October 28, 2024 16:09 GMT
US STOCKS: Equities Roundup: Holding Gains Ahead Heavy Earnings Slate
US STOCKS
- Stocks are trading firmer, inside narrow ranges ahead midday as markets await approximately 40% of the S&P 500 market cap to report earnings this week. Incidentally, S&P Eminis opened higher overnight as fallout over Israel's limited attack on Iran over the weekend appeared muted. Currently, the DJIA trades up 226.05 points (0.54%) at 42342.56, S&P E-Minis up 16.75 points (0.29%) at 5862.5, Nasdaq up 78.5 points (0.4%) at 18597.31.
- Utilities and Financial sectors led gainers in the first half, independent and electricity providers buoyed the former: NextEra Energy +2.44%, Vistra +2.26%, AES Corp +2.06%. Banks and services shares supported the Financial sector: Citigroup +3.51%, Synchrony Financial +2.86%, Discover Financial Services +2.74%.
- On the flipside, Energy and Information Technology sectors underperformed in the first half, oil and gas shares pressed by a sharp decline in crude (WTI -3.83 at 67.95) the limited react to Israel's targeted attack cited: APA -4.19%, Diamondback Energy -3.14%, Haliburton -2.23%. Semiconductors weighed on IT amid modest profit taking following last week's gains: Lam Research -2.09%, Teradyne -0.81%, Nvidia -0.71%, Micron -0.48%.
- Key reports this week include: TUES: Alphabet, McDonald's, Pfizer, Visa, AMD; WEDS: Microsoft, Eli Lilly, Meta Platforms, Caterpillar; THURS: Apple, Amazon, MasterCard, Merck; FRI: Chevron, ExxonMobil. So far this quarter we see earnings continuing to exceed expectations, with the average name (of the ~170 to have reported) beating EPS forecasts by 7.4%, although expectations for revenues have been generally inline.
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