Stock Futures Rise Despite Tension-Filled Headlines
Civil unrest has overshadowed the coronavirus and China tensions
Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) futures are up around 150 points above fair value this morning, despite dipping overnight in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump's statement that he will deploy the military if protests aroundthe country continue. As investors focus on states easing lockdowns, futures on the S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) are both hovering above fair value, though many remain wary of civil unrestand U.S.-China tensions. Last night, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued a curfew from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. in New York City, in an effort to quell protests.
Continue reading for more on today's market, including:
Schaeffer's Senior V.P. of Research Todd Salamone breaks down the SPX and VIX levels to watch.Energy Transfer stock gained yesterday despite job cuts.Plus, Wells Fargo pumps the brakes on LULU; Slack sees an upgrade; and Marriott opens its hotels in China.
5 Things You Need to Know Today
The Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE) saw 1.3 million call contracts traded on Monday and 609,643 put contracts. The single-session equity put/call ratio fell to 0.46, and the 21-day moving average slipped to 0.55.Lululemon Athletica Inc (NASDAQ:LULU) is down 0.8% ahead of the bell, after Wells Fargo downgraded the athleisure retailer to "equal weight" from "overweight," with an added price target raiseto $275 from $250. The analyst in coverage cited the stock's risk/reward profile is balanced amid the coronavirus environment. LULU is up around 41% in the last monthly period after reaching an all-time high of $310.22 yesterday. The shares of Slack Technologies Inc (NYSE: WORK) are up 5.7% before the open, after Cowen & Company initiated coverage with an "outperform" rating and price target of $45. In addition, Wells Fargo hiked its price target to $41from $30. WORK is up 65% in 2020 going into today.Marriott International Inc (NASDAQ:MAR) stock is up 1.7% ahead of the bell, after the company's CEO announced last night that it was reopening all of its hotels in China. The hotel stock is down 37.2% in 2020, and will face off with its 80-day moving average today.Today will feature motor vehicle sales. Additionally, Dick's Sporting Goods, GameStop (GME), Tiffany & Co, and Zoom Video (ZM) will enter the earnings confessional.
Stocks in Asia Continue Rally as Lockdown Measures Ease
Stocks in Asia closed higher on Tuesday, after coronavirus-related containment measures were eased, leaving investors excited about the reopening of economies. Japan's Nikkei tacked on 1.2%, as shares of financial giant SoftbankGroup extended Monday's gains. Meanwhile, Hong Kong's Hang Seng and South Korea's Kospi both added 1.1%, and China's Shanghai composite gained 0.2%.
Stocks in Europe are also climbing today, despite a backdrop of unrest in the U.S. and uncertainty around it's growing tensions with China. Making the biggest splash across thepond this morning is the German DAX, last seen up 3.7%. Additionally, France's CAC 40 is up 2.1%, while London's FTSE 100 was last seen 1% higher.