U.S. Futures Fluctuate as Stocks Slide; Gold Gains: Markets Wrap

26 Feb by Vitaliy Dadalyan

U.S. Futures Fluctuate as Stocks Slide; Gold Gains: Markets Wrap

U.S. Futures Fluctuate as Stocks Slide; Gold Gains: Markets Wrap(Bloomberg) — U.S. equity-index futures fluctuated while stocks in Europe and Asia dropped on Wednesday as investors fretted over fresh evidence of the widening coronavirus outbreak. Gold advanced and Treasuries were steady.Futures on the three main American equity gauges swung between losses and gains, a day after the S&P 500 Index fell 3% to cap its worst two-day slide since 2015. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index dropped for a fifth straight session, suffering its longest losing streak since July, as companies including Diageo Plc and Danone SA warned the virus outbreak will hit sales in China. Italy and France reported fresh cases, while Spain locked down a resort hotel in the Canary Islands with 1,000 guests and workers inside.South Korean and Australian stocks led declines in Asia, with the won falling back toward its weakest since 2016 as the country emerged as a hot spot for the contagion. Ten-year Treasury yields hovered close to their record-low close set Tuesday, while the dollar edged higher. Risk assets are showing few signs of rebounding as coronavirus cases steadily climb outside the epicenter in China. South Korea said its national total rose to more than 1,000, while American health officials Tuesday warned that they expect the epidemic to spread in the U.S. Traders may be looking out for further signs of policy accommodation after American central bankers said they are closely monitoring the spreading virus, though it’s “still too soon” to say whether it will change the outlook.“The ultimate impact remains entirely unknown at this stage,” said Eleanor Creagh, a Sydney-based strategist at Saxo Capital Markets. “And uncertainty is the enemy of conviction.”Elsewhere, West Texas-grade crude oil slipped below $50 a barrel. Industrial metals and minerals mostly dropped, including copper and iron ore.These are some key events coming up:Earnings keep rolling in from companies including: Baidu Inc., Best Buy Co. Inc., Occidental Petroleum Corp. and Dell Technologies Inc. on Thursday; and London Stock Exchange Group Plc on Friday.The Bank of Korea announces its policy decision on Thursday, with rising risks of an interest-rate cut.U.S. jobless claims, GDP and durable goods data are out Thursday.Japan industrial production, jobs, and retail sales figures are due on Friday.These are the main moves in markets:StocksFutures on the S&P 500 Index climbed 0.1% as of 6:35 a.m. New York time.Nasdaq 100 Index futures increased 0.2%.The Stoxx Europe 600 Index declined 1.1%.South Korea’s Kospi Index fell 1.3%.The MSCI Asia Pacific Index sank 1.3%.CurrenciesThe Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index increased 0.2%.The euro decreased 0.1% to $1.0874.The British pound fell 0.6% to $1.293.The Japanese yen weakened 0.3% to 110.51 per dollar.BondsThe yield on 10-year Treasuries jumped one basis point to 1.36%.The yield on two-year Treasuries fell three basis points to 1.19%.Germany’s 10-year yield climbed one basis point to -0.50%.Britain’s 10-year yield declined one basis point to 0.505%.CommoditiesWest Texas Intermediate crude futures dipped 1% to $49.40 a barrel.Gold strengthened 0.8% to $1,648.84 an ounce.Iron ore futures declined 2.7% to $85.91 per metric ton.LME copper futures fell 1% to $5,630 per metric ton.\–With assistance from Andreea Papuc and Adam Haigh.To contact the reporter on this story: Todd White in Madrid at [email protected] contact the editors responsible for this story: Sam Potter at [email protected], Yakob PeterseilFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.