Wall Street Closes in the Red: Bond Yields Pressure Stocks
On Wednesday, trading on Wall Street ended with a decline in the indices, amid rising Treasury bond yields, which negatively affected large-cap companies. Investors lost confidence in a rapid rate cut by the Federal Reserve, while corporate news added tension, hitting McDonald's and Coca-Cola stock prices.
Bond Pressure and Fed Doubts
The yield on 10-year U.S. Treasury bonds reached its highest point in three months. Investors are reconsidering their expectations for future Fed decisions, given steady economic indicators and the upcoming presidential elections.
"The market is struggling to digest this latest rise in yields," noted Adam Turnquist, chief technical analyst at LPL Financial, emphasizing that higher rates are putting additional pressure on stocks.
Mega Caps Under Fire
Shares of large-cap companies sensitive to interest rate changes were in decline: Nvidia dropped 2.81%, Apple lost 2.16%, Meta Platforms (an organization banned in Russia) fell by 3.15%, and Amazon saw a decrease of 2.63%. These tech giants dragged down the tech-heavy Nasdaq index.
Market Leaders and Laggards
Among the 11 sectors in the S&P 500 index, only utilities and real estate showed positive momentum. All other sectors finished the day in negative territory.
Market Results
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 409.94 points, or 0.96%, to 42,514.95. The S&P 500 lost 53.78 points, or 0.92%, to 5,797.42, and the Nasdaq Composite dropped by 296.47 points, or 1.60%, closing at 18,276.65.
McDonald's and Coca-Cola Under Pressure from the News
McDonald's stock dropped by 5.12% amid alarming news of an E. coli outbreak linked to its Quarter Pounder burgers. The incident resulted in one death and numerous illnesses, dealing a significant blow to the company. Coca-Cola also came under pressure, with its shares falling by 2.07%, despite confirming its annual profit forecast. Investors were disappointed as the expected revenue didn't meet higher expectations.
Consumer Goods Sector Declines
The broader consumer goods sector saw a 1.82% decline. The information technology sector followed suit, with a drop of 1.68%, adding to the overall negative market trend.
Investors Lock in Profits
"The market recently reached new all-time highs, and many portfolio managers have decided to lock in profits," noted Thomas Martin, senior portfolio manager at Globalt Investments. He added that the current market sentiment is contributing to mass selling as investors seek to secure gains amid growing uncertainty.
Boeing Hit by Strike-Related Losses
Boeing shares fell by 1.76% following the announcement of $6 billion in quarterly losses due to a prolonged production halt caused by a strike. Later that day, Boeing workers were set to vote on a new contract proposal that could end the five-week-long standoff.
Texas Instruments and AT&T Shine
Despite the overall negative market trend, Texas Instruments posted positive results, with its shares rising by 4% after third-quarter earnings exceeded analyst expectations. AT&T also pleased investors, with its stock climbing 4.60% as the company's wireless subscriber growth in the third quarter outpaced forecasts.
S&P 500 Sees Third Consecutive Drop
The S&P 500 index recorded its third consecutive daily decline, highlighting the market's growing tension and investor concerns.
U.S. Markets Near Record Highs, But Volatility Looms
U.S. stock markets are hovering near record levels, but analysts warn that a combination of earnings reports, shifts in monetary policy expectations, and the upcoming presidential election could test the rally and spark volatility.
Fed's Struggle with Inflation
Richmond Federal Reserve President Thomas Barkin noted that the Fed's battle to bring inflation back to its 2% target may take longer than expected, which could limit the potential for rate cuts in the near future.
Beige Book: Economy on Pause, Hiring Increases
The latest report from the Federal Reserve, known as the Beige Book, showed that U.S. economic activity has remained largely unchanged from September to early October. However, companies continue to increase hiring, offering some optimism for the labor market.
NYSE Pressure: Declining Stocks Dominate
On the New York Stock Exchange, declining stocks significantly outnumbered gainers, with a ratio of 3.27 to 1. The exchange recorded 102 new highs and 59 new lows, illustrating mixed market performance.
New Highs and Lows: Divergence Continues
The S&P 500 index registered 28 new 52-week highs and 4 new lows, while the Nasdaq Composite saw 60 new highs but also recorded 90 new lows, indicating ongoing risks in the market.
Trading Volume on the Rise
Trading volume on U.S. exchanges for the day totaled 11.83 billion shares, surpassing the 20-day average of 11.29 billion shares. This increased investor activity could signal that the market is preparing for significant changes in the near future.
Rivian and Lucid See Gains Amid Tesla's Success
Shares of Tesla's smaller electric vehicle competitors, Rivian and Lucid, both rose by 2% after trading hours, reflecting growing confidence in the electric vehicle market. This growth underscores the attention to the sector, where Tesla remains the dominant player.
Self-Driving Cars: Ready by Next Year?
Elon Musk confirmed Tesla's plans to launch self-driving cars with paid rides as early as next year. The company is awaiting approval from regulatory authorities in California and Texas, which could pave the way for the commercialization of this technology.
Tesla's Autopilot Gains Momentum
Following the robotaxi presentation, demand for Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) software surged. In response to the growing interest, the company offered existing users free access to FSD for one month, marking the second time this year that such an offer was made. This reflects increasing adoption of Tesla's technologies and supports confidence in its long-term strategy.
Tesla Invests in the Future Despite Market Uncertainty
Despite uncertain demand for electric vehicles and the withdrawal of some competitors from the market, Tesla continues to expand its product line and reduce production costs. The company is also investing heavily in artificial intelligence projects and manufacturing capacity. Tesla plans to release new, more affordable models within the next two years, with the first sales expected in the first half of 2025.
Tesla's Profit Margins Exceed Expectations
Tesla's third-quarter results impressed analysts: the company's automotive profit margin, excluding regulatory credits, reached 17.05%, up from 14.6% in the previous quarter. This figure exceeded Wall Street's forecast of 14.9%. These results highlight the company's financial resilience, even amid market challenges and competition in the industry.
Tesla Lowers Production Costs, Beats Earnings Forecasts
Tesla announced that the cost of producing a single electric vehicle reached a historic low, at about $35,100. This was achieved through reduced labor and material costs. Moreover, the company reported an adjusted profit of 72 cents per share for the third quarter, significantly surpassing analysts' expectations of 58 cents.
Raw Material Prices: Impact on Tesla
Falling raw material prices, especially those used in battery production, have further reduced Tesla's costs. The company noted that this would positively affect its financials this year, though the effect may gradually decrease over time.
Capital Expenditures: Outlook for Next Year
Tesla is planning a significant increase in capital expenditures for the coming year. CFO Taneja projected over $11 billion in capital investments, highlighting the company's serious intentions to expand its production capabilities and technological developments.
Boosting Demand with Attractive Financing
After lowering prices last year, Tesla introduced favorable financing options this spring to stimulate demand. This move was part of a broader strategy to remain competitive as other automakers also vie for market share in the electric vehicle space.
Tesla on Track for a New Sales Record
In the first nine months of 2024, Tesla has already delivered 1.29 million vehicles. To break last year's record, the company needs to sell an additional 514,925 vehicles by the end of the year. This sets Tesla on a path to achieving another milestone in terms of sales volume.
Financial Performance: Quarterly Revenue and Regulatory Credit Income
Tesla's third-quarter revenue reached $25.18 billion, slightly below analyst expectations of $25.37 billion. However, the company improved its performance compared to the same quarter in 2023, when revenue was $23.35 billion.
Additionally, Tesla reported its second-highest quarterly income from regulatory credits, which grew by 33% year-over-year to $739 million, although it declined from $890 million in the second quarter.
