Thursday, October 2, 2014

Economic Journal - Thursday, 10/2/2014



(As of 7:20 am PST)
 
US stocks opened flat this morning while international markets took a beating following yesterday’s sell-off on Wall Street.  Investors remain cautious heading into today’s market action, despite upbeat reports on the US labor market.  Weekly jobless claims fell more than expected and Challenger job cuts fell to the lowest level in 14 years.  Another report showed factory orders falling 10.1% in August, slightly worse than expected.  Recent upbeat data, although positive for the economy, is fueling worries that the Federal Reserve may raise interest rates sooner than later. It seems the days of ‘easy money’ are winding down and investors are getting nervous. In overseas action, the European Central Bank left its key lending rate unchanged. Markets were hit hard as ECB President Mario Draghi discussed policy actions to increase stimulus for the struggling economy in Europe.  Gold and oil prices continue to slide, with oil falling below $90 per barrel.  Interest rates came back slightly after the 10 yr. treasury fell sharply on yesterday’s selloff.  The negative momentum is taking hold again in the early going and it looks like we could be in for another volatile day.

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