Articles written by Shawn Cruz, TD Ameritrade - Benzinga

The "V" Word: Volatility Dominates as Investors Monitor Bank Developments, Await FOMC Meeting

(Monday Market Open) There’s an elephant in the room this week—the Federal Reserve. Its meeting and interest rate announcement Wednesday are likely to crowd out almost everything else, and unlike most times when the Fed meets, the outcome is far from predictable two days before the decision.

Yields Plunge, Volatility Leaps as Market Sees Fed Taking Cautious Approach to Rate Hikes

(Monday Market Open) Stock index futures erased steep overnight gains even as hopes built for just a 25-basis-point rate hike after the government’s move Sunday to protect depositors at the failed Silicon Valley Bank (NASDAQ: SIVB).

Hot and Cold: Jobs Report Signals Strong Labor Market With Some Signs of Cooling

(Friday market open) Jobs growth remained robust in February but down from January’s swollen levels, and there were some market-friendly nuggets in the Department of Labor’s Nonfarm Payrolls report released early Friday.

Career Day Ahead: Investors Brace for Friday's Critical Jobs Data Following Powell's Hawkish Remarks

(Thursday market open) Just over a month ago, the Labor Department kicked off February with a jobs report that shocked market participants, unnerved the Federal Reserve, and sparked a rally in Treasury yields that continues to slam the brakes on Wall Street gains.

Powell Testimony Stokes Fears of Steeper Rate Hikes and Possible Recession

(Wednesday market open) After Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell sent a stern message to the Senate yesterday indicating the pace of rate hikes could increase, he moves on to the House where he’ll face additional questioning. Markets are flat this morning ahead of his appearance.

Fed In Focus As Powell Addresses Senate Committee In Testimony Likely To Zero In On Inflation

(Tuesday market open) Today’s main event is Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s testimony on Capitol Hill soon after Wall Street opens for business. Expect markets to wander today looking for direction from Powell, but it seems unlikely we’ll see a major move unless he says something that really upsets the cart. Little changed overnight.

Waiting for Powell: Stocks Bounce Upward Ahead of Fed Testimony, Key Jobs Data

(Monday market open) It’s a “data du jour” week, mostly around the jobs market. Almost every day holds significance, but it all builds up to Friday’s February employment report.

Stock Futures Gain on Strong Global Data, Hopes for Ending 3-Week Losing Streak

(Friday market open) It’s the first Friday of the month and there’s no jobs report, so will Wall Street make any noise? Market participants may feel lost today without the usual monthly payrolls data to kick things off, but they’ll get their fix next week.

New Month, Old News? Stocks Retreat on Mixed Economic Data, China Signals

(Wednesday market open) The new month looked a lot like the old one early Wednesday as an overnight rally in stock futures pulled back ahead of the open. Recent rallies, including one that faded yesterday, haven’t demonstrated staying power.

Target's Beat Sparks Stock Futures, But Watch U.S. Dollar and Yields Today

(Tuesday market open) S&P 500® index futures (/ES) briefly clawed back to 4,000 before the opening bell, though continued strength may require the blessing of Treasury yields and the dollar. Lately, those key barometers are calling the shots for the broader market and so far are mixed.

Getting Back Up: Stock Futures Edge Higher as Investors Gauge the Fed, Data and Yields This Week

(Monday market open) With major indexes down three weeks in a row as investors plug in expectations for higher interest rates and watch the dollar climb, will this week break the streak?

Inflation Spikes, Stocks Tackled: Latest Data Adds Fuel to Fears Fed Will Keep Rates Higher for Longer

(Friday market open) Wall Street received another hot read on January inflation this morning, and this time from the inflation meter most closely watched by the Federal Reserve. Stocks had already been lower in premarket trading before the data while Treasury yields climbed, and that pattern resumed once investors had the report in their hands.

March Outlook: Spring Reset: Early 2023 Rally Threatened by Darkening Rate Picture

Wall Street’s early February optimism evaporated under inflation’s stifling heat, raising questions about the staying power of 2023’s early rally.

Have a Minute? Investors Await Meeting Notes from Last FOMC Meeting for Clues on Fed's Thinking

(Wednesday market open) Following Wall Street’s worst day of 2023 to date, stock index futures ticked slightly higher ahead of this afternoon’s release of Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting minutes.

Major Indexes Hit One-Month Lows as Wall Street Stunned by Rising Yields, Weak Consumer Outlook

(Tuesday market close) The last time the S&P 500 index (SPX) exchanged greetings with 4,000, it was climbing the stairs. Today, it met 4,000 again, this time on the way back down.

Nervous Consumers Make for Nervous Market as Walmart, Home Depot Share Disappointing Outlooks

(Tuesday market open) Wall Street’s recent resilience could be tested today. Disappointing tidings from Walmart (NYSE: WMT) and Home Depot (NYSE: HD) joined pressure fr

Jumping January: PPI Adds to Hot Inflation Picture as Investors Retreat

(Thursday market open) Investors awoke Thursday to a red-hot January Producer Price Index (PPI) gain of 0.7%, showing lack of progress in the inflation fight. Stock index futures extended early losses after the data.

Hot Retail Sales Join Hot Jobs Data—How Will the Fed Respond?

(Wednesday market open) The economy refuses to slow down, which could be good news for the market but presents more challenges for the Federal Reserve.

Meh: It's Not All Candy and Flowers as Market Wavers on Still-Hot Inflation Report

(Tuesday market open) Inflation isn’t giving up easy, rising moderately in January and likely further reinforcing the Federal Reserve’s rate hike plans. Investors didn’t show much love for the January Consumer Price Index (CPI) data, initially sending stock index futures lower.

Price Check: Choppy Trading Seen Likely as Market Prepares for Possible Uptick in CPI Data

(Monday Market Open) Between the excitement of the big game and the mystery of flying objects, it was an eventful weekend, to say the least.