Business & Money

Stock market news today: US stocks look to keep up rally in countdown to Fed

October 31, 2023

US stock futures ticked higher on Tuesday, eyeing a return to the previous day’s rally as Treasury yields fell and investors braced for the Federal Reserve’s upcoming policy decision.

Futures on the S&P 500 (^GSPC) rose about 0.2%, on track to extend Monday’s gain of 1.2%, while Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) futures were up around 0.2%, as well. Contracts on the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 (^NDX) hovered just above the flatline.

Bonds rallied after the US Treasury cut its estimate of how much the government would need to borrow in the fourth quarter, easing some pressure on stocks. The 10-year Treasury yield (^TNX) slid to trade around 4.83%, near the bottom of its two-week range.

Fed policymakers have hinted that the recent surge in Treasury yields could be a factor in their decision making, given its tightening effect. Investors are highly focused on whether the central bank will hold interest rates steady, as most analysts expect, or hike at their meeting starting Tuesday. Their decision is due on Wednesday.

Unusually, some stock investors are watching another event that day more closely: the US Treasury’s update on how much bond supply the government will put into the market next quarter. The focus is on what the release could imply for the direction of yields, and in turn for stocks.

This season, strong earnings have so far not proved enough to lift the stock market, and reports have been mixed. Pfizer (PFE) posted its first quarterly loss since 2019 before the bell on Wednesday, while Caterpillar (CAT) shares slipped after the machine maker’s report signaled a waning in demand.

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Stock futures edge up as Treasury yields retreat

Stocks on Wall Street were poised for a higher open Tuesday as Treasury yields slid and investors counted down to the Federal Reserve’s policy decision at the end of its two-day meeting on Wednesday.

Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) were up 0.17%, or 56 points, while S&P 500 (^GSPC) futures rose 0.22%. Contracts on the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 (^NDX) traded just above the flatline with a 0.08% gain.