Stock market news live updates: Stock futures pare losses after better-than-expected jobless claims

Market Trading EssentialsAugust 6, 2020

5 minutes read

Stock futures drifted lower in early trading, as investors digested better-than-expected weekly jobs data, and eyed another set of corporate earnings results. A day earlier, the S&P 500 ended higher for a fourth straight session and came within striking distance of its recent record close.

With tech shares still at the forefront, the Nasdaq Composite powered to a record close by the closing bell on Wednesday. The S&P 500 ended within 1.8% of its record closing high from February 19 this year.

company said it saw “substantial improvement in business performance over the course of the quarter” relative to March. Meanwhile, Hilton Worldwide Holdings (HLT) posted an even wider than expected loss, and saw its revenue per available room slide 81% over last year as consumers eschewed travel during the pandemic.” data-reactid=”22″>Quarterly earnings reports ahead of the opening bell Thursday came in mixed. Restaurant Brands (QSR), the parent company of Tim Horton’s and Burger King, saw second-quarter revenue slide 25% over last year to $1.05 billion, though the result topped consensus analyst estimates, and the company said it saw “substantial improvement in business performance over the course of the quarter” relative to March. Meanwhile, Hilton Worldwide Holdings (HLT) posted an even wider than expected loss, and saw its revenue per available room slide 81% over last year as consumers eschewed travel during the pandemic.

ETSY), which has benefited from an influx of consumers turning to online shopping, saw a 137% surge in in second-quarter revenue. Gross merchandise sales jumped 146%, and even in absence of face mask sales jumped 93% over last year.

ROKU) also posted estimates-topping top-line results, with sales up 42% as active customers climbed by nearly the same margin to 43 million. The second quarter was the company’s best ever for increases in active accounts outside of the holiday season, with streaming as a whole growing in popularity.

On the economic data front, the Labor Department’s report on initial unemployment insurance claims, showed that fewer people applied for unemployment in the latest week. The data sets the stage for the government’s official July jobs report on Friday.

improved just marginally to 1.1 million, from the 1.434 million during the prior week, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to weigh on the pace of recovery in the labor market. The print also follows a sharp miss in ADP’s National Employment Report on Wednesday, which showed that private employers added back just 167,000 jobs in July, where 1.2 million had been expected.

The deteriorating picture of economic improvement in the U.S., especially in the labor market, has added urgency for Congress to convene on a new stimulus bill to support those affected by widespread virus-related joblessness. Discussions are set to continue in Washington, though lawmakers on both sides of the aisle appear locked in a stalemate on key issues.

“Fiscal stimulus that supported the economy during the first half of the year is wearing off and it’s unclear whether Congress will be able to provide more fiscal support, but for now markets continue to price that another stimulus package is a done deal,” Charlie Ripley, senior investment strategist for Allianz Investment Management, said in an email Wednesday.

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1.1 million people filed initial claims in the latest week. That figure was below consensus forecasts of 1.4 million and a drop from the previous week — yet underscoring the labor market still has a long way to go before healing. Meanwhile, the additional $600 unemployment benefit expired last week, and Congress is still hashing out a compromise.

Stock futures have pared their overnight losses, yet are still pointing to a slightly lower opening on Wall Street.

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7:45 a.m. ET: Premarket earnings come in mixed: Hilton posts wider loss than expected; Papa John’s reports record quarterly revenue

A plethora of companies reported quarterly results ahead of market open Thursday, offering a look at the ongoing impacts of the pandemic on different industries and individual corporations. Here were some of the main takeaways:

Hilton Worldwide Holdings swung to an adjusted loss per share of 61 cents, versus earnings of $1.06 in the same quarter last year. The loss was nearly twice as wide as the 31 cent loss per-share expected, and came as the company reported an 81% slide in closely watched revenue per available room. However, the company noted that its US hotels saw occupancy increase 20 percentage points from April to June.
Restaurant Brands reported second-quarter adjusted earnings of 33 cents per share on revenue of $1.05 billion, topping estimates for 30 cents per share on revenue of $1.03 billion. However, total sales were still down 25% over last year, with comparable sales at Tim Horton’s down 29%, and those at Burger King down more than 13% during the quarter. The company highlighted that it saw a “substantial improvement in business performance over the course of the quarter relative to the performance we saw during the onset of the crisis globally in March.”
Papa John’s reported revenue that jumped 15% over last year to a quarterly record of $460.6 million as customers continued to order pizzas during the pandemic. Second-quarter North American franchise comparable sales jumped 29.7%, more than reversing last year’s 5.3% decline during the same quarter. The company estimated that July comparable sales jumped another 30.3% in North America.
Bristol-Myers Squibb delivered adjusted earnings of $1.63 per share on revenue of $10.13 billion, topping estimates for $1.49 per share on revenue of $10.02 billion. Sales for its Eliquis and Revlimid drugs – its largest sources of revenue – grew 6% to more than $2 billion each. The pharmaceutical giant also raised its full-year earnings guidance to see adjusted EPS of as much as $6.25, up from the $6.20 forecast previously.

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7:27 a.m. ET Thursday: Stock futures point to a lower open

Here were the main moves in markets, as of 7:27 a.m. ET:

S&P 500 futures (ES=F): 3,309.5, down 6.5 points, or 0.2%
Dow futures (YM=F): 27,010.00, down 45 points, or 0.17%
Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): 11,074.00, down 17.75 points, or 0.16%
Crude (CL=F): -$0.44 (-1.04%) to $41.75 a barrel
Gold (GC=F): +$13.80 (+0.67%) to $2,063.10 per ounce
10-year Treasury (^TNX): -2.5 bps to yield 0.518%

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6:09 p.m. ET Wednesday: Stock futures steady in late trading

Here were the main moves in equity markets, as of 6:09 p.m. ET:

S&P 500 futures (ES=F): 3,316.5, up 0.5 points, or 0.02%
Dow futures (YM=F): 27,052.00, down 3 points, or 0.01%
Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): 11,088.00, down 3.75 points, or 0.03%

A man wears a protective mask as he walks past the New York Stock Exchange on the corner of Wall and Broad streets during the coronavirus outbreak in New York City, New York, U.S., March 13, 2020. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

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