Stocks Finish Higher on Earnings Optimism
Yahoo Finance·2025-10-31 20:33

Trade Relations - President Trump and President Xi Jinping agreed to extend a tariff truce, roll back export controls, and reduce other trade barriers, including cutting fentanyl-related tariffs on Chinese goods from 20% to 10% [1] - China will resume purchases of US agricultural products such as soybeans and sorghum, while pausing controls on rare-earth magnets in exchange for the US rolling back restrictions on Chinese companies [1] Market Sentiment - US stock indexes closed higher, driven by positive corporate earnings, with Amazon.com leading the way with a more than 9% increase after reporting strong earnings [4][5] - Over 80% of S&P 500 companies that reported Q3 earnings have beaten estimates, indicating a bullish market sentiment [6] Economic Indicators - The markets are anticipating a 64% chance of a 25 basis point rate cut at the next FOMC meeting, with an overall expected cut of 82 basis points by the end of 2026 [2] - The October MNI Chicago PMI rose by 3.2 points to 43.8, exceeding expectations, which is supportive for stocks [3] Corporate Earnings - Q3 profits for S&P 500 companies are expected to rise by 7.2% year-over-year, the smallest increase in two years, while sales growth is projected to slow to 5.9% year-over-year [6] - Notable corporate earnings include Amazon.com with Q3 net sales of $180.17 billion, exceeding the consensus of $177.82 billion, and forecasting Q4 net sales of $206 billion to $213 billion [14] Government Impact - The ongoing US government shutdown is affecting market sentiment and delaying the release of key economic reports, with an estimated 640,000 federal workers furloughed [8] - The shutdown could lead to increased jobless claims and a rise in the unemployment rate to 4.7% [8] International Markets - Overseas stock markets showed mixed results, with the Euro Stoxx 50 down 0.65% and China's Shanghai Composite down 0.81%, while Japan's Nikkei Stock 225 rose sharply by 2.12% [9]