U.S. Opening Bell: Futures Lag As European Stocks Extend Record; Oil, Gold Bounce

 | Aug 10, 2021 11:27

  • Crude trims most of yesterday’s losses but has already completed a peak-trough downtrend
  • Gold also rebounds after extending a downtrend since the August record peak
  • h2 Key Events/h2

    US futures for the Dow Jones, S&P, NASDAQ and Russell 2000 were flat on Tuesday, even as European shares extended a record-setting rally. Investors remain focused on economic and pandemic worries as the fast spreading Delta variant continues its contagious course even as markets await additional clues from central banks on the timeline for tightening the most accommodative policy in history. 

    Both gold and oil reversed recent slumps.

    h2 Global Financial Affairs/h2

    Though contracts on all four major US indices were little changed, travel and technology stocks—opposing sides of the Reflation Trade in a post-pandemic economy—led the STOXX Europe 600 Index higher, to notch its seventh record in a row.

    Asian benchmarks were mixed earlier today. Even those that finished in the green, such as Hong Kong's Hang Seng, which rose 1.23% and Japan's Nikkei 225, which gained 0.24%, might have performed better had traders not kept a wary eye on COVID related developments, the key spoiler holding the world back from a powerful economic recovery.

    Ironically, China, even with 94 new cases bringing the Asian nation to a six-month high in the worst outbreak since the Wuhan peak, outperformed, notwithstanding increased social restrictions. The Shanghai Composite, was up a full percent.