Dow futures are off by more than 120 points at last check
Stock futures are pointed lower to kick off the fourth quarter of 2024. The three major benchmarks are fresh off September wins for the first time since 2019, as well as sizable quarterly gains.
Nevertheless, futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) are down 123 points this morning, while S&P 500 (SPX) and Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) futures sit just below fair market value. Investor caution may be flaring up after comments from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, who indicated the central bank is "not on any preset course" regarding its next policy moves.
Continue reading for more on today's market, including:
- The S&P 500 has an enticing technical backdrop, says Senior V.P. of Research Todd Salamone.
- These are the 25 worst stocks to own this month.
- Plus, three analysts notes to unpack this morning.
5 Things You Need to Know Today
- The Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE) saw more than 1.4 million call contracts and 780,050 put contracts exchanged on Monday. The single-session equity put/call ratio rose to 0.55 and the 21-day moving average fell to 0.64.
- Ford Motor Co (NYSE:F) stock is up 2.1% ahead of the open, after Goldman Sachs upgraded the automaker to "buy" from "neutral." The analyst in coverage praised Ford's growing software and services, as well as its Super Duty vehicles. Year to date, Ford stock is down 12.1%.
- Goldman Sachs also weighed in on social media company Pinterest Inc (NYSE:PINS). The Wall Street firm added PINS to its "Americas Conviction List," noting top-line growth can keep compounding while its user growth trends keep improving. Up 4.3% premarket, Pinterest stock is looking to cut into its 12.6% year-to-date deficit.
- Shares of Alcoa Corp (NYSE:AA) are 2.2% higher before the bell after Bank of America upgraded the aluminum producer to "buy," citing strong global demand and a bullish outlook for the price of aluminum in 2025. Coming into today, AA was already up 13.5% since the start of 2024.
- What's coming up this week on Wall Street.
Euro Zone Inflation Breaks Below ECB's Target
Asian markets in South Korea, Hong Kong, and mainland China are closed for a public holiday. Japan’s Nikkei added 1.9%, after the Bank of Japan (BoJ) left its benchmark interest rate unchanged. The BoJ’s third-quarter Tankan survey showed business optimism among manufacturers unchanged from the previous quarter and in line with estimates. Elsewhere, Japan’s unemployment rate fell to 2.5% in August, down from 2.7% in July.
Over in Europe, bourses are pushing higher, after euro zone inflation data came in at 1.8% for September, below the 2% target of the European Central Bank (ECB). At last check, London’s FTSE 100 is up 0.6% and the French CAC 40 is 0.08% higher, weighed down by automaker Renault. The German DAX is up 0.5%, after the preliminary harmonized inflation data showed the German consumer price index (CPI) fall from 2% in August to 1.8% in September.