Stocks began the day on a downward trend following the release of a hotter-than-expected economic report, reigniting concerns about inflation and high interest rates. The S&P 500 dipped by 0.3% early Tuesday, potentially marking its first monthly loss in six months. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 196 points, while the Nasdaq composite declined by 0.4%. Investors have grown wary as hopes for multiple interest rate cuts this year have dwindled. Reports indicating persistent high inflation have led to an increase in Treasury yields. Yields climbed further after a report revealed that U.S. workers experienced larger-than-anticipated gains in wages and benefits during the first quarter.
Meanwhile, Wall Street showed modest declines early Tuesday as investors assessed additional corporate earnings reports while anticipating potentially market-moving updates later in the week.
Before the opening bell, futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 each edged down by 0.1%.
McDonald’s saw a slight decrease of less than 1% in premarket trading following its announcement of strong U.S. sales but lower-than-expected profits. The company also reported a decline in international sales, partly attributed to ongoing boycotts by customers in the Middle East and Muslim-majority markets due to perceived support for Israel.
On the positive side, 3M surged by 7.6% after surpassing Wall Street’s forecasts for sales and profit. The company also provided full-year sales and profit guidance, reflecting the recent spinoff of its Solventum healthcare business.
HSBC, Europe’s largest bank, experienced a 4.2% increase after CEO Noel Quinn’s announcement of his retirement. Quinn oversaw several strategic moves during his tenure, including the sale of HSBC’s Canada and Argentina operations, resulting in the bank’s strongest returns in over a decade.
Coca-Cola’s shares remained relatively stable after exceeding analysts’ expectations for sales and profit.
Later in the day, Amazon and Starbucks were set to report their latest financial results after the market closed.
Investors are eagerly anticipating the U.S. Federal Reserve’s upcoming policy decision on Wednesday. With reports of persistently high inflation, traders are expecting fewer interest rate cuts this year. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s remarks during the subsequent news conference may provide further insights into the central bank’s decision-making process.
Additionally, investors are awaiting Friday’s release of the jobs report, which could indicate a slowdown in hiring by U.S. employers in April while wages continue to show steady growth.
In European trading, France’s CAC 40 and Germany’s DAX experienced minor declines, while Britain’s FTSE 100 edged up slightly.
In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 surged by 1.2%, while Sydney’s S&P/ASX 200 and South Korea’s Kospi also saw modest gains. However, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng and China’s Shanghai Composite faced slight declines.
In other markets, U.S. crude oil and Brent crude both experienced slight increases in trading, while the U.S. dollar strengthened against the Japanese yen but remained relatively stable against the euro.
Featured Image: Unsplash
