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Stocks extend rally despite negative GDP data

Stocks extend rally despite negative GDP data

U.S. stocks rose sharply Thursday even as new data showed financial action contracted for the next-straight quarter in Q2.

The benchmark S&P 500 index climbed 1.2{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}, bringing overall gains for the index in the two times quickly subsequent the Federal Reserve’s fee boost to roughly 3.8{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} — its very best rally ever after a hike, going back again to info from 1970, Carson Team Chief Market Strategist Ryan Detrick points out.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average additional 330 factors, or 1{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite sophisticated by around 1.1{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}.

Earnings from Apple (AAPL) and Amazon (AMZN) are thanks out immediately after the bell.

Details from the Commerce Section early Thursday showed GDP fell at an annualized charge of .9{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} last quarter, after U.S. economic exercise unexpectedly fell 1.6{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} in Q1. Two straight adverse GDP prints satisfies the unofficial definition of a recession.

Thursday’s moves appear immediately after the Federal Reserve sent an envisioned desire fee raise of 75 basis details Wednesday afternoon and instructed it may possibly slow the speed of its charge climbing cycle.

The most up-to-date GDP report is absolutely sure to go on the discussion between buyers about no matter if the U.S. financial system is in economic downturn, with lots of market contributors judging two-straight quarters of decrease advancement as conference the unofficial definition.

White Residence officials have in recent times, even so, been eager to remind the general public that recessions are formally termed by the NBER, which defines recession as, “a significant decline in economic action that is unfold throughout the financial state and that lasts far more than a several months.”

Somewhere else on the economic info calendar, the weekly report on preliminary jobless statements confirmed a slight moderation in first-time filings for unemployment insurance, totaling 256,000 past week right after 261,000 filings the prior 7 days.

Nonetheless, jobless claims information have been on a modest upward development over the last many weeks.

On the earnings aspect, shares of Meta (META) fell about 5{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} right after the Fb guardian organization described 2nd-quarter earnings late Wednesday that fell limited of analyst estimates. The quarter also marked the social media giant’s initially year-in excess of-12 months income decrease.

The company also reduce its cost forecast yet again, and on a call with analysts CEO Mark Zuckerberg said, “we seem to be to have entered an financial downturn that will have a broad influence on the digital promotion enterprise. It’s often tough to forecast how deep or how prolonged these cycles will be, but I might say that the problem would seem even worse than it did a quarter in the past.”

Zuckerberg extra: “In this surroundings, we’re targeted on building the prolonged time period investments that will placement us to be more robust coming out of this downturn — like our do the job on our discovery motor and Reels, our new adverts infrastructure, and the metaverse. We’re also targeted on becoming demanding about measuring returns and sizing these investments effectively.”

The logos of Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google are seen in a combination photo from Reuters files. REUTERS/File Photos

The logos of Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google are viewed in a combination photograph from Reuters information. REUTERS/File Shots

On the shift:

  • Meta (META) shares fell 5{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} following the Fb father or mother company reported 2nd-quarter earnings late Wednesday that fell short of analyst estimates. The quarter also marked the social media giant’s 1st year-above-year earnings decrease.

  • Comcast (CMCSA) shares sank about 9.1{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} immediately after the media huge reported broadband subscribers were flat in its next-quarter earnings results, the to start with time ever the company unsuccessful to incorporate new subscribers.

  • Ford (F) inventory rose virtually 6.1{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} following the Detroit-based mostly carmakers reported Q2 earnings that topped Wall Road anticipations on income and financial gain and reaffirmed its steering, countering some recessionary concerns. The vehicle giant also boosted its inventory dividend to 15 cents for every share.

  • Teladoc (TDOC) shares lose approximately 1 fifth of their benefit just after the the enterprise documented a loss for the 2nd quarter and a week outlook.

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

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Stocks extend losses after Snap outlook spurs sell-off in tech shares

Stocks extend losses after Snap outlook spurs sell-off in tech shares

U.S. stocks were mostly lower Tuesday after social media giant Snap Inc. (SNAP) logged its biggest one-day drop on record and dragged down shares of technology peers.

The Nasdaq Composite tumbled 2.3{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} to its lowest close since November 2020 following an economic warning from the social media platform that sent the company’s stock down 43{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} and spurred a sell-off in the broader tech sector. The S&P 500 fell 0.8{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}, placing the index back on track toward a bear market following a brief reprieve to start the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 50 points after reversing earlier losses in the final hour of trading.

The downturn comes after Snap Inc. CEO Evan Spiegel slashed the company’s forecast, citing rising inflation and interest rates, supply chain constraints and labor disruptions.

Snap’s fall also spurred a sell-off in technology peers. Shares of Meta Platforms (FB) fell 7.6{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}, and shares of Alphabet (GOOG) declined 5{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} to a 52-week low.

The moves extend a streak of wild swings in equities following a brief reprieve Monday but build on a broader downward trend amid months of selling on Wall Street. Monday’s close marked only the 13th time of 98 trading days this year the S&P 500 closed in positive territory, according to data from Bespoke Investment Group.

The social media giant is the latest among a growing docket of U.S. companies downgrading their outlooks over concerns macroeconomic pressures are poised to weigh on margins. Last week, a bevy of disappointing earnings from major retailers affirmed fears that inflation and continued supply chain issues are hitting corporate balance sheets.

“There was bound to be some payback from the pandemic-induced profit surge a lot of companies experienced, but that payback might be bigger than originally thought,” Brian Jacobsen, senior investment strategist at Allspring Global Investments said in an emailed note. “Businesses have to deal with higher input costs, consumers crimped by high prices, and shifting spending patterns.”

During the first quarter earnings season, 338 of 460 companies in the S&P 500 that have reported results so far cited the term “supply chain” during calls with investors – the third highest number of times since at least 2010, research from FactSet indicated. With results due out this week from consumer names including Macy’s (M), Dick’s Sporting Goods (DKS), and Ulta Beauty (ULTA), Wall Street is bracing for more bad news.

On the economic front, sales of new U.S. homes dropped by the most in nearly nine years to the lowest print since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The decline comes as elevated construction costs and rising mortgage rates weigh on affordability.

More data out of Washington is in the queue for investors through Friday, with a second estimate of first-quarter U.S. GDP due out later this week, along with a fresh read on monthly personal consumption expenditures (PCE), the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation measure.

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4:00 p.m. ET: S&P falls 0.8{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}, Dow gains 50 points, Nasdaq tumbles 2.3{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}

Here were the main moves in markets as of 4:00 p.m. ET:

  • S&P 500 (^GSPC): -31.78 (-0.80{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 3,941.97

  • Dow (^DJI): +50.82 (+0.16{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 31,931.06

  • Nasdaq (^IXIC): -270.83 (-2.35{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 11,264.45

  • Crude (CL=F): -$0.10 (-0.09{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $110.19 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): +$17.10 (+0.93{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $1,864.90 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): -9.9 bps to yield 2.7600{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}

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1:20 p.m. ET: S&P falls 1.8{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}, Dow sheds 300 points, Nasdaq tumbles 3.2{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}

Here were the main moves in markets as of 1:20 p.m. ET:

  • S&P 500 (^GSPC): -74.69 (-1.88{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 3,899.06

  • Dow (^DJI): -298.30 (-0.94{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 31,581.94

  • Nasdaq (^IXIC): -371.37 (-3.22{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 11,163.91

  • Crude (CL=F): -$0.63 (-0.57{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $109.66 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): +$16.80 (+0.91{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $1,864.60 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): -12.4 bps to yield 2.7350{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}

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10:58 a.m. ET: New home sales fall to lowest since early 2020

Sales of new U.S. homes dropped by the most in nearly nine years to the lowest print since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The decline comes as elevated construction costs and rising mortgage rates weigh on affordability.

New home sales in the United States sank 16.6{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} month-over-month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 591,000 in April of 2022. The figure marks the lowest print in two years and comes in below the 750,000 economists surveyed by Bloomberg had anticipated.

The pace of sales in March was also downwardly revised to 709,000 units from the 763,000 units previously reported.

“The macroeconomic environment has deteriorated faster than we thought just a month ago with new home sales tumbling lower under the weight of higher financing costs and home valuations where even the cost of the gas home buyers put in the car to tour new homes is soaring,” FWDBONDS chief economist Christopher Rupkey said in a note.

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9:34 a.m. ET: Stocks resume losses as sharp selling continues on Wall Street

Here were the main moves in markets at the start of trading Tuesday:

  • S&P 500 (^GSPC): -40.20 (-1.01{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 3,933.55

  • Dow (^DJI): -141.29 (-0.44{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 31,738.95

  • Nasdaq (^IXIC): -209.61 (-1.82{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 11,325.66

  • Crude (CL=F): -$0.20 (-0.18{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $110.09 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): +$11.50 (+0.62{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $1,859.30 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): -4.9 bps to yield 2.8100{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}

—

8:30 a.m. ET: Abercrombie shares are tanking after earnings

Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) shares were down as much as 25{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} in pre-market trading after the company slashed its full year forecast in its latest quarterly report.

For the full year 2022, the company now expects sales growth will fall within a range of flat to up just 2{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}, down from an earlier forecast for sales growth of 2{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}-4{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}. In cutting its forecast, the company cited the “adverse impact from foreign currency and an assumed inflationary impact on consumer demand.”

After a 4{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} increase in sales during the first quarter, ANF expects Q2 sales will fall in the “low-single-digits” compared to the prior year. The company attributed this decline to the impact from COVID-related lockdowns in China as well as the negative effect inflation is having on consumer habits.

“Looking forward, we expect higher costs to remain a headwind through at least year-end,” CEO Fran Horowitz said in the company’s earnings release.

“We expect freight relief in the fourth quarter as we anniversary increased air usage last year due to the Vietnam shutdown. We will continue to manage expenses tightly and are committed to finding opportunities to offset these costs while protecting strategic investments in marketing, technology and our customer experience, which should drive sustained, long-term sales growth.”

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7:17 a.m. ET: Futures point to continued losses after Snap slashes forecast

Here’s where stock futures were in pre-market trading Tuesday:

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): -41.00 (-1.03{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 3,930.75

  • Dow futures (YM=F): -200.00 (-0.63{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 31,639.00

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): -195.50 (-1.62{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 11,839.75

  • Crude (CL=F): +$0.41 (+0.37{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $110.70

  • Gold (GC=F): +$8.50 (+0.46{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $1,856.30 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): +7.2 bps to yield 2.8590{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 23: People walk by the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on May 23, 2022 in New York City. After a week of steep losses, markets were up in Monday morning trading. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 23: People walk by the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on May 23, 2022 in New York City. After a week of steep losses, markets were up in Monday morning trading. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

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

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Stocks extend losses as investors weigh hawkish Powell remarks, more corporate earnings

Stocks extend losses as investors weigh hawkish Powell remarks, more corporate earnings

U.S. stocks were mostly lower Friday as investors assessed more corporate earnings and hawkish comments from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell that hinted a half-point rate hike was likely next month.

The S&P 500 dipped 0.3{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}, on pace to round out a third straight week of losses, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 170 points. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite climbed slightly, up 0.2{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}. Meanwhile, Treasury yields continued their march forward, with the 10-year U.S. benchmark yielding 2.9{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}, the highest level since December 2018.

Speaking at a panel hosted by the International Monetary Fund Thursday, Powell said a 50-basis point rate increase was “on the table” for May when the U.S. central bank holds its next policy-setting meeting. The Fed chair also reiterated that policymakers were committed to “front-end loading” inflation-fighting efforts.

“We really are committed to using our tools to get 2{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} inflation back,” Powell said in remarks before European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde and other officials, referring to the Fed’s target for annual price increases.

“We’re definitely in the cards for a 50 basis point rate hike in the May meeting,” Capital2Market President Keith Bliss said on Yahoo Finance Live on Thursday (video above). “The market is pretty good at dictating, if not indicating, where this is going to go.”

With the headline Consumer Price Index at its highest level in four decades, the U.S. Federal Reserve has recently signaled aggressive monetary tightening is underway to rein in rising price levels despite warnings from experts that moving too quickly could result in an economic contraction.

“The big question is whether the earnings can really sustain this kind of a macro backdrop of slower growth and Fed policy,” Deutsche Bank Wealth Management Chief Investment Officer Deepak Puri said on Yahoo Finance Live earlier this week. “It seems certain companies can — historically that’s been the case. What’s different this time is really the trifecta, which is higher costs of capital, quantitative tightening, plus a lack of … a big fiscal stimulus.”

Despite worries from Wall Street over the next policy moves and the risks posed to traders, a readout of the Federal Reserve’s recently published Beige Book suggests Main Street sentiment remains positive overall.

Strategists at LPL Research said the Beige Book Barometer may provide a more accurate picture of the economic outlook than current consumer sentiment, which has been weak in the face of soaring inflation. Despite an economic slowdown in the first quarter, data out of Washington has come in better than consensus expectations in recent weeks.

“Looking at the Fed’s most recent Beige Book, local U.S. businesses remain resilient despite elevated uncertainty,” LPL Financial Asset Allocation Strategist Barry Gilbert said. “Inflation, COVID, and the conflict in Ukraine will keep uncertainty elevated in the near term, but if we can navigate these challenges we believe there are solid prospects of a pick-up in growth in the second half of the year.”

Elsewhere in markets, shares of American Express (AXP) fell 1.5{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} despite a beat on its quarterly earnings in results out Friday morning. Shares of Verizon (VZ), which also reported before the opening bell, tumbled 6{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} after the telecommunications giant said it lost 36,000 monthly phone subscribers during the first quarter.

Investors continued to watch Snap Inc. (SNAP) after the company projected a strong outlook for user growth on Thursday despite warning supply-chain disruptions and inflation could continue to hurt advertising demand. Shares of Snap were up about 0.3{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} in early trading.

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10:03 a.m. ET: U.S. business activity decelerates in April

Business activity across the U.S. eased in April, with inflationary pressures putting a dent in service sector output as rising prices weighed on spending.

S&P Global’s Flash Composite Purchasing Managers’ Index, which serves as a measure of overall economic health, fell to a reading of 55.1 this month from 57.7 in March. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg expected a reading of 57.9. Any reading above 50 indicates growth in the private sector.

“Many businesses continue to report a tailwind of pent up demand from the pandemic, but companies are also facing mounting challenges from rising inflation and the cost of living squeeze, as well as persistent supply chain delays and labor constraints,” S&P Global chief business economist Chris Williamson said in a statement.

“These headwinds, plus increased concerns over the economic outlook and tightening monetary policy, meant business confidence about the outlook slipped sharply lower in April. However, with the overall pace of economic growth and hiring remaining relatively solid, for now the focus from a policy perspective is likely to remain firmly on the need to rein in the record high inflationary pressures signaled by the survey.”

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9:30 a.m. ET: Stocks extend losses after Powell rate comments spook investors

Here’s where the main benchmarks opened at the start of Friday’s trading session:

  • S&P 500 (^GSPC): -15.81 (-0.36{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 4,377.85

  • Dow (^DJI): -229.65 (-0.66{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 34,563.11

  • Nasdaq (^IXIC): +0.85 (+0.01{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 13,175.50

  • Crude (CL=F): -$2.01 (-1.94{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $101.78 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): -$13.10 (-0.67{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $1,935.10 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): +1.1 bps to yield 2.9280{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}

—

7:00 a.m. ET: Futures edge lower as S&P 500 sets out for another losing week

Here were the main moves in futures trading ahead of the opening bell Friday:

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): -12.75 (-0.29{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 4,377.75

  • Dow futures (YM=F): -95.00 (-0.27{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 34,614.00

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): -39.75 (-0.29{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 13,688.50

  • Crude (CL=F): -$1.48 (-1.43{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $102.31 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): -$12.10 (-0.62{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $1,936.10 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): 0.00 bps (0.00{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to yield 2.9170{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}

—

6:53 p.m. ET Thursday: Stock futures muted after hawkish Powell remarks sent indexes tumbling

Here’s where stocks were trading ahead of the overnight session on Thursday:

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): -1.50 (-0.03{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 4,389

  • Dow futures (YM=F): -3.00 (-0.01{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 34,706

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): -4.75 (-0.03{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 13,723.50

  • Crude (CL=F): -$0.03 (-0.3{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $103.76 a barrel

  • Gold (GC=F): +$4.60 (+0.24{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $1,952.80 per ounce

  • 10-year Treasury (^TNX): +0.077 bps (+2.71{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to yield 2.9170{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., April 14, 2022. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., April 14, 2022. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

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

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Stock futures extend gains after S&P 500’s best day in seven weeks

Stock futures opened higher Thursday evening to hold gains after a recovery rally, with an initial wave of concerns over the economic impacts of the Omicron variant at least temporarily easing.

Contracts on the S&P 500 advanced. The blue-chip index closed higher by 1.4{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} during the regular session, marking its biggest jump since Oct. 14 Thursday. The Dow and Nasdaq each also advanced. Volatility from earlier this week retreated, and the CBOE Volatility index (^VIX) dipped 10{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} to below 28. And travel stocks including airlines, hotel and lodging firms held onto earlier gains in late trading as traders bought the pullback in these virus-sensitive areas of the market. 

The move higher in stocks on Thursday came as market participants digested recent headlines on the Omicron variant, including the discovery of multiple cases in the U.S. While vaccine-makers and epidemiologists have still been assessing the new variant’s transmissibility and severity of infection, investors have at least temporarily eased back from peak levels of concern. 

“The markets … have been pricing in, really, a worst-case scenario,” Jim Smiegiel, SEI chief investment officer, told Yahoo Finance Live. “So obviously, there was a ton of uncertainty … [but] you’re seeing today some signs of positive outlooks coming into play. The cases that we’ve seen so far in the States have been mild.” 

“I think the market is now switching gears a little bit and perhaps lessening the intensity on the potential for negative outcomes,” he added. “The big issue still remains more about the world government’s reaction to the variant and what that means from a lockdown perspective. And that’s what the market is still kind of struggling with at this stage.” 

Others have struck an even more optimistic tone, suggesting the economic impact of the Omicron variant will ultimately prove less drastic than initially feared. 

“If you look back at Delta, there really wasn’t a meaningful impact in terms of actual consumption … maybe we saw a little bit of a shift away from services in the early stages of the reopen back towards goods, but overall consumption held up just fine,” Garrett Melson, Natixis Investment Managers Solutions portfolio strategist, told Yahoo Finance Live on Thursday.

“And on the capex front, we still see signs that companies are saying they’re going to invest in their businesses and they’re doing just that,” Melson added. “Lockdowns are certainly not happening here in the U.S. There’s no appetite from the government and certainly no appetite from consumers.” 

Traders are also awaiting the U.S. Labor Department’s latest monthly jobs report Friday morning. The November jobs report is expected to show another more than half a million payrolls returned last month, with the unemployment taking another step down to reach a March 2020 low of 4.5{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}. The report comes following a slew of other positive data points on the labor market in recent days, with weekly unemployment claims coming in lower than expected, and ADP’s private payrolls report topping expectations on Wednesday.

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6:31 p.m. ET Thursday: Stock futures jump ahead of jobs report

Here were the main moves in markets during the overnight session:  

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): +11.5 points (+0.25{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}), to 4,587.25

  • Dow futures (YM=F): +94 points (+0.27{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}), to 34,716.00

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): +34.50 points (+0.22{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 16,023.00

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 10: People walk by the Wall Street Bull near the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on August 10, 2021 in New York City. Markets were up in morning trading as investors look to a rare bipartisan effort in the Senate to pass a massive infrastructure bill that, if passed, will infuse billions into the American economy. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 10: People walk by the Wall Street Bull near the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on August 10, 2021 in New York City. Markets were up in morning trading as investors look to a rare bipartisan effort in the Senate to pass a massive infrastructure bill that, if passed, will infuse billions into the American economy. (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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Stock futures extend gains as virus fears ease

Stock futures opened higher on Monday to hold onto gains after a recovery rally, with investors at least temporarily shaking off concerns over a new coronavirus variant and looking ahead to new market catalysts. 

Contracts on the S&P 500, Dow and Nasdaq rose. Each of the three major indexes had ended the regular trading day solidly in the green, with technology stocks leading the way higher and helping pull the Nasdaq up by nearly 2{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}. 

Investors were heartened by remarks from the White House, when President Joe Biden said the newly discovered Omicron coronavirus variant was “not a cause for panic.” Biden said he intended to announce on Thursday the White House’s strategy for addressing coronavirus this winter, and that this plan would not include lockdowns, but would instead emphasize vaccinations, boosters and testing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday updated its guidance to say all individuals aged 18 and older “should” get a booster coronavirus vaccine, strengthening this from previous language primarily aimed at getting those considered most at risk an additional dose of the shots. 

Prospects that widespread lockdowns would likely not come to the U.S. in the face of the latest variant helped fuel a broad risk-on rally on Monday. This came in sharp contrast with Friday’s moves immediately following the World Health Organization’s announcement of Omicron as a “variant of concern,” which sparked the Dow’s worst plunge since Oct. 2020. 

“This is not a repeat of March 2020,” Paul Schatz, Heritage Capital President, told Yahoo Finance Live on Monday. “This looks nothing like March of 2020, yet it’s so recent in our history, people immediately think, ‘Omicron is here, oh my gosh this is going to be a 30{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} decline, we’re going to go straight down’ … You need to equally weigh history, not weigh it based on how recent it was in your memory.”

Still, the sectors and individual stocks that outperformed on Monday were largely technology names, which have served as defensive trades throughout the pandemic as investors bet on more stay-in-place behavior among consumers. 

But at the same time, the emergence of the latest variant has also led a number of pundits to speculate that the Federal Reserve might take a more dovish approach to monetary policy to continue supporting the economy as it deals with ongoing virus-related concerns. That could in turn keep interest rates low for longer and support longer-duration growth stocks. 

“To take a step back, I think you had a global economy that in the fourth quarter [of 2020] through last week was looking incredibly strong … and then a new variant comes along,” Andrew Sheets, Morgan Stanley chief cross-assets strategist, told Yahoo Finance Live. “That would seem to work against a lot of the trades that work in that high-growth environment, and also seemed to disrupt this ‘do central banks need to act more aggressively’ narrative, because if there’s a new variant, then maybe we should be more cautious.”

Major vaccine-makers including Pfizer, BioNTech and Moderna have already said they were collecting data on the Omicron variant and determining whether and how they would need to rework their existing vaccines to address it. Researchers have also not yet determined whether the new variant is definitively more easily transmitted, or responsible for more severe illness, than previous versions of the virus. 

“Information is coming rapidly, it’s evolving in real-time. You can understand why investors [last week] were taking a little bit of a pause, particularly given the liquidity situation we had going into the U.S. holiday season,” Vivek Paul, BlackRock investment institution U.K. chief investment strategist, told Yahoo Finance Live on Monday. “I think the reaction you see today puts it in a little bit of context. We’ve seen more information come out, clearly we have to await the science and a bit more detail with regards to the longevity of how Omicron plays out.”

“But we would be in-line with the market reaction today: We think on balance, it would make sense to be invested in the markets at this moment in time,” he added. “It’s all about understanding whether or not this is a delay, or a derailment, of the restart that we’ve seen. And it seems most likely at this moment — not withstanding more information to come— that it looks like a delay.” 

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6:15 p.m. ET Monday: Stock futures hold onto gains

Here were the main moves in markets as the overnight session kicked off: 

  • S&P 500 futures (ES=F): +9 points (+0.19{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}), to 4,660.00

  • Dow futures (YM=F): +78 points (+0.22{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}), to 35,155.00

  • Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): +29 points (+0.18{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 16,419.75

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., November 29, 2021. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., November 29, 2021. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

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