US Markets
Stocks Mostly Down Pre-Bell as Investors Monitor Latest Middle East Developments
US equity markets were mostly pointing lower before the opening bell Thursday as traders continue to monitor the latest developments in the Middle East.The S&P 500 edged down 0.1%, and the Nasdaq was off 0.2% in premarket activity, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average nudged 0.1% higher. The indexes finished the previous trading session in the green, snapping a three-day losing streak.President Donald Trump told reporters on Wednesday that renewed attacks against Iran aren't likely to last "too long," according to multiple media outlets. US forces struck Iranian military targets earlier in the week."We took out all of the new equipment that they tried to build along the Strait of Hormuz -- some defensive, some offensive," Trump reportedly said, according to Bloomberg News. "It was a very heavy attack last night, and we're prepared to do another one any time we want."Top officials in the Trump administration are seeking to prevent the war with Iran from escalating ahead of November's midterm elections, while considering ramping up military action after the vote, Reuters reported Wednesday, citing people familiar with the discussions.Kuwait's army said Thursday it was intercepting missile and drone attacks from Iran targeting US bases in the country, CNBC reported.West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 1.7% to $92.52 a barrel before the open, while Brent increased 1.6% to $97.16.Treasury yields were trending lower in premarket action, with the two-year rate retreating 1.1 basis points to 4.38% and the 10-year rate decreasing 0.8 basis points to 4.79%.Federal Reserve Bank of New York President John Williams told CNBC in an interview on Wednesday that the recent spike in Treasury yields reflects a strong economy, not market dysfunction.Employers in the US announced 52,881 layoffs in August, up 58% from the month prior but down 38% year over year, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas' latest report. US private sector employment grew at its slowest pace in seven months in August, ADP (ADP) data showed Wednesday.Thursday's economic calendar also has the weekly jobless claims bulletin and the international trade in goods and services report for July at 8:30 am ET. The purchasing managers' index composite final report from S&P Global (SPGI) for August is out at 9:45 am, followed by the Institute for Supply Management's services index for the same month at 10 am.Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller is scheduled to speak at 8:30 am, while Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack speaks at 3 pm.Shares of Broadcom (AVGO) and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) declined 3.3% and 3.7%, respectively, pre-bell after reporting their latest financial results. Snowflake (SNOW) jumped 24% as the firm lifted its full-year product revenue outlook.Ciena (CIEN), Toro (TTC), Campbell's (CPB) and Victoria's Secret (VSXY) are expected to release their quarterly earnings before the bell, among others. Zscaler (ZS), Guidewire Software (GWRE), Lululemon Athletica (LULU), DocuSign (DOCU) and UiPath (PATH) post their results after the markets close.Gold gained 1.2% to $4,469 per troy ounce, while bitcoin increased 0.5% to $77,597.
Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$AVGO$CIEN$CPB$DOCU$GWRE$HPE$LULU$PATH$SNOW$TTC$VSXY$ZS
