Market Overview - The S&P 500 Index is down -0.25%, the Dow Jones Industrials Index is down -0.26%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index is down -0.13% [1] - Stock indexes turned lower due to an increase in bond yields, with the 10-year T-note yield rising +5 basis points to 4.49% [2] - Initial gains in stocks were seen, with the S&P 500 and Dow Jones reaching one-week highs, and the Nasdaq 100 hitting a three-month high [2] Economic Indicators - US MBA mortgage applications fell -1.2% for the week ending May 23, with the purchase mortgage sub-index up +2.7% and the refinancing sub-index down -7.1% [4] - The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate increased by +6 basis points to 6.98% [4] - The May Richmond Fed manufacturing survey rose by +4 to -9, aligning with expectations [4] - The market is currently discounting a 2% chance of a -25 basis point rate cut at the next FOMC meeting on June 17-18 [4] Earnings and Corporate Performance - Over 90% of S&P 500 companies have reported Q1 earnings, with 77% beating estimates, marking the highest percentage since Q2 2024 [6] - Q1 earnings growth is at +13.1%, surpassing the expected +6.6% [6] - Full-year 2025 corporate profits for the S&P 500 are projected to rise +9.4%, down from an earlier forecast of +12.5% [6] Company-Specific Movements - Okta is down more than -12% after forecasting Q2 performance obligations below consensus [12] - Galaxy Digital is down more than -12% following an underwritten offering announcement [12] - PDD Holdings is down more than -3% after a double downgrade by UOB [12] - Elevance Health is up more than +1% after reaffirming its full-year profit forecast [14] - Fair Isaac is up more than +7% after an upgrade by Baird [14] - Abercrombie & Fitch is up more than +25% after reporting Q1 net sales above consensus and raising its full-year sales forecast [15] - Box Inc is up more than +17% after increasing its full-year revenue forecast [15] - Vail Resorts is up more than +12% after reaffirming fiscal guidance and CEO reappointment [16]

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Group 1 - The logistics sector has seen significant engagement from investors, particularly in the ASEAN and US markets, with a focus on banks, telecommunications, logistics, and hotels [1] - The popularity of insurance companies in the Philippines has influenced investment strategies, leading to diversification beyond traditional savings in banks and properties [1] - The trend of investing in blue-chip companies has evolved, with a broader portfolio now including various industries and market capitalizations [1] Group 2 - The entry into the US market occurred in 2020, following a period of learning and utilizing a relative's trading account, which provided insights into the US market dynamics [1] - The analysis of US stocks has been compared with those in the Philippine market, indicating a strategic approach to investment across different regions [1] - The engagement with platforms like Seeking Alpha has facilitated knowledge sharing and enhanced understanding of market trends and investment opportunities [1]

British retailer Marks & Spencer is considering extending Archie Norman's tenure as chair beyond the UK's recommended nine-year term, the Financial Times reported on Friday. ...

Core Insights - Consumer spending showed positive growth in August, driven by back-to-school shopping and potential tariff effects [1][4] - Total retail sales increased by 0.5% month-over-month and 6.8% year-over-year, indicating strong annual performance despite a slight decline from the previous month [2][3] - Core retail sales, excluding restaurants, rose by 0.3%, slightly lower than overall retail sales growth [2] Retail Performance - The retail monitor indicates considerable volatility in consumer spending, with fluctuations influenced by tariffs and inflation [3][6] - Eight out of twelve retail sectors experienced growth, particularly digital products which increased by 1.6% [4][5] - Discretionary spending showed mixed results, with food and beverage up by 1% and general merchandise up by 0.4%, while sporting goods and garden supplies saw declines of 0.8% and 2.1% respectively [5] Inflation and Tariff Impact - Some gains in retail sales may reflect inflation in imported goods, with consumers potentially buying ahead of tariff increases [4][6] - Adjusted for inflation, consumer spending has been weak over the past three months, suggesting a possible tariff impact [6] Digital Sales Trends - Online sales, particularly in software and digital products, have been consistently strong, contributing positively to overall retail performance [7][8] - The digital category has shown robust growth, with regular increases between 0.5% and 1.5% [8]

Group 1: Foot Locker Executive Changes - CEO Mary Dillon, President Frank Bracken, and other executives departed Foot Locker following the completion of its deal with Dick's Sporting Goods [2] - Chief Financial Officer Mike Baughn, Chief Operations Officer Elliott Rodgers, and Chief Human Resources Officer Cindy Carlisle also left the company [3] - Dick's Sporting Goods appointed new leaders for Foot Locker's North America business, including Peter Scaturro as CFO [3][4] Group 2: Leadership Structure Post-Acquisition - Foot Locker will now be overseen by Dick's Executive Chairman Ed Stack and two presidents, one for international and one for North America [4] - Ann Freeman, a 26-year Nike veteran, will lead the North American operations [4] Group 3: Best Buy Board Appointment - Lululemon CFO Meghan Frank has joined Best Buy's board of directors, bringing over 20 years of industry experience [4][5] - Best Buy CEO Corie Barry highlighted Frank's leadership experience as a valuable addition to the board [5] Group 4: Walmart Expansion - Walmart announced plans to open its first branded stores in South Africa this year, with official opening dates to be revealed in October [5][6] - Massmart president and CEO Miles Van Rensburg expressed excitement about introducing the Walmart brand to South Africa [6]

Market 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]

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images The small-cap sector of the stock market has been rising recently. While some experts see obstacles to further gains, BofA says a handful of small stocks are poised to pop. BofA says investors should watch these names if they're looking for small-caps that could soon rally. Is it time for investors to start looking to opportunity smaller, under-the-radar stocks? That's a question that many investors have bee ...

Market Performance - US stocks closed at record highs, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising 1.4% and closing above 46,000 for the first time [2] - The S&P 500 increased by over 0.9%, while the Nasdaq Composite gained around 0.7%, marking its fourth consecutive record close above 22,000 [2] Economic Indicators - The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for August showed an annual inflation rate of 2.9%, up from 2.7% in July, with a month-over-month increase of 0.4% compared to July's 0.2% [3] - Jobless claims rose to 263,000, the highest level in nearly four years, indicating a weakening labor market [4] Federal Reserve Expectations - Markets are anticipating a greater than 90% chance of a quarter-point interest rate reduction at the Federal Reserve's upcoming meeting, with expectations for three rate cuts by the end of the year [5]

Market Overview - U.S. stocks experienced an upward trend, with the Nasdaq Composite gaining over 150 points on Thursday. The Dow increased by 1.32% to 46,089.25, the NASDAQ rose by 0.72% to 22,044.49, and the S&P 500 climbed by 0.80% to 6,584.57 [1] - Consumer discretionary shares saw a notable increase of 1.6% on Thursday, while communication services stocks fell by 0.2% [1][2] Company Earnings - Kroger Company reported second-quarter adjusted earnings per share of $1.04, surpassing the analyst consensus estimate of 99 cents. Quarterly sales reached $33.94 billion, slightly below the consensus of $34.102 billion [3] - Kroger raised its FY25 adjusted EPS outlook to a range of $4.70–$4.80, up from the previous range of $4.60–$4.80, compared to the analyst consensus of $4.77. Adjusted identical sales without fuel are expected to increase by 2.7%-3.4%, an improvement from the prior estimate of 2.25% – 3.25% [4] Stock Movements - MOGU Inc. shares surged by 110% to $5.24 after the company approved a strategic allocation of up to $20 million to digital currencies [10] - Opendoor Technologies Inc. saw its shares increase by 56% to $9.17 following the appointment of a new CEO and the return of co-founders to the board [10] - Vince Holding Corp. shares rose by 92% to $3.1908 after reporting better-than-expected quarterly results [10] - Conversely, Robin Energy Ltd. shares dropped by 41% to $1.3501 due to a $7.5 million public offering announcement [10] - Avidity Biosciences, Inc. shares fell by 19% to $37.42 after announcing a $500 million common stock offering [10] - The Lovesac Company experienced a decline of 14% to $17.89 after cutting FY2026 GAAP EPS guidance and narrowing its sales outlook [10] International Markets - European shares showed positive movement, with the eurozone's STOXX 600 rising by 0.47%, Spain's IBEX 35 Index increasing by 0.57%, and London's FTSE 100 up by 0.70% [8] - Asian markets closed mostly higher, with Japan's Nikkei 225 gaining 1.22%, China's Shanghai Composite rising by 1.65%, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell by 0.43% [11]