02 September 2022 Market Close & Major Financial Headlines: Wall Street Erases Yesterday’s Gains, Tanking Before Labor Day Weekend As Investors Believe Fed Will Raise Interest Again In September, Third Straight Weekly Loss For Major Indexes.

Summary Of the Markets Today:

  • The Dow closed down 338 points or 1.07%,
  • Nasdaq closed down 1.31%,
  • S&P 500 down 1.07%,
  • WTI crude oil settled at 87 down 6.49% for the week,
  • USD $109.60 down 0.03%,
  • Gold $17251 up 0.68%,
  • Bitcoin $19,899 down 0.38% – Session Low 19,784,
  • 10-year U.S. Treasury 3.199% down 0.066%
  • Baker Hughes Rig Count: U.S. -5 to 760 Canada +7 to 208

Today’s Economic Releases:

Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 315,000 in August 2022, and the unemployment rate rose to 3.7 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Notable job gains occurred in professional and business services, health care, and retail trade. Interesting that the civilian labor force increased by 786,000 which accounts for the rise in the unemployment rate. The household data shows employment increasing by 442,000 (versus the headline 315,000 in the establishment survey). Wednesday’s ADP employment report showed 132,000 private sector jobs were added (versus 308,000 in the establishment survey in this employment report). The strong employment report opens the Federal Reserve to continue raising the federal funds rate.

New orders for manufactured goods in July 2022, down following nine consecutive monthly increases, decreased 1.0%. This followed a 1.8% June increase. This data is not inflation adjusted and inflation-adjusted data makes manufacturing look sick (see graph below):

The Institute of Supply Management (ISM) showed its manufacturing index for August 2022 was unchanged from the previous month. Overall this index has been declining for the last year and is only modestly above the zero-growth line.

A summary of headlines we are reading today:

  • France’s EDF Vows To Restart All Nuclear Reactors By Winter
  • U.S. Rig Count Slips Amid Retreat In Crude Prices
  • Oil Markets Jittery As Chinese Tech Hub Returns To Lockdown
  • 1 in 5 home sellers are now dropping their asking price as the housing market cools
  • GM offers to buy out Buick dealers that don’t want to invest in EVs
  • John Harwood Out At CNN
  • Ukraine war: Key Russian gas pipeline to EU stays closed

These and other headlines and news summaries moving the markets today are included below.

01 September 2022 Market Close & Major Financial Headlines: Wall Street Continues To Show Weakness, Investors Not Impressed With The Fed’s Response To Inflation, Dow And SP500 Eked Out A Green Close In Last Half Hour

Summary Of the Markets Today:

  • The Dow closed up 146 points or 0.46%,
  • Nasdaq closed down 0.26%,
  • S&P 500 up 0.30%,
  • WTI crude oil settled at $86 down 9.44% for the week,
  • USD $109.62 up 0.86%,
  • Gold $1707 down 1.14%,
  • Bitcoin $19,857 up 1.01% – Session Low 19,614,
  • 10-year U.S. Treasury 3.257 up 0.127%

Today’s Economic Releases:

Small business owners continue to hire, but 49% (seasonally adjusted) of owners reported job openings they could not fill in the current period. According to NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg:

The labor market continues to be a significant challenge for small business owners. Owners are managing several economic headwinds and continue to make business adjustments to mitigate lost sales opportunities due to staffing shortages. Almost half of owners are raising compensation to attract workers for their open positions.

U.S.-based employers announced 20,485 cuts in August, a 21% decrease from the 25,810 cuts announced one month prior. It is 30% higher than the 15,723 cuts announced in the same month last year. August marks the fourth time this year that cuts were higher in 2022 than in the corresponding month a year earlier. Andrew Challenger, Senior Vice President of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. stated:

Employment data continue to point to a strong labor market. Job openings are high, layoffs are low, and workers seem to have slowed their resignations. If a recession is imminent, it’s not yet reflected in the labor data.

Nonfarm business sector labor productivity decreased 4.1% in the second quarter of 2022 as output decreased 1.4 percent and hours worked increased 2.7 percent. From the same quarter a year ago, nonfarm business sector labor productivity decreased 2.4%. This is the largest decline in the series, which begins in the first quarter of 1948.

In the week ending August 27, the 4-week moving average for initial unemployment claims was 241,500, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week’s revised average. The unemployment claims recent rise seems to have abated.

Construction spending during July 2022 was 0.4 % below the revised June estimate. The July figure is 8.5% above  July 2021. During the first seven months of this year, construction spending was 10.8% above the same period in 2021.

A summary of headlines we are reading today:

  • The Energy Crisis Is Putting Europes Solidarity To The Test
  • Turkey Hikes Gas And Power Prices By Up To 50%
  • Oil Prices Fall More Than 3% As G7 Discusses Price Cap For Russian Crude
  • Chinese EV stocks tank after Li Auto and Xpeng report plunge in August deliveries; Nio ekes out growth
  • Flood losses covered by insurance are jumping drastically and only a small fraction of what’s damaged by floods is insured
  • Stocks making the biggest moves midday: Nvidia, Okta, Five Below, Bed Bath & Beyond and more
  • U.S. health officials brace for another fall Covid surge, but with fewer deaths

These and other headlines and news summaries moving the markets today are included below.

31 August 2022 Market Close & Major Financial Headlines: Wall Street Repeats Yesterday’s Session, Opens High, Closes In The Red

Summary Of the Markets Today:

  • The Dow closed down 280 points or 0.88%,
  • Nasdaq closed down 0.56%,
  • S&P 500 down 0.78%,
  • WTI crude oil settled at 89 down 4.91% for the week,
  • USD $108.67 down 0.14%,
  • Gold $1722 down 0.84%,
  • Bitcoin $20,166 up 1.01% – Session Low 19,780,
  • 10-year U.S. Treasury 3.146 up 0.003%

Today’s Economic Releases:

According to ADP’s National Employment Report, private employers created 132,000 jobs in August, a step down from the month before, when the economy created nearly 270,000 jobs. Payroll growth also slowed in July when compared to June of this year. This is the inaugural edition of the new ADP National Employment Report (NER). The new NER, part of a collaboration with the Stanford Digital Economy Lab, is built on the payroll transactions of more than 25 million U.S. workers.  According to Nela Richardson, Chief Economist, ADP:

Our data suggests a recent shift toward a more conservative pace of hiring, possibly as companies try to decipher the economy’s conflicting signals. We could be at an inflection point, from super-charged job gains to something more normal.

The Chicago Business Barometer inched up in August 2022 by 0.1 points to 52.2 – following the June/July slide which saw this index fall to the lowest level since August 2020. This continues to indicate a modestly expanding economy.

A summary of headlines we are reading today:

  • Switzerland Scrambles To Keep Nuclear Plants Online
  • Walmart-owned Sam’s Club raises annual membership fee for the first time in nine years
  • Bed Bath & Beyond announces store closures, layoffs and new financing to fix struggling business
  • Mortgage demand falls even further, as rates shoot back up to July highs
  • Despite recession fears, most 401(k) investors haven’t changed their portfolios. Here’s what advisors suggest
  • Why inflation may become a non-issue for investors by March 2023

These and other headlines and news summaries moving the markets today are included below.

30 August 2022 Market Close & Major Financial Headlines: Wall Street Fell Like A Rock After Positive Opening, Main Indexes Traded Sideways Most Of Session. Happy Birthday Warren Buffett

Summary Of the Markets Today:

  • The Dow closed down 308 points or 0.96%,
  • Nasdaq closed down 1.12%,
  • S&P 500 down 1.10%,
  • WTI crude oil settled at $92 down 4.98%,
  • USD $108.78 down 0.05%,
  • Gold $1735 down 0.82%,
  • Bitcoin $19,995 down 1.64% – Session Low 19,591,
  • 10-year U.S. Treasury 3.112 unchanged

Today’s Economic Releases:

On the last business day of July, the number and rate of job openings were little changed at 11.2 million and 6.9 percent, respectively. Job openings increased in transportation, warehousing, and utilities (+81,000); arts, entertainment, and recreation (+53,000); federal government (+47,000); and state and local government education (+42,000). Job openings decreased in durable goods manufacturing (-47,000). The weird situation continues where the economy is running cool whilst demand for workers exceeds supply. Note that hires and separations historically have little impact on the economy.
The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index, covering all nine U.S. census divisions, reported an 18.0% annual gain in June, down from 19.9% in the previous month. The 10-City Composite annual increase came in at 17.4%, down from 19.1% in the previous month. The 20-City Composite posted an 18.6% year-over-year gain, down from 20.5% in the previous month. The moderation of home prices is expected for a variety of reasons – the main reasons are 1) that home price increases are now being compared to the higher home prices of one year ago and 2) the demand for houses are these elevated prices have cooled. A perspective from CoreLogic Deputy Chief Economist Selma Hepp:
In June, the CoreLogic S&P Case-Shiller Index posted an 18% increase, down from a 19.9% gain in May, marking the third month of slower home price growth and decided reversal toward long-run rate of about 5%. Housing market activity cooled markedly since the June’s surge in mortgage rates leading to widespread slowing of home price growth and rising concerns over potential home price declines in the future. 

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A summary of headlines we are reading today:

  • Oil Falls 5% On Growing Inflation Fears
  • Royal Caribbean partners with SpaceX’s Starlink for onboard internet
  • Home prices weakened in June, but were still much higher than a year ago, says S&P Case-Shiller
  • China Is Aggressively Reselling Russian Gas To Europe
  • Investing legend Warren Buffett turns 92 today. Here are his top 5 investing mantras
  • The Wall Street Journal: Secret Service official who figures in Jan. 6 investigation of Trump retires

These and other headlines and news summaries moving the markets today are included below.

29 August 2022 Market Close & Major Financial Headlines: Wall Street’s Three Main Indexes Heading Lower Extending Decline After See-Sawing Across The Unchanged Line. Investors Concerned With Powell’s Inflation Rhetoric

Summary Of the Markets Today:

  • The Dow closed down 184 points or 0.57%,
  • Nasdaq closed down 1.02%,
  • S&P 500 down 0.67%,
  • WTI crude oil settled at $97 up 4.13% for the week,
  • USD $108.77 down 0.03%,
  • Gold $1749 unchanged,
  • Bitcoin $20,144 up 2.9% – Session Low 20,082,
  • 10-year U.S. Treasury 3.11% unchanged

Today’s Economic Releases:

The Dallas Fed Manufacturing Index modestly fell to 1.2 in August 2022 from 3.8 in July which is indicative of little growth and little change from the previous month.

A summary of headlines we are reading today:

  • U.S. Utilities Desperately Need To Spend More On Energy Infrastructure
  • The Global Gas Crisis Is Spilling Into The United States
  • Honda and LG Energy Solution to build $4.4 billion EV battery plant in U.S.
  • Cash is king for EV makers as soaring battery prices drive up vehicle production costs
  • US shares fall on the threat of interest rate rises
  • Store closures at the lowest level for seven years
  • Market Snapshot: Dow, S&P 500 edge lower as investors digest Fed’s vows not to waver in inflation fight

These and other headlines and news summaries moving the markets today are included below.

26 August 2022 Market Close & Major Financial Headlines: Wall Street Waterfalls At Opening Bell After Powell Warns Of Pain Ahead And Continued Losses During Final Hours Of Session, Dow Slides 1000 points As Losses Mount, Main Indexes Close At Session Lows

Summary Of the Markets Today:

  • The Dow closed down 1,008 points or 3.03%,
  • Nasdaq closed down 3.94%,
  • S&P 500 down 3.37%,
  • WTI crude oil settled at $93 up 2.73% for the week,
  • USD $108.81 up 0.36%,
  • Gold $1750 down 1.2%,
  • Bitcoin $20,670 down 4.37% – Session Low 20,581,
  • 10-year U.S. Treasury 3.039 Unchanged
  • Baker Hughes Rig Count: U.S. +3 to 765 Canada unchanged at 201

Today’s Economic Releases:

Real (inflation-adjusted) disposable personal income increased 0.3% in July 2022 and real personal consumption expenditures increased 0.2%. We are not a fan of looking at month-over-month changes are the volatility is misleading. The year-over-year inflation-adjusted data shows personal consumption expenditures increased 2.2% (and this increase has been relatively steady for the last 5 months) whilst disposable personal income declined 3.7% (and has been in negative territory all of 2022).

A summary of headlines we are reading today:

  • Russia Is Flaring Natural Gas While Choking Supply To Europe
  • Oil Rig Count Climbs As Permian Drilling Picks Up
  • Bed Bath & Beyond says it will share its comeback strategy next week
  • Zelensky Warns Of “Radiation Disaster” As Reconnected Nuclear Reactor Is Building Up Capacity
  • Bond Report: Two- and 10-year U.S. bond yields rise for a fourth straight week after Powell’s hawkish Jackson Hole address
  • Market Snapshot: Dow tumbles 950 points, Nasdaq drops 3.8% after Powell warns of pain to households in inflation battle

These and other headlines and news summaries moving the markets today are included below.

25 August 2022 Market Close & Major Financial Headlines: Wall Street Opened higher, Continued To Climb Closing At Session Highs. Markets Hope Jackson Hole Rate Hike Discussion By Powell Will Turn Dovish.

Summary Of the Markets Today:

  • The Dow closed up 323 points or 0.98%,
  • Nasdaq closed up 1.67%,
  • S&P 500 up 1.41%,
  • WTI crude oil settled at 93 up 6.80% for the week,
  • USD $108.34 down 0.34%,
  • Gold $1769 up 0.39%,
  • Bitcoin $21,639 down 0.61% – Session Low 21,352,
  • 10-year U.S. Treasury 3.039% unchanged

Today’s Economic Releases:

In the week ending August 20, the 4-week moving average for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims was 247,000, an increase of 1,500 from the previous week’s revised average. The previous week’s average was revised down by 1,250 from 246,750 to 245,500. It appears, based on the unemployment insurance claims, that the economy has stabilized – and has stopped slowing.
The second estimate of real GDP for 2Q2022 “improved” from the advance estimate’s -0.9% to -0.6%. The inflation index remained at 7.1%. This continues to show a two-quarter contraction of the economy (see chart below) which historically has resulted in a recession call.

The Kansas City Fed manufacturing index slowed considerably in August 2022 but remained slightly positive. The month-over-month composite index was 3 in August, down from 13 in July and 12 in June. The slower pace in factory growth was driven by a decrease in activity in wood products, machinery, computer products, and transportation equipment manufacturing.

A summary of headlines we are reading today:

  • The Inflation Reduction Act Falls Short On Emissions Regulation
  • UBS Sees $125 Oil In The Coming Months
  • Sky-high rents hit the aircraft market as Boeing jets top $300,000 a month
  • Shares of Dollar Tree fall after company cuts guidance, citing investments in competitive pricing
  • Federal ‘ghost gun’ regulations go into effect after judges reject challenges
  • Why even more Americans are arming up with AR-15 guns
  • Bonds & Stocks Bid Despite Rate-Hawknado Ahead Of J-Hole Pow-Wow
  • Bond Report: 10- and 30-year Treasury yields post sharpest declines in a month ahead of Powell’s Jackson Hole speech

These and other headlines and news summaries moving the markets today are included below.

24 August 2022 Market Close & Major Financial Headlines: Wall Street’s Main Indexes Remained In The Green After A Late Afternoon Pullback, Treasury Yields Climb After Hawkish Remarks by Fed’s Kashkari

Summary Of the Markets Today:

  • The Dow closed up 60 points or 0.18%,
  • Nasdaq closed up 0.41%,
  • S&P 500 up 0.29%,
  • WTI crude oil settled at $95 up 9.39% for the week,
  • USD $108.65 up 0.13%,
  • Gold $1765 up 0.24%,
  • Bitcoin $21,695 up 0.72% – Session Low 21,172,
  • 10-year U.S. Treasury 3.111% unchanged

Today’s Economic Releases:

New orders for manufactured durable goods in July decreased by less than $0.1 billion or virtually unchanged. This decrease follows four consecutive monthly increases. This is a 10.8% increase year-over-year but the data was not inflation adjusted. The graph below shows the inflation-adjusted durable goods was down 0.7% year-over-year.
Pending home sales declined for the second consecutive month in July, and for the eighth time in the last nine months. The Pending Home Sales is home sales based on contract signings, slid 1.0% in July. Year-over-year, pending transactions sank 19.9% (see graph below)
Total summer jobs added for teens fell 4% in 2022 from the same period in 2021. Employers added 1,239,000 teen jobs in May, June, and July this year, compared to 1,295,000 jobs added last summer. Andrew Challenger, economic expert and Senior Vice President of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. stated:
The fact that fewer jobs were added for this cohort this summer than the previous summer indicates establishments that employ teen workers either had enough staff going into the summer or were planning for a downturn that would stifle demand, opting not to add positions.

A summary of headlines we are reading today:

  • U.S. Diesel Prices Climb For First Time In Two Months
  • North Sea Gas Production Increases 26%
  • Pending home sales slip 1% in July, but Realtors say the market may be ‘at or close to the bottom’
  • Nordstrom cuts full-year forecast, citing slowing customer demand
  • How Starlink Changes Bitcoin Mining And Improves Decentralization
  • California to unveil rules to ban sales of gas-powered new vehicles by 2035
  • Bond Report: Treasury yields climb to highest since June after hawkish remarks by Fed’s Kashkari

These and other headlines and news summaries moving the markets today are included below.

23 August 2022 Market Close & Major Financial Headlines: Financial Markets Remain Unsettled As Wednesday’s Possible Fed Rate-Hike Approaches, Indexes Sea-Saw Across The Unchanged Line Closing Down In Last Five Minutes

Summary Of the Markets Today:

  • The Dow closed down 154 points or 0.47%,
  • Nasdaq closed down 0.00% (flat),
  • S&P 500 down 0.22%,
  • WTI crude oil settled at 94 up 6.60% for the week,
  • USD $108.61 down 0.32%,
  • Gold $1760 up 0.7%,
  • Bitcoin $21,569 up 0.71% – Session Low 20,920,
  • 10-year U.S. Treasury 3.05% unchanged

Today’s Economic Releases:

The Richmond Fed manufacturing firms reported slowdowns in August 2022 with their composite manufacturing index falling from 0 in July to −8 in August. Two of its three component indexes tumbled: the indexes for shipments and volume of new orders slid from 7 and −10 in July to −8 and −20 in August, respectively.

Sales of new single‐family houses in July 2022 were 12.6%  below the revised June rate and is 29.6% below the July 2021 estimate. The median sales price of new houses sold in July 2022 was $439,400.  The average sales price was $546,800.

 

A summary of headlines we are reading today:

  • Bullish OPEC+ Rhetoric Sends Oil Prices Soaring
  • European Crop Yields Collapse Amid Worst Drought In 500 Years
  • Macy’s cuts full-year forecast despite strong quarter, fearing shoppers will pull back on spending
  • Dick’s Sporting Goods boosts 2022 outlook after second-quarter earnings top estimates
  • Intel Inks $30 Billion Financing Partnership With Brookfield To Fund Manufacturing Expansion
  • Futures Movers: Oil prices rebound; natural gas pulls back from 14-year highs
  • Crypto: What is the Ethereum Merge? Here are 5 things you should know

These and other headlines and news summaries moving the markets today are included below.

22 August 2022 Market Close & Major Financial Headlines: Wall Street Main Indexes Opened Down Indicating A Stunted Summer Rally, Remaining In The Red Through Out The Session

Summary Of the Markets Today:

  • The Dow closed down 641 points or 1.90%,
  • Nasdaq closed down 2.55%,
  • S&P 500 down 2.13%,
  • WTI crude oil settled at 91 down 0.11%,
  • USD $108.94 up 0.77%,
  • Gold $1748 down 0.82%,
  • Bitcoin $21,032 down 2.17% – Session Low 20,938,
  • 10-year U.S. Treasury 3.029 up 0.73

Today’s Economic Releases:

Led by improvements in production-related indicators, the Chicago Fed National Activity Index (CFNAI) rose to +0.27 in July 2022 from –0.25 in June. All four broad categories of indicators used to construct the index made positive contributions in July, and all four categories improved from June. The index’s three-month moving average, CFNAI-MA3, was unchanged at –0.09 in July. Economic forecasting uses the three month average – and this would mean that the economy is expanding slightly below its historical trend (average) rate of growth. The CFNAI is the best coincident indicator of the economy – and it makes sense that this indicator views the economy as slightly soft.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Center for Microeconomic Data today released the July 2022 SCE Labor Market Survey, which shows a decline in transitions to a different employer, compared to a year ago. Satisfaction with wage compensation at respondents’ current jobs deteriorated, while satisfaction with nonwage benefits and promotion opportunities improved. Regarding expectations, the average expected likelihood of receiving an offer in the next four months declined. The average expected wage offer (conditional on receiving one), as well as the average reservation wage — the lowest wage at which respondents would be willing to accept a new job — increased year-over-year. Expectations regarding job transitions improved.

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A summary of headlines we are reading today:

  • Europe Splurges on Russian Oil As EU Ban Nears
  • Chinese Banks Slash Key Interest Rate In Bid To Bolster Stalling Economy
  • Ford to eliminate 3,000 jobs in an effort to cut costs
  • Single-stock ETFs are ‘way too risky for 99% of investors,’ an advisor says. What to know before adding one to your portfolio
  • Nomura Warns “Fed’s Hands Are Tied” For Now As USDollar “Wrecking Ball” Tightens Global Financial Conditions
  • Futures Movers: Natural-gas prices surge to their highest level since 2008; oil slips

These and other headlines and news summaries moving the markets today are included below.