Stock futures trace European declines
Japan’s trade deficit widens. Investors await the latest housing market data and US central bank minutes. The Chicago Fed President thinks there should be more accommodation. Toll Bros. reports better than expected quarterly results.
By Andrea Tse
Stock futures were largely pointing to a lower open on Wall Street Wednesday, following the European markets lower after Japan reported a bigger trade deficit.
Investors were also staying cautious as they awaited the latest housing market data and Federal Reserve minutes.
Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($INDU) were down by 21 points at 13,178. S&P 500 ($INX) futures were down by 3 points at 1,410. Futures for the Nasdaq ($COMPX) 100 were falling by 3.75 points to 2,770.
The FTSE in London was down 1.09% and the DAX in Germany was off 0.82%, weighed down by cyclical stocks, as Japan's soft export data stoked concerns about global growth.
The Hong Kong Hang Seng index closed behind by 1.06% and the Nikkei in Japan settled down by 0.27%.
The major U.S. equity indices fell on Tuesday, stalling out and reversing gains after reaching their highest levels of the year earlier in the day. Technology stocks led the declines.
After a quiet few days on the economic front, Wednesday kicks off a batch of U.S. data with existing home sales for July at 10 a.m. EDT. Economists surveyed by Reuters are on average expecting the National Association of Realtors to say that existing homes sale rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.52 million last month from a 4.37 million annual rate.
The data will be followed by the release of minutes from the Federal Open Market Committee meeting on July 31 later in the afternoon.
Speaking in Beijing on Wednesday, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President Charles Evans, who tends take a dovish stance on policy, said that the Central Bank should provide more accommodation to help support the U.S. economy.
On the corporate front, Toll Bros. (TLB), the Horsham, Pa.-based luxury home builder, reported fiscal third-quarter earnings of $61.6 million, or 36 cents a share, on revenue of $554.3 million, ahead of the average estimate of analysts polled by Thomson Reuters for a profit of 18 cents a share on revenue of $510.1 million.
Wedbush Morgan downgraded shares of Minneapolis-based consumer electronics retailer Best Buy (BBY) to underperform and cut its 12-month price target to $14.50 from $20, citing an "unclear outlook, deteriorating fundamentals and a new CEO who lacks retail experience."
Dell (DELL), the world's No. 2 PC maker, reported second-quarter revenue that trailed analysts' estimates. The company said sales in the current quarter will slip from the second quarter.
Kraft Foods (KFT) said it will sell a majority stake in its 'Back to Nature' food brand to U.S. private equity firm Brynwood Partners. The financial terms were undisclosed.
Amazon (AMZN) said the Kindle Store has become available in India.
October crude oil futures were falling 15 cents at $96.69 a barrel and December gold futures were rising $1.40 at $1,644.30 an ounce.
The benchmark 10-year Treasury was up 4/32, diluting the yield to 1.79%. The greenback was flat, according to the dollar index.
More from TheStreet.com
The economy is not improving. Most americans know this. Therefore, consumers are not spending. Folks are holding their money since they have little hope that the economy is going to improve in the near future. My company made it through the recession pretty well. Now that we are finished with the third summer of recovery, my company has issued a wage and hiring freeze. And travel has been cut back. Do not let the media fool you. The economy is spiraling downward for the same reasons discussed for the last 4 years. If you have a job hold onto it. Save as much money as you can.
meanwhile, for me in 35 years 6 out of 10 jobs i've had have disappeared. (out of business, moved out of state, etc).
NOW with job #11, we're on a wage freeze and they discontinued accrual of vacation hours. so, for me what i see inhibiting my consumerism is jobs and job security.
>>>>It's not "jobs," it actually consumers, as they are the one's that fuel the whole system. And America currently still has way too many consumers tied up in the housing mess. So....... <<<<
I have never begrudged an investor,owner,shareholder or stakeholder,from getting what they are due.
I have never begrudged a worker,laborer, share croper or farmer for being paid fairly for their toils.
I do have to question the amounts we award, pay, or compensate our CEOs and higher levels of executives in this Country, particularily WHEN they DON"T PRODUCE...
Our system is out of whack,when it comes to that. And that would include entertainers, celebrities, politicians and atheletes...There has to be some balance in our Society of what a person is really worth.
This makes us no different then a fuedal system or some third world countries...IMO
As a former Owner and Worker; I understand the owner getting all he can because of the venture and risk they took to build and make a business profitable...Many Business' fail within the "first" year and if they make it more then 5 years with all bills paid, month to month basis; They probably will be successful?....They deserve the "fruitation" of a venture...But shouldn't make it all off the backs of hardworking or deserving employees, that have contributed to the success. Fair and Balanced.
Banks and other lending institutions, holding paper on homes are also becoming landlords, or basically Lords of the Manor; Maybe or probably hiring a property management group or forming their own in-house.?
The new normal is hard to determine...Because we are farming a new field in History..?
It may take a generation or better to level out, similar to Japan..
And jobs or steady employment will certainly play a big part..
very true - the 2 doors we have to pick from are both pretty bleak on the other side.
further hand outs to everyone thru one door; further job losses thru the other. and protecting the banks from each door.
>>>>As long as we continue to let the financial industry avoid reality, you are right, we will be stuck.
Benefiting the chosen at the countries expense. And I have seen nothing that tells me Romney and his group would do things any differently.<<<<<
The new normal, is tearing down a lot of homes or sometimes whole neighborhoods?
If houses are left vacant too long in undesirable areas, they become nuisance structures.
Deteriorate, become infested,drug houses or squatter's abodes...And crime riddled areas..
Thus they tear them down, instead of rehabbing.
Same can happen in old neighborhoods, where there is still 30-40% occupancy. The owners do not want, these structures around to devalue their own.
Other areas are wising up, rehabbing with different community service groups, and saving homes for people to reuse at a lower cost....Seem's to work better in some locals.
What I find abnormal is the number of empty homes in rural areas, where some families have lived 20-30 years...What went wrong ? They are just gone....I guess some are tax sales ??
But yes, dont let the media scare you either. Hunkering down in the bunkers means you miss out on the first legs of the next expansionary phase and subsequent growth to personal and business asset bases. Dont be a rabbit hiding in the hole, folks. Meet the crisis head on and do something about it. I for one, will be traveling in the Fall after the forest fires die down. So should you.
Weird looking ticker and price; Looks more like a profit for the quarter....
Someone maybe Livin' 1998...Asked if you were doing better under Obama.????
OMG......YES; AREN'T MOST ??.......And we don't even work !!
Well outside of Miss Lilly cleaning right now with a Vacuum...
And me fixing lunch and dinner for the day...
Yes, I feel much better off then 5-7 years ago, but am also sympathetic to those without jobs and have lost their homes....Don't quit trying or give up.
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