Core Viewpoint - Oil prices maintained most of their gains from the previous session as investors anticipated U.S.-China trade talks, hoping for a reduction in tensions affecting economic growth outlook [1] Group 1 - Oil prices showed resilience in early trading on Thursday, reflecting investor sentiment [1] - The market is closely monitoring U.S.-China trade discussions for potential impacts on economic conditions [1] - There is optimism among investors regarding the easing of tensions that could benefit economic growth [1]

About this content About Sean Mason Sean Mason is a Senior Journalist at Proactive, having researched and written about Canadian and US equities for 20 years. Sean graduated from the University of Toronto with a BA in history and economics and has also passed the Canadian Securities Course. He previously worked at Investors Digest of Canada, Stockhouse, and SmallCapPower.com. Read more About the publisher Proactive financial news and online broadcast teams provide fast, accessible, informative and action ...

Economic Impact - The US government shutdown is in its fourth week, affecting market sentiment and delaying key economic reports, including unemployment claims and the September payroll report [1] - Bloomberg Economics estimates that 640,000 federal workers will be furloughed, potentially increasing jobless claims and raising the unemployment rate to 4.7% [1] Mortgage Market - US MBA mortgage applications decreased by 0.3% for the week ending October 17, with the purchase mortgage sub-index down 5.2% and refinancing up 4.0% [2] - The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell by 5 basis points to 6.37% from 6.42% [2] Trade Relations - Markets are focused on US-China trade talks, with President Trump threatening to increase tariffs on Chinese goods if no deal is reached by November 1 [3] - The Trump administration is considering broad export restrictions to China in response to China's rare earth export restrictions [4] Stock Market Performance - Stock indexes closed lower, with the S&P 500 down 0.53%, Dow Jones down 0.71%, and Nasdaq down 0.99% [6] - Chipmakers faced significant losses after Texas Instruments forecasted lower-than-expected Q4 revenue, while Netflix dropped over 9% after reporting weaker Q3 EPS [5][6] Earnings Season - The Q3 earnings season shows rising expectations, with 85% of S&P 500 companies that reported so far beating forecasts, indicating the best quarter since 2021 [7] - Q3 profits 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 [7] Interest Rates - Markets are pricing in a 97% chance of a 25 basis point rate cut at the next FOMC meeting on October 28-29 [8] - The yield on 10-year T-notes fell by 1.4 basis points to 3.949%, supported by strong demand for a recent Treasury auction [9] Corporate Movements - Texas Instruments and other chipmakers saw declines due to lower revenue forecasts, while Intuitive Surgical rose over 13% after increasing its growth forecast [5][16] - Netflix's Q3 EPS of $5.87 was below the consensus of $6.94, leading to a significant drop in its stock price [15] - Energy producers rallied as WTI crude oil prices rose over 2%, benefiting companies like Halliburton and Marathon Petroleum [18]

S&P and Nasdaq futures climbed on Tuesday after the Senate confirmed President Trump's pick, Stephen Miran, as a Federal Reserve board governor, following another record-setting day on Wall Street. Futures attached to the Dow Jones Industrial Average (YM=F) were mostly flat, the benchmark S&P 500 (ES=F) edged higher 0.2%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 (NQ=F) rose 0.3%. The Senate narrowly confirmed Stephen Miran, President Trump's Fed pick, in a 48-47 vote on Monday evening — a day before the central ba ...

US stock futures climbed on Tuesday after the Senate confirmed President Trump's pick, Stephen Miran, as a Federal Reserve board governor, following another record-setting day on Wall Street. Futures attached to the Dow Jones Industrial Average (YM=F) rose just above the flatline, the benchmark S&P 500 (ES=F) edged higher 0.1%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 (NQ=F) rose 0.2%. The Senate narrowly confirmed Stephen Miran, President Trump's Fed pick , in a 48-47 vote Monday, a day before the central bank's ...

To gain an edge, this is what you need to know today.Semis Become a PawnPlease click here for an enlarged chart of NVIDIA Corp NVDA.Note the following:This article is about the big picture, not an individual stock.  The chart of NVDA stock is being used to illustrate the point.The chart shows NVDA stock has fallen below zone 1 (resistance).The chart shows NVDA stock may be in the process of filling the gap.NVDA is one of the most important stocks for this stock market due to its heavy weight in indexes.The ...

US-China Trade Talks & Agreements - US and China reached a framework to implement the Geneva consensus and the call between the two presidents, with in-depth and candid communication [1][2] - Markets are taking the US-China trade talks outcome with caution due to the lack of detail or a concrete agreement [3] - The focus is on the shipments of rare earth minerals and magnets being eased by China, with the US potentially easing export controls in a balanced way [5][13] - A US appeals court allowed President Trump to continue enforcing his global tariffs, potentially dampening the trade breakthrough [6] - The agreement aims to reduce temperature and continue talks, but distrust between the two sides remains a significant issue [8][21] - The US has never linked export controls with trade in this way, raising questions about the long-term implications and potential for future negotiations [30] Market & Investment Implications - Hong Kong equities are getting a bigger push from the US-China trade negotiations than US futures, with strategists believing there's more room to run for shares in the city [68] - Onshore and offshore Chinese shares are performing well, with the CSI 300 having its best day in about a month amid trade negotiations [69] - The MSCI China could be turbo-charged on the back of any improvement when it comes to data [72] - Foreign investors' buying of Indian stocks is turning positive for this quarter, signaling a potential extension of buying [73][74] India Wealth Management Industry - Massive wealth growth is coming from Tier one and Tier two cities in India, presenting a significant growth opportunity [76] - Technology platforms are critical to achieve scale in the retail customer segment, enabling digital onboarding and investment [80] - The private banking segment is growing exponentially due to IPOs, sales of India Inc, and generational shifts [81] - There is a growing interest from non-resident Indians (NRIs) in the Indian markets, with skilled individuals setting up outside India to get money into India [85][86] - Indian wealth management is shifting from a distribution-led model (58%) to an advisory model (14%), similar to the US market (2% distribution, 60% advisory) [98]