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Daily Markets Update: Nasdaq Hits Record as Yields Top 5.3%, TSX Flat, Loonie Near 70¢

  S&P/TSX 35,518.55 +0.04% S&P 500 7,773.99 +0.66% Nasdaq 27,477.31 +1.05% Brent US$100.42 -1.8% USD/CAD 1.4250 Flat US 10-yr 5.315% +3.8 bp Monday, October 5 close, with Asia’s Tuesday session. Wall Street’s tech rally pushed the Nasdaq to a fresh record on Monday even as long-term bond yields kept climbing: the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield settled at 5.315%, a new 52-week high. Canada’s TSX barely moved, with tech gains offsetting a slide in energy and financials, and Cenovus fell after unveiling a C$5.7-billion takeover of Athabasca Oil. Oil dropped nearly 2% as G7 emergency stock releases and rising Middle East exports eased supply fears, and the loonie hovered near 70 U.S. cents, close to its weakest level in about 18 months. Canada: TSX Flat as Tech Offsets Energy Index / Stock Close Change S&P/TSX Composite 35,518.55 +0.04% Shopify (SHOP) — +5.7% Athabasca Oil (ATH) — +13.5% Cenovus Energy (CVE) C$44.86 -3.0% Suncor Energy (SU) — -1.2% The TSX added 15.90 points ...

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Anticipation and Reaction to Fed’s Rate Decision

 


As investors braced for the U.S. Federal Reserve’s decision, North American stock markets experienced a mixed close. The Fed maintained its key interest rate at 5.25%-5.50%, leaving the future of rate cuts uncertain. Despite this, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq dipped, while the Dow Jones and S&P/TSX Composite saw modest gains.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s press conference offered a glimmer of hope as he dismissed the likelihood of an immediate rate hike, causing a surge in market optimism. He acknowledged the persistent issue of inflation but expressed confidence in the progress towards the 2% target.

The labor market showed signs of normalization, with job openings at a three-year low2. Meanwhile, the earnings season is more than halfway through, with a majority of S&P 500 companies surpassing consensus expectations.

In the corporate landscape, AMD’s AI chip sales forecast led to a 9% drop in its shares, while Amazon’s AI-driven cloud growth pushed its stock up by 2.2%. Johnson & Johnson plans to proceed with a multi-billion-dollar lawsuit settlement, and Starbucks faced a significant sales forecast cut.

The energy sector took a hit due to falling oil prices and a potential Middle East ceasefire, while uranium miners saw a boost from a U.S. ban on Russian imports. Canadian manufacturing activity continued to contract, reflecting ongoing economic challenges.

In summary, the market’s response to the Fed’s decision was a complex interplay of anticipation, relief, and sector-specific movements, highlighting the intricate dynamics of financial markets.

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