US stocks mixed midday on global growth concerns

US stocks mixed midday on global growth concerns

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12.10pm: Dow and S&P 500 fall as weakness in key commodities weigh   US stocks were mixed in noon trading as worries over surging coronavirus (COVID-19) Delta variant cases sent West Texas intermediate (WTI) crude oil down as much as 4%, while copper, silver and gold futures each moved lower by at least 1%.   The Dow Jones Industrial Average eased 63 points, or 0.2%, to 35,146, while the broader-based S&P 500 inched 2 points lower, or 0.04%, to 4,434. The tech-heavy Nasdaq, meanwhile, added 33 points, or 0.2%, to stand at 14,869.  “Over the past 5 quarters, analysts have significantly underestimated EPS, a trend we expect to continue,” Credit Suisse chief U.S. equity strategist Jonathan Golub said. “We see upside to estimates as empty shelves are restocked and pricing power is maintained. Consumer spending should improve as the unemployment rate drops further, accompanied by higher wages,” Golub added. Notable movers included shares of Moderna Inc, which climbed as much as 11% on prospects of booster vaccines needed to control COVID’s spread, while Tesla Inc shares added more than 2% after an upgrade from Jefferies, which predicted the stock would gain more than 20% over the next 12 months. 10.15am: Cautious start to Monday As expected, US equities opened lower on balance on Monday as commodity prices weakened and bond yields and the dollar rose following Friday's stronger than forecast July non-farm payrolls. After 45 minutes of trading, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 146 points, or 0.4% at 35,061, while the broader S&P 500 index shed 0.2%, though the tech-laden Nasdaq Composite ticked 0.01% higher. Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at OANDA Europe commented: "The action has been saved for the commodities corner of the markets in early trade, with gold and silver seeing a meltdown early in Asia before recouping the bulk of the losses in the following hours as bargain hunters seized on the opportunity to get the week off to a good start. "Meanwhile, oil prices have tumbled again as the spread of delta and restrictions that come with it, particularly in China, is causing real concern. We're seeing surges in a variety of countries which will likely weigh on the recovery in the coming months, just as it was starting to gather pace." Erlan added: "The US jobs report on Friday has solidified expectations for a taper announcement this year, most likely September if the August report is another knockout, so now it's all about gathering clues as to when it will start and at what pace. "The Jackson Hole event later this month is the one we've all got circled in the calendar, with numerous Fed speakers appearing, including Chairman Jerome Powell. This is when we could get the strongest hints to date on the timing and pace. Before that, every data point will be scrutinized, starting with the CPI inflation releases on Wednesday. Today we'll hear from Fed voters Raphael Bostic and Thomas Barkin. Commentary from policy makers is getting increasing amounts of attention and I expect that to be the case on a quiet day like today." 6.45am: Weakness expected as new week begins US stocks are expected to open slightly lower on Monday, edging back from last week's record highs as a drop in commodity prices indicated some investor unease about the strength of the economic recovery in spite of Friday's stronger than forecast July non-farm payrolls. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average ticked 0.2% lower, while futures for the broader S&P 500 index also shed 0.2%, and Nasdaq-100 futures were relatively flat. Benchmark Brent crude oil prices dropped nearly 4% on a UN climate change warning as China introduced new virus clampdown measures.  Meanwhile, gold and silver prices briefly fell before recovering most of the lost ground amid rising bond yields and strength in the dollar folllowing the latest jobs report which is expected to lead to a tapering by the Federal Reserve sooner rather than later. Investors also have the ongoing earnings season to keep an eye on, with Tyson Foods (NYSE:TSN) and vaccine developer BioNTech scheduled to report ahead of the New York opening bell, while AMC Entertainment is expected to post earnings after the markets close. Household names such as Walt Disney and Airbnb (NASDAQ:ABNB) are also scheduled to report later this week. A JOLTS report on job openings in June will also be eyed for more information on the labor market. Five things to watch on Monday: Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK) shares rose pre-market after reporting higher net earnings driven by growth at its railroad, utilities and energy companies over the weekend. Barrick Gold said it was on track to achieve its full-year production forecast, after the gold miner reported a 1.2% rise in second-quarter adjusted profit from the first on the back of higher prices for the yellow metal. Amazon.com and Walmart's Flipkart must face antitrust investigations ordered against them in India, the country's Supreme Court ruled on Monday, in a blow to the leading e-commerce giants which had urged judges to quash the inquiries. National Australia Bank has said it will buy Citigroup's local consumer unit for about $882.24 million, as the American bank exits the region while buy-now, pay-later rivals challenge the old credit card business model. Germany's Delivery Hero (ETR:DHER, OTCQX:DLVHF) has taken around a 5% stake in online food delivery rival Deliveroo driving the UK company's share price to its highest since listing on the stock market in March.

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