Benzinga·2025-09-12 09:42Market Overview - U.S. stock futures declined following a rally, with major indices showing lower futures [1] - The Dow closed above 46,000 for the first time, despite negative economic indicators such as inflation rising to 2.9% year-over-year and jobless claims reaching 263,000, the highest since October 2021 [2] - The 10-year Treasury bond yielded 4.04%, while the two-year bond was at 3.56%, with markets pricing a 100% likelihood of an interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve [2] Index Performance - Dow Jones futures fell by 0.17%, S&P 500 by 0.14%, Nasdaq 100 by 0.06%, and Russell 2000 by 0.45% [3] - The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was down 0.10% at $656.95, while Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (QQQ) rose 0.0068% to $584.12 [3] Sector Performance - Most sectors in the S&P 500 closed positively, with consumer discretionary, healthcare, and materials stocks showing the largest gains, while energy stocks declined slightly [4] - The overall market strength led to significant gains, with the Dow Jones increasing by over 600 points as investors reacted to consumer inflation data [4] Company Earnings - Kroger Co. reported better-than-expected second-quarter earnings, while The Lovesac Co. saw a 15% drop in stock price after cutting its fiscal year 2026 GAAP EPS guidance [5] - Adobe Inc. rose 3.83% after exceeding third-quarter expectations and raising its fiscal 2025 outlook, while RH dropped 7.93% due to weaker-than-expected second-quarter results [16] Analyst Insights - Analysts indicate a slowdown in the U.S. labor market, with negative revisions to previous job gains suggesting a noticeable deceleration [9] - Despite the hiring slowdown, companies are retaining employees, with initial jobless claims remaining stable in the historically low range of 220,000 to 240,000 [11] - Investment strategies are shifting, with recommendations to trim risk and rebalance portfolios, particularly moving funds from Communication Services and Energy sectors to Financials [15] Commodities and Global Markets - Crude oil futures traded lower at $62.31 per barrel, while gold rose to approximately $3,644.80 per ounce [17] - Asian markets closed higher, with notable gains in indices such as Australia's ASX 200 and Japan's Nikkei 225, while European markets showed mixed results [18]