FINANCE

US futures rise with key inflation data on deck


US stock futures rose on Friday ahead of an inflation reading key to Federal Reserve policy, as investors weighed signs of slowing in the US economy and absorbed the fallout of the Biden-Trump debate.

S&P 500 futures (ES=F) advanced roughly 0.4% after the benchmark closed a step nearer to its record high. Contracts on the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 (NQ=F) were also 0.4% higher, while Dow Jones Industrial Average futures (YM=F) hovered above the flatline.

The gauges are eyeing an upbeat end to a bumpy week that saw the S&P 500 (^GSPC) and Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) come back from a three-day losing streak. While stocks are set to book a stellar first half as they head into the last trading day of June, those wobbles have fanned fears of a pullback in the rest of the year.

With November’s US election high on the list of risks, investors took note of President Joe Biden’s weak showing in his first debate with presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump. The former president’s promised tax cuts and trade clampdown are seen as likely to boost stocks. Shares in Trump Media & Technology Group (DJT) jumped in pre-market trading.

The marquee event on Friday is the release of May’s Personal Consumption Expenditures price index, the Fed’s preferred inflation measure. After a batch of data on Thursday revealed more cracks in economic growth, investors are watching for a cooling that could prompt the Fed to start cutting interest rates. The report is expected to show the lowest monthly rise in “core” PCE — which strips out food and energy prices — since November.

Meanwhile, the market is on alert for more signs that consumer resilience is losing steam, as key companies flag downbeat prospects for sales. Nike (NKE) stock sank almost 15% in pre-market trading, while Walgreens (WBA) shares stayed under pressure on the heels of Thursday’s 22% tumble.

Live2 updates

  • Trump Media on the move

    After a shaky debate performance by President Joe Biden, shares of Trump Media & Technology (DJT) are on the move.

    As of this writing, shares are up 7.5% in pre-market trading.

    Be mindful of what you are trading here, folks.

    Here is the company’s latest 10-Q report, showing a “company” that is doing something and losing a lot of money doing it.

  • Nike shares getting stepped on

    Equally as bad to watch (sort of … ) as last night’s debate is Nike’s (NKE) stock in the pre-market, down 14% as of this writing.

    The company’s guidance was a real letdown, and concerns linger about its management’s execution around product innovation. To not see better guidance from Nike in an Olympic year is a red flag.

    I liked Stifel analyst Jim Duffy’s take on the quarter:

    “The FY25 guide (the 5th downward consensus revision in 6 quarters), pushes prospects for growth inflection further into 2025 (perhaps FY4Q or spring 2025 at the earliest) asking investors to both underwrite success of not yet proven styles and look across an uncertain consumer discretionary backdrop into 2HCY24 until momentum could build again into 2HCY25. Management credibility is severely challenged and potential for C-level regime change adds further uncertainty. An investor day in Nov. will likely outline a multi-year economic model with lower returns than the precedent adding risk to the premium enjoyed in the historical multiple. We remain appreciative of N scale advantage in a category with secular growth tailwinds and structural margin potential but, at the current valuation, can’t support a compelling upside case until growth inflection becomes more tangible.”

    Duffy downgraded his rating on Nike to hold this morning.



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