President Trump has said China tariffs could remain in place for a "substantial period of time"
Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) futures are pointed sharply lower this morning, after Wednesday's Fed announcement sparked concern over a slowing global economy. U.S.-China trade uncertainty is also keeping markets on edge, after President Donald Trump said yesterday tariffs on Chinese goods could remain in place for a "substantial period of time." Elsewhere, oil prices are booming, with April-dated crude futures up 1.9% at $60.12 per barrel.
Continue reading for more on today's market, including:
- 2 pharma stocks flashing buy.
- Short seller: This stock is "running on fumes."
- This biotech stock just won its 10th straight.
- Plus, another bull note for Apple; Micron hot after earnings beat; and Biogen sinks after pulling Alzheimer's drug.
5 Things You Need to Know Today
-
The Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) saw 1.03 million call contracts traded on Wednesday, compared to 604,610 put contracts. The single-session equity put/call ratio stayed at 0.58, and the 21-day moving average remained at 0.62.
- Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) stock is up 1.2% in electronic trading, after Needham upgraded the FAANG name to "strong buy" from "buy" while boosting its price target to $225 from $180. The new target is just below AAPL's Oct. 3 record high of $233.47. Wedbush also lifted its AAPL price target to $215 from $200. Apple stock is no stranger to bullish analyst attention lately, and has turned in only one daily loss in the past nine sessions.
- Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) stock is up 3.6% ahead of the bell, after the chipmaker's fiscal second-quarter earnings and revenue beat analyst estimates. Analysts have already chimed in, with three brokerages boosting their price targets, including J.P. Morgan Securities to $64 from $55. However, Citigroup downgraded Micron stock to "sell" from "neutral," despite its 26.4% year-to-date gain.
- Shares of Biogen Inc (NASDAQ:BIIB) are down a whopping 27% in electronic trading, after the drugmaker discontinued late-stage trials of its Alzheimer's treatment. Biogen stock had been churning in the $300-$345 range for most of the year, but now is in danger of opening at its lowest level since mid-2016.
-
Jobless claims, the Philadelphia Fed business outlook survey, and the Fed balance sheet make up the economic calendar today. Earnings releases out of Nike (NKE) and Canadian Solar (CSIQ) are also due.
Europe Stocks Mixed After BoE Decision
Wednesday’s Fed decision out of the U.S. helped prop up Chinese stocks over night. By the close, the Shanghai Composite was sporting a 0.4% lead. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng, however, settled down 0.9% due to a slump in tech shares. South Korea’s Kospi closed up 0.4%, while Japan’s Nikkei was closed for holiday.
Outside of central bank news from the U.S., traders in Europe today are considering the Bank of England’s (BoE) decision to stand pat on rates, as well. Against this backdrop, and amid the ongoing Brexit drama, stocks were last seen mixed. The FTSE 100 in London is up 0.4%, with retail sales for the U.K. coming in above expectations for February. However, the French CAC 40 is down 0.4%, and Germany’s DAX is off 0.8%, as financial giants Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank sink due to questions surrounding a potential merger between the firms.