The energy sector is off to a lower start, pressured by weakness in the...
The energy sector is off to a lower start, pressured by weakness in the underlying commodities and in the major equity futures which fell as traders navigate a wave of earnings announcements and the start of the Fed's two-day policy meeting. Earnings season continued to ramp up today with ExxonMobil posting a record $56 billion profit for 2022, beating earnings expectations for the fourth quarter.
WTI crude oil futures extended their slide lower for the third-straight session and hit a two-week low this morning, falling on concerns of further interest rate hikes, strength in the U.S. dollar and ample Russian crude flows. Investors expect the U.S. Federal Reserve will raise interest rates by 25 basis points Wednesday, with half-point increases coming from the Bank of England and European Central Bank the following day. Further bearish sentiment followed news that Russia's oil loadings from its Ust-Luga port is expected to rise at the beginning of February despite the western sanctions. Traders are also looking for the outcome of an OPEC panel meeting tomorrow with the group expected to recommend keeping the group's current output policy unchanged.
Natural gas prices hit their lowest level in 21 months.
Some parts of the East Coast have had near-record stretches of zero snowfall, even as freezing temperatures...
Some parts of the East Coast have had near-record stretches of zero snowfall, even as freezing temperatures and winter storms blow through the southern states. Get the full details.
This is a make-or-break week for the stock market.
The strong rally so far this year is ...
The strong rally so far this year is about to contend with some highly important technical indicators, Fed moves, and key earnings from mega-cap tech.
On Wednesday, Fed Chair Jerome Powell is expected to hike interest rates by 25 basis points, which could rattle markets.
Not only that, but a slate of mega-cap earnings from Apple, Amazon, and Alphabet are also due later this week. Any negative surprises could derail the January rally and negate much of the recent recovery from 2022's vicious bear market.
