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Microsoft, Apple Push Stocks Lower; Bonds Rally: Markets Wrap

US stocks dropped as investors parsed fresh economic data and disappointing earnings while mulling the Federal Reserve’s path.

A worker unloads Coca-Cola bottles from a truck at a market in Toluca, Mexico state, Mexico, on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022. Soaring prices of food and fuel across Latin America are hitting the poor the hardest, creating a political tinderbox that’s a warning to the world.
A worker unloads Coca-Cola bottles from a truck at a market in Toluca, Mexico state, Mexico, on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022. Soaring prices of food and fuel across Latin America are hitting the poor the hardest, creating a political tinderbox that’s a warning to the world.

US stocks dropped as investors parsed fresh economic data and disappointing earnings while mulling the Federal Reserve’s path after the Bank of Canada announced a smaller-than-expected rate hike. 

The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100 pushed lower, dragged by losses in Microsoft Corp. and Apple Inc. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s comments also dampened sentiment in the afternoon after he said he doesn’t see Iran nuclear talks advancing in the short term.

Treasuries rallied after data showed the US merchandise-trade deficit widening. Sales of new US homes fell in September, another indication that the economy is starting to see the effects of the Fed raising rates sharply. A gauge of the dollar declined for a second day to its lowest level in three weeks.

Stocks had been buoyed in recent days by mostly solid earnings and speculation the Federal Reserve may curb the pace of rate increases. Sentiment took a hit on Wednesday after earnings from megacap companies including Alphabet Inc. and Microsoft highlighted the impact the Fed, and consequently the surging dollar, had on the economy. 

The Bank of Canada unexpectedly slowing its pace of interest-rate hikes amid fears of a recession briefly boosted markets. But that wore off as some investors decided that it doesn’t necessarily mean the Fed will follow suit. 

In any case, it’ll be challenging for the Fed to announce that they’re going to be less hawkish, as they have to manage investors’ expectations along the way, according to Dustin Thackeray, chief investment officer at Crewe Advisors.

“They obviously don’t want to be too dovish and the market is obviously looking for any sort of a sign from the Fed that we’re hitting the break, so to speak, on rate increases,” he said by phone. “If they continue on their too hawkish stance, there is a risk that things kind of get out of hand on that end as well. So they’re definitely walking a very fine line.”

Morgan Stanley Chief US Equity Strategist Mike Wilson says US equity markets are likely to rally in early 2023 after this year’s downturn. “Ultimately the bear market will be over probably sometime in the first quarter,” Wilson says on “Bloomberg Surveillance.”Source: Bloomberg
Morgan Stanley Chief US Equity Strategist Mike Wilson says US equity markets are likely to rally in early 2023 after this year’s downturn. “Ultimately the bear market will be over probably sometime in the first quarter,” Wilson says on “Bloomberg Surveillance.”Source: Bloomberg

Key events this week:

  • Earnings due this week include: Apple, Exxon Mobil, Ford Motor, Credit Suisse, Airbus, Amazon, Bank of China, Boeing, Caterpillar, Cnooc, Intel, McDonald’s, Merck, Samsung Electronics, Shell, Vale, Volkswagen
  • ECB rate decision, Thursday
  • US GDP, durable goods orders, initial jobless claims, Thursday
  • Bank of Japan policy decision, Friday
  • US personal income, personal spending, pending home sales, University of Michigan consumer sentiment, Friday

Some of the main moves in markets:

Stocks

  • The S&P 500 fell 0.7% as of 2:54 p.m. New York time
  • The Nasdaq 100 fell 2.1%
  • The Dow Jones Industrial Average was little changed
  • The MSCI World index rose 1.6%

Currencies

  • The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index fell 0.9%
  • The euro rose 1.1% to $1.0079
  • The British pound rose 1.3% to $1.1621
  • The Japanese yen rose 1.1% to 146.29 per dollar

Cryptocurrencies

  • Bitcoin rose 2.6% to $20,705.85
  • Ether rose 5.5% to $1,555.3

Bonds

  • The yield on 10-year Treasuries declined eight basis points to 4.02%
  • Germany’s 10-year yield declined six basis points to 2.11%
  • Britain’s 10-year yield declined six basis points to 3.58%

Commodities

  • West Texas Intermediate crude rose 3% to $87.86 a barrel
  • Gold futures rose 0.8% to $1,670.60 an ounce

--With assistance from , , , and .

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