Stocks rally as trade war nerves settle

Stocks rally as trade war nerves settle
S&P rebounds as China strikes conciliatory tone in trade war.
JUL 12, 2018

Stocks advanced, while Treasuries fell as the prospect of more trade talks between the U.S. and China helped settle investors' nerves. The S&P 500 Index rebounded from its biggest decline in two weeks, following shares in Europe and Asia, as China appeared to strike a conciliatory tone in reaction to President Donald Trump's newest escalation of the trade war between the two countries. Ten-year Treasury yields pared gains, while the dollar declined against most peers after U.S. consumer prices rose less than forecast in June. West Texas crude held above $70 a barrel. "Until you get resolution of the trade talks you're going to see international markets underperform relative to the U.S.," said Kevin Nicholson, chief market strategist at RiverFront Investment Group in Richmond, Virginia. The S&P 500 Index will probably trade between 2,600 and 2,800, with support from earnings growth and headwinds from trade tensions, he said. "Commodities are going to be a loser" in the trade war, and RiverFront has cut back its exposure, he said. While markets welcome the lull in the escalation of trade tensions, they'll remain on edge as they await a potential reprisal from Beijing to Trump's latest volley. Investors concerns have overshadowed economic data hinting that global growth is on track as well as the start of earnings season. Elsewhere, Turkey's lira recovered from a record low. The won fell, with little reaction to the Bank of Korea holding its benchmark rate at 1.5%. These are some events to look out for this week: Earnings season gets into gear with JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Citigroup Inc. among the largest companies due to give results, as well as India's Infosys Ltd. Chinese trade data due at the end of the week will probably show slightly slower export growth, after early indicators pointed to softer overseas demand and weaker export orders, Bloomberg Economics said. And here are the main market moves:

STOCKS

The S&P 500 Index rose 0.5% as of 9:33 a.m. New York time. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index advanced 0.6%. The MSCI All-Country World Index gained less than 0.05%. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index increased 0.1%. The MSCI Emerging Market Index rose 0.3%.

CURRENCIES

The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index declined 0.2%. The euro was little changed at $1.126. The British pound rose 0.1% to $1.3223. The Japanese yen decreased 0.4% to 112.46 per dollar.

BONDS

The yield on 10-year Treasuries rose one basis point to 2.86%, the highest in more than a week. Germany's 10-year yield dipped less than one basis point to 0.37%. Britain's 10-year yield declined one basis point to 1.294%.

COMMODITIES

West Texas Intermediate crude rose 0.1% to $70.44 a barrel. Brent crude rose 1.4% to $74.41 a barrel, the biggest advance in almost two weeks. Copper gained 0.9% to $2.77 a pound. Gold increased 0.1% to $1,243.51 an ounce.

Latest News

DOJ's fraud sweep bags over $1B in convictions, guilty pleas and indictments in a single week
DOJ's fraud sweep bags over $1B in convictions, guilty pleas and indictments in a single week

Medicare scam, pandemic benefit theft, offshore tax evasion — federal prosecutors are casting a wide net.

Retirement without guaranteed income streams may mean near-total asset wipeout
Retirement without guaranteed income streams may mean near-total asset wipeout

Report finds that pension income acts as a financial lifeline for retirees facing late-life shocks and raises urgent questions about the DC-only future.

Federal judge dismisses Eltek manipulation lawsuit against Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
Federal judge dismisses Eltek manipulation lawsuit against Morgan Stanley Smith Barney

Nine-month electronic trading freeze and share lending program at the center of dismissed claim.

RIA wrap: Dynamic strikes South Carolina deal to reach $7B AUM milestone
RIA wrap: Dynamic strikes South Carolina deal to reach $7B AUM milestone

Meanwhile, Rossby Financial's leadership buildout rolls on with a new COO appointment as Balefire Wealth welcomes a distinguished retirement specialist to its national network.

Rethinking diversification amid a concentrated S&P 500
Rethinking diversification amid a concentrated S&P 500

With a smaller group of companies driving stock market performance, advisors must work more intentionally to manage concentration risks within client portfolios.

SPONSORED Beyond wealth management: Why the future of advice is becoming more human

As technical expertise becomes increasingly commoditized, advisors who can integrate strategy, relationships, and specialized expertise into a cohesive client experience will define the next era of wealth management

SPONSORED Durability over scale: What actually defines a great advisory firm

Growth may get the headlines, but in my experience, longevity is earned through structure, culture, and discipline