Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Stock Market Today: Wall Street Steadies After 3 Down Days as Tesla Surges
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 2 days ago on
October 24, 2024

Wall Street steadies as Tesla surges, while economic reports show mixed signals and Treasury yields remain elevated. (AP File)

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

NEW YORK — Wall Street is holding steadier on Thursday, thanks in part to a surge for Tesla’s stock.

The S&P 500 was 0.3% higher in morning trading and on track to break its first three-day losing streak since early September. The Nasdaq composite was up 0.6%, as of 10:05 a.m. Eastern, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average was lagging the rest of the market with a drop of 95 points, or 0.2%.

Tesla Leads Market Gains with Strong Earnings

Tesla led the way with a gain of 16.3% after the electric-vehicle maker reported better profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. An optimistic CEO Elon Musk also predicted 20% to 30% sales growth next year, though its revenue for the latest quarter fell short of analysts’ forecasts.

UPS climbed 4.9% after likewise topping analysts’ forecasts for profit. The package-delivery company’s finances can offer a window into the strength of the economy because of how many different types of customers it serves, and its revenue edged past expectations.

ServiceNow, whose platform helps companies automate and connect processes, was another one of the strongest forces lifting the S&P 500. It jumped 6.4% after delivering stronger profit and revenue than expected, driven by interest by customers to incorporate artificial-intelligence technology.

IBM and Boeing Weigh on Dow Jones

Helping to keep indexes in check was IBM, which fell 5.8% after reporting revenue for the latest quarter that fell just short of analysts’ expectations. It was the single biggest reason the Dow was lagging behind other indexes.

Boeing was another heavy weight on the Dow and sank 2.5% after its machinists voted to continue their strike, which has crippled aircraft production. More than 60% of union members who voted on the proposed contract rejected it, keeping them on the picket lines six weeks into their strike.

Stocks have broadly regressed this week after the S&P 500 and Dow both set records at the end of last week. They’ve been hurt by rising Treasury yields in the bond market, which can make investors less willing to pay high prices for stocks. Critics had already been saying beforehand that stocks looked too expensive given how much faster their prices have risen than corporate profits.

Economic Reports Show Mixed Signals

Yields have climbed as report after report has shown the U.S. economy remains stronger than expected. That’s good news for Wall Street, because it bolsters hopes the economy can escape from the worst inflation in generations without the painful recession that many had worried was inevitable.

But it’s also forcing traders to ratchet back forecasts for how deeply the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates, now that it’s just as focused on keeping the economy humming as getting inflation lower. With bets diminishing on how deeply the Fed will ultimately cut its overnight interest rate, Treasury yields have also been given back some of their earlier declines.

A report on unemployment claims Thursday offered a mixed picture on the job market. It said fewer workers applied for unemployment benefits last week, which can be a signal of relatively low layoffs. But it also said the total number of those collecting benefits rose to its highest level in almost three years.

Altogether, the numbers show a slowing economy, “but there is no sign of a crash in employment or a surge of layoffs in these data,” according to Carl Weinberg and Rubeela Farooqi at High Frequency Economics.

Treasury yields, which had eased overnight, pared their losses after the release of the unemployment claims report. The yield on the 10-year Treasury was at 4.22%, down from 4.25% late Wednesday. It’s still well above its 4.08% level from late last week.

A separate preliminary report said growth in U.S. business activity may have accelerated slightly last month, as strength for companies in services industries continue to make up for weakness in manufacturing. The report from S&P Global also showed a recovery in confidence as companies anticipate greater stability and certainty after the upcoming presidential election.

A third report, meanwhile, said sales of new homes were stronger last month than economists expected.

In stock markets abroad, indexes were modestly higher in Europe after finishing mixed in Asia.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

Most California Republicans in Congress Won’t Commit to Certifying 2024 Presidential Election

DON'T MISS

Israeli Military Launches Strikes on Military Targets in Iran, Officials Say

DON'T MISS

What to Know About the Menendez Brothers’ Bid for Freedom

DON'T MISS

Cowboys and the 49ers Both Look to Rebound Following Tough Losses

DON'T MISS

The ‘Black Insurrectionist’ Was Actually White. The Deception Did Not Stop There

DON'T MISS

Were These Fresno Ballots at Risk after Election Worker Lost Key to Drop Box?

DON'T MISS

Trump Visits Texas to Tape Joe Rogan’s Podcast and to Criticize Harris on Immigration

DON'T MISS

$1M Grant Helps Fresno Pacific Center Support Children’s Faith Development

DON'T MISS

Fresno State Generates $1B in Economic Activity: Study

DON'T MISS

Washington Post Says It Will Stop Endorsing Presidential Candidates

UP NEXT

What to Know About the Menendez Brothers’ Bid for Freedom

UP NEXT

Cowboys and the 49ers Both Look to Rebound Following Tough Losses

UP NEXT

The ‘Black Insurrectionist’ Was Actually White. The Deception Did Not Stop There

UP NEXT

Trump Visits Texas to Tape Joe Rogan’s Podcast and to Criticize Harris on Immigration

UP NEXT

$1M Grant Helps Fresno Pacific Center Support Children’s Faith Development

UP NEXT

Fresno State Generates $1B in Economic Activity: Study

UP NEXT

Washington Post Says It Will Stop Endorsing Presidential Candidates

UP NEXT

Grammy-Winning Rapper Lil Durk Charged With Orchestrating 2022 Los Angeles Killing

UP NEXT

Biden Apologizes for US Abuse of Indian Children, Calling It ‘a Sin on Our Soul’

UP NEXT

Phil Lesh, Founding Member of Grateful Dead and Influential Bassist, Has Died at 84

Cowboys and the 49ers Both Look to Rebound Following Tough Losses

14 hours ago

The ‘Black Insurrectionist’ Was Actually White. The Deception Did Not Stop There

15 hours ago

Were These Fresno Ballots at Risk after Election Worker Lost Key to Drop Box?

15 hours ago

Trump Visits Texas to Tape Joe Rogan’s Podcast and to Criticize Harris on Immigration

15 hours ago

$1M Grant Helps Fresno Pacific Center Support Children’s Faith Development

16 hours ago

Fresno State Generates $1B in Economic Activity: Study

16 hours ago

Washington Post Says It Will Stop Endorsing Presidential Candidates

16 hours ago

Grammy-Winning Rapper Lil Durk Charged With Orchestrating 2022 Los Angeles Killing

17 hours ago

Biden Apologizes for US Abuse of Indian Children, Calling It ‘a Sin on Our Soul’

17 hours ago

Phil Lesh, Founding Member of Grateful Dead and Influential Bassist, Has Died at 84

17 hours ago

Most California Republicans in Congress Won’t Commit to Certifying 2024 Presidential Election

In January 2021, seven of the 11 California Republicans in Congress refused to certify the 2020 presidential election results, boosting form...

1 hour ago

1 hour ago

Most California Republicans in Congress Won’t Commit to Certifying 2024 Presidential Election

14 hours ago

Israeli Military Launches Strikes on Military Targets in Iran, Officials Say

This combination of two booking photos provided by the California Department of Corrections shows Erik Menendez, left, and Lyle Menendez. (California Dept. of Corrections via AP)
14 hours ago

What to Know About the Menendez Brothers’ Bid for Freedom

14 hours ago

Cowboys and the 49ers Both Look to Rebound Following Tough Losses

This photo taken December of 2004 shows Jason G. Palmer. (AP Photo)
15 hours ago

The ‘Black Insurrectionist’ Was Actually White. The Deception Did Not Stop There

15 hours ago

Were These Fresno Ballots at Risk after Election Worker Lost Key to Drop Box?

15 hours ago

Trump Visits Texas to Tape Joe Rogan’s Podcast and to Criticize Harris on Immigration

16 hours ago

$1M Grant Helps Fresno Pacific Center Support Children’s Faith Development

Search

Send this to a friend