US stock futures rise after three-day global sell-off

US stock futures rise after three-day global sell-off
Tech stocks among those impacted by weakened confidence.
AUG 06, 2024
By  Bloomberg

US stock futures rose on Monday as some buyers waded into the market, following a three-day global selloff that was fueled by fears of a US economic slowdown and extreme tech-sector valuations. 

Futures on the S&P 500 Index traded 0.5% higher as of 5:20 a.m. in New York, having earlier risen as much as 1.4%. Contracts on the Nasdaq 100 futures were up 0.6%, paring an earlier 1.7% advance. Markets bounced back elsewhere as well, with Japan’s Topix jumping more than 8% as the yen weakened after a five-day surge against the US dollar.

Tuesday’s bounce comes after the S&P 500 shed 6% over the past three sessions. The turmoil was sparked by data showing a rise in US unemployment, causing investors to worry whether the Federal Reserve is moving quickly enough to cut interest rates in order to stave off a recession. The print followed a Bank of Japan interest-rate hike, which sparked an unwinding of yen-funded carry trades — the practice of borrowing cheaply to fund purchases of higher-yielding assets elsewhere, including technology stocks.

The selloff has cooled the global artificial intelligence rally, which had driven stocks to record highs in recent weeks. Some market players such as Mike O’Rourke, chief market strategist at Jonestrading, downplayed the setback. 

“A 10% or more correction is absolutely appropriate amid such market strength,” O’Rourke wrote in a report. 

Concerns of an abrupt downturn were somewhat allayed by numbers Monday showing the US services sector expanded in July, after the worst contraction in four years a month earlier. Economic data releases over the coming weeks will be key to gauging the Fed’s next move and the direction of stocks.

Among individual stocks, Nvidia Corp. rose as much as 3% in premarket trading, while other chip stocks also gained. Palantir Technologies Inc. added as much as 13% after the data-analysis software company raised full-year forecasts, citing demand for artificial intelligence software. Cyber security firm Crowdstrike Holdings Inc. was lifted by Piper Sandler advising clients to use beaten-down valuations to buy the shares. 

On the downside, ZoomInfo Technologies Inc. dropped 15% in premarket trading after the infrastructure-software company undershot earnings expectations. 

“Taking a contrarian approach around these big moves is not a bad approach for active manager and investors,” said Ben Kirby, co-head of investments at Thornburg Investment Management.

Copyright Bloomberg News

Latest News

Cetera Trust hires Fidelity vet Kerri Scharr for chief fiduciary officer role
Cetera Trust hires Fidelity vet Kerri Scharr for chief fiduciary officer role

The newly appointed leader will be responsible for overseeing fiduciary governance, regulatory compliance, and risk management at Cetera's trust services company.

Trump's 'revenge tax' might come back to bite US borrowers, experts say
Trump's 'revenge tax' might come back to bite US borrowers, experts say

Certain foreign banking agreements could force borrowers to absorb Section 899's potential impact, putting some lending relationships at risk.

RIA moves: EP Wealth, Merit make key Mountain state debuts
RIA moves: EP Wealth, Merit make key Mountain state debuts

Torrance, California-based EP Wealth welcomes a $900 million team in Idaho as Merit adds its first office in Utah.

Captrust taps Echelon's Mike Wunderli to lead merger strategy
Captrust taps Echelon's Mike Wunderli to lead merger strategy

The $1 trillion RIA is getting serious on inorganic growth as it welcomes the M&A veteran for a dedicated leadership role.

Fed ends Wells Fargo's asset cap restriction, opening long-blocked path to growth
Fed ends Wells Fargo's asset cap restriction, opening long-blocked path to growth

The undoing of the penalty, which has hung over the Wall Street bank for seven years, marks a significant victory for CEO Charlie Scharf.

SPONSORED Beyond the dashboard: Making wealth tech human

How intelliflo aims to solve advisors' top tech headaches—without sacrificing the personal touch clients crave

SPONSORED The evolution of private credit

From direct lending to asset-based finance to commercial real estate debt.