US stock index futures declined slightly in morning trading on Wednesday as a continued rise in US bond rates refrained investors from stocks of the technology sector. Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 92 pips, or 0.3%. S&P 500 futures declined by 0.2% and Nasdaq 100 futures fell by 0.2%.
Weak quarterly reports from some major companies in the S&P500 index also put some pressure on the index. During the premarket, Nordstrom's securities fell by 27% after the company announced a decline in profits for the third quarter.
Investors are concerned about the growing number of coronavirus cases in Europe, as Germany, following Austria, is considering the introduction of lockdown. Amid this background, risky assets on the currency market, including the euro, are showing weak numbers at the moment.
Today, a lot of economic data on the US market is expected, which may become the main driver in the market. Initial jobless claims in the US will be released with the US GDP growth report for Q3 (second estimate) along with the Fed's inflation indicator will be published. The Fed minutes from its last meeting will also be released.
Bond yields are risingUS bond yields continue to rise. The sharp decline in bond demand and rising yields began earlier this week after US President Joe Biden appointed Jerome Powell to a second term as the Federal Reserve chairman. The 10-year Treasury bond yield is now at 1.65%, up from 1.55% last week. The rate hike made investors flee technology stocks, transferring their assets into financial and energy stocks.
Tomorrow the US markets will be closed for Thanksgiving and there will be a shortened trading session on Friday morning. Therefore, today is the last volatile day this week when the market will be of any serious interest.
Now let's take a quick look at the premarket and talk about company news:Tesla shares fell after Elon Musk sold his stock estimated at $1 billion. Musk has been selling a lot of his shares recently. During the premarket, the company's shares declined by 1.0%. The company recently said that Tesla was ready to spend more than $1 billion on a new auto plant in Austin, Texas, and intended to complete several major elements of the plant by December 31. The company is calling the project a "Gigafactory", which will produce the electric Cybertruck pickup as well as Model 3 and Model Y electric cars.
Shares of computer hardware maker HP climbed by more than 6% at the premarket after the company reported Q3 earnings this year exceeded economists' forecasts.
As for the S&P500 indexAs long as bulls are holding the price above support of $4,660 and as long as the trading is carried out above that level, we can expect the price to return to the resistance area of $4,718. If bears manage to break through this level, the pressure on the trading instrument is likely to return and we may see a decline to the next level of $3,609.