The Dow and S&P 500 ended slightly lower due to concerns about the Federal Reserve keeping interest rates higher for longer, while the Nasdaq finished barely in the green; the financial sector fell 0.9%, dragged down by an S&P downgrade of credit ratings of regional U.S. lenders, and investors are awaiting clarity on the rate outlook from Fed Chair Jerome Powell.
Home prices in the U.S. rose for the fifth consecutive month in June, despite high mortgage rates, with national prices increasing by 0.9% and only down 0.02% from their peak in June 2022, according to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller index. However, there were significant regional differences, with cities on the West Coast experiencing some of the biggest declines. The housing market continues to face challenges due to low inventory and slow new construction.
The number of job vacancies in the US dropped in July, indicating a cooling labor market that could alleviate inflation, while fewer Americans quit their jobs and consumer confidence in the economy decreased, potentially impacting consumer spending; these trends may lead the Federal Reserve to delay a rate hike in September.
U.S. mortgage rates have dropped for the first time in six weeks, due to uncertainty surrounding the possibility of the U.S. Federal Reserve increasing interest rates in September.
Wall Street ended a challenging August on a mixed note, with the Dow Jones down 0.5%, the S&P 500 losing 0.16%, and the Nasdaq gaining 0.11%, resulting in the worst monthly performance since earlier this year; however, signs of a soft landing for the US economy and lower jobless claims have sparked hopes that the Fed may ease off on interest rate hikes at its upcoming meeting.
Large numbers of job cuts and reduced investment are hitting British manufacturing due to a slump in demand, according to the deputy editor of The Telegraph, Tim Wallace. The purchasing managers’ index fell to 43 in August, down from 45.3 in July, the lowest reading since August 2014 and the worst performance since May 2020, shortly after the first Covid-19 lockdown, also the worst since the financial crisis. Wallace cites Make UK economist Fhaheen Khan’s view that interest rates and inflation have lowered sales, sparking job cuts.
Summary: Nvidia, Tesla, and Apple stocks had a great week as August ended on a strong note and Friday's jobs report provided a solid start to September.
Stock indices closed in the red, with the Nasdaq 100, S&P 500, and Dow Jones Industrial Average all experiencing declines, while the technology sector underperformed and the energy sector led the session. The U.S. 10-Year Treasury yield dropped, while the Two-Year Treasury yield increased. The Small Business Optimism Index for August decreased, with inflation cited as a major concern among small business owners. Stocks opened lower on Tuesday, and U.S. futures trended lower as well. This week's focus will be on the Consumer Price Index and Producer Price Index data, which could impact the Federal Reserve's decision on rate hikes. Oracle's stock fell after missing sales estimates, while Casey's General and Tesla saw gains. JPMorgan's CEO criticized new Basel III regulations, and European indices traded in the green. In Asia-Pacific, markets ended mixed as traders await U.S. inflation data.
The S&P 500 and Nasdaq ended the week slightly lower due to a decline on Friday caused by higher bond yields and oil prices, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average saw a small weekly gain.
Wall Street finished the week with a decline in stocks, as the S&P 500 posted its second consecutive losing week, with technology and retail sectors contributing to the slide, while investors await the upcoming Federal Reserve interest rate policy meeting.
