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Stocks up somewhat with bond yields up; economy, rates in focus

MSCI's international equity index was up somewhat on Monday and U.S. Treasury yields climbed up with the dollar after information released at the start of a short trading week revealed wear and tear in U.S. consumer self-confidence combined with an increase in capital products orders.

The Conference Board said its U.S. consumer confidence index unexpectedly damaged in December to 104.7 versus economic expert expectations for a boost to 113.3 and November's upwardly revised 112.8 on issues about future organization conditions.

New orders for key U.S.-manufactured capital items rose in November amid strong demand for equipment however orders for durable items, products ranging from toasters to aircraft, dropped 1.1% after increasing 0.8% in October, with decreases primarily showing weak point in industrial airplane orders.

Ahead of Tuesday's shorter trading day and the market's. close for Christmas on Wednesday, Tim Ghriskey, senior portfolio. strategist at Ingalls & & Snyder stated financiers still had. Wednesday's high sell-off on their minds after the Federal. Reserve's signal for less rate cuts in 2025.

There's concern about the economy. There's concern. about the Fed making an incorrect move and there's the fantastic unknown. of what Trump is actually going to do, said Ghriskey, looking. ahead to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's Jan. 20. inauguration.

While Wall Street indexes are up for the year-to-date,. the S&P 500 fell practically 2% last week and the Nasdaq lost 1.8%.

On Monday at 11:29 a.m, the Dow Jones Industrial Average. fell 200.20 points, or 0.47%, to 42,640.06, the S&P 500. rose 1.39 points, or 0.03%, to 5,932.34 and the Nasdaq. Composite increased 75.36 points, or 0.39%, to 19,647.96.

MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe increased. 1.17 points, or 0.14%, to 845.40 while Europe's STOXX 600. index rose 0.07%.

In U.S. Treasuries, yields rose before the sale on Monday of. $ 69 billion in two-year Treasury notes, with volumes expected to. be silenced this week while many traders are away previously. Wednesday's Christmas holiday.

The yield on benchmark U.S. 10-year notes rose. 4.2 basis points to 4.566%, from 4.524% late on Friday while the. 30-year bond yield increased 4.2 basis indicate 4.7578%.

The 2-year note yield, which normally moves in. action with expectations for the Fed's interest rate policy, increased. 3.5 basis indicate 4.347%, from 4.312% late on Friday.

In currencies, the dollar advanced after a drop in the previous. session while the euro fell as market relocations were being determined. by recent worldwide central bank meetings that set expectations for. diverging rate cut paths next year.

The dollar index, which measures the greenback. versus a basket of currencies consisting of the yen and the euro,. increased 0.37% to 108.19.

The euro was down 0.31% at $1.0397 while versus the. Japanese yen, the dollar strengthened 0.49% to. 157.17. Sterling weakened 0.43% to $1.2515.

Oil rates extended recently's losses as a. lower-than-expected U.S. inflation checking out recently balanced out. concern about a supply surplus next year.

U.S. crude fell 1.02% to $68.75 a barrel and Brent. fell to $72.11 per barrel, down 1.14% on the day.

Gold rates edged lower in a suppressed holiday-season trading,. weighed down by a robust dollar and high U.S. Treasury yields.

Spot gold fell 0.34% to $2,611.99 an ounce. U.S. gold. futures fell 0.49% to $2,615.70 an ounce.

(source: Reuters)