Stock futures flat ahead of retail sales, claims
Gold prices dangle under $1,700 an ounce
FRANKFURT (MarketWatch) — Retail sales data for November is expected to call the tune Thursday, with U.S. stock index futures trading flat to slightly lower as the bullish impact of the Federal Reserve’s decision a day earlier to provide additional monetary stimulus was offset by worries over the so-called fiscal cliff.
S&P 500 Index futures (GLC:SPZ2) fell 2.5 points, or 0.2%, to 1,424.80, while futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (CBOT
JZ2) lost 8 points, or 0.1%, to 13,222. Nasdaq 100 futures (CME:NDZ2) slipped 0.25 point, or less than 0.1%, to 2,670.
“At least for now, the Fed decision didn’t trigger any further risk-on reaction on global markets. The jury is still out, but we have the impression that even some consolidation might be on the cards,” wrote strategists at KBC Bank in Brussels.
U.S. stocks posted a flat performance Wednesday after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke warned that the central bank doesn’t have the ability to shield the economy from the full impact of the fiscal cliff — a combination of heavy spending cuts and tax hikes due to begin taking effect Jan. 1. Many economists fear that failure to avoid the cliff would trigger a recession.
The White House and congressional Republicans remain locked in talks aimed at reaching a budget deal.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/stock-future...beforebell
Gold prices dangle under $1,700 an ounce
FRANKFURT (MarketWatch) — Retail sales data for November is expected to call the tune Thursday, with U.S. stock index futures trading flat to slightly lower as the bullish impact of the Federal Reserve’s decision a day earlier to provide additional monetary stimulus was offset by worries over the so-called fiscal cliff.
S&P 500 Index futures (GLC:SPZ2) fell 2.5 points, or 0.2%, to 1,424.80, while futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (CBOT
JZ2) lost 8 points, or 0.1%, to 13,222. Nasdaq 100 futures (CME:NDZ2) slipped 0.25 point, or less than 0.1%, to 2,670. “At least for now, the Fed decision didn’t trigger any further risk-on reaction on global markets. The jury is still out, but we have the impression that even some consolidation might be on the cards,” wrote strategists at KBC Bank in Brussels.
U.S. stocks posted a flat performance Wednesday after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke warned that the central bank doesn’t have the ability to shield the economy from the full impact of the fiscal cliff — a combination of heavy spending cuts and tax hikes due to begin taking effect Jan. 1. Many economists fear that failure to avoid the cliff would trigger a recession.
The White House and congressional Republicans remain locked in talks aimed at reaching a budget deal.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/stock-future...beforebell
