Market Overview - Wall Street is attempting to rebound after volatility in October and November, but concerns over high inflation, economic health, and uncertainty regarding a Federal Reserve rate cut in December persist [1] - Consumer confidence remains low, which could lead to further market volatility [2] Consumer Sentiment - Consumer sentiment declined to a record low of 51 in November, down from 53.6 in October, representing a 29% year-over-year decrease [3] Federal Reserve Actions - The Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 25 basis points in September and October, but high inflation remains a concern, complicating potential future cuts [4] - A shrinking labor market raises fears of a slowing economy, with expectations that the Federal Reserve may cautiously approach rate cuts in 2026 [4] Impact of Tariffs - President Trump's tariffs have increased commodity prices, leading consumers to reduce spending ahead of the holiday season, which may contribute to prolonged market volatility [5] Dividend-Paying Stocks - Cautious investors may consider dividend-paying stocks for steady income and capital protection amid market uncertainty [2] - Three notable stocks include: - **Orange County Bancorp, Inc. (OBT)**: Announced a dividend of $0.18 per share with a yield of 1.90%, having increased dividends four times in the past five years [6][7] - **Dillard's, Inc. (DDS)**: Declared a dividend of $30 per share with a yield of 0.18%, having increased dividends eight times in the past five years [8][10] - **United Bankshares, Inc. (UBSI)**: Announced a dividend of $0.38 per share with a yield of 3.93%, having increased dividends three times in the past five years [11][12]

Market Overview - Major U.S. index futures indicate a modestly higher open following a trading disruption at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange due to a "cooling issue" [1] - Recent upward momentum has contributed to a four-day winning streak for the markets, driven by renewed optimism about interest rates after dovish comments from Federal Reserve officials [2][5] Economic Data - The Commerce Department reported that new orders for U.S. manufactured durable goods increased by 0.5% in September, following a revised 3.0% spike in August, surpassing economists' expectations of a 0.3% rise [6] - Initial jobless claims for U.S. unemployment benefits unexpectedly dipped to 216,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised level of 222,000, contrary to expectations of an increase to 225,000 [7][8] Sector Performance - Gold stocks surged by 4.9%, driven by an increase in gold prices, while airline stocks rose by 3.2%, reaching a one-month closing high [9] - Strong movements were also observed in brokerage, steel, and natural gas stocks, contributing to the overall positive performance across major sectors [10] International Markets - Asian stocks showed mixed performance, with China's Shanghai Composite Index rising by 0.3% after JPMorgan raised its recommendation for Chinese stocks to "overweight" [14] - European stocks moved modestly higher, with the German DAX, French CAC 40, and U.K.'s FTSE 100 all up by 0.2%, amid rising expectations for a Federal Reserve interest rate cut in December [19]

By Ozan Ergenay LONDON (Reuters) -The U.S. dollar (DX=F) was heading for its worst weekly performance since late July on Friday as investors increasingly count on further monetary easing in December by the Federal Reserve, while Thursday's U.S. holiday ​thinned liquidity. An outage due to a cooling issue at CME Group's CyrusOne data centres halted trade on its widely-used currency platform and ‌in stock and commodity futures, though trading began to resume at 1200 GMT. "We are not expecting any signific ...

Intel Corp. (NASDAQ:INTC) is witnessing a notable strengthening in market sentiment, with its Benzinga Edge’s Stock Rankings‘ momentum score climbing from 88.53 to 90.51 week-over-week.Check out INTC's stock price here.Intel Jumps In Top Decline Of Momentum GainsThis shift pushes the chipmaker into the top tier of relative strength, signaling that investors are prioritizing macroeconomic tailwinds over a brewing corporate espionage issue involving its foundry rival, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Lt ...

Market Activity - Trading activity is expected to be subdued on Friday with thin volumes and an early market close at 1 PM ET due to the Thanksgiving holiday [1] - Futures showed slight increases with Dow futures up 0.11%, S&P futures up 0.10%, and Nasdaq futures up 0.18% [1] Futures Trading - An outage on CME Group's platform disrupted futures trading, attributed to a technical issue at CyrusOne data centers [2] - Positive investor sentiment is supported by expectations of a Federal Reserve interest rate cut in December [2] Federal Reserve Outlook - Major averages closed positively on Wednesday, marking the fourth consecutive session of gains as traders anticipated a rate cut by the Fed [3] - Dovish comments from Federal Reserve officials have increased optimism, with the probability of a quarter-point rate cut rising to 82.9% from 30.1% in the previous week according to CME Group's FedWatch Tool [3] Leadership Speculation - Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council, is considered a frontrunner for the next Fed Chair, aligning with President Trump's preference for low-interest rates [4] - The Dow increased by 314.67 points (0.7%) to 47,427.12, the Nasdaq rose by 189.10 points (0.8%) to 23,214.69, and the S&P 500 advanced by 46.73 points (0.7%) to 6,812.61 [4] International Market Performance - Asian stocks showed mixed results, influenced by disappointing industrial profits data from China and concerns over the property market due to China Vanke's bond repayment delay [5] - European stocks experienced subdued trading as investors assessed recent economic data from the region and the U.S. [5] Commodity Prices - West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures increased by $0.43 (0.73%) to $59.08 per barrel [6] - Gold futures rose by $19.10 (0.45%) to $4,221.40 per ounce [6]

Core Viewpoint - JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs have adjusted their interest rate forecasts, now predicting a quarter-point cut by the Federal Reserve after its upcoming meeting on December 9-10 [1][2]. Group 1: JP Morgan's Shift in Outlook - JP Morgan has reversed its earlier stance of pausing rate cuts until January, influenced by recent comments from central bank officials [2]. - Chief U.S. economist Michael Feroli indicated that the latest communications from the Fed increase the likelihood of a rate cut in the near term [2]. - The bank had previously retracted its December forecast due to volatility in September's job data but has now reinstated its outlook [3]. Group 2: Goldman Sachs' Agreement - Goldman Sachs has aligned with JP Morgan's revised forecast, suggesting that previous employment reports may have solidified the expectation of a 25 basis points cut [3]. Group 3: Fed Officials' Signals - New York Fed President John Williams has indicated that current monetary policy is "modestly restrictive" and sees potential for further adjustments to achieve a neutral stance [3]. - Williams noted that inflation has stalled around 2.75%, while the labor market has returned to pre-pandemic conditions, with increased downside risks to employment [4]. Group 4: Market Sentiment - Market sentiment reflects a strong belief in a rate cut, with traders pricing in an approximately 84.7% chance of a cut according to CME Group's FedWatch tool [5]. - Despite some internal disagreements within the Fed, the consensus appears to favor a standard cut to mitigate economic harm [6]. Group 5: Market Reactions - Following the Thanksgiving holiday, major indices such as Dow Jones, S&P 500, and Nasdaq 100 saw positive trading, with the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) up 0.69% and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (QQQ) up 0.88% [6][7].

Market Overview - Bitcoin traded around $90,600 to $91,400, with a recent peak of approximately $91,800, indicating a tight trading range [1] - Global equity markets are on track for their best week since June, driven by expectations of Federal Reserve interest rate cuts [2][5] - Asian equities showed mixed performance, with South Korea and Japan indexes declining while Australia saw slight gains [4] Federal Reserve Expectations - Futures markets indicate an 80% to 85% chance of a quarter-point interest rate cut next month, with expectations for three reductions by the end of 2026 [5] - Recent jobs data and comments from Fed officials have strengthened the case for a potential rate cut in December [7][8] Cryptocurrency Market - US spot Bitcoin ETFs are experiencing slower inflows compared to earlier in the year, but still maintain a positive trend [9] - Current cryptocurrency market cap stands at $3.18 trillion, with Bitcoin at $90,868, Ether at $3,001, and XRP at $2.17, reflecting slight declines [10] China Market Focus - JPMorgan has upgraded its view on the Chinese market to overweight, citing potential upside despite ongoing pressures in the property sector [4]

Market Overview - US stock futures showed muted performance as a holiday-shortened week and a downbeat month came to a close, with trading halted on Friday due to a data center glitch at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) [1][2] - The CME has begun to gradually restore operations after a significant outage that disrupted trading in various markets, including US Treasurys and crude oil [2][6] Trading Performance - Before the trading freeze, futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 were both up 0.1%, while contracts on the Nasdaq 100 rose 0.2% [2] - Individual stocks like Alphabet and Nvidia saw slight increases in premarket trading, indicating some resilience despite broader market concerns [2] Economic Indicators - Stocks rebounded sharply earlier in the week as traders increased bets on a potential interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve in December, which is less than two weeks away [3] - However, Wall Street indexes are facing a losing month, with a notable decline in megacap tech stocks as investors reassess the profitability of AI-driven businesses [4] Analyst Predictions - As November concludes, analysts are releasing stock market predictions for the upcoming year, with Deutsche Bank setting a target for the S&P 500 at 8,000 by the end of 2026, while HSBC and JPMorgan expect it to hover around 7,500 [5] Commodity Market - Gold is on track for its fourth consecutive monthly gain, driven by expectations of another interest rate cut in the US, with prices nearing $4,160 an ounce, up more than 2% for the week [11][12] - The halt in futures trading at CME affected liquidity in precious metals markets, leading to wider-than-usual bid-ask spreads [11] Company-Specific Updates - Oracle's stock fell over 1% due to concerns flagged by Morgan Stanley regarding credit markets, while Alphabet's stock rose 1% as attention shifted to its AI initiatives [9] - Strategy's stock rose 2% despite a recent 5% decline over the past five days, as Bitcoin prices rebounded above $90,000 [10]

Core Viewpoint - First Majestic Silver Corp. has experienced significant stock performance due to rising silver prices and strong earnings, leading to increased investor interest and a dividend announcement [1][4]. Group 1: Stock Performance - First Majestic Silver Corp. saw its stock price increase by 8.78% to close at $13.50, marking the fourth consecutive day of gains [1]. - The rise in stock price is attributed to a 3.59% increase in spot silver prices, which reached $53.32 per troy ounce, driven by optimism for an interest rate cut [1][2]. Group 2: Earnings Performance - The company reported a net income of $43 million in the third quarter, a turnaround from a net loss of $26.6 million in the same period last year [4]. - Revenues surged by 95% year-on-year, reaching $285.1 million, up from $146.1 million [4]. Group 3: Production and Sales - The record revenues were primarily driven by a 45% increase in silver equivalent payable ounces sold [5]. - There was also a 31% increase in the average realized silver price, which reached $39.03 [5]. Group 4: Dividend Announcement - First Majestic Silver Corp. is set to distribute dividends of $0.0052 per share to common shareholders on November 28, with a record date of November 14 [3].

U.S. markets are closed today for Thanksgiving, but S&P 500 futures were flat by midnight after the index closed up 0.69% yesterday, its fourth straight day of gains. Investors appear satisfied with the index’s current position, just 1% below its recent all-time high. Asian and European markets were flat or up; India’s Nifty 50 rose to an all-time high. As we head into the December holiday season, investors have good reasons to be jolly: The macro data appears to be lining up perfectly to push the U.S. Fe ...