U.S. Opening Bell: WTI Hits Record Losses; USD Drops; Futures Rebound

 | Nov 13, 2018 10:30

  • US futures, European shares climb on prospect of trade war resolution nearing
  • Tech rout worsens on Apple supplier's downbeat outlook
  • Dollar halts gains
  • Oil hits longest losing streak on record
  • h2 Key Events/h2

    European shares along with futures on the S&P 500, Dow and NASDAQ 100 pared some of yesterday’s losses on optimism for a resolution to the US-China trade dispute, even as stocks in Asia mostly declined.

    The STOXX Europe 600 climbed higher for the first time in three days, helped by miners and travel firms.

    The FTSE was up by 0.2 percent, buoyed largely by a 6.5 percent boost to shares in Vodafone (LON:VOD). New CEO Nick Read announced that the mobile operator planned to reduce operating costs by up to 1.2 billion euros by 2021, freeing up cash flow. A rally in the pound prevented the London index in sharing in the same gains as its European counterparts.

    Earlier, Asian trade was mixed. All major averages in the region except for China's Shanghai Composite fell at the open, following Wall Street’s tech slump during yesterday's US trade, which was exacerbated by news of falling demand for Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhones.

    Most indices, however, recovered on reports that China’s Vice Premier Liu He will visit the US to kick-start talks. Japan’s Nikkei 225 opened 1.7 percent lower, underperforming its regional peers, extended the drop to 3.53 percent, but eventually managed to trim losses to 2.06 percent. Conversely, the Shanghai Composite opened 0.28 percent higher and kept gaining ground, to close 0.93 percent in the green, near the top of the session.

    h2 Global Financial Affairs/h2

    Yesterday, US stocks started the month on the wrong foot, as all major indices tumbled about 2 percent, with the NASDAQ Composite nearing the 3 percent mark. All major averages also closed near the bottom of the session, as there were no takers on the dip, and each suffered a three day slide, except for the Dow Jones Industrials, which dropped for a second day.

    The S&P 500 slipped 1.97 percent lower, for a combined three day loss of 3.12 percent. Every sector except for Real Estate (+0.21 percent) closed in negative territory. Technology (-3.52 percent) led the declines, after Lumentum Holdings (NASDAQ:LITE), a major Apple supplier, said demand for iPhones was waning. Technically, the price fell back below its uptrend line since the February 2016 bottom as well as the 200 DMA.