added volatility to the markets," said Chad Oviatt, director of investment management at Huntington National Bank.

The STOXX 600 index, which covers pan-European stocks, closed down 0.27%. France's blue-chip CAC 40 index fell 1.4%, hitting a more than three-month low.

However, the MSCI Global Equity Index (.MIWD00000PUS) turned from bearish to bullish territory by the end of the day, and Wall Street partially recouped its gains. As a result, the global index rose 0.75 points, or 0.09%, to 794.99.

Huntington National Bank's Oviatt said investors are eagerly awaiting the release of U.S. consumer price index (CPI) inflation data on Wednesday morning, ahead of the Federal Reserve's policy decision Wednesday afternoon.

Adding to the uncertainty about the impact of economic data on the Fed's interest rate policy was Friday's jobs report, which showed the U.S. economy added significantly more jobs in May than expected and annual wage growth accelerated again.

"Everyone seems to be hoping for a rate cut, but so far that hasn't been the case. "So everyone is looking to the CPI data on Wednesday morning, hoping that will give us more information and commentary from the Fed in the afternoon to clarify the situation," said Jim Barnes, director of bonds at Bryn Mawr Trust in Berwyn, Pennsylvania.

U.S. Treasury yields, which move inversely to prices, rose Monday, reflecting expectations for higher, longer-term U.S. rates.

The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield rose 4.1 basis points to 4.469%, up from 4.428% late Friday. The 30-year yield also rose, up 4.8 basis points to 4.5958%.

The 2-year yield, which typically responds to changes in interest rate expectations, rose 1.5 basis points to 4.8846% from 4.87% late Friday.

In the foreign exchange market, the euro fell to its lowest since May 9 against the U.S. dollar, down 0.37% to $1.076. Earlier, the euro hit a near two-year low against sterling.

The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies including the euro and the Japanese yen, rose 0.08% to 105.14. Against the Japanese yen, the dollar strengthened 0.21% to 157.03.

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) is holding a two-day monetary policy meeting this week and may offer new guidance on tapering its massive bond purchases.

In commodities, oil prices hit a one-week high on hopes for a pickup in fuel demand this summer. However, a stronger dollar and fading expectations for a U.S. rate cut capped gains.

U.S. crude rose 2.93% to $77.74 a barrel, while Brent crude rose 2.52% to $81.63 a barrel.

Gold prices pared their losses after their biggest drop in 3.5 years in the previous session, as investors awaited inflation data and a policy statement from the Federal Reserve.

Spot gold rose 0.72% to $2,309.15 an ounce.
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The main events by the morning: June 13

The United States imposed sanctions against Mosbirzhi, NCC and NSD. Starting from June 13, the dollar and the euro will stop trading on the stock exchange – transactions will take place on the over-the-counter market. The Bank of Russia will set the official exchange rate based on bank reports and over-the-counter trading.

The sanctions will not lead to a significant weakening of the ruble, limiting the fall to 10%. Bloomberg economists noted that in the event of a sharp drop in the exchange rate, the Bank of Russia and the Ministry of Finance will take measures to mitigate the shock by raising interest rates and increasing the supply of currency. It is also noted that the inflow of foreign currency to Russia through export-import channels will remain sufficient.

The exchange-traded currency market in Russia has lost dollars and euros. The sanctions have deprived Russia of the main part of the foreign exchange market. In May, more than 51% of the trading volume was accounted for transactions with the dollar and the euro. Now such transactions will move to a less liquid and transparent over-the-counter market, and you will have to focus on the official exchange rate set by the Central Bank.

The United States extended operations with the NCC until November 1. The United States has allowed energy-related transactions with the National Clearing Center (NCC) until November 1, despite sanctions against the Moscow Exchange. This decision includes transactions related to the extraction, processing, transportation and purchase of oil, petroleum products, natural gas and other energy resources.

Sanctions against the Moscow Exchange undermine confidence in the dollar. New restrictions continue to reduce the importance of the dollar as an international means of payment and reserve currency.

BRICS is developing a new monetary unit. The International Research Institute of Management Problems is working on the creation of a decentralized Unit system for settlements within the framework of the BRICS. The UNT coin will become the payment unit, which will help solve the problem of cross-border payments under sanctions.
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Tech Leads Wall Street to Records, Nasdaq, S&P 500 High

The Nasdaq and S&P 500 posted their fourth straight record closing high on Thursday, while Treasury yields fell to their lowest since early April. Investors reacted to lower-than-expected inflation data and a modest rate-cutting outlook from the Federal Reserve.

The dollar strengthened against major currencies as the Fed's hawkish stance and the prospect of trade tensions between Europe and China sent European stocks sharply lower.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended the day slightly lower. The Labor Department reported that producer prices fell 0.2% in May from the previous month, though they rose 2.2% year-on-year, 20 basis points above the Fed's 2% inflation target.

Separately, initial jobless claims hit a 10-month high. The data came after a weaker-than-expected consumer price index report on Wednesday and a revision to the Fed's forecasts, which now call for only one rate cut this year instead of three.

"After a solid rally, markets are taking a bit of a break from yesterday's big news, and that's a good thing," said Ryan Detrick, chief market strategist at Carson Group in Omaha, Neb. "We call it the calm after the storm — consolidating the gains we saw in the first half of June."

Despite the Fed's hawkish rhetoric, expectations are growing that the central bank will cut rates for the first time as soon as September.

According to CME's FedWatch tool, financial markets are pricing in a 60.5% chance of the Fed cutting its target rate by 25 basis points in September.

"The Fed may sound hawkish, but they are dependent on economic data," Detrick said. "With today's positive PPI data, the market is thinking the Fed could ease if inflation continues to decline."

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) fell 65.17 points, or 0.17%, to 38,647.04. The S&P 500 (.SPX) rose 12.71 points, or 0.23%, to 5,433.74, and the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) added 59.12 points, or 0.34%, to 17,667.56.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq hit record closing highs for the fourth straight session on Thursday, driven by a continued rally in tech stocks.

The number of Americans filing new jobless claims last week, while another report showed an unexpected decline in producer prices in May, bolstering hopes for an early Fed rate cut.

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday forecast only one rate cut this year, down from three quarter-percentage-point cuts in March.

The S&P 500 tech sector (.SPLRCT) jumped 1.4% and the semiconductor index (.SOX) rose 1.5%, both hitting record closing highs.

Broadcom (AVGO.O) shares soared 12.3% after raising its revenue forecast for chips used in artificial intelligence technology. The company also announced a 10-for-1 forward stock split.

Nvidia (NVDA.O) rose 3.5%, while Apple (AAPL.O) rose 0.5%.

Adobe (ADBE.O) shares rose more than 14% in after-hours trading after the software maker beat Wall Street's second-quarter revenue expectations. However, the stock was down 0.2% in the main session.

New data released Wednesday showed that the consumer price index was unchanged in May for the first time in nearly two years, raising concerns among some investors that the economy could be slowing too much.

The economically sensitive industrial sector (.SPLRCI) fell 0.6%, while the Russell 2000 small-cap index (.RUT) fell 0.9%.

Tesla (TSLA.O) shares rose 2.9% after shareholders approved Elon Musk's $56 billion pay package.

Trading volume on U.S. exchanges was 10.14 billion shares, below the 20-day average of 12.49 billion.

European shares ended wider lower, with the auto sector particularly hard hit as investors worried about Beijing's retaliatory measures to the European Union's new tariffs on electric vehicles from China.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index (.STOXX) fell 1.31%, while MSCI's global share index (.MIWD00000PUS) lost 0.27%.

Emerging market shares rose 0.64%. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) rose 0.67%, while Japan's Nikkei (.N225) fell 0.40%.

U.S. 10-year Treasury yields fell on weak economic data.

Benchmark 10-year notes rose 13/32, sending yields down to 4.2442% from 4.295% late Wednesday.

30-year notes rose 27/32, sending yields down to 4.4% from 4.45% late Wednesday.

The dollar index (.DXY) rose 0.53%, while the euro fell 0.64% to $1.0738.

The Japanese yen weakened 0.22% against the greenback to hit $157.09 per dollar, while sterling was last at $1.2761, down 0.27% on the day.

Oil prices edged up amid choppy trading, with supply growth and a delayed Fed rate cut offset by economic data.

The price of U.S. crude oil rose 0.15% to $78.62 per barrel, while the price of Brent rose 0.18%, stopping at $82.75 per barrel.

Gold prices fell amid a stronger dollar after the release of the PPI report, which was weaker than expected. Spot gold lost 0.8%, reaching $2,303.15 per ounce.
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The main events by the morning: June 17

The Swiss conference on Ukraine turned out to be a «failure». 160 countries were invited to the summit. However, only 101 delegations participated – 78 countries signed the final communiqué, 15 refused. Armenia, Brazil, India, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, South Africa and the UAE refused to sign the final declaration of the conference, which reflects Russia's economic strength and influence in the international arena.

Russia is facing big problems in importing Chinese goods. In June, the delivery time by sea and train increased to 55-60 days, which is a third higher than in May. The reason is the delayed demand: the situation with payments between the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China began to improve, which led to a sharp increase in demand for logistics services. There are not enough containers and capacities, transport hubs do not have time to process everything, prices have increased by 30-40%.

The G7 countries will monitor and block the Russian «shadow fleet». The British Foreign Secretary said that the West intends to continue to provide full support to Ukraine and tighten existing sanctions, including blocking ships from the Russian shadow fleet.

NATO is discussing putting nuclear weapons on alert. Alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said it was necessary to demonstrate a nuclear arsenal in response to the growing threats from Russia and China. According to him, NATO should send a clear signal to its opponents, demonstrating its readiness to use nuclear weapons.

China has become a leader in the electric vehicle market. In 2023, every third new car in the country was electric. China accounted for about 60% of global electric vehicle sales, and demand continues to grow strongly. In a number of countries, the share of electric vehicles in total car sales exceeds 40%, and China will remain the leading player in this segment in the coming years.

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The main events by the morning: June 18

The 1992 agreement on the avoidance of double taxation with Russia has been suspended. This was stated by the US Treasury Department. There is no exact information yet, but the measure may affect the W8-BEN form, which reduces the tax on Russian dividends from companies from the United States from 30% to 13%. The suspension will take effect on August 16, 2024.

Sanctions on the Moscow Stock Exchange and its subsidiaries will not have a significant impact on the purchase by non-residents of blocked foreign securities of Russians, the Investment Chamber said. In fact, NSD was already under sanctions.

Foreign flowers may disappear from the Russian market. Russia plans to impose restrictions on the import of flowers from unfriendly countries due to the Rosselkhoznadzor's claims to the quality of their products.

Putin arrived in North Korea today. The Russian president ordered the signing of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement with the DPRK.

Beer exports from the European Union to Russia are resuming. In April, the volume of beer exports to Russia amounted to 23 million euros, which is the highest since August last year.

In the context of the recovery of global coal exports, Russia is losing its share in this market. According to the calculations of the Price Index Center, Russian exporters already account for less than 14.6% of global supplies, compared to 17.1% in 2021.
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XAU/USD. Analysis and forecast. The price of gold has reached a new weekly high

Gold has updated its weekly high today, aiming to break through the resistance of the 50-day simple moving average SMA. Incoming macro data from the US point to signs of easing inflationary pressures and a slowdown in the US economy, increasing speculation that the Fed will cut interest rates twice this year. This is a key factor stimulating flows towards the unyielding yellow metal.

Plus, geopolitical tensions and renewed political uncertainty in Europe provide additional support for the precious metal as a safe-haven asset. Meanwhile, the Fed took a more hawkish stance last week, and policymakers continue to favor one rate cut in 2024. A good jump in US Treasury bond yields is also helping to increase demand for the US dollar, which may deter further price growth of the precious metal.

From a technical point of view, before opening new buy positions, bulls should still wait for a steady strengthening beyond the 50-day simple moving average SMA, which is currently around $2,345. The subsequent upward movement will mean that the recent corrective decline has exhausted itself, and the price will move beyond the $2,360 zone – into the supply zone, on the way to the $2,400 mark, with some intermediate obstacle in the $2,388 area. The momentum may extend further towards the historic high reached in May.

On the opposite side, the $2320-2325 area protects against an immediate decline before the round level of $2300. Some subsequent selling below this level and the $2,285 support will be seen as a new trigger for the bears, paving the way for a resumption of the recent pullback from the all-time high. Gold will then be ready to accelerate its decline to the $2,250 level before dropping completely to the $2,220 support and the round $2,200 level.
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From Record to Bust: How Chips and the Economy Shaped the S&P 500

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq ended lower Thursday as market leader Nvidia shares pulled back from earlier gains. Investors were poring over fresh economic data and Federal Reserve statements to see when interest rates might be cut this year.

Earlier, the S&P 500 hit 5,500 for the first time in history, in line with many brokerage firms' year-end forecasts. The Nasdaq ended a seven-day run of record closing highs.

Stocks on Wall Street retreated from early record highs despite gains in overseas benchmarks. U.S. Treasury yields rose on weak economic data and expectations of more bond issuance next week.

The dollar gained ground as U.S. yields rose, widening the gap with non-dollar rates that have been trending lower. It reached 160 yen, prompting Tokyo to intervene in late April to support its currency.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was the only major index to hold on to gains. The S&P 500 (.SPX) and Nasdaq (.IXIC) extended a streak of intraday record highs before falling, with the Nasdaq ending a seven-session run of record highs at the close.

Disappointing housing starts and building permits data, as well as a report on jobless claims, suggest a gradual cooling in the labor market, confirming that the Fed's restrictive policies are having the intended effect.

"Weaker-than-expected economic data suggests that high and long-term interest rates are achieving the Fed's goals," said Greg Bassuk, CEO of AXS Investments in New York. "These signs of a slight slowdown in the economy will be welcomed by the Fed as they consider lowering interest rates."

That, coupled with the dovish sentiment expressed by the Bank of England, which has held off on easing ahead of the upcoming U.K. general election, and the Swiss National Bank's rate cut, has created room for the Fed to maneuver on the timing of its rate cuts.

Wall Street's rally was fueled by enthusiasm for artificial intelligence, led by chipmaker Nvidia (NVDA.O), which recently became the world's most valuable company by market capitalization. However, despite the morning gains, Nvidia shares fell about 2%.

Nvidia shares fell 3.54% after the morning gains. The chipmaker overtook Microsoft to become the world's most valuable public company on Tuesday.

Dell (DELL.N) and Super Micro Computer (SMCI.O) shares also fell 0.42% and 0.26%, respectively, after initially rallying on news that Elon Musk's AI startup had won server orders.

The number of Americans filing new jobless claims fell last week, but the latest data showed the total number of people receiving benefits reached its highest level since January, suggesting the U.S. labor market is continuing to cool.

Separately, data showed that U.S. single-family home starts fell in May, reflecting continued high mortgage rates.

The energy (.SPNY) and utilities (.SPLRCU) sectors were the biggest gainers among the 11 S&P 500 sector indexes, rising 1.86% and 0.89%, respectively, while the technology sector (.SPLRCT) led the declines.

Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari said it would take a year or two for inflation to return to 2% as wage growth remains high, raising concerns that interest rates will remain elevated for a long time.

Money markets are pricing in a 58% chance of the U.S. central bank cutting rates by 25 basis points in September, according to LSEG FedWatch.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) rose 299.90 points, or 0.77%, to 39,134.76. The S&P 500 (.SPX) lost 13.86 points, or 0.25%, to 5,473.17 and the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) fell 140.64 points, or 0.79%, to 17,721.59.

Kroger (KR.N) shares fell 3.27% after the company expressed caution about near-term consumer spending while reiterating its full-year sales and profit forecasts despite beating first-quarter estimates.

Trump Media & Technology Group (DJT.O) shares fell 14.56%, weighed down by potential dilution after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission approved the company's application to resell certain shares and warrants, netting it about $247 million in proceeds.

European stocks were strengthened by the technology and real estate sectors, as well as gains in Swiss stocks after the central bank continued to ease monetary policy.

The STOXX 600 (.STOXX) index rose 0.93%, while the broader European FTSEurofirst 300 (.FTEU3) index rose 0.90%.

The MSCI Worldwide Equity Index (.MIWD00000PUS) hit a record high but ended the day down 0.15% at 803.89.

Emerging market stocks lost 0.06%. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) ended the day down 0.16%, while Japan's Nikkei (.N225) rose 0.16%.

U.S. Treasury yields initially fell after the economic data, then began to rise again.

The market is eagerly awaiting an auction next week that will offer about $183 billion in two-, five- and seven-year U.S. Treasuries. Investors often sell Treasuries ahead of auctions to boost their yields and then buy them back at a lower price, a practice known as concessioning.

The benchmark 10-year U.S. yield has risen 3.7 basis points since late Tuesday to 4.254%. The 30-year yield has risen 3.7 basis points to 4.3908%. The yield on the two-year note, which is typically correlated with interest rate expectations, rose 2.7 basis points to 4.7308%.

The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of currencies including the yen and euro, rose 0.4% to 105.63, while the euro fell 0.34% to end the day at $1.0703.

The dollar strengthened against the Japanese yen to its highest since April 29, up 0.51% to 158.89 yen.

The British pound fell to a five-week low against the dollar, down 0.43% to last trade at $1.2662.

"When we talk about dollar strength, it feels like for the first time in a long time there's a divergence in global monetary policy... Fed spokespeople continue to talk about the need for patience and time," said Art Hogan, chief market strategist at B Riley Wealth in New York.

"The dollar is standing out in a weak competitive environment, particularly in Japan, which is making things worse," Hogan added.

U.S. crude oil prices rose 0.74% to $82.17 a barrel, while Brent crude rose 0.75% to $85.71 a barrel.

Spot gold rose 1.36% to $2,359.22 an ounce. U.S. gold futures rose 1.01% to $2,354.00 an ounce. In cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin rose 0.27% to $65,029.00, while Ethereum fell 0.47% to $3,534.8.

Declining issues outnumbered advancing issues on the NYSE by 1.03 to 1, with 248 new highs and 118 new lows.

The S&P 500 posted 31 new 52-week highs and 6 new lows. The Nasdaq Composite posted 39 new highs and 217 new lows.

Trading volume on U.S. exchanges totaled 11.98 billion shares, below the 20-day average of 13.51 billion shares.
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Hot forecast for EUR/USD on June 24, 2024

Eurozone business activity indices were expected to edge higher, while the US PMI data were forecasted to decrease slightly. But everything turned out completely different. The euro area PMI data decreased significantly. However, the US PMIs report showed a rise. So, it's not surprising that the dollar strengthened its position. Now, the market is shifting from macroeconomic news, which has been practically absent in the last week of the month, to the news background. Moreover, it's more political than economic. Traditionally, there is relatively little activity in the markets at this time. Most likely, we will see some kind of rebound, after which the market will hover slightly above the current levels.

EUR/USD ended last week below the 1.0700 level, thus reflecting bearish sentiment among traders. However, there were no crucial changes, and market volatility was quite average.

On the 4-hour chart, the RSI technical indicator is hovering in the lower range, which also indicates a bearish bias.

On the same time frame, the Alligator's MAs are still heading downwards.

Outlook
In case the euro weakens further, the price could move towards this year's low. However, if the quote closes above the 1.0700 level by the end of the day, then in this case, the 1.0700/1.0760 cycle may resume.

In terms of the complex indicator analysis, we see that in the short-term period, technical indicators are pointing to a bounce or a bullish bias. Meanwhile, in the intraday period, the indicators are reflecting a downward cycle.
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As the West Changes Investing Course, the East Reacts with Indexes Rising

The Dow hit a one-month high on Monday, while the Nasdaq fell more than 1% as investors switched from artificial intelligence stocks to laggards on expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates this year.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq ended lower as investors shifted away from tech stocks, whose overextended gains have fueled this year's rally. However, nine of the 11 major S&P 500 industries rose.

Shares of Nvidia (NVDA.O) have fallen 6.68% in three sessions as observers noted profit-taking after last week's meteoric rise made the company the world's most valuable.

Nvidia's decline triggered a sell-off in the tech sector, leading to significant losses. On Monday, the S&P 500 (.SPX) was down 0.3%, the Nasdaq (.IXIC) was down more than 1%, and the SOX semiconductor index (.SOX) lost more than 3%.

Other chipmakers, including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, Broadcom (AVGO.O), Marvell Technology (MRVL.O) and Qualcomm (QCOM.O), fell 3.53% to 5.7%, leading the SOX index to fall 3.02%.

"The market is selling some winners and buying some laggards," said Jack Janasiewicz, chief strategist at Natixis Investment Managers. "This is due to expectations of soft inflation data coming out on Friday."

Tech (.SPLRCT) and consumer discretionary were the only sectors among the 11 S&P 500 indexes to decline, while energy led the gains, rising 2.73%.

"There's a rotation into value sectors like financials, energy and utilities. Energy is also benefiting from a small jump in oil prices," said Ed Clissold, chief U.S. strategist at Ned Davis Research.

Oil prices rose Monday, supporting gains in energy and oilfield services stocks.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) jumped to snap a five-day winning streak. The Russell 2000 small-cap index (.RUT) also hit a one-week high, signaling broader gains in the market.

With the exception of Nvidia and other chipmakers, "the rest of the market is positive, expecting a soft landing," said Carl Ludvigson, managing director at Bel Air Investment Advisors.

Investors are focused this week on Friday's PCE price index report, the Fed's preferred measure of inflation, which is expected to show modest price pressures.

Investors still expect two rate cuts this year, pricing in a 61% chance of a 25 basis point cut in September, according to FedWatch LSEG data. The Fed's latest forecast calls for one rate cut in December.

San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly has said she doesn't think rates need to be cut until policymakers are confident that inflation is approaching 2%.

The S&P 500 (.SPX) lost 15.73 points, or 0.29%, to end at 5,448.89. The Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) fell 190.19 points, or 1.09%, to 17,499.17. The Dow rose 257.99 points, or 0.66%, to 39,408.32.

Other big stories this week include durable goods data, weekly jobless claims, final first-quarter GDP data and a year-over-year rebound in the Russell Index. There will also be some quarterly earnings reports.

President Joe Biden and his Republican rival Donald Trump will debate in Atlanta on Thursday, which could impact the outcome of the November election, which polls show is neck-and-neck.

Meta Platforms (META.O) shares rose after a report that the Facebook parent is discussing integrating its generative AI model into Apple's (AAPL.O) new iPhone AI system. Apple shares also rose.

RXO (RXO.N) announced plans to buy United Parcel Service (UPS.N) and launch a new unit, Coyote Logistics, for $1.025 billion.

Advance stocks outnumbered decliners 2.25-to-1 on the New York Stock Exchange, with 179 new highs and 48 new lows.

The S&P 500 posted 35 new 52-week highs and one new low, while the Nasdaq Composite posted 49 new highs and 128 new lows. Trading volume on U.S. exchanges was 10.94 billion shares, below the 11.92 billion average over the past 20 trading days.

European stocks may see some recovery on Tuesday after their rally earlier in the week.

The tech loss has turned into a gain in value, as seen in the Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI), which is up 0.7%.

This rotation has also become relevant in Asia. For example, AI-related stocks on Japan's Nikkei 225, such as SoftBank Group (9984.T), are retreating from their highs, while money is returning to the battered Toyota Motor (7203.T).

The positive news for investors is the overall gain in Asia-Pacific stock indices. Among the major indices, only tech-heavy Taiwan (.TWII) showed a decline. While the Nikkei (.N225) is up just half a percent, the Topix (.TOPX) is up almost 1.5%.

Geopolitics also requires attention. The mood could change quickly ahead of the first round of snap elections in France this weekend. So far, the far-right's efforts have been effective in calming fears of financial restraint.

As a result, the euro has rebounded sharply to $1.0740 after falling to $1.0671 on Friday.

Also worth watching is the European Commission's evolving relationship with Apple and China. Beijing is calling on the EU to scrap proposed tariffs on Chinese electric vehicle imports before they come into effect on July 4, and Chinese officials are seeking a compromise in talks in Brussels this week.

Apple needs to change how its App Store works or face large antitrust fines.
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Wall Street: Modest gains, choppy trading ahead of inflation data

The major U.S. stock indexes ended Wednesday slightly higher after choppy trading. Investors took a wait-and-see approach ahead of the presidential debate and a key inflation report closely watched by Federal Reserve officials.

"We're in a holding pattern as we wait for Friday's PCE report for more data," said Michael Green, portfolio manager at Simplify.

Shares of chipmaker Nvidia (NVDA.O) rose 0.25%, ending the session higher after earlier losses. Large-cap names such as Apple (AAPL.O), Amazon (AMZN.O) and Tesla (TSLA.O) also saw their shares rise.

A flurry of economic data is due out this week, culminating in Friday's Personal Consumer Expenditures (PCE) price index, the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge and a key driver of monetary policy decisions.

The Federal Reserve is forecasting one interest rate cut in December. However, investors are pricing in a 56.3% chance of a 25 basis point rate cut in September, according to LSEG's Interest Rate Probabilities app, and expecting about two cuts by the end of the year.

By 4 p.m., the Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) was up 16.10 points, or 0.04%, to 39,128.26. The S&P 500 (.SPX) was up 8.61 points, or 0.16%, to 5,477.91, and the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) was up 87.50 points, or 0.49%, to 17,805.16.

"Investors are holding off for now, waiting for tomorrow's presidential debate and more economic data, especially Friday's PCE report," said Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA.

Strong earnings reports and favorable inflation data could fuel a shift away from tech stocks and into sectors that have underperformed this year, according to Ryan Detrick, chief market strategist at Carson Group.

Investors have been flocking to non-tech sectors this week.

"We're likely to see continued volatility until we get a catalyst," said Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Wealth Management.

Shares in appliance maker Whirlpool (WHR.N) rose 17.1% after news broke that German engineering group Robert Bosch may buy the company.

FedEx (FDX.N) shares soared 15.53% after the company announced that its fiscal 2025 profit forecast would beat expectations, sending the Dow Jones Transport (.DJT) to its highest level in more than a month.

Apple (AAPL.O) shares rose nearly 2% after analysts at Rosenblatt upgraded the iPhone maker's stock to buy from neutral. Meanwhile, Tesla shares rose 4.81% after Stifel began coverage of the company with a buy rating.

Amazon.com Inc's (AMZN.O) market value reached $2 trillion for the first time on Wednesday, becoming the fifth U.S. company to do so. Optimism about artificial intelligence and expectations of possible interest rate cuts this year have fueled demand for tech stocks.

Amazon shares rose 3.4% to $192.70, pushing the e-commerce giant's market value past $2 trillion. That puts it in line with tech giants Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O), Apple Inc (AAPL.O), Nvidia Corp (NVDA.O) and Alphabet Inc (GOOGL.O).

Shares of Amazon, which were added to the Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) in February, have gained more than 26% year to date. In February, the company became the fifth-largest U.S. company by market value after Nvidia climbed one spot.

Amazon Web Services, the world's largest cloud services provider, has seen growth again after a slump last year, thanks to accelerated adoption of artificial intelligence technologies.

Amazon has also invested in AI startup Anthropic and robotics company Fig, looking to capitalize on the rapidly growing interest in artificial intelligence.

Late last year, Amazon unveiled a new generation of custom-designed data center chips that are aimed at machine learning and generative AI applications.

Shares of major U.S. banks including Morgan Stanley (MS.N), Citigroup (C.N) and Bank of America (BAC.N) fell ahead of the Federal Reserve's annual stress test results.

The broader S&P 500 (.SPSY) fell 0.47%.

Rivian (RIVN.O) shares rose 23.24% after German automaker Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) announced plans to invest up to $5 billion in the U.S. electric vehicle maker.

General Mills (GIS.N) shares fell 4.59% after the Cheerios cereal maker reported below-expected full-year profit and a bigger-than-expected drop in quarterly sales.

Declining stocks outnumbered advancing stocks on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) by a 1.41-to-1 ratio. Overall, the NYSE posted 106 new highs and 89 new lows.

The S&P 500 posted 10 new 52-week highs and 6 new lows, while the Nasdaq Composite posted 41 new highs and 171 new lows.

Trading volume on U.S. exchanges totaled 10.59 billion shares, below the 20-day average of 11.83 billion shares.
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The main thing in the morning: June 28

LNG supplies from the United States to Europe have declined sharply, which could cause a serious blow to the EU economy. Since the beginning of 2024, the volume of liquefied natural gas supplies from the United States has decreased by about a third. Given the current sanctions against Arctic LNG-2 and possible restrictions on other Russian plants, the situation may lead to a shortage of gas.

The first debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden took place. CNN organized the presidential candidates' election debate, where the former president and the current president refused to shake hands. The main focus was on the conflict in Ukraine: Biden warned that Moscow's capture of Kiev could provoke World War III, and Trump blamed Biden for the situation.

The Estonian Parliament will not be able to help the government in confiscating frozen Russian assets. The fact is that there is no property in the country that is subject to automatic confiscation in favor of Ukraine. According to the Estonian Foreign Ministry, property worth €37-39 million was blocked in the country.

The IMF forecasts the growth of the US national debt to 140% of GDP by 2032. The organization's report highlights the need to urgently stop the growth of borrowing, as the US budget deficit remains at 2.5% of GDP. This creates increasing problems for the global economy.

NOVATEK continues to build Arctic LNG 2 despite the severe pressure of sanctions. The foundation of the second line and the first structures will begin to be laid on July 23-25. The previously imposed sanctions led to a big shift in the launch schedule of Arctic LNG 2 and the cancellation of the construction of 1 of the 3 lines. Problems with LNG tankers are added to this.
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Trump in Focus: Markets Assess Impact, Bonds Fall, Dollar Steady

The dollar was flat on Monday, while long-term U.S. Treasury yields rose as investors weighed whether an assassination attempt on presidential candidate Donald Trump could boost his chances of winning.

European stock markets opened lower after weak economic data from China left a cautious mood. Additionally, negative news from British luxury brand Burberry and watchmaker Swatch Group raised questions about consumer confidence.

Investors typically react to the prospect of a Trump victory by pushing up Treasury yields, assuming his economic policies will lead to higher inflation and government debt.

On online betting platform PredictIT, the odds of a Republican victory rose to 67 cents, up from 60 cents on Friday. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note rose 2 basis points to 4.208% on Monday.

Eren Osman, managing director of asset management at Arbuthnot Latham, said a possible Trump victory would be viewed positively for risk assets. He pointed to the significant gains in Bitcoin since the weekend, but added a note of caution.

"You could imagine that this would motivate Trump supporters to go to the polls, but they were probably planning to vote anyway," Osman said.

U.S. retail sales data due on Tuesday will be closely watched to understand the health of the consumer sector after recent readings suggested economic growth was slowing, the expert said.

The dollar index rose modestly to 104.9, helped by the greenback's strength against the yen, which rose 0.17% to 157.855 after last week's intervention was expected.

The euro was down slightly at $1.0907, while Bitcoin, which has likely benefited from looser regulation under the Trump administration, rose about 5% to a two-week high.

European stocks were down 0.2% (STOXX), while S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures were up about half a percent. Japan's Nikkei was closed for a holiday.

The weak economic data set off a busy week in China, where the five-yearly meeting of top officials is taking place from July 15 to 18.

China's second-quarter economic growth was 4.7% from a year earlier, short of analysts' forecast of 5.1%. Consumer spending is a particular concern, with retail sales growth falling to an 18-month low and new home prices falling at their fastest pace in nine years.

"Markets are hoping for more support for the weak economy and struggling property sector to be announced at this week's plenary," said Vasu Menon, managing director of investment strategy at OCBC in Singapore.

China's onshore yuan remained under pressure, trading at 7.2742 per dollar. Mainland Chinese shares (.SSEC) were little changed, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index (.HSI) was down 1.5%.

The week will see data on retail sales, industrial production, housing starts and weekly jobless claims released in the United States.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell is scheduled to speak at the Economic Club of Washington on Monday, where his response to the recent muted inflation data is likely to be discussed.

Markets are pricing in a 96% chance of a Fed rate cut in September, up from 72% a week earlier.

The European Central Bank is expected to leave its current interest rate unchanged after cutting it in June.

"We expect the ECB to keep rates on hold at its July meeting, with a press conference to discuss the rate trajectory and the situation in France," Morgan Stanley said in a note.

The second-quarter earnings season kicked off last week and continues on Monday with Goldman Sachs' earnings results.

Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, ASML and Netflix Inc. are also set to report earnings this week. Wall Street is expecting strong results for the period, with most of those expectations already factored into current stock valuations.

In commodities markets, gold traded at $2,408 an ounce, slightly below last week's high of $2,424.

Oil prices edged higher after Friday's slide on signs of progress in ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas.

Brent crude was little changed at $85.04 a barrel, while U.S. crude rose 0.1% to $82.27 a barrel.

Fed Chair Powell to Speak

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will be interviewed by David Rubenstein at the Economic Club of Washington, followed by a question-and-answer session.

In his final appearance on Capitol Hill, Powell emphasized the Fed's efforts to combat inflation and reaffirmed its commitment to its dual mandate of price stability and maximum employment.

He also expressed cautious optimism about inflation trends, indicating some confidence that inflation will decline toward the 2% target. However, Powell stressed that it is too early to say whether the trend toward the 2% inflation target will be sustainable.
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Investors lift market on Trump, rate cuts

Wall Street ended higher on Monday, extending Friday's gains, as expectations grew for a second term for Donald Trump after a failed assassination attempt raised hopes for looser regulation.

Expectations that the Federal Reserve could cut its key interest rate as early as September also helped boost risk appetite among investors.

While all three major U.S. stock indexes closed well below their intraday highs, the Dow Jones Industrial Average hit a record close.

Small, economically sensitive stocks (.RUT) and transportation stocks (.DJT) have outperformed the broader market.

The assassination attempt on Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, on Saturday in Pennsylvania appears to have boosted his chances of being elected.

A Trump presidency is expected to usher in more aggressive trade policies, further tax cuts, and deregulation in areas ranging from climate change to cryptocurrencies.

"The main event — the assassination attempt on Donald Trump — hasn't quite hit its mark," said Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA Research in New York. "GDP forecasts are unchanged, expectations for a Fed rate cut in September are unchanged, and corporate earnings are ahead of expectations."

"So the market momentum remains driven by investor optimism," Stovall added.

Investor sentiment was also supported by expectations that the Federal Reserve will begin a rate-cutting cycle as early as September, with as many as three cuts possible before the end of the year.

"A rate cut in September is virtually guaranteed," said Ross Mayfield, an analyst at Baird Investment Strategy in Louisville, Kentucky. "We're in the same position we were seven months ago, which is the promise of a Fed rate cut without the risk of a recession. But there's still a lot riding on the Fed's actions."

Speaking to the Economic Club of Washington, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell reiterated his confidence that the U.S. economy can avoid a recession, with recent data showing progress in bringing inflation back to the central bank's 2% target.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) rose 210.82 points, or 0.53%, to 40,211.72. The S&P 500 (.SPX) rose 15.87 points, or 0.28%, to 5,631.22, while the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) rose 74.12 points, or 0.40%, to 18,472.57.

Among the 11 major sectors in the S&P 500, energy stocks (.SPNY) posted the biggest percentage gains, while utilities (.SPLRCU) lagged.

Goldman Sachs (GS.N) more than doubled its second-quarter profit, beating analysts' expectations on solid performance in debt insurance and fixed-income trading. The brokerage's shares rose 2.6%.

Macy's Inc (MN) shares fell 11.7% after the department store ended buyout talks with Arkhouse Management and Brigade Capital.

The prospect of a second term for Donald Trump sent shares of Trump Media & Technology Group (DJT.O) soaring 31.4%.

Cryptocurrency stocks also saw significant gains, with Coinbase Global (COIN.O), Marathon Digital Holdings (MARA.O) and Riot Platforms (RIOT.O) all rising between 11.4% and 18.3%.

Other stocks that would likely benefit from a possible second Trump term also saw gains, with gun maker Smith & Wesson (SWBI.O) and correctional facility operator GEO Group (GEO.N) up 11.4% and 9.3%, respectively.

Meanwhile, solar energy stocks fell as the prospect of a Trump election dampened expectations for U.S. renewable energy subsidies. Sunrun (RUN.O) and SolarEdge Technologies (SEDGO.O) fell 9.0% and 15.4%, respectively.

U.S.-listed Chinese stocks also fell on concerns about tighter trade restrictions under the new Trump administration. The iShares China Largecap ETF fell 2.2%.

On the New York Stock Exchange, gainers outnumbered losers 1.35-to-1; on the Nasdaq, gainers outnumbered losers 1.50-to-1.

The S&P 500 posted 65 new 52-week highs and four new lows.

The Nasdaq Composite Index posted 203 new highs and 33 new lows. Trading volume on U.S. exchanges totaled 11.07 billion shares, slightly below the 20-day average of 11.59 billion shares.

Long-term U.S. bond yields rose on speculation that Trump's policies will lead to higher government debt and inflation. Meanwhile, cryptocurrency stocks rose along with Bitcoin as Trump casts himself as a cryptocurrency advocate.

Investors expect a Trump victory to lead to further tax cuts and regulatory easing. The energy-heavy S&P 500 (.SPNY) gained 1.6%.

Traders are also betting on a second and possibly third rate cut by December.

The MSCI Global Equity Index (.MIWD00000PUS) rose 0.18 points, or 0.02%, to 828.73, while the STOXX 600 Index (.STOXX) fell 1.02%.

Bad news from British luxury giant Burberry, with a CEO replacement and dividend suspension, and a 14.3% revenue decline at Swiss watchmaker Swatch Group, raised questions about consumer confidence.

The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of major currencies, was down 0.04% at 104.25, while the euro was down 0.01% at $1.0893. Against the Japanese yen, the dollar was up 0.02% at 158.04.

The dollar fell to 157.15 during Powell's speech, its lowest since June 17, before recovering.

Bitcoin was up slightly after earlier hitting a three-week high of $63,838.86.

The yield on 10-year U.S. Treasuries rose 4 basis points to 4.229%, while the yield on two-year Treasuries fell half a basis point to 4.4554%.

Oil prices were slightly lower as concerns about demand in China, the world's largest importer, offset support from OPEC+ supply cuts and ongoing tensions in the Middle East.

U.S. crude was down 30 cents at $81.91 a barrel, while Brent crude was down 18 cents at $84.85 a barrel.
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The main events by the morning: July 17

The return of Donald Trump to the White House may lead to the easing of sanctions against Russia. On the second day of the Republican congress, the ex-president spoke out against the sanctions, considering them detrimental to US international relations. In his opinion, such measures only alienate other countries.

Dedollarization is gaining momentum, affecting almost half of the world's countries. Over the current year, 6 more countries have joined the movement aimed at weakening the dominance of the dollar in the global economy. As a result, the number of countries participating in dedollarization reached 81. Of these, 50 actively oppose the hegemony of the dollar, and 31 countries switch to settlements in national currencies or restrict the use of the dollar in their domestic operations.

China and Brazil's plan to resolve the conflict in Ukraine is gaining supporters. The peace initiative of China and Brazil on Ukraine is receiving more and more support. Already, 50 countries and international organizations have joined the proposed settlement plan for the Ukrainian crisis. Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui noted that within the framework of the initiative, it is planned to convene an international peace conference, which both sides of the conflict – Russia and Ukraine – are ready to join.

Russia and China are developing options for integrating payments through Mir cards. According to Chinese Ambassador to the Russian Federation Zhang Hanhui, this can help attract tourists from the Russian Federation, improve their conditions of stay, and also allow linking foreign bank cards to Chinese payment platforms.

Trump said Taiwan should pay for its protection. In an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek, the Republican candidate stressed that the United States currently acts as a kind of insurance company, while Taiwan does not provide anything in return.
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XAU/USD. Review and analysis

Today, the price of gold continues its decline.

The US dollar, recovering confidently from the previous day's four-month low and slowly rising, has become the main factor dragging the commodity down for the third consecutive day.

In addition, some profit-taking, especially after the recent rise of more than 6.5% since the beginning of the current month, further contributes to the decline. However, the potential for further decline is limited. Investors are likely convinced that the Federal Reserve will start lowering borrowing costs in September, with the possibility of two more rate cuts by the end of the year. This keeps the yield on US Treasury bonds defensive and limits the appreciation of the US dollar.

However, the tendency to avoid risk amid current market conditions could support gold as a safe-haven asset. Additionally, geopolitical tensions and demand from central banks should help limit significant declines in the price of non-yielding yellow metal.

From a technical perspective, any further decline will find decent support around $2413-2412, just before the round level of $2400. This is followed by a horizontal breakthrough point at $2390-2388, triggering technical selling in case of a decisive break. The precious metal will then accelerate its decline to test the 50-day simple moving average (SMA), which is currently near the $2358-2357 area. A sustained decline below this level will expose the 100-day SMA near the $2311 zone, with intermediate support around $2330.

On the other hand, the Asian session high of around $2445 now serves as an immediate obstacle, above which the yellow metal may rise to $2469-2470 – the high of the American session. Given that the oscillators on the daily chart remain comfortably in positive territory, bulls may attempt to retest the historical high around $2483-2484 and reach the psychological mark of $2500.
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Friday and Biden Weekend: Fiscal Week Outlook

Wall Street opened the morning with news that came as no surprise: President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the presidential race. The market reacted mutedly to the news, with Wall Street futures slightly higher, bond yields slightly lower, and the dollar virtually unchanged.

Biden has thrown his support behind his Vice President Kamala Harris, giving her a lead position for the nomination at the Democratic National Convention, which runs from August 19 to 22. It is also possible that the party may consider a virtual nomination before the convention.

According to online betting site PredictIT, the price for Donald Trump to win has fallen 5 cents to 59 cents, while the price for Harris has increased 13 cents to 40 cents. California Governor Gavin Newsom, another possible Democratic candidate, is still behind at 3 cents.

Goldman Sachs said in a report that it does not expect significant changes in the Democrats' fiscal and trade policies if Harris wins.

Back to Friday's events.

U.S. stocks continued to decline on Friday as chaos continued to rage around a global software outage, adding further uncertainty to an already volatile market.

Massive technology disruptions have hit industries including aviation, banking and healthcare after a software bug at Crowdstrike (CRWD.O) disrupted Microsoft's (MSFT.O) Windows operating system.

While the vulnerability has been identified and fixed, some services continue to experience technical difficulties.

Crowdstrike shares fell 11.1%, while rival cybersecurity companies Palo Alto Networks (PANW.O) and SentinelOne (S.N) rose 2.2% and 7.8%, respectively.

All three major U.S. stock indexes ended in the red, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average the hardest hit.

On a weekly basis, the Nasdaq and S&P 500 posted their worst performances since April, while the Dow, which had hit records earlier in the week, rose Friday to Friday.

"This tech disruption adds an element of uncertainty and weighs on the Nasdaq as a whole," said Robert Pavlik, senior portfolio manager at Dakota Wealth in Fairfield, Connecticut. "But overall it won't have a huge impact. Some buying will be delayed. Plus, it's a summer Friday, and the downtime is making investors take a wait-and-see attitude."

The CBOE Volatility Index (.VIX), often seen as a gauge of investor anxiety, hit its highest since late April. Small-cap stocks in the Russell 2000 (.RUT), which had previously benefited from a decline in interest in Big Tech, ended the day slightly lower.

Nvidia (NVDA.O) was the biggest decliner among chip stocks. The Philadelphia SE Semiconductor Index (.SOX) was among the laggards, down 3.1%.

In addition, New York Federal Reserve President John Williams reiterated that the central bank remains committed to reducing inflation to its 2% target.

According to CME's FedWatch tool, the chances that the Fed will begin cutting rates after its September meeting are estimated at 93.5%.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) fell 377.49 points, or 0.93%, to 40,287.53. The S&P 500 (.SPX) fell 39.59 points, or 0.71%, to 5,505. The Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC) lost 144.28 points, or 0.81%, to 17,726.94.

Among the 11 major sectors in the S&P 500, energy (.SPNY) was the biggest decliner, while health care (.SPXBK) and utilities (.SPLRCU) were up.

The second-quarter earnings season ended in the first full week of August, with 70 S&P 500 companies reporting results. Of those, 83% beat analysts' estimates, according to LSEG.

Analysts now forecast that the S&P 500 will post 11.1% annualized earnings growth, up from the previous estimate of 10.6% on July 1.

Next week brings big earnings from Tesla (TSLA.O), Alphabet (GOOGL.O), IBM (IBM.N), General Motors (GM.N), Ford (F.N) and many more.

"Earnings season is just getting started, but the results are already impressive," said Ryan Detrick, chief market strategist at Carson Group in Omaha, Nebraska. "With a lot of big companies reporting next week, we want to hear how strong the consumer is and what the outlook for future economic growth is."

Eli Lilly (LLY.N) shares rose 1.0% after China approved its weight-loss drug tirzepatide. Meanwhile, Intuitive Surgical (ISRG.O) shares rose 9.4% on better-than-expected second-quarter results.

Travelers (TRV.N) shares fell 7.8% on weaker-than-expected net premium growth.

Netflix (NFLX.O) fell 1.5% in choppy trading after warning that third-quarter subscriber growth would be weaker than last year.

Oilfield services company SLB (SLB.N) rose 1.9% on strong second-quarter earnings.

Declining stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the NYSE by a 2.11-to-1 ratio; on the Nasdaq, decliners outnumbered decliners by a 1.91-to-1 ratio.

The S&P 500 posted 27 new 52-week highs and four new lows, while the Nasdaq Composite posted 50 new highs and 99 new lows. Volume on U.S. exchanges totaled 10.54 billion shares, below the 11.72 billion average over the past 20 trading days.

Last week saw a significant investor shift away from big tech companies to smaller companies and banks, resulting in a loss of about $900 billion in the S&P 500 tech sector.

The pullback was not surprising, given that giants like Alphabet (GOOGL.O), Tesla (TSLA.O), Amazon.com (AMZN.O), Microsoft (MSFT.O), Meta Platforms (META.O), Apple (AAPL.O) and Nvidia (NVDA.O) have accounted for about 60% of the S&P 500's gains this year.

That situation has set the stage for strong second-quarter results, including from mega-caps like Tesla and Google parent Alphabet.

Expectations are high, with full-year earnings expected to rise 17% in tech and 22% in communications.
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Hot forecast for EUR/USD on July 23, 2024

Without any economic or political news, the market has literally come to a standstill. Today's situation is somewhat similar, as aside from the secondary housing market data, the economic calendar is almost empty. Moreover, housing reports have a feeble impact. However, according to multiple statements, US President Joe Biden may address the nation today. He is expected to officiallyendorse Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party candidate. It seems that the incumbent vice president will be the one to challenge Donald Trump. The key point here is that the Democratic Party has quickly settled on its candidate, which significantly reduces political risks. This could potentially support the dollar.

The EUR/USD pair has stalled just below the 1.0900 level, while the corrective cycle from the lower range of the psychological level of 1.0950/1.1000 remains intact.

On the 4-hour chart, the RSI indicator is moving in the lower area, indicating an increase in the volume of short positions on the euro.

As for the Alligator indicator in the same time frame, the lines are intertwined, meaning that the upward cycle is slowing down.

Outlook
To support the bearish bias, the quote must settle below the 1.0860 level. In this scenario, the euro could move towards the 1.0800 level. The bullish scenario will come into play if the price returns above the 1.0900 level.

Complex indicator analysis suggests a correction in the short-term and intraday time frames.
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Tech Profits Fail to Save Wall Street from Declines

Wall Street's major indices ended the session marginally lower on Tuesday, erasing modest intraday gains in the final minutes of trading as investors looked to fresh earnings reports from Alphabet (GOOGL.O) and Tesla (TSLA.O).

The so-called "Magnificent Seven" companies reported results after the market closed, posting positive financial results for the second quarter.

Tesla surprised analysts with an unexpected revenue gain, delivering more cars than expected on the back of price cuts and incentives. Meanwhile, Alphabet beat revenue estimates, helped by higher digital ad sales and strong demand for its cloud services.

However, ahead of the earnings call, Tesla shares fell 2%, while Google's parent company rose 0.1%.

The tech giants' financial results are critical to understanding whether they can sustain their record growth in 2024 or whether U.S. stocks are overvalued. Investors are also concerned about whether the shift away from mega-caps to less-efficient sectors will continue.

The Russell 2000 small-cap (.RUT) rose 1% on the day.

"We're focusing on earnings because that's what's going to be the story this week and next, and the market's reaction to those numbers will be very telling," said Jack Janasiewicz, chief portfolio strategist at Natixis Investment Managers.

Speaking about the shift in focus in smaller-cap stocks, the expert added: "The jury is still out on this and we need more evidence that this is sustainable, which again comes down to earnings."

Big-cap stocks initially supported the markets on Tuesday, with all three benchmark indexes in positive territory. However, while the likes of Apple (AAPL.O), Microsoft (MSFT.O) and Amazon.com (AMZN.O) rose between 0.3% and 2.1%, the overall market rally slowed in the afternoon, leading to a slight decline in the final results.

Stock markets were also under pressure from disappointing earnings from big-name companies.

United Parcel Service (UPS.N), a leading indicator of the health of the global economy, fell 12.1% after earnings fell short of expectations amid weaker delivery demand and rising labor costs. UPS shares ended the day at their lowest in four years.

General Motors (GM.N) fell 6.4% despite reporting strong second-quarter results and raising its full-year profit forecast. Comcast (CMCSA.O) lost 2.6% after disappointing revenue data.

NXP Semiconductors (NXPI.O) fell 7.6% after reporting third-quarter revenue that missed expectations, dragging the Philadelphia SE Semiconductor (.SOX) index down 1.5%.

Spotify (SPOT.N) jumped 12% after reporting record quarterly profit that slightly beat analysts' expectations. Coca-Cola (KO.N) also rose 0.3% after raising its full-year sales and profit forecasts.

Of the first 74 S&P 500 companies to report quarterly results this season, 81.1% beat estimates, according to LSEG.

Yanasevich noted that while it's too early to draw definitive conclusions, the current earnings call shows that companies that miss expectations are suffering greatly, even if their results are generally positive. High market prices and expectations don't always guarantee significant stock gains.

"If your results don't meet expectations, the punishment may be more severe given current market conditions," he added.

The S&P 500 (.SPX) fell 8.67 points, or 0.16%, to 5,555.74. The Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) fell 10.22 points, or 0.06%, to 17,997.35. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) lost 57.35 points, or 0.14%, to 40,358.09.

Eight of the S&P's 11 major sectors ended the day in the red, with energy (.SPNY) the worst performer, down 1.6% as U.S. oil prices fell to a six-week low.

Trading volume on U.S. exchanges totaled 10.45 billion shares, below the 20-day average of 11.33 billion.

The Federal Reserve's core consumer spending index, the benchmark inflation gauge, is due out Friday. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note fell 0.9 basis point to 4.251%.

"The market is now at a stage where we need real results to confirm the rally," said Wasif Latif, chief investment officer at Sarmaya Partners.

The MSCI World Share Index (.MIWD00000PUS) was down 0.06% at 816.37. On Wall Street, all three major indexes gave up their morning gains to end lower, led by losses in energy and utilities.

The pan-European STOXX 600 (.STOXX) was up 0.13%, led by gains in tech. In Asia, the MSCI Asia-Pacific Index outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) ended 0.30% higher at 566.92.

"We have seen a strong rally this year, with a lot of positives already built into it, including earnings and rate cuts," Latif added.

Vice President Kamala Harris will campaign in the battleground state of Wisconsin on Tuesday after winning the majority of delegates to the Democratic National Convention, strengthening her position as the party's presumptive nominee.

The U.S. dollar was broadly stronger, while the yen extended gains against the greenback for a second straight day.

The dollar index, which tracks the dollar against a basket of major currencies, rose 0.14% to 104.45. The euro was down 0.37% at $1.0849, while the yen gained 0.9% against the dollar to 155.63 yen per dollar.

Crude oil prices fell about 2% to a six-week low on rising expectations for a Gaza ceasefire and growing concerns about Chinese demand. Brent crude futures were down 1.7% to settle at $81.01 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell 1.8% to settle at $76.96 a barrel.

Gold was up, with spot prices up 0.43% to $2,407.87 an ounce. U.S. gold futures were also up 0.43% to settle at $2,402.40 an ounce.

Bitcoin, which had earlier risen on expectations that a potential Trump administration would be more lenient on cryptocurrency regulations, was down 3.60% to $65,698. Ethereum was also down 0.48% to settle at $3,473.
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US Election: How Uncertainty Impacted Markets and Trillions of Dollars Escaped from Stocks

"Markets have a strong aversion to uncertainty, and with the polls close to 50-50, it's as uncertain as it gets," said Ross Yarrow, managing director of U.S. equities at investment bank Baird.

Wall Street's S&P 500 (.SPX) fell 2.3% on Wednesday, its biggest one-day loss since December 2022, as Big Tech, which accounts for a significant portion of U.S. and global indexes, fell. The decline continued Thursday morning, spreading to European markets.

Investors, wary of further selling, have turned to small-cap stocks, UK assets and gold as possible safe havens.

Of particular concern to global markets is the possibility that competition for votes on big spending plans could lead to potential turmoil in the US debt market, weighing on global stocks and bonds whose value depends on long-term Treasury yields.

The 30-year US Treasury yield rose above the two-year yield last week as big investors began to shy away from long-term US credit risk as the budget deficit widened to nearly $2 trillion.

Emerging market stocks and bonds have come under pressure from President Trump's proposed tariff hikes, said Adam Norris, a multi-manager at Columbia Threadneedle. Higher tariffs are having a negative impact on the economies and currencies of exporting countries.

Stock market volatility (.VIX) has started to rise from its lows as traders shift between stock sectors based on the changing election odds.

Tech stocks from the U.S. to Amsterdam have felt the pressure after Trump proposed earlier this month to cut U.S. support for Taiwan, a key link in the chip supply chain.

Meanwhile, the Russell 2000 index of U.S. small-caps (.RUT) has risen on expectations that Trump's growth policies will favor domestically focused companies over global tech giants.

The rotation could end, however, if tech or consumer stocks heavily dependent on Chinese supply chains rise as Trump falls in the polls.

Benjamin Mehlman, chief investment officer at Edmond de Rothschild Asset Management, expressed caution on European exporters due to potential tariff risks if Trump wins, preferring to invest in smaller, less global European companies.

Now on to global financial news.

More than $3 trillion has been pulled out of global equities in recent days.

Stock markets plunged into a multi-trillion-dollar slump on Thursday as a slide in global tech stocks sent investors seeking refuge in traditionally safe havens like bonds, the yen and the Swiss franc.

Europe's biggest bourses opened the day down more than 1% as traders in Europe and Asia reacted to the Nasdaq's worst day since 2022 (.IXIC) on Wednesday following disappointing earnings reports from giants Alphabet and Tesla.

Chinese stocks, iron ore and oil prices also extended their losses after a surprise move by China's central bank to cut long-term interest rates added to concerns about the world's second-largest economy.

The sell-off in stocks has increased bets on interest rate cuts around the world, with futures pointing to a 100% chance of Federal Reserve easing in September. A sharp rise in market volatility (.VIX) added pressure on carry trades, sending the U.S. dollar down 0.7% to 152.78 yen on Thursday.

MSCI's broadest index of global shares (.MIWD00000PUS) fell 1%, while Japan's Nikkei (.N225) fell 3.3%, partly due to an 11% plunge in Nissan Motor (7201.T) after the company reported a 99% drop in quarterly profit.

Taiwan (.TWII) markets remained closed for a second day due to a typhoon.

Chinese blue-chip stocks (.CSI300) fell 0.9%, while the Shanghai Composite Index (.SSEC) also fell 0.9%, hitting a five-month low.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng (.HSI) fell 1.7%, unhelped by Beijing's latest round of economic easing.

On Wall Street, the Nasdaq (.IXIC) lost nearly 4% as weak earnings results from Alphabet and Tesla dented investor confidence in the already lofty valuations of Big Tech stocks.

The decline added to recent market volatility, with the Wall Street Fear Index (.VIX) hitting a three-month high. Investors sought safety in cash and highly liquid short-term debt as two-year U.S. Treasury yields fell to their lowest in nearly six months on Wednesday.

"There are a lot of factors weighing on equity markets right now," said Jeff Yu, senior currency and macro strategist at BNY Mellon in London.

He also pointed to declining auto sales in the US, Europe and Japan, as well as recent interest rate moves in China, as clear signs of weakening global consumer demand.

Another big factor was the strengthening of the yen, which rose more than 1% to its highest in 2 1/2 months, ahead of a Bank of Japan meeting next week to discuss whether to raise interest rates.

The Swiss franc also strengthened 0.5% to 0.88 per dollar, adding 0.7% overnight.

Shorter-term bonds extended gains, helped by comments from former New York Federal Reserve President Bill Dudley that the central bank should cut rates, preferably at its policy meeting next week.

The yield on two-year Treasury notes fell another 3 basis points to 4.3894%, after falling 4 basis points on Wednesday. Ten-year Treasury yields also fell 2 basis points to 4.2622% on Thursday.

In commodities, iron ore prices fell nearly 1% on lingering concerns about China's economy. Copper futures fell 1.2%, while oil prices remained near six-week lows.

Brent crude futures fell 0.5% to just over $81 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude also fell 0.5% to $77.23 a barrel. Gold prices fell 1% to $2,373.62 an ounce.
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