US Stock Futures Steady as Tech Losses Weigh; CPI Eyed

Dec 10, 2024 at 12:04 AM
In recent times, the global financial landscape has been significantly influenced by a confluence of factors. One such crucial aspect is the heightened geopolitical uncertainty surrounding a regime change in Syria. After over 20 years of the Bashar al-Assad government's rule, a significant shift has occurred, rattling risk sentiment across the board.

Market Indicators and Their Fluctuations

The S&P 500 Futures witnessed a decline of 0.1%, settling at 6,061.75 points. Simultaneously, the Nasdaq 100 Futures also fell by 0.1% to 21,476.0 points by 18:27 ET (23:27 GMT). However, the Dow Jones Futures managed to steady at 44,469.0 points. This week, the spotlight is firmly on the consumer price index inflation data due on Wednesday. It is expected that inflation remained relatively upbeat in November. Headline CPI is anticipated to increase slightly from 2.6% year-on-year to 2.7%, while core CPI, which excludes volatile items, is likely to remain at 3.3%.Although inflation had been on a steady downward trajectory earlier in 2024, it has shown more stickiness in recent months due to the resilience of the U.S. economy. This has sparked some uncertainty regarding the outlook for interest rates. Markets are still hopeful for a 25 basis point rate cut by the Federal Reserve next week. Nevertheless, the long-term outlook for rates has now become more uncertain, with the expectations of inflationary policies under the incoming President Donald Trump adding another layer of complexity.

Technology Stocks and Their Performance

After a strong run-up in recent weeks, losses in technology stocks emerged as the most significant weight on Wall Street on Monday. NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) was among the biggest decliners, falling 2.6% during the session and down 0.6% in aftermarket trade following reports of a China probe regarding antitrust concerns. Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL) also faced a setback, tumbling nearly 8% in aftermarket trade after its quarterly earnings missed the high street estimates. The increased competition in the sector from heavyweights like MSFT and AMZN took a toll on the firm.While the firm is expected to benefit from the growing demand in the artificial intelligence industry, Monday's miss indicated that earnings might not be as robust as investors had anticipated. These losses in the tech sector led to a 0.6% decline in the S&P 500 to 6,052.85 points and a 0.6% fall in the NASDAQ Composite to 19,741.30 points. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also dropped 0.5% to 44,401.93 points.

Afterhours Movers and Their Surges

Among other afterhours movers, MongoDB (NASDAQ:MDB) witnessed a remarkable 10% surge on stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings. C3.ai Inc (NYSE:AI) also rallied by 15% after its quarterly earnings exceeded estimates due to the robust AI-fueled demand. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) added 0.8% after announcing a new $15 billion share buyback and hiking its dividend. These afterhours movements showcase the diverse nature of the market and the impact of various factors on different stocks.Overall, the current market scenario is a complex interplay of geopolitical events, inflation data, and sector-specific performances. Investors and market participants need to closely monitor these developments to make informed decisions in an ever-changing economic environment.