Howard Schultz will action in as interim chief executive of Starbucks.Credit rating…Joe Raedle/Getty Images
In an abrupt move, Starbucks mentioned Wednesday that Kevin Johnson, its main executive due to the fact 2017, was retiring soon after 13 yrs with the business.
Howard Schultz, who joined Starbucks in the early 1980s and constructed it into a global large, will phase in as interim chief govt when Mr. Johnson, 61, leaves his career on April 4, the firm explained. Mr. Schultz, 68, experienced been chief executive for two former stints, most a short while ago from 2008 to 2017, when Mr. Johnson took above and Mr. Schultz became executive chairman. Starbucks stated it experienced employed a lookup organization and envisioned to decide on a new chief by slide. Mr. Schultz, who left the corporation in 2018, will also rejoin the company’s board of directors.
The announcement will come ahead of Starbucks’s yearly shareholder conference on Wednesday, all through which Mr. Johnson will converse. Mr. Johnson reported that he had first mentioned his designs with the company’s board of administrators previous yr.
“A calendar year ago, I signaled to the board that as the world pandemic neared an close, I would be contemplating retirement from Starbucks,” Mr. Johnson reported in a company assertion. Shares of Starbucks rose a lot more than 6 p.c on Wednesday.
Below Mr. Johnson, Starbucks was a single of the significant winners of the pandemic. As Covid-related restrictions closed places to eat to friends close to the country, Starbucks efficiently utilized — and grew — its drive-throughs, app and loyalty benefits software to swiftly supply lattes and treats to prospects. By spring 2021, Starbucks mentioned that income at its dining places experienced manufactured a “full recovery” from pandemic closures.
Final fiscal yr, which finished Oct. 3, 2021, Starbucks observed revenues jump much more than 23 percent, or $6 billion, to $29 billion from a year earlier when the pandemic shut down parts of the country for weeks. Working income additional than doubled to $4.8 billion.
But even though Starbucks’s financials have been strong, the company has struggled in modern months to regulate a wave of retail outlet unionizations. Ahead of past December, none of the company’s 9,000 shops had unionized. Given that staff at two Buffalo-space retailers voted to unionize in December, at the very least 6 areas have carried out so and personnel at additional than 100 outlets have filed for union elections.
Starbucks on Tuesday was strike with a complaint from the National Labor Relations Board, which accused the chain of illegally penalizing two Arizona staff involved in the union push at a Phoenix site, the hottest in the company’s labor disputes.
SBWorkersUnited, which has updating and rallying workforce on social media about the unionization thrust, on Wednesday morning tweeted for “Howard Schultz, who has been a leader of Starbucks’ anti-union campaign to put union-busting behind him and embrace Starbucks’ unionized future.” In November, just in advance of voting commenced on unionization at a few Starbucks areas in Buffalo, Mr. Schultz showed up to discuss with employees.
“We’re not a ideal corporation,” Mr. Schultz advised workforce at the assembly, according to a transcript provided by the company. “Mistakes are made. We learn from them, and we test and repair them.” He argued that the company’s record of accomplishing suitable by its personnel, together with offering wellbeing care benefits and fairness, showed that it had their pursuits in thoughts.
In the announcement Wednesday, Starbucks said that Mr. Johnson will proceed to serve on the board and as a guide through September. The enterprise, which claimed it has been engaged in succession arranging because last 12 months, said it anticipates to have a new chief executive by the slide.
This isn’t the first time Mr. Schultz, who joined a little Seattle coffee shop identified as Starbucks in 1982 ahead of later obtaining it, has returned to direct the organization.
Immediately after stepping down as chief executive in 2000 but remaining its chairman, Mr. Schultz returned in 2008, abruptly replacing Jim Donald, then the main government, when the organization was having difficulties with a downturn in the economic climate, an inflow of espresso competitors and missteps.
“When I returned, in January 2008, items were really even worse than I’d believed,” Mr. Schultz told Harvard Small business Critique in 2010.
In 2017, Mr. Johnson, then Starbucks’s president and a former senior government at Microsoft, became chief executive. A yr later, Mr. Schultz stepped down as executive chairman and board member.
Correction:
March 16, 2022
An earlier version of this posting misstated who will communicate at Starbucks’s once-a-year shareholder assembly on Wednesday. It is Mr. Johnson and Mellody Hobson, not Mr. Johnson and Mr. Schultz.
Stocks rose Wednesday to recover some losses after a volatile start to the week, as concerns over the impact of the punitive measures countries and companies have taken against Russia weighed on U.S. equity markets.
The S&P 500 closed 2.6{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} higher at 4,277.89 — posting its biggest gain since June 2020. The Dow gained 650 points, or 2{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}, closing at 33,286.25. The Nasdaq jumped 3.6{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} closing at 13,255.55, logging its biggest advance since exactly a year ago on March 9, 2021. The CBOE Volatility Index, or VIX, dropped nearly 10{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} but still held above the 30 level. A day earlier, the S&P 500 dropped another 0.7{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} on Tuesday to bring its year-to-date losses to 12.5{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}. The Dow shed more than 0.5{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} to sink further into a correction, while the Nasdaq Composite extended losses after sliding into a bear market earlier this week.
Crude oil prices pulled back from 14-year highs after Ukraine signaled it was aiming to pursue a diplomatic solution to Russia’s war. West Texas intermediate crude sank to just over $110 per barrel, while Brent crude traded just above $112 per barrel Wednesday afternoon. Gas prices at the pump, however, spiked to a fresh high across the U.S.
“You can’t have the rise at the fuel pumps not hit the economic pockets of everyday Americans, because it’s going to make everything go up in costs,” Victoria Greene, G-Squared Private Wealth founding partner, told Yahoo Finance Live. “Anything that rides on four wheels or six wheels, including all your shipping — it’s going to make all your costs rise. We’re already in an inflationary environment … it really is going to be something that we have to watch.”
“I don’t think that sanctions are going to go away,” she added. “The world is … angry at this situation. So let’s say miraculously we get a ceasefire tomorrow, I think the general shrinkage and the issues with supply chains are going to be a sticky situation for the rest of the year.”
And beyond the growing list of government-imposed sanctions against Russia, a myriad of major U.S. companies announced fresh plans to stop doing business in Russia for the foreseeable future. In the restaurants space, McDonald’s (MCD), Starbucks (SBUX), Coca-Cola (KO) and PepsiCo (PEP) said they would close some or all operations in Russia. Amazon Web Services said it would stop bringing on new sign-ups from Russia and Belarus, and Shopify announced it was suspending operations in the countries as well.
Given the ongoing geopolitical uncertainty and push to isolate Russia from the global economy, some strategists suggested investors should brace for more market volatility.
“I don’t think we’ve seen the bottom yet. And I’d like to be more optimistic, but the reason I say this is, when it comes to oil [and] other commodities, we’re still seeing shocks make their way through the system,” Ann Berry, Wheelhouse chief investment officer, told Yahoo Finance Live on Tuesday.
“We’re not done when it comes to oil and gas yet,” she added. “The U.K. and Europe have said that by the end of this year they’ll start weaning themselves from Russian exports – it’s not fast enough. And if the situation in Ukraine doesn’t get better, I do think there’s a scenario here where Europe will be pushed to take tougher actions faster, which is going to send oil prices only one way which is up from where it is right now.”
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4:00 p.m. ET: Nasdaq jumps 3.6{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} in biggest advance in a year
Here were the main moves in markets as of 4:00 p.m. ET:
S&P 500 (^GSPC): +107.16 (+2.57{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 4,277.86
Dow (^DJI): +652.65 (+2.00{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 33,285.29
Nasdaq (^IXIC): +459.99 (+3.59{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 13,255.55
Crude (CL=F): -$14.10 (-11.40{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $109.60 a barrel
Gold (GC=F): -$49.40 (-2.42{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $1,993.90 per ounce
10-year Treasury (^TNX): +7.6 bps to yield 1.9480{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}
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1:11 p.m. ET: Crude oil prices sink, Brent drops more than 12{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} after Ukraine official says country is ‘ready for a diplomatic solution’
Prices for West Texas intermediate and Brent crude oil prices sank Wednesday afternoon after a Ukrainian foreign policy aide to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the country was “ready for a diplomatic solution,” according to an interview with Bloomberg Television.
“Our first and foremost pre-condition for having such kind of negotiations is immediate cease-fire and withdrawal of Russian troops,” Ihor Zhovkva, deputy chief of staff to Zelenskiy, told Bloomberg. He added, however, that Ukraine would not trade “a single inch” of Ukrainian territory to Russia, and noted that Ukraine will continue to pursue NATO membership.
Zelenskiy also reiterated to German media outlet Bild TV Wednesday that he believed “only after the direct talks between the two presidents can we end this war,” referring to discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin. For now, Zelenskiy has not had direct contact with Putin.
Brent crude oil prices dropped more than 12{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} to trade just above $112 per barrel, while West Texas intermediate sank to hover just over $111 per barrel.
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10:47 a.m. ET: Bitcoin prices jump 9{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}, topping $42,000 after Biden announces crypto regulation executive order
The White House on Wednesday unveiled President Joe Biden’s executive order creating a framework for agencies to study and come up with a government-wide approach to regulating cryptocurrencies.
Bitcoin prices jumped nearly 10{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} to top $42,000 following the announcement, which had been hinted at for weeks now. The executive order was originally set to be signed last month, though the timing was shifted due to the Russia-Ukraine crisis, Yahoo Finance’s Jennifer Schonberger reported.
One of the key tenets of the order calls for the government to explore a central bank digital currency (CBDC).
“The Order directs the U.S. Government to assess the technological infrastructure and capacity needs for a potential U.S. CBDC in a manner that protects Americans’ interests,” according to the White House. “The Order also encourages the Federal Reserve to continue its research, development, and assessment efforts for a U.S. CBDC, including development of a plan for broader U.S. Government action in support of their work.”
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10:14 a.m. ET: Job openings hold near record high in January: JOLTS
U.S. job openings held at a near-record level in January, with widespread labor shortages still weighing on the domestic economy while keeping leverage high for workers looking to switch jobs.
Vacancies totaled 11.263 million in the first month of 2022, the Labor Department said in its Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary (JOLTS) on Wednesday. This compared to an upwardly revised 11.4 million openings in December, which marked a record in data going back to 2001. Consensus economists were looking for 10.950 million vacancies for January, according to Bloomberg consensus data.
The number of quits in January edged down just slightly, or by 151,000 compared to December, to reach 4.3 million. And the quits rate decreased to 2.8{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}, which was still elevated but retreated from December’s record high of 3{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}.
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9:32 a.m. ET: Stocks open sharply higher, Nasdaq gains more than 2{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}
The three major indexes posted a rebound Wednesday morning to pare some recent declines as investors eyed the fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and mounting global sanctions.
The S&P 500, Dow and Nasdaq moved sharply higher Wednesday morning. Technology stocks led the way higher, helping the Nasdaq jump more than 2{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}. The Dow added more than 500 points, or 1.8{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}. In the S&P 500, the consumer discretionary, information technology and financial sectors led the way higher.
Treasury yields rose across the curve as peak concerns over U.S. and global economic growth came down, and investors rotated back toward risk assets. The benchmark 10-year yield rose by nearly 4 basis points to break above 1.9{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}.
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7:22 a.m. ET: Stocks point to a higher open, Dow futures gain 450+ point
Here’s where markets were trading Wednesday morning:
S&P 500 (^GSPC): +64.75 points (+1.55{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 4,233.50
Dow (^DJI): +459.00 (+1.41{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 33,061.00
Nasdaq (^IXIC): +257.50 (+1.94{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 13,524.50
Crude (CL=F): -$2.81 (-2.27{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $120.89 a barrel
Gold (GC=F): -$21.60 (-1.06{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $2,021.70 per ounce
10-year Treasury (^TNX): +3.9 bps to yield 1.91{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}
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6:10 p.m. ET Tuesday: Stock futures open lower
Here’s where stocks were trading Tuesday evening:
S&P 500 futures (ES=F): -11.50 points (-0.28{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 4,157.25
Dow futures (YM=F): -44 points (-0.13{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 32,558.00
Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): -53.25 points (-0.4{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 13,213.75
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 08: Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on March 08, 2022 in New York City. The Dow was up slightly in morning trading as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues to unsettle global markets. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Wall Street’s main benchmarks clawed back from session lows Thursday after Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine overnight rocked equity markets across the globe.
The Nasdaq Composite rebounded from a morning sell-off that saw the index tumble more than 3{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}. The Dow Jones Industrial Averaged recouped some losses after an 800-point nosedive but continued to trade lower, down more than 500 points to 32,591.57. The S&P 500 bounced back from a drop of 1.5{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} to hover just below its flatline.
Meanwhile, investors flocked to safe-haven plays amid a broader risk-off trade across global markets. Gold prices surged 2.1{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} to $1,970 an ounce, hovering around a one-year high. WTI crude oil jumped to its highest level since July 2014, notching the biggest surge since Nov. 2020.
President Joe Biden on Thursday said in a tweet Thursday that he and G7 counterparts agreed to move forward on “devastating packages of sanctions and other economic measures” in condemnation of Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
“I condemned this unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces,” Biden said in a seperate tweet, also indicating he spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on steps the administration is taking to rally international condemnation.
President Joe Biden unveiled the “first tranche” of financial sanctions Tuesday targeting Russia in response to Vladimir Putin’s move to recognize the independence of two pro-Moscow separatist republics in east Ukraine and deploy troops into the areas — a move seen by Western countries as a provocation and breach of international law.
European allies acted in lockstep to reprimand Russian aggression. Germany halted approval of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline that would have deepened western Europe’s energy link to Russia, the world’s largest natural gas exporter. Fears of other energy-linked sanctions sent crude oil prices to a seven-year high and Brent crude towards $100 per barrel.
“Putin knew these were going to be coming,” CSIS International Security Program senior adviser Mark Cancian told Yahoo Finance Live. “He took his move anyway, so it’s unlikely that they will deter him.”
Risk assets slid on Tuesday as investors considered the financial market implications of an escalating threat of military attack and greater sanctions on Russia. As European allies also coordinated their response to Russia’s increased military presence in and around Ukraine, Germany halted approval of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline that would have deepened western Europe’s energy link to Russia, the world’s largest natural gas exporter. Crude oil prices spiked to a seven-year high, and Brent crude neared $100 per barrel as investors contemplated the potential for further energy-linked sanctions on Russia, the third-largest oil producer in the world.
In the U.S., the conflict creates an added headwind for investors already grappling with a hawkish shift in Federal Reserve policy to intervene more aggressively in mitigating inflationary pressures. A war between Russia and Ukraine threatens to exacerbate already surging prices and spur other economic disruptions that could complicate the Fed’s policy-making choices.
Many strategists have argued that despite the weight of geopolitical turmoil on equities, the risk-off mood among traders stems primarily from worries around interest rate hikes.
Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin Wall on the Defender of the Fatherland Day in Moscow, Russia February 23, 2022. Sputnik/Aleksey Nikolskyi/Kremlin via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS – THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY.
“So far, it looks like Ukraine is not the reason for the drop, despite the fears,” Commonwealth Financial Network Chief Investment Officer Brad McMillan said in a note.
“But what has pulled the markets down, if not the Ukraine crisis?” McMillan wrote. “The most likely candidate—one which makes both fundamental and mathematical sense — is higher interest rates”
Brad McMillan points out that since the start of the year, the 10-Year U.S. Treasury yield is up from 1.63{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} to 1.97{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} at an increase of 34 basis points, or 21{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}. Typically, higher yields mean lower valuation, pushing the forward price/earnings ratio for the S&P 500 from roughly 22.35 at the end of 2021 to an estimated 19.1, a 15{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} decline.
“After adjusting for earnings beats this quarter, that drop in valuations pretty much explains the drop in the market, and that rationale doesn’t leave much, if any, room for worries about Ukraine,” McMillan noted. “Wall Street, then, seems to be much more worried about Fed Chairman Jay Powell than Vladimir Putin, at least at the moment.”
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3:07 p.m. ET: SEC launches investigation into Elon Musk and brother’s stock sales
The Securities and Exchange Commission has initiated a probe into whether stock sales by Tesla Inc. (TSLA) Chief Executive Elon Musk and his brother violated insider trading rules, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal that cited people familiar with the matter.
The watchdog’s investigation began last year after the Tesla leader’s brother Kimbal Musk sold $108 million worth of company shares the day before Musk tweeted a poll asking whether he should sell 10{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} of his stake in Tesla.
Musk framed the potential sale as a way to cover taxes he would owe if lawmakers imposed new taxes on unrealized capital gains. Musk began selling billions of dollars worth of Tesla shares in the days following his tweet.
Elon Musk pauses and looks down as he speaks during a press conference at SpaceX’s Starbase facility near Boca Chica Village in South Texas on February 10, 2022. – Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk delivered an eagerly-awaited update on SpaceX’s Starship, a prototype rocket the company is developing for crewed interplanetary exploration. (Photo by JIM WATSON / AFP) (Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)
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1:45 p.m. ET: UK reveals new package of sanctions to reprimand Russian aggression
Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled Britain’s largest-ever package of sanctions against Russia the West responds to the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine.
The sanctions target banks, members of President Vladimir Putin’s closest circle and wealthy Russians who frequent London.
“This hideous and barbarous venture of Vladimir Putin must end in failure,” Johnson told parliament Thursday. “For our part today, the UK is announcing the largest and most severe package of economic sanctions that Russia has ever seen.”
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1:18 p.m. ET: President Biden warns of “devastating packages of sanctions” against Russia
President Joe Biden is expected to unveil new sanctions against Russia on Thursday after Moscow launched a full-scale military attack on Ukraine, triggering condemnation and financial penalties from the United States and European allies.
The president is scheduled to announce the new measures at 1:30 p.m. ET, according to the White House.
Biden met with G7 allies Thursday to plan measures against Russia after the Kremlin initiated what the president deemed “a premeditated war” against Ukraine.
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12:47 p.m. ET: Mortgage rates fall slightly lower after nearing 4{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}
The rate on the average 30-year fixed home mortgage fell to 3.89{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}, down from 3.92{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} a week ago, according to Freddie Mac. A year ago, 30-year loans averaged 2.97{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}.
Mortgage rates have surged roughly 84 basis points since December, leading to a decline in applications for home lending.
“Even with this week’s decline, mortgage rates have increased more than a full percentage over the last six months,” Freddie Mac chief economist Sam Khater said. “Overall economic growth remains strong, but rising inflation is already impacting consumer sentiment, which has declined in recent months. As we enter the spring homebuying season with higher mortgage rates and continued low inventory, we expect home price growth to remain firm before cooling off later this year.”
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11:27 a.m. ET: Stocks claw back from morning sell-off to turn mixed
Here were the main moves in markets as of 11:27 a.m. ET:
S&P 500 (^GSPC): -40.03 (-0.95{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 4,185.47
Dow (^DJI): -588.72 (-1.78{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 32,543.04
Nasdaq (^IXIC): -6.11 (-0.05{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 13,031.38
Crude (CL=F): +$5.56 (+6.04{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $97.66 a barrel
Gold (GC=F): +$17.00 (+0.89{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $1,927.40 per ounce
10-year Treasury (^TNX): -3.1 bps to yield 1.9460{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}
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11:16 a.m. ET: U.S. new home sales drop in January as prices charge higher
New U.S. single-family home sales posted a marginally higher-than-expected decline last month, likely due to rising mortgage rates and higher prices.
The Commerce Department said new home sales fell 4.5{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 801,000 units in January. Meanwhile, December’s sales pace was upwardly revised to 839,000 units from the 811,000 units initially reported.
Economists surveyed by Bloomberg projected a print of 802,000. Drops in sales occurred mainly in the Midwest, Northeast and the South, while increasing in the western part of the country.
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10:55 a.m. ET: Russian stocks erase $200 billion in market value
The sell-off in Russian stocks Thursday following its military invasion of Ukraine marked the third-worst plunge in market history in local currency terms as, according to Bloomberg data.
The benchmark MOEX Russia Index traded 38{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} lower as of 5:28 p.m. in Moscow, wiping out more than $200 billion in shareholder assets as Western leaders condemned the Kremlin and vowed to take action against the country.
According to Bloomberg’s analysis of historical figures, this is the first time since 1987 that such a large selloff has hit a market bigger than $50 billion.
A woman walks past a currency exchange office in central Moscow on February 24, 2022. – Russia’s central bank said Thursday in would intervene as the ruble tumbled to a record low and the Moscow Stock Exchange reopened down 14 percent after Moscow launched a military attack on Ukraine, as Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation in Ukraine on Thursday with explosions heard soon after across the country and its foreign minister warning a “full-scale invasion” was underway. (Photo by Alexander NEMENOV / AFP) (Photo by ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP via Getty Images)
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9:30 a.m. ET: Russian military attack roils equity markets across the globe
Here’s how U.S. stocks fared at Thursday’s open:
S&P 500 (^GSPC): -107.90 (-2.55{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 4,117.60
Dow (^DJI): -808.48 (-2.44{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 32,323.28
Nasdaq (^IXIC): -344.03 (-2.57{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 13,037.49
Crude (CL=F): +$7.00 (+7.60{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $99.10 a barrel
Gold (GC=F): +$43.60 (+2.28{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $1,954.00 per ounce
10-year Treasury (^TNX): -8.5 bps to yield 1.8920{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}
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8:38 a.m. ET: Jobless claims renew decline after uptick in prior read
First-time unemployment filings dipped in the latest weekly data, resuming a recent downward trend in jobless claims after a temporary spike.
The Labor Department most recent weekly jobless claims report showed 232,000 Americans filed for unemployment in the week ended Feb 19., down from a revised 249,000 during the prior period. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg projected a read of 235,000, according to consensus data.
Prior to the latest figure, jobless claims ticked up slightly after a consistent decline that signaled Omicron-related pressures on the labor market were beginning to abate following a temporary surge in mid-January to a print of nearly 300,000.
“Ongoing issues with labor supply has led companies to increase retention rates, which has contributed to the low level of jobless claims,” Bank of America economists wrote in a note published Friday. “We expect this to persist over the course of the year.”
—
7:00 a.m. ET: Contracts on S&P 500, Dow, and Nasdaq erase more than 2{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}
Here were the main moves in markets in pre-market trading Thursday:
S&P 500 futures (ES=F): -91.75 points (-2.17{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}), to 4,130.25
Dow futures (YM=F): -741 points (-2.24{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}), to 32,325.00
Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): -372.50 points (-2.76{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 13,135.00
Crude (CL=F): +$7.78 (+8.45{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $99.88 a barrel
Gold (GC=F): +$52.70 (+2.76{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $1,963.10 per ounce
10-year Treasury (^TNX): +2.9 bps to yield 1.9770{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}
—
10:57 p.m. ET Wednesday: Dow futures plunge more than 700 points after Russia announces troops to enter Ukraine
Here were the main moves in markets as of 11:02 p.m. ET:
S&P 500 futures (ES=F): -87.75 points (2.08{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}), to 4,134.25
Dow futures (YM=F): -709.00 points (-2.14{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}), to 32,357.00
Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): -340.25 points (-2.52{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 13,167.25
Crude (CL=F): +$2.65 (+2.88{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $94.75 a barrel
—
6:00 p.m. ET Wednesday: Futures open flat after S&P 500, Dow and Nasdaq notch fresh 2022 lows
Here were the main moves in markets in extended trading Wednesday:
S&P 500 futures (ES=F): +0.50 points (+0.01{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}), to 4,222.50
Dow futures (YM=F): +23.00 points (+0.07{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}), to 33,089.00
Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): +2.75 points (+0.02{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 13,510.25
Crude (CL=F): +$0.56 (+0.61{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $92.66 a barrel
Gold (GC=F): +$1.40 (+0.07{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $1,911.80 per ounce
10-year Treasury (^TNX): +2.9 bps to yield 1.9770{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange at the opening bell on February 22 2022, in New York. – Wall Street stocks retreated early on February 22 as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s latest escalation of the Ukraine conflict stoked volatility in markets. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
—
Alexandra Semenova is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @alexandraandnyc
Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance
Russia invasion of Ukraine spikes oil as investors weigh actions.
Lloyds on ‘heightened alert’ for Russian cyberattacks on banks, CEO says
Britain’s biggest domestic lender Lloyds said on Thursday it was on “heightened alert” for cyberattacks from Russia as the crisis in Ukraine has worsened.
“We’ve been on heightened alert… internally around our cyber risk controls and we’ve been focused on this now for quite a while,” Lloyds CEO Charlie Nunn told reporters after the bank’s full-year results.
Preparation for potential cyberattacks was discussed in a meeting between the government and banking industry leaders about Russia on Wednesday, Nunn added. Lloyds has been on heightened alert for the “last couple of months”, Nunn said.
Stock futures tumble, oil surges as Russia launches full-scale attack in Ukraine
The major futures indexes are suggesting a decline of more than 2.4{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}, or more than 800 points on the Dow.
The price of oil jumped on concern about possible disruption of Russian supplies. U.S. crude is gaining $7.62 to $99.72 per barrel. Brent crude is higher by $8.33 to $105 per barrel. Brent traded at $94.05 the previous session.
Stock futures dive, oil surges as Russia invades Ukraine
U.S. equity futures plunged as Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his along-anticipated military operation in Ukraine. U.S. crude oil and Brent both moved higher. Continue reading
Bitcoin trades around $35,000
In cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin traded down more than 4{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} around $35,000, as investors sold risky assets. Bitcoin has recently been trading in concert with the stock market due to concerns about inflation and upcoming interest rate moves by the Federal Reserve.
US facing worst worker shortage since WW2, Goldman says
The U.S. economy
is facing the worst labor shortage in close to a century, according to new research, raising the prospect of prolonged higher-than-usual inflation.
Goldman Sachs economists, led by Jan Hatzius, estimated that there is a shortage of 4.6 million workers in the U.S. Continue reading
Moscow’s MOEX stock index dropped 1.5{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} soon after shedding more than 10{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} on Monday, bringing losses so far this yr to about 20{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}. Shares in Russian oil firm Rosneft were being most difficult strike Tuesday, dropping 7.5{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}. In complete, additional than $30 billion has been wiped off the price of Russian shares this 7 days on your own.
The ruble fell towards 81 compared to the US dollar on Tuesday, its weakest degree in additional than a yr and shut to its history very low. The moves prompted Russia’s central lender to announce steps to aid banking companies, together with a provision that will enable them to use final Friday’s costs for stocks and bonds when reporting their fiscal positions.
A lot more soreness could be on the way.
“We anticipate more declines in the vicinity of-time period in the Russian stock marketplace,” analysts at JPMorgan Chase wrote in a note to consumers on Tuesday. The Wall Avenue lender downgraded Russian equities to “neutral” from “obese.”
Injury to Russia’s markets and overall economy would be restricted if its troops do not progress further than the parts of japanese Ukraine that Putin identified as independent on Monday, in accordance to analysts. But Russia would pay back a greater cost if further more aggression causes the West to reply with punishing sanctions that could reduce the country’s banks off from the worldwide financial process and make it difficult to export oil and purely natural gas.
Germany claimed Tuesday it was halting certification of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, crafted by Russia’s Gazprom underneath the Baltic Sea with the goal of boosting its potential to supply Europe with all-natural fuel with out piping it by way of Ukraine.
Analysts at Money Economics reported Tuesday that the most generally talked over sanctions could knock 1{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} off Russia’s gross domestic product or service, but more aggressive steps such as blocking Russia from the SWIFT global payments program could decrease economic output by 5{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}.
According to Money Economics, Russia is in a much better situation to endure an financial shock than in 2014, when Western sanctions and plummeting oil prices put together to knock around 2.5{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} off the country’s GDP and spark a economic disaster. Russia has more international forex reserves, its external personal debt is reduced, and its economical connections with main economies are smaller sized.
Russian ratings company ACRA estimates that the country’s financial institutions imported $5 billion really worth of banknotes in overseas currencies in December, up from $2.65 billion a calendar year right before, in accordance to Reuters.
Sanctions strike
US President Joe Biden options to impose new sanctions on two components of japanese Ukraine that Putin acknowledged as independent, the White Residence claimed Monday. But the United States is holding other measures in reserve.
“The Western response has so significantly been … symbolic,” mentioned analysts at Funds Economics. “The US and EU have claimed they will announce extra sanctions currently, though they are predicted to even now be at the very mild close of the scale, in component so that far more critical actions could be held again to discourage Russia” from more aggression.
Substantially depends on Putin’s subsequent moves.
“The important problem now is how significantly into Ukraine President Putin wants to go,” reported Societe Generale analyst Kit Juckes. “Evidently, pushing outside of the recent area of conflict would escalate the problem as Russian troops engaged with Ukrainian forces.”
Russia’s economic system could be in for a important shock, but that would not signify there won’t be blowback for other international locations.
US crude futures jumped nearly 3{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} to trade at $93 for each barrel on Tuesday. Brent crude, the world benchmark, surged 4.75{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} to $97 for each barrel.
Russia is one of the world’s largest producers of oil, and a main exporter of organic gas. Investors panic that conflict in Ukraine could restrict or cease the circulation of Russian fuel into Europe, building it significantly much more costly for men and women to warmth and light their properties.
In a worst scenario scenario, oil selling prices could surge as substantial as $140 for each barrel, according to Money Economics. That would insert upward force to inflation in significant economies about the environment and make interest amount hikes far more possible.
“Given the existing significant rates of inflation, and corresponding considerations about it feeding bigger inflation anticipations, it is really doable that this provides to the listing of factors for policymakers to raise interest charges,” wrote analysts at Funds Economics.
-— Anna Chernova contributed reporting from Moscow
Stocks extended declines Friday to close a second straight week in negative territory with geopolitical tensions intensifying to contribute to a further risk-off tone in markets.
The S&P 500 fell 0.71{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} to 4,348.97, building on a 2{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} loss in the previous session, while the Dow Jones index closed down 0.68{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} to 34,079.12 after erasing 1.8{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} Thursday for its worst day in nearly three months. The Dow also closed at its lowest level since September. The Nasdaq Composite shed 1.23{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} to 13,548.07 — its lowest level since January. Meanwhile, the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), or “fear gauge,” spiked back to hover near 28 Friday.
The souring in sentiment came after U.S. officials said they estimated Russia had built up around 190,000 military personnel near Ukraine, raising the specter of a near-term attack. And this came a day after President Joe Biden told reporters on Thursday that the threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine was “very high” in the coming days. Crude oil prices fell Friday morning to pause a recent run-up even as Russia-Ukraine tensions resurged.
“The two things we’re most concerned about right now in terms of headwinds for the market and causes for volatility, are clearly tensions with Russia-Ukraine … and then clearly, our concern over not just inflation but what the monetary policy response to that inflation is going to be,” Art Hogan, National chief market strategist, told Yahoo Finance Live on Thursday. “And those headlines have changed quite a bit too.”
“We’ve gone from thinking the Fed would be very, very deliberate in their actions starting in March and telegraph everything … to having some outliers on the committee talking about being very aggressive, a lot more aggressive than what’s priced into the market,” he added. “Every day the story changes a bit.”
Treasury yields fell further after dropping across the curve on Thursday, with the 10-year yield holding back below 2{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}. This came as markets priced in a lower probability of a front-loaded 50 basis-point interest rate hike from the Federal Reserve in March, with investors looking past hawkish commentary from St. Louis Fed President James Bullard calling for a more aggressive path on interest rates.
Other strategists also underscored the dual concerns around Russia and Ukraine and on the Fed for markets in the near-term.
“Really, it’s about Russia and Ukraine, and it’s about the Fed. And on the geopolitical side, I think the challenge for investors is that geopolitical risk is just really hard to weigh,” James Liu, Clearnomics founder and CEO, told Yahoo Finance Live on Thursday. “Our view is that we’re not yet in a situation where it makes sense to make any real portfolio moves based on this. I mean, first of all, diplomatic channels are still open, so the situation is still evolving on a regular basis.”
“The challenge is that even if the worst case scenario were to happen, it’s hard to gauge exactly what the impact long-term would be on the markets,” he added.
—
4:00 p.m. ET: US stocks mark second straight losing week amid Russia-Ukraine turmoil
Here were the main moves in markets at the end of Friday’s session:
S&P 500 (^GSPC): -31.29 (-0.71{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 4,348.97
Dow (^DJI): -232.91 (-0.68{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 34,079.12
Nasdaq (^IXIC): -168.65 (-1.23{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 13,548.07
Crude (CL=F): -$0.18 (-0.20{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $91.58 a barrel
Gold (GC=F): -$4.70 (-0.25{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $1,897.30 per ounce
10-year Treasury (^TNX): -4 bps to yield 1.9320{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}
—
10:52 a.m. ET: ‘Underlying inflation appears to be well-anchored’: Evans
Chicago Fed President Charles Evans suggested on Friday that absent pandemic and supply chain disruptions, underlying price pressures were still consistent with the Federal Reserve’s targets and did not warrant an extreme policy response.
“By my reading underlying inflation appears to still be well anchored at levels consistent with the Fed’s average 2{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} objective,” Evans said during a University of Chicago Booth School of Business conference on Friday.
“I see our current policy situation as likely requiring less ultimate financial restrictiveness compared with past episodes and posing a smaller risk” to economic activity, he added.
—
10:02 a.m. ET: Existing home sales post surprise jump in January, inventory sinks to record low
Sales of previously owned homes in the U.S. posted an unexpected jump at the beginning of 2022, reversing declines from the prior month.
Existing home sales rose at a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 6.5 million in January, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). This represented a 6.7{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} month-on-month increase, following a 3.8{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} drop in December. Still, sales were down 2.3{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} from the same month last year, when low interest rates stoked demand for purchases.
Housing inventory slid by 16.5{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} over last year to 860,000, marking a record low since NAR began tracking the data in 1999. Tight supplies pushed prices higher, and the median existing-home price rose 15.4{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} over last year to $350,300.
—
10:46 a.m. ET: ‘Underlying inflation appears to still be well-anchored: Evans
Chicago Federal Reserve President Charles Evans suggested Friday that the Federal Reserve’s current monetary policy setting was “wrong-footed against the current, sharp increases in inflation,” and suggested price pressures would subside without extreme moves by the Fed.
“I see our current policy situation as likely requiring less ultimate financial restrictiveness compared with past episodes and posing a smaller risk” to economic growth, Evans said during a University of Chicago Booth School of Business conference. He noted that in absence of pandemic and supply chain impacts, “underlying inflation appears to still be well-anchored at levels consistent with the Fed’s average 2{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996} objective.”
Here’s where markets were trading shortly after the opening bell:
S&P 500 (^GSPC): +4.64 (+0.11{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 4,384.90
Dow (^DJI): -43.35 (-0.16{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 34,258.30
Nasdaq (^IXIC): +23.65 (+0.17{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 13,740.37
Crude (CL=F): -$2.53 (-2.76{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $89.23 a barrel
Gold (GC=F): -$3.20 (-0.17{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $1,898.80 per ounce
10-year Treasury (^TNX): -3.2 bps to yield 1.942{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}
—
8:50 a.m. ET: Stocks turn negative as officials signal Russian military build near Ukraine
Stock futures erased earlier gains to trade in negative territory with just over 30 minutes until the opening bell.
Contracts on each of the S&P 500, Dow and Nasdaq turned lower. Investors turned into safe haven assets, and Treasury yields fell as prices were bid higher. The Vix spiked back above 28 after falling below 27 earlier Friday morning.
News that Russia had amassed some 190,000 military personnel near Ukraine contributed to the decline, erasing earlier optimism that diplomatic talks would lead to a deescalation of the tensions in the region. Earlier, the U.S. State Department had said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken would meet next week.
—
7:24 a.m. ET Friday: Stock futures point to a higher open
Here’s where markets were trading Friday morning:
S&P 500 futures (ES=F): +21 points (+0.48{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}), to 4,395.50
Dow futures (YM=F): +124.00 points (+0.36{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}), to 34,355.00
Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): +91 points (+0.64{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 14,255.75
Crude (CL=F): -$1.92 (-2.09{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $89.84 a barrel
Gold (GC=F): -$9.10 (-0.48{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to $1,892.90 per ounce
10-year Treasury (^TNX): -0.2 bps to yield 1.972{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}
—
6:10 p.m. ET Thursday: Stock futures extend declines after rout
Here were the main moves in markets Thursday evening:
S&P 500 futures (ES=F): -5.25 points (-0.12{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}), to 4,369.25
Dow futures (YM=F): -24 points (-0.07{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}), to 34,207.00
Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): -24.75 points (-0.17{21df340e03e388cc75c411746d1a214f72c176b221768b7ada42b4d751988996}) to 14,140.00
Photo by: NDZ/STAR MAX/IPx 2022 2/11/22 People walk past the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on Wall Street on February 11, 2022 in New York.
