Dow futures are up 88 points
Stock futures are rebounding this morning, pushed by growing optimism as Covid-19 cases fall and Bitcoin continues its comeback. Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) futures were last seen almost 90 points higher, after data showed the U.S. average daily Covid cases fell below 25,000, as nearly half of the U.S. population has received at least one dose of a vaccine, breathing life back into reopening plays. Meanwhile, futures on the S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) are higher as well, after Bitcoin's rise back above the $40,000 level reinvigorated sentiment surrounding tech.
Continue reading for more on today's market, including:
- Schaeffer's Senior Quantitative Analyst Rocky White breaks down how to time Memorial Day trades.
- Why did call traders blast JetBlue stock yesterday?
- Plus, Dick's Sporting Goods boosts full-year outlook; URBN notches bull notes after a Q1 win; and Toll Brothers stock inches higher after earnings.
5 Things You Need to Know Today
- The Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE) saw more than 1.4 million call contracts traded on Tuesday, and 702,675 put contracts. The single-session equity put/call ratio rose to 0.49 and the 21-day moving average stayed at 0.52.
- Dick's Sporting Goods Inc (NYSE:DKS) is up 6.9% ahead of the bell, after reporting first-quarter earnings that were more than triple what was forecasted. Revenue also beat projections and comparable sales more than doubled, leading the sporting goods retailer to give an upbeat full-year outlook. Year-to-date, DKS has added 49.7%.
- The shares of Urban Outfitters, Inc. (NASDAQ:URBN) are surging before the open, last seen up 11.2% and extending their 2021 rise of 36.6%. The apparel retailer reported first-quarter earnings of 54 cents per share -- well above Wall Street's forecasts -- on revenue of $927.42 million, while comparable-store sales rose 51% as stores continue to fill up following more vaccinations. As a result, a deluge of bull notes poured in, including an upgrade to "neutral" from "underweight" at J.P. Morgan Securities.
- Luxury homebuilder Toll Brothers Inc (NYSE:TOL) also stepped into the spotlight, reporting fiscal second-quarter earnings and revenue that topped analysts' estimates. The company's results were boosted by relatively low mortgage rates and a tight supply of homes for sale. In response, TOL is up 1.9% in pre-market trading, adding to its 42.7% year-to-date lead.
- Another quiet day, there's no economic data to note today.
Dovish Inflation Remarks Sink European Stocks
Asian markets were mostly higher on Wednesday. Investors are keeping an eye on Bitcoin (BTC), after China vowed to regulate cryptocurrency mining. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng led the pack with a 0.9% gain, while Japan’s Nikkei and China’s Shanghai Composite both added 0.3%. Elsewhere, South Korea’s Kospi finished slightly below breakeven with a 0.09% loss.
European markets are lower, on the other hand, as inflation fears resurface in the U.S. following the Fed’s dovish comments on interest rates. Similarly, the European Central Bank (ECB) has noted it may be too soon to phase out emergency bond purchases. At last check, London’s FTSE 100 was seen down 0.4%, the German DAX is down 0.3%, and France’s CAC 40 has shaved off 0.2%.