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Stocks fall, Nasdaq drops as Netflix slides after subscribers miss

Stocks were on track to end a volatile week lower, with investors rotating further away from growth and technology stocks that had outperformed early on during the pandemic.

The S&P 500, Dow and Nasdaq fell during intraday trading. A day earlier, the Nasdaq Composite dropped more than 1{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}, adding to losses after sinking into a correction earlier this week. The Nasdaq has fallen nearly 12{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} from its most recent record high from November through Thursday’s close. 

Shares of Netflix (NFLX) sank more than 20{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} after the company posted a first-quarter subscriber growth outlook that fell far short of expectations, with the streaming giant projecting 2.5 million new users for the first quarter of 2022 versus the 6.3 million anticipated, according to Bloomberg data. Shares of Disney (DIS) and Roku (ROKU) fell in sympathy. Meanwhile, Peloton (PTON) — which had been another darling of the so-called “stay-at-home” trade during the pandemic — recovered some losses after falling to a near two-year low on Thursday, after CNBC reported the company was cutting production of its fitness products due to flagging demand. 

“It is these infamous stay-at-home plays … that had been bid up to valuations that get to the point where they’re priced for perfection,” Mark Luschini, chief investment strategist at Janney Montgomery Scott, told Yahoo Finance Live on Thursday. “Anything that is released about the companies’ investment results or prospects that doesn’t meet or exceed very elevated expectations leads to gigantic disappointment in the form of a share price decline.” 

“This is indicative of companies that, again, have valuations that have been bid up by investors who, on disappointment, decide to sell first and ask questions later, and therefore leave huge carnage in their wake as valuations compress to better reflect prospects under a more normal economic climate,” Luschini added.  

The drop in many closely watched, highly valued technology stocks — and the broader stock indexes — also came alongside ongoing investors jitters about a potential near-term move on interest rates from the Federal Reserve. The Fed’s next policy-setting meeting is set to take place next week, with market participants largely pricing in a first interest-rate hike out from the central bank after the Fed’s March meeting. These expectations for higher rates and less liquidity from the Fed this year have also been a key driver of recent equity price action, many strategists noted. 

“I think there is a rotation going on towards those areas of the market that have been neglected for a long time — not just months, but years. Areas like financials and energy. Even health care, which is an area that had done a bit better during the pandemic, but really isn’t seeing any kind of multiples like it did in the past,” Jeffrey Kleintop, Charles Schwab chief global investment strategist, told Yahoo Finance Live on Thursday. 

“I think those areas of the market have more durability here as we look at an environment where earnings growth is slowing so valuations matter more,” he added. “And many of these companies can look to generate earnings growth in this environment of rising interest rates and commodity prices, whereas tech is a bit more challenged as goods demand begins to slow.”

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1:04 p.m. ET: ‘I certainly think technology and growth is going to be a sector you want to be in’ 

As the Nasdaq sinks further into a correction and individual technology stocks come under considerable pressure, some analysts see the pick-up of tech earnings season next week as the start of a potential reprieve for at least some of these growth names. 

“The re-thinking of valuations really just follows in the wake of rising interest rates. So we averaged 1.5{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} on the yield on the U.S. 10-year for all of last year, and this year we likely average somewhere between 1.75{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} and 2{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996},” National Chief Market Strategist Art Hogan, told Yahoo Finance Live on Friday. “So that price and value calculation is obviously putting pressure on multiples across the technology complex.” 

“At some point in time we’ll look at this and say we’re probably overdone and we’ve taken too much multiple compression,” he added. “And what likely will be the signal that that’s the case will be when we get into earnings season in earnest next week … and see where the winners and losers really sit.” 

“I certainly think technology and growth is going to be a sector you want to be in [for] 2022,” Hogan said. “But I think you want to be in it in companies that measure themselves in price to earnings.”

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10:40 a.m. ET: Leading Economic Index posts solid jump in December: Conference Board

An index tracking future domestic economic conditions accelerated in December, pointing to still-solid growth trends in the U.S. even amid ongoing concerns over the pandemic, inflation, and a more hawkish tilt to monetary policy. 

The Conference Board’s closely watched Leading Economic Index (LEI) rose 0.8{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} in December, matching consensus estimates, according to Bloomberg data. This picked up from November’s 0.7{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} clip, which was downwardly revised from the 1.1{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} gain previously reported. 

“The U.S. LEI ended 2021 on a rising trajectory, suggesting the economy will continue to expand well into the spring,” Ataman Ozyildirim, senior director of economic research at The Conference Board, said in a press statement. 

“For the first quarter, headwinds from the Omicron variant, labor shortages, and inflationary pressures—as well as the Federal Reserve’s expected interest rate hikes—may moderate economic growth,” Ozyildirim added. “The Conference Board forecasts GDP growth for Q1 2022 to slow to a relatively healthy 2.2 percent (annualized). Still, for all of 2022, we forecast the US economy will expand by a robust 3.5 percent—well above the pre-pandemic trend growth.”

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9:31 a.m. ET: Stocks open lower 

Here’s where markets were trading Friday morning: 

  • S&P 500 (^GSPC): -12.92 (-0.29{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 4,470.23

  • Dow (^DJI): -69.52 (-0.2{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 34,645.87

  • Nasdaq (^IXIC): -57.82 (-0.41{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 14,095.93

  • Crude (CL=F): -$0.60 (-0.7{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $84.95 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): +$0.10 (+0.01{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $1,842.70 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): -7.8 bps to yield 1.756{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}

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9:27 a.m. ET: Bitcoin extends declines, falling to around $38,000

Cryptocurrency prices tracked the volatility across risk assets this week. 

Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, saw prices sink by 10{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} to below $38,000 at Friday’s lows, according to Yahoo Finance data. That marked the lowest level since early August.  

Other major cryptocurrency prices also sank. Ethereum fell by more than 12{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} to about $2,800 Friday morning in New York. Solana prices sank 15{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} to below $120. 

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7:31 a.m. ET Friday: Stock futures hold lower, Netflix weighs on Nasdaq 

Here’s where markets were trading Friday morning:

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): -19.75 points (-0.44{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}), to 4,455.00

  • Dow futures (YM=F): -68 points (-0.2{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}), to 34,548.00

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): -115.5 points (-0.78{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 14,725.50

  • Crude (CL=F): -$1.38 (-1.61{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $84.17 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): -$8.60 (-0.47{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $1,834.00 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): -5.3 bps to yield 1.781{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}

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6:01 p.m. ET Thursday: Stock futures open lower

Here’s where markets were trading Thursday evening: 

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): -17 points (-0.38{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}), to 4,457.75

  • Dow futures (YM=F):—41 points (-0.12{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}), to 34,575.00

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): -128.25 points (-0.86{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 14,712.75

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 20: Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on January 20, 2022 in New York City. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up over 200 points in morning trading following days of declines. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 20: Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on January 20, 2022 in New York City. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up over 200 points in morning trading following days of declines. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

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Emily McCormick is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter

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Mars Inc. announces M&Ms characters will be redesigned for more ‘progressive’ world

Rep. Mark Inexperienced, R-Tenn., reacts to Biden’s solo press meeting and his remarks with regards to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The candy manufacturer Mars Included announced Thursday that its legendary M&M’s figures will be reimagined and redesigned in get to market a “more dynamic and progressive world.”

“At Mars we consider that in the planet we want tomorrow, culture is inclusive,” the corporation reported in a statement Thursday. “And, as just one of our most legendary models, M&M’S is announcing a new global determination to develop a world the place anyone feels they belong.”

Bowl Of m&m's.

M&Ms NAMED Just one OF THE Major 5 Brand names IN UNITED STATES

The statement continued, “M&M’S has been all-around for more than 80 many years and this calendar year the manufacturer carries on to evolve to reflect the more dynamic, progressive world that we are living in. And as section of this evolution, crafted on purpose, M&M’S promises to use the ability of enjoyable to involve everyone with a target of raising the sense of belonging for 10 million persons all over the world by 2025.”

The corporation included that the “refreshed M&M’S manufacturer will involve a far more modern day get on the appears of our beloved characters, as perfectly as extra nuanced personalities to underscore the value of self-expression and electrical power of local community via storytelling.”

M&Ms New York City

New York Town, United states of america: Men and women strolling on Times Sq. along the shops, cars and taxi’s passing by and other traffic and a sightseeing bus are waiting for the targeted visitors lights. With the brilliant lights and animated commercials Situations Sq. is a person of the

Market place Expert WARNS Government Reaction TO COVID TRIGGERING ‘COBRA EFFECT’

One of the alterations currently being produced, in accordance to CBS News, entails the green M&M character swapping out her white heeled go-go boots for “neat, laid-back again sneakers to replicate her easy confidence.”

Moreover, the green and brown M&Ms will start to foster a more welcoming partnership to act as a “pressure supporting girls.”

The pink M&M will ditch his bullying tendencies and be kinder to other M&Ms and the orange M&M “embrace his accurate self, worries and all” in solidarity with the far more “anxious” Gen Z generation.

Mars will also start off to use imagery of diverse designs and measurements somewhat than one human body dimension and will no for a longer period use prefixes from characters’ names that believe gender. 

Click Right here TO Go through Far more ON FOX Enterprise

“We’re energized to reveal our new M&M’S brand name glance and sense, which enthusiasts will see occur to daily life throughout all M&M’S touchpoints around the globe,” stated Jane Hwang, World wide Marketing and advertising Vice President, Mars Wrigley. “From new product improvements to brand name campaigns, our developed figures and our experiential retail outlets, we’ll include colorful visuals, inclusive messaging and our function into all we do to prove that all alongside one another, we’re a lot more exciting. In fact, this reason is by now on total show at the new M&M’S retail outlet in Berlin, which functions various languages on signage as an invitation to all and our most various Associate foundation that celebrates these from different cultures, backgrounds and generations.”

M&Ms

M&M candies are on screen at a store in suburban Chicago, Illinois. REUTERS/Frank Polich 

Mars Inc. did not straight away reply to a ask for for comment from Fox News.

Linked Press contributed to this report

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Facet Wealth’s Funding Follows Change in Business Model

Getting recently raised $100 million, tech-advisor hybrid Aspect Wealth is capturing a lot more than just undertaking funds. It stays an item of curiosity for the prosperity management business, with Facet’s shifting shopper acquisition technique and the notably significant amount of purchasers it claims it assigns to every advisor.

For three yrs following its founding in 2016, Aspect Wealth’s shopper acquisition strategy was to get other advisors’ books of business enterprise. It focused on shopping for the organization of scaled-down shoppers who ended up unprofitable for advisors, a team that integrated older consumers on the cusp of retirement.

Similar: Facet Prosperity Raises $100M in Collection C

Ultimately CEO and co-founder Anders Jones put a quit to the strategy he characterized as “reasonably productive.” Advisors providing their clients to Aspect struggled to reveal to individuals same clients why they required to transfer them in the to start with position, he reported. Since 2019, he’s identified a much more thriving approach: heading straight to customers with a subscription-based mostly provider that led with financial planning, not expenditure management.

The adjust in technique has led to a growing client foundation of folks new to human-presented economical guidance. Seventy-five percent of Facet’s book of small business has not worked with an advisor just before, in accordance to Jones.

Relevant: Wealthfront Obtaining RIA, Facet Acquiring Shoppers

“When you happen to be creating a organization and seeking to get the highest (return on) dollars that you are paying … you want to make guaranteed it truly is heading to the optimum and very best use,” mentioned Jones. “It’s so much easier and a much larger ROI to go direct to customer.”

Facet’s present-day system, which Jones phone calls a “digital internet marketing device,” benefits significantly from last year’s alterations to the SEC’s so-identified as Advert Rule. Aside from utilizing compensated media, social media and research optimization, Side makes use of “an influencer program” of satisfied shoppers who inspire potential clients to convey their property to the hybrid, in accordance to Jones. These paid testimonials are then qualified to people who are new to human-presented economic tips, emphasizing elements like paying down financial debt, setting up a loved ones or obtaining a property.

A different element in Facet’s marketing playbook is the know-how of Chief Running Officer Shruti Joshi, who was hired previous 12 months. Joshi beforehand led attempts at Verizon to get buyers on its FiOS community and launched her personal marketing startup, named Compell’d, said Jones. Compell’d is a peer-to-peer support that will allow person to “collect, curate and share reliable tips.” 

1 of the facets of Facet’s internet marketing is a focus on shopper metrics that never make it into regulatory filings below a traditional AUM umbrella. Among the firm’s shoppers, much more than 400 infants have been born last yr, explained Jones. It was a evaluate of results, he explained, for the reason that it showed that Facet’s clientele had ample self-confidence in their money ideas that they have been ready to mature their family members.

“We control far more than a billion dollars at this issue,” he reported, “but only about 50 {21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} of our consumers truly spend revenue. The relaxation we’re serving to with all those incredibly tangible existence milestones.”

According to its most modern regulatory filings, Facet manages $961 million in property across 9,664 accounts. All those assets belong to close to 5,000 customers who receive preparing and asset administration, with much less than 1,000 of people purchasers considered higher-web-worth—a client section the company does not focus on, in accordance to Jones. The other roughly 5,000 customers receive economical planning starting at $1,800 a year.

For shoppers who selected to invest their dollars with Aspect, the organization has its personal buying and selling operations and self-built set of design portfolios. It utilizes Apex Fintech Answers and Fidelity to custody the Vanguard and BlackRock cash it trades. Accounts have a $500 minimum amount. Clients are interested in a crypto investing vehicle, which is less than thing to consider, Jones confirmed.

Although Aspect has massive aspirations (the business preferred to work with 24,000 consumers by the commence of this yr), it is still subject matter to human restrictions. Four decades ago, Jones stated his firm’s tech would permit each and every Aspect advisor to function with involving 250 and 300 clientele. Today that amount has been revised down to 250 clientele per advisor. The normal advisor operates with 90 to 94 purchasers, he explained, noting that advisors who are just setting up operate with fewer clients although much more skilled advisors have concerning 220 and 250 shoppers.

To be guaranteed, even 220 shoppers is well over and above a “cognitive restrict” on human teams, generally referred to as “Dunbar’s Range.” To start with proposed in the 1990s by British anthropologist Robin Dunbar, the number—150—represents the utmost measurement of a stable social contract.

A ten years back, marketplace observer and advisor Michael Kitces utilized that determine to advisor-consumer relationships, noting that advisors have a tendency to “‘cap out’ at a highest range of clients [of] about 100-125.” The observation was anecdotal, he mentioned, but included that “it could be unrealistic to expect that planners will at any time be capable to manage extra than about 75-125 genuine client relationships.” 

Observations about productiveness from Kitces also conflict with Facet’s program to expand by escalating the range of consumers for every advisor, rather than advisor head count. A few decades ago, Kitces wrote that “understanding the regular revenue for every client also supplies an indication of the ‘maximum’ profits that advisor can at any time earn (e.g., $3,000/client every year means a optimum of $300,000/12 months in income for the practice!)” 

Coincidentally, Facet stated its typical customer spends $3,000 a year for Facet’s providers and that the firm’s profits last 12 months moved north of $25 million. The business has about 110 advisors, doing the job with 10,000 shoppers (an average of about 90 clients per advisor). It usually takes in excess of a yr to get each individual advisor at capacity, mentioned Jones.

Without having selecting yet another advisor, the organization should really be equipped to support around 27,500 clientele, according to the predictions and anticipations laid out by Jones. If each advisor will work with 250 clients and if individuals consumers go on to shell out an typical of $3,000 per calendar year for Facet’s solutions, the firm ought to convey in about $82.5 million in profits with no an accompanying rise in labor costs. 

Facet options to employ the service of just five monetary advisors in 2022, as it performs to optimize the ability of its advisor workforce.

So significantly Facet has not but strike the bullseye of advisor efficiency established by Jones, but as it moves in that path, the market place is vast open up to increase exponentially, he suggests. 

“There is an great sector of people that necessary enable or that want [financial advice] and are not functioning with a fiscal advisor at all since they never think that the business gives a solution or an providing that matches their requirements,” mentioned Jones. Facet is intent on “building an enduring and durable consumer model that really addresses that huge will need of the market.”

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Canada’s economic growth is opening doors for financial analysts

With solid, energetic marketplaces in Canada and all over the entire world, folks require assist controlling income

Publishing date:

Jan 20, 2022  •  20 hours back  •  2 moment examine

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As Canada’s economic climate grows, customers have to have to master how to deal with their finances

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Texas pipeline company threatens to cut off fuel to major power generator

Editor’s take note: Read through the latest developments in this tale right here.

With freezing weather sweeping into Texas late this 7 days, subsidiaries for a main pipeline business are threatening to lower off pure gas to the state’s most significant electric power generator — which could influence the energy source for hundreds of hundreds of prospects — about a economic dispute stemming from final February’s lethal wintertime storm.

Vistra Corp. subsidiary Luminant on Wednesday requested the Railroad Fee of Texas, which regulates the state’s oil and gasoline business, to reduce Electrical power Transfer LP from chopping off gasoline to 5 Vistra energy crops, which create enough electric power to electricity 400,000 Texas homes, enterprises and critical infrastructure these types of as hospitals and faculties.

Railroad Commission officers have not responded to queries about irrespective of whether the company will act.

The providers under Power Transfer, the pipeline enterprise, have informed Vistra that gas will quit flowing to five Vistra electrical power plants on Monday unless of course Vistra pays Power Transfer $21.6 million, in accordance to the filing.

The “threat to terminate service in the center of winter season is illegal and grossly irresponsible and need to be prohibited by this Commission,” Vistra explained in the grievance to the Railroad Commission.

Vistra known as the move by Vitality Transfer, run by billionaire Kelcy Warren, “a kind of professional extortion.”

Railroad Fee Chair Wayne Christian expressed his worry Thursday on Twitter: “I am paying out shut focus to this. @EnergyTransfer and @VistraCorp ought to arrive with each other to take care of this problem so that no Texans eliminate fuel or electric powered assistance in the course of cold weather. Do what’s proper for Texans.”

All through very last year’s winter storm — which caused the close to-total collapse of the state’s electricity grid, still left thousands and thousands devoid of ability for days and induced hundreds of fatalities — Vistra invested approximately $1.5 billion for purely natural gasoline, “twice its prepared organic fuel cost to gasoline its whole Texas fleet for a full 12 months,” the submitting claimed. Vistra paid out Strength Transfer additional than $600 million during the storm, “which is far more than 96{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} of all quantities invoiced by [Energy Transfer].”

The value for organic gas soared throughout the storm, when a combination of freezing temperatures throughout the state and skyrocketing need shut down natural fuel facilities and ability crops, which rely on every single other to retain energy flowing.

While numerous providers shed money throughout the storm, Electricity Transfer designed $2.4 billion. Electricity Transfer did not straight away reply to a ask for for remark.

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Stock market news live updates: January 20, 2022

U.S. stocks bounced back Thursday from a turbulent previous session as investors weighed a series of upbeat earnings and a fresh read on weekly jobless claims out of Washington.

The Nasdaq gained 1.74{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}, recouping some losses from a volatile session on Wednesday that saw the benchmark close in correction territory — or at least 10{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} down from its peak — as rising bond yields and concerns around tighter monetary policy continued to plague investors. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 also advanced after earlier losses, each up more than 1{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} in intraday trading.

On the economic front, first-time weekly unemployment filings were up last week as disruptions from the latest Omicron-driven wave of COVID weighed on the labor market recovery. Initial jobless claims rose for the second straight week, coming in near the 300,000 level in a backslide from recent progress in the trajectory of unemployment filings. In December, the figure had reached a 52-year low of 188,000.

Corporate earnings will continue to pour in with Netflix (NFLX) scheduled to kick off tech results after the bell. Travelers (TRV), American Airlines (AAL), and Northern Trust (NTRS) reported results before the open.

The Federal Reserve is in a blackout period ahead of its policy-setting meeting next week but remained in focus as Treasury yields soared in anticipation of the central bank’s move on interest rates. The benchmark 10-year note topped 1.9{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} on Wednesday to mark the highest level since January 2020 before modestly retreating to 1.85{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}. Meanwhile, volatility in equities has persisted as investors’ expectations for growth is stymied by the prospect of tightening policy.

“At this stage in the business cycle, it’s less about the level of rates than about the shock in interest rates, and that shock will eventually wear off,” Clearnomics market strategist James Liu told Yahoo Finance Live. “You need a period where the market gets used to the fact that the Fed might have to accelerate interest rates.”

Liu added that worries have been compounded by the Federal Reserve’s game of catch-up, while investors and economists have called for the central bank to act on rising price levels.

Panic over a rise in interest rates is based on two assumptions, according to Commonwealth Financial Network chief investment officer Brad McMillan: The assumption that the increase reflects a problem with the financial markets and the belief that a change in rates suggests a move for the “correct” rates. According to McMillan, both assumptions are wrong.

“This narrative is pretty standard for this stage of the economic cycle,” McMillan said in a note, adding that headlines around potential interest rate hikes and subsequently slower growth and lower stock valuations are missing “context.”

Under the first assumption, any problem with the financial markets stems from the pandemic, and from an economic perspective, is appearing to fade, McMillan explained, adding that an increase signals a recovery from the problem, not an indicator of one. The second assumption, which says recent rates are the correct and normal ones as they are, is incorrect as well, since rates cannot currently be the “right” ones under the circumstances of the pandemic.

“If both of these assumptions are wrong — and they are — the narrative we are seeing in the headlines must be wrong as well,” he said.

In a speech on Wednesday, President Joe Biden said the burden of mitigating inflationary pressures falls mostly on the shoulders of the nation’s central bank. Fed policymakers have acknowledged in recent weeks that they stand ready to do just that.

“We’re not actually surprised by the volatility in markets this year,” Wilmington Trust senior economist Rhea Thomas told Yahoo Finance Live. “You do have a Fed that is expected to raise rates… we do expect the Fed to raise rates by 2-3 hikes this year.”

1:20 p.m. ET: Peloton shares drop after production halt

Peloton (PTON) is pausing production of its connected fitness products as consumer demand declines and the company works to curb costs, according to a report from CNBC, which cited internal documents.

Company shares plunged more than 20{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} during intraday trading to $25.47 a piece. Shares fell below the company’s September 2019 IPO price of $29.

Per the documents obtained by CNBC, Peloton is expected to pause Bike production for two months, from February to March after already halting production of the more expensive version earlier. Starting next month, the company also plans to suspend manufacturing of its Tread treadmill machine for six weeks.

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12:23 p.m. ET: Stocks advance to recoup earlier losses

Here were the main moves in markets during intraday trading:

  • S&P 500 (^GSPC): +52.56 (+1.16{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 4,585.32

  • Dow (^DJI): +329.64 (+0.94{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 35,358.29

  • Nasdaq (^IXIC): +230.73 (+1.61{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 14,570.99

  • Crude (CL=F): +$0.16 (+0.18{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $87.12 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): +$0.40 (+0.02{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $1,843.60 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): +1.1 bps to yield 1.8380{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}

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10:10 a.m. ET: US home sales dip at year-end 2021

Home sales in the U.S. declined in December to ended 2021 on a low note, but annual sales activity for the entire year reached the highest level since 2006.

National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that existing home sales fell 4.6{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} to a seasonally adjusted 6.18 million million units in December from a month earlier. November existing home sales were revised slightly down to 6.46 million from 6.48 million.

The number of sales was down 7.1{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} from the same month a year ago and came in far below analysts’ expectations of a 0.5{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} month-over-month decrease to 6.43 million units, according to Bloomberg consensus estimates.

“December saw sales retreat, but the pull back was more a sign of supply constraints than an indication of a weakened demand for housing,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist. Yun also attributed the slowdown in December to rising mortgage interest rates “which can produce mixed results.”

“Some people want to hurry and buy, others want to wait to buy,” he said. “Rising rates will cut into home sales.”

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9:45 a.m. ET: Mercedes-Benz, Luminar partner on self-driving tech

Luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz is teaming up with self-driving sensor maker Luminar Technologies Inc. (LAZR) to pursue fully-automated driving on highways for its next-generation vehicles.

Shares of Luminar jumped as much as 18{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} in pre-market trading. The stock was up nearly 10{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} at open at $14.78 per share. 

The partnership comes as other big automakers gear up to focus on autonomous vehicles, even amid a backdrop of regulatory and technological uncertainty.

“If you want to be able to get to truly autonomous capabilities in a consumer vehicle, and you have to industrialize hardware, software, all of these systems that come into play,” Luminar CEO Austin Russell told Reuters. “It is a completely different kind of business of going from a science and technology business to automotive corporation.”

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9:30 a.m. ET: Nasdaq rebounds after plunging into correction territory

Here were the main moves in markets at open

  • ow (^DJI): +135.67 (+0.39{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 35,164.32

  • Nasdaq (^IXIC): +151.56 (+1.06{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 14,491.81

  • Crude (CL=F): -$0.22 (-0.25{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $86.74 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): +$2.90 (+0.16{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $1,846.10 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): -0.2 bps to yield 1.8250{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}

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8:38 a.m. ET: Jobless claims jump amid virus-related disruptions

First-time weekly unemployment filings were up last week as disruptions from the latest Omicron-driven wave of COVID weighed on the labor market recovery.

Initial jobless claims rose for the second straight week, coming in near the 300,000 level in a backslide from recent progress in the trajectory of unemployment filings. In December, the figure had reached a 52-year low of 188,000.

“Given persistent labor shortages, the trend in layoffs should remain downward as businesses try to avoid laying off workers,” Rubeela Farooqi, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics, wrote in a note ahead of Thursday’s report. “However, absenteeism from the Omicron variant could make the weekly data noisy over coming weeks.”

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7:30 a.m. ET: American Airlines gets boost from holiday travel

American Airlines (AAL) reported fourth quarter revenue Thursday morning that modestly beat analyst estimates and a smaller-than-expected loss amid strong travel demand during the holiday season.

The airline’s adjusted net loss fell to $921 million, or $1.42 per share, in the last three months of 2021, from $2.2 billion, or $3.86 per share, a year earlier when COVID-19 stunted air travel. The company’s total operating revenue rose to $9.43 billion from $4.03 billion a year earlier.

“Over the past year, we have experienced periods of high travel demand countered by periods of decreased demand due to new COVID-19 variants,” American Airlines CEO Doug Parker said in the earnings release. “This volatility has created the most challenging planning environment in the history of commercial aviation.”

The company’s stock was down 3.30{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} to $17.31 a piece in pre-market trading.

An American Airlines commercial aircraft approaches to land at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California U.S. January 18, 2022. REUTERS/Mike Blake

An American Airlines commercial aircraft approaches to land at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California U.S. January 18, 2022. REUTERS/Mike Blake

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7:00 a.m. ET: Contracts on Wall Street’s major indexes bounce back

Here’s how futures fared in pre-market trading before the opening bell:

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): +22.75 points (+0.50{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}), to 4,547.00

  • Dow futures (YM=F): +135.00 points (+0.39{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}), to 35,045.00

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): +129.25 points (+0.86{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 15,162.75

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6:01 p.m. ET Wednesday: Stock futures trade sideways after volatile session

Here were the main moves in futures contracts ahead of overnight trading:

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): +3.50 points (+0.08{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}), to 4,527.75

  • Dow futures (YM=F): +43.00 points (+0.12{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}), to 34,953.00

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): +14.00 points (+0.09{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 15,047.50

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Alexandra Semenova is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @alexandraandnyc

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