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Dow Jones Futures: GME Stock Rockets On Elon Musk Tweet; Microsoft, AMD, Palantir Are Key Movers

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Dow Jones futures and S&P 500 futures rose slightly late Tuesday, while Nasdaq futures rose solidly, lifted by MSFT stock. The stock market rally had fractional losses Tuesday on the surface, but many leaders had a tough session. Microsoft (MSFT) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) earnings late Tuesday, while Palantir Technologies (PLTR) held its much-anticipated Demo Day.




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Apple (AAPL), and Tesla stock are due Wednesday night.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk kept GameStop (GME) frenzy going overnight, tweeting out “Gamestonk!!” in reference to the Reddit-led mass short squeeze. GME stock skyrocketed more than 50% overnight in still-massive trade. That’s after soaring 93% to 147.98 in Tuesday’s session, a record close. GME stock hit an intraday all-time high of 159.18 on Monday. GameStop is up 685% already this year.

Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY) and Dillard’s (DDS), two other short-squeeze plays, jumped 20% Tuesday. BBBY stock kept running overnight.

While tech giants and Tesla stock generally had modest gains, providing support for the major indexes. That masked some losses among leading chip, software, genomics and mining and materials firms.

10 Heavily Shorted Stocks Set For GameStop-Like ‘Squeeze’ Rallies

Key Earnings

Microsoft earnings and sales easily beat views. Microsoft stock rose overnight, signaling a breakout after flirting with a buy point in Tuesday’s session. Amazon.com (AMZN) rose slightly on the Microsoft’s cloud-driven quarter, with AMZN stock near possible early entries.

AMD earnings also easily beat, with the chipmaker also guiding higher. AMD stock tilted lower overnight after some up and down action.

Palantir Demo Day

Palantir Technologies held its much-anticipated Demo Day, where it showcased what its technology could do, including supply chain and data integration. PLTR stock fell modestly overnight. Palantir stock closed down 2.4% to 35.37, just out of range of a 33.60 buy point. But that followed Friday’s 25% spike and Monday’s 11% jump.

Apple, Tesla Earnings On Tap

Looking ahead to Wednesday, Apple stock, Tesla (TSLA), Facebook (FB) and ServiceNow (NOW) are among those reporting. Apple and Tesla stock are in buy range. Facebook stock has crossed over a very early entry. ServiceNow stock is finding support at its 50-day line in a new flat base.

Also, the Federal Reserve meeting concludes Wednesday, with a policy announcement due at 2 p.m. ET. The central bank is expected to leave interest rates and asset purchases unchanged and likely will signal that will remain so for quite some time. It may be a nonevent. Investors will look for hints — if any — about when Fed policymakers might taper bond buys down the road. Commentary about stock and other asset prices would get close attention.

Tesla stock, Apple, AMD, Microsoft, ServiceNow and Palantir stock are on IBD Leaderboard. Apple stock is on SwingTrader. Microsoft stock and ServiceNow are on IBD Long-Term Leaders. AMD and NOW stock are on IBD 50.

Dow Jones Futures Today

Dow Jones futures edged up vs. fair value. S&P 500 futures climbed 0.15%. Nasdaq 100 futures rose 0.6%. Microsoft stock is providing a lift to futures, with several other tech giants also climbing.

Remember that overnight action in Dow futures and elsewhere doesn’t necessarily translate into actual trading in the next regular stock market session.

Join IBD experts as they analyze actionable stocks in the stock market rally on IBD Live.

Coronavirus News

Coronavirus cases worldwide reached 100.78 million. Covid-19 deaths topped 2.16 million.

Coronavirus cases in the U.S. have hit 25.99 million, with deaths above 434,000. New coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and even deaths have fallen sharply over the last couple of weeks, though they remain high.

The U.S. late Tuesday that it will buy another 200 million doses from Pfizer (PFE) and Moderna (MRNA). It’ll also boost coronavirus vaccine supply to the states by 20% to 10 million a week. After a rocky start, vaccinations have been averaging more than one million a day recently, with expectations that this can ramp up.

Pfizer said it can deliver 200 million doses of its coronavirus vaccine two months earlier than planned. That would be by the end of May.

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) expects data from its final-stage coronavirus vaccine data by early next week. CFO Joseph Wolk told CNBC that he’s expecting “robust” results. The J&J Covid vaccine takes just one shot and is easier to store than the two-shot vaccines from Pfizer/BioNTech (BNTX) and Moderna. If efficacy and safety data are strong, the FDA could approve the J&J vaccine by early March.

Stock Market Rally

U.S. Stock Market Today Overview
Index Symbol Price Gain/Loss % Change
Dow Jones (0DJIA) 30937.89 -22.11 -0.07
S&P 500 (0S&P5) 3849.55 -5.81 -0.15
Nasdaq (0NDQC ) 13626.07 -9.92 -0.07
Russell 2000 (IWM) 213.31 -1.48 -0.69
IBD 50 (FFTY) 45.47 -0.55 -1.20
Last Update: 4:20 PM ET 1/26/2021

The stock market rally saw slim losses on the major indexes, a quiet session after Monday’s whipsaw action.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost about 0.1% in Tuesday’s stock market trading. The S&P 500 index dipped 0.15%. The Nasdaq composite edged down 0.1%, while the big-cap Nasdaq 100 edged higher.

Apple and Microsoft, the two biggest megacaps and members of the Dow Jones, S&P 500 index and Nasdaq composite, provided support for the major indexes. Amazon stock, Facebook, Tesla and AMD also helped.

Growth Stocks Struggle

Despite the solid performance in tech giants and the continued mania in GME stock and other speculative names, leading stocks tended to lag somewhat.

Beneath the surface, many chip, software and genomics stocks suffered significant losses, though it was bloodletting, not a bloodbath.

Among the best ETFs, the Innovator IBD 50 ETF (FFTY) fell 1.2%, while the Innovator IBD Breakout Opportunities ETF (BOUT) retreated 2.3%. The iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (IGV) sank 0.6%, with MSFT stock and ServiceNow notable components. The VanEck Vectors Semiconductor ETF (SMH) 1.7%, with AMD stock an exception to the downward shift.

ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) sank 3.3% and ARK Genomic Revolution ETF (ARKG) tumbled 4.9%. SPDR S&P Metals & Mining ETF (XME) pulled back 2.3%, extending losses since spiking on Jan. 6.

Read The Big Picture every day to stay in sync with the market direction and leading stocks and sectors.

Microsoft Earnings

Microsoft earnings rose 34% to $2.03 a share in the fiscal Q2, accelerating for a second straight quarter. Revenue grew 17% to $43.08 billion, the best gain in at least two quarters. Wall Street expected Microsoft earnings of $1.64 a share on sales of $40.18 billion.

The Azure cloud-computing services saw 50% revenue growth, better than expected. Intelligent Cloud revenue, which includes Azure public cloud, server products, GitHub and enterprise services, advanced 23% to $14.60 billion also topping consensus.

Microsoft provided upbeat sales guidance on the conference call.

Microsoft stock rose 4% in overnight trade, signaling a breakout. Shares rose 1.2% to 232.33 on Tuesday. briefly clearing a 232.96 buy point, according to MarketSmith analysis. MSFT stock closed in buy range of some early entries.

Amazon stock advanced 1% in extended trade. Shares rose 1% to 3,326.13 on Tuesday, closing right around a downward-sloping trend line. Clearing that trend line would be an early entry for AMZN stock, along with 3350.75. Amazon stock has an official buy point of 3,552.35. Earnings are next week.

Apple stock and Google parent Alphabet (GOOGL) also rose about 1% overnight. Both are already in buy zones.

AMD Earnings

AMD earnings jumped 62.5% to 52 cents a share, with sales up 52% to $3.24 billion. Analysts forecast AMD earnings of 47 cents on sales of $3.02 billion.

The graphics and data center chip maker sees Q1 revenue up 79% to $3.2 billion, with full-year sales up 37%.

AMD stock initially rose in extended trade, then reversed slightly lower. Shares edged up 0.6% to 94.71 on Tuesday. That’s slightly above a buy zone from a prior base but in range from the 10-week line. Investors might want to use 99.33 as an entry from a short consolidation.

AMD rival Nvidia (NVDA) was little changed overnight.

Texas Instruments (TXN) and Maxim Integrated Products (MXIM) also beat views late Tuesday. But the two chipmakers fell modestly late.

Apple, Tesla, Facebook Earnings

Wednesday night will be busier than Tuesday, with Apple, Tesla, Facebook and ServiceNow among the big names reporting.

Apple earnings will not only have a big impact on AAPL stock, but on the broader iPhone ecosystem, notably chipmakers. Tesla earnings are important, but the focus will likely be on 2021 delivery targets and updates on the Cybertruck and two factories under construction. For the Facebook earnings report, commentary about political headwinds will be key for FB stock and other social media names. ServiceNow is the first business software pure play that has held up well at a time when many software makers have lost ground.

Apple, Tesla, Facebook and ServiceNow stock are all at or near buy points, raising the stakes. Along with Microsoft and AMD, these leaders could have a huge influence on the stock market rally direction.

Stock Market Rally Analysis

The Nasdaq is now 7.8% above its 50-day moving average, down slightly from Monday’s 8.2%.

The rule of thumb is that when the Nasdaq is more than 6% above the 50-day line, the odds of a pullback are relatively high. But, as the stock market rally has shown in recent days and many times over the past several months, the Nasdaq can keep getting more extended. But the more extended the Nasdaq gets, the higher the risk of a pullback, with greater odds that the retreat will be larger.

In late August, Apple and Tesla stock helped push the Nasdaq higher and higher, finally peaking at 11.6% above the 50-day line on Sept. 2. The Nasdaq then plunged 10% over the next three sessions, closing below the 50-day line, with further losses in the next few weeks.

Meanwhile, bullish sentiment is high, while froth is evident in GME stock and others. It’s possible that hot money, at least among retail investors, is concentrating in GME stock and other squeeze plays, moving away from a wider array of leading stocks and even “traditional” speculative names.

Margin debt is up substantially vs. a year earlier, but the increase is still well below extreme levels associated historically with foreshadowing bear markets. However, leveraged ETFs and the explosion of call options suggests that retail investors are more exposed than margin debt alone would indicate.

An extended market rally, high bullish sentiment, crazy stock moves are warning signs. But weakness in leading stocks is the first one that stings.

Sideways action or a modest pullback over a few weeks would be ideal for the stock market rally. But earnings season in the current environment seems likely to be a catalyst for big market gains or losses — or both. As always, the market is going to do what the market is going to do.

What You Should Do Now

Along with the earnings crush, risks are relatively high for leading stocks and overall market rally. Monday’s short-lived market reversal spurred some sharp losses in growth stocks. They generally fared OK before lagging Tuesday. But if the Nasdaq fell 5% in a day or 10%-15 over a week or two, the losses in many growth stocks, especially IPOs and more-speculative names, could be intense. How would your portfolio handle that action?

Continue to analyze your holdings and overall portfolio. Create a game plan for dealing with negative action in your stocks or overall market rally.

Keep in mind that despite rising warning signs, the stock market rally has been faring well overall, though leading stocks bear watching. Investors may want to be more cautious about adding exposure, sell some shares into strength and quickly cut laggards, but it’s not time to be defensive overall. However, dust off those defense plans.

Please follow Ed Carson on Twitter at @IBD_ECarson for stock market updates and more.

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Business

Microsoft, BlackBerry, GE, Leon Black – 5 Things You Must Know

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Here are five things you must know for Tuesday, Jan. 26:

1. — Stock Futures Move Higher on Solid Earnings

Stock futures moved mostly higher Tuesday following solid earnings reports from Johnson & Johnson  (JNJ) – Get Report, 3M  (MMM) – Get Report and General Electric  (GE) – Get Report.

Equities had wavered for most of the premarket session on the possibility that a U.S. coronavirus relief package could be delayed. 

Contracts linked to the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 56 points, S&P 500 futures rose 2 points and Nasdaq futures were down 7 points ahead of earnings reports from some of the biggest tech companies.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Monday an aid package was unlikely before mid-March. That is when federal unemployment benefits authorized by last $900 billion package will expire.

President Joe Biden said he was open to negotiations on his proposed $1.9 trillion plan to send $1,400 to most Americans and deliver other support for the economy, including funds for vaccine distribution.

A bipartisan group of senators already have voiced opposition to the size of Biden’s plan.

The coronavirus pandemic, meanwhile, has killed more than 421,000 in the U.S. and concerns have been growing about the bumpy rollout of vaccines in the country. Biden said he anticipates vaccines will be available to anyone in the U.S. by spring, but to meet that projection vaccine makers will have to sharply increase production.

Stocks finished mixed on Monday amid questions about whether the Biden White House will be able to deliver another round of stimulus. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq, however, did manage to close at record highs.

2. — Tuesday’s Calendar: Microsoft and AMD Earnings, Federal Reserve Meeting

General Electric  (GE) – Get Report reported fourth-quarter adjusted earnings of 8 cents a share, 1 cent below analysts’ estimates. Total revenue of $21.93 billion topped forecasts.

Johnson & Johnson  (JNJ) – Get Report posted stronger-than-expected fourth- quarter earnings and said Tuesday it would provide an update on its vaccine development progress “soon.”

“We continue to progress our Covid-19 vaccine candidate and look forward to sharing details from our Phase 3 study soon. Johnson & Johnson was built for times like these, and I am extremely confident in our ability to deliver lasting value and continued innovation in 2021 and for years to come,” said CEO Alex Gorsky.

Earnings reports are also expected Tuesday from Microsoft  (MSFT) – Get Report, Advanced Micro Devices  (AMD) – Get Report, Starbucks  (SBUX) – Get Report, Verizon  (VZ) – Get Report, Lockheed Martin  (LMT) – Get Report, American Express  (AXP) – Get Report, 3M  (MMM) – Get Report, Xilinx  (XLNX) – Get Report, Raytheon Technologies  (RTX) – Get Report and Texas Instruments  (TXN) – Get Report.

Microsoft, Advanced Micro Devices and Starbucks are holdings in Jim Cramer’s Action Alerts PLUS member club. Want to be alerted before Jim Cramer buys or sells the stocks? Learn more now.

The U.S. economic calendar on Tuesday includes the first day of a two-day meeting of the Federal Reserve. The central bank isn’t expected to move on interest rates and has signaled it will keep them near zero through 2023.

Mark Heppenstall, chief investment officer at Penn Mutual Asset Management, said the central bank likely will reiterate its “commitment to prolonged monetary accommodation” at the meeting.

“Uncertainty surrounding the pandemic’s near-term course and signs of weakening labor markets suggest recent taper talk by Fed officials is still premature,” Heppenstall added, referring to when the Fed might  begin tapering asset purchases.

The calendar also includes the Case-Shiller Home Price Index for November at 9 a.m. ET and Consumer Confidence for January at 10 a.m.

3. — Leon Black Will Step Down as CEO of Private-Equity Giant Apollo

Leon Black, the founder and CEO of private-equity giant Apollo Global Management  (APO) – Get Report, will step down as chief executive after it was revealed he made larger-than-expected payments to Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier.

Black paid Epstein $158 million in fees for trust- and estate-tax planning in the five years to 2017, far more than was previously known, according to a report from law firm Dechert. 

The review by Dechert found no evidence that Black was involved in the criminal activities of the late Epstein, who was indicted in 2019 on federal sex-trafficking charges involving underage girls. Epstein committed suicide in prison while awaiting child sex charges.

Apollo also never retained Epstein for any services, the report concluded. 

Black wrote in a letter to Apollo’s fund investors that he would cede the role of CEO to co-founder Marc Rowan on or before his 70th birthday on July 31, while retaining the role of chairman. 

The Wall Street Journal was first to report on the contents of the report and letter.

Shares of Apollo Global rose 3.86% to $47.65 in after-hours trading on Monday.

4. — BlackBerry Shares Surge Again

BlackBerry  (BB) – Get Report was jumping more than 11% in premarket trading Tuesday, following the stock’s more than 28% gain in the previous session as it received a boost from retail traders and was being heavily mentioned on online message boards such as Reddit.

BlackBerry, the security software and services company, said in a statement that it was unaware of reasons for the stock move.

Shares of BlackBerry rose 11.87% to $20.17 in premarket trading Tuesday. The stock has gained 172% so far in 2021.

BlackBerry Rises Again, Gets Lift From Expanded Baidu Partnership

Analysts at RBC cut the stock to underperform from sector perform, citing valuation and saying there has been no change to the company’s fundamental outlook. Analyst Paul Treiber maintained his price target at $7.50.

BlackBerry has become a favorite on the Reddit message board, much like GameStop  (GME) – Get Report and Express  (EXPR) – Get Report.

What Is Happening to GameStop Stock? Jim Cramer Explains

5. — Apple Lead Hardware Engineer Shifting to ‘New Project’

Apple  (AAPL) – Get Report said its leading hardware engineer, Dan Riccio, was moving to a new project and will be replaced by John Ternus, currently a vice president of hardware engineering.

Riccio has been with Apple since 1998 and has worked on most of the company’s major products over that time, from the first iMac computers to the latest 5G phones.

Apple didn’t specify what project Riccio will lead. But recent speculation has focused on efforts by the company to develop a high-end virtual reality headset, or augmented reality glasses.

Apple is a holding in Jim Cramer’s Action Alerts PLUS member club. Want to be alerted before Jim Cramer buys or sells AAPL? Learn more now.



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Business

US stock futures recovering from negative territory early Tuesday

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Fox Business Flash top headlines are here. Check out what’s clicking on FoxBusiness.com.

NEW YORK — U.S. equity futures were recovering from negative territory Tuesday hours before the opening bell after finishing mixed Monday as a deluge of corporate earnings reports were scheduled to arrive this week.

Ticker Security Last Change Change %
I:DJI DOW JONES AVERAGES 30960 -36.98 -0.12%
SP500 S&P 500 3855.36 +13.89 +0.36%
I:COMP NASDAQ COMPOSITE INDEX 13635.991758 +92.93 +0.69%

The S&P 500 rose 0.4% to 3,855.36 as gains for influential Big Tech stocks offset losses for most companies. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 0.1% to 30,960.00. The Nasdaq composite, which is packed with tech stocks, rose 0.7% to 13,635.99 and another record.

PELOSI’S HUSBAND BETS UP TO $1M TESLA WILL FLOURISH DURING BIDEN’S ADMINISTRATION

The Russell 2000 index of smaller stocks fell 0.3%, to 2,163.27. The yield on the 10-year Treasury sank to 1.03% from 1.07% late Friday.

Besides Apple, more than 100 companies in the S&P 500 are scheduled to tell investors this week how they fared during the last three months of 2020. They include American Express, Johnson & Johnson, 3M, AT&T and Tesla.

U.S. equity futures were recovering from negative territory Tuesday hours before the opening bell after finishing mixed Monday as a deluge of corporate earnings reports were scheduled to arrive this week. (Colin Ziemer/New York Stock Exchange via AP)

As a whole, analysts expect S&P 500 companies to say their fourth-quarter profit fell 5% from a year earlier. That’s a milder drop than the 9.4% they were forecasting earlier this month, according to FactSet.

President Joe Biden has proposed a $1.9 trillion plan to send $1,400 to most Americans and deliver other support for the economy. But his party holds only the slimmest possible majority in the Senate, making approval uncertain. Several Republicans have already voiced opposition to parts of the plan.

The coronavirus pandemic is also worsening and doing more damage by the day. A UN agency said Monday that four times as many jobs were lost last year as in 2009, during the global financial crisis.

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The Federal Reserve will begin a two-day meeting on interest-rate policy Tuesday, and the wide expectation is for it to keep the accelerator floored on its stimulus for the economy and markets. It has said it plans to keep interest rates low even if inflation rises above its 2% target.

Meanwhile, traders are keeping a wary eye on rising coronavirus infections in various countries and a bumpy rollout of vaccinations in the U.S. The spread of variants that are thought to be more easily transmissible and might be less effectively targeted by existing vaccines is adding to alarm.

Vaccine maker Moderna said Monday that it will study whether a booster shot would be needed to protect against variants of the coronavirus, “out of an abundance of caution.”

“Nowadays the market mood is set by either the hopes that the COVID vaccine would mark the end of the biggest economic downturn of our lifetime, or the stimulus hopes to keep our heads above water. Yesterday, both hopes got smashed,” Ipek Ozkardeskaya, a senior analyst at Swissquote Bank, said in a commentary.

Meanwhile, Japan’s Nikkei 225 index declined 1% to 28,546.18, while the Shanghai Composite index dropped 1.5% to 3,569.43. South Korea’s Kospi lost 2.1% to 3,140.31. Shares also fell in Southeast Asia.

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Markets in Australia and India were closed for holidays.

In other Tuesday trading, U.S. benchmark crude oil lost 37 cents to $52.40 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It gained 50 cents to $52.77 per barrel on Monday.

Brent crude, the international standard, shed 40 cents to $55.28 per barrel.

The U.S. dollar slipped to 103.74 Japanese yen from 103.76 yen late Monday. The euro dropped to $1.2129 from $1.2141.

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Business

Stock futures fall after record week

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Axios markets editor Dion Rabouin provides insight into the winners and losers in the ‘Biden market.’

U.S. equity futures were trading lower the day after the S&P 500 and Nasdaq notched record closes.

The major futures indexes suggested a decline of 0.7% when the opening bell rings.

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Asian stock markets retreated Friday after a resurgence of coronavirus infections in China and a rise in cases in Southeast Asia.

The Nikkei 225 in Tokyo sank 0.4%, the Hang Seng in Hong Kong fell 1.6% and China’s Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.4%.

In Europe, London’s FTSE was off 0.9%, Germany’s DAX fell 0.9% and France’s CAC declined 1.3%.

The big number in the U.S. that traders will be watching will be existing home sales for December. The National Association of Realtors was expected to say that sales of previously owned homes slipped 2% month-over-month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6.55 million units, down from 6.69 million in November.

HOUSING MARKET STAYS TIGHT AS HOMEOWNERS STAY PUT

The first week of earnings season wraps up Friday morning with a trio of financial names reporting: Ally Financial, Regions Financial and Huntington Bancshares.

Other companies reporting will be energy equipment and services giant Schlumberger, and railroad Kansas City Southern.

IBM shares are down more than 7% in the premarket after saying the company expects to return to revenue growth this year, after reporting lower sales every quarter in 2020. In the latest quarter, IBM’s revenue fell to $20.37 billion from $21.78 billion a year earlier. Fourth-quarter profit fell to $1.36 billion, or $1.51 a share. On an adjusted basis profit from continuing operations was $2.07 a share.

Intel shares are under pressure, down more than 4% in the premarket. The company reported record annual sales and fourth-quarter results topped expectations, but the company plans to outsource some chip production.

Ticker Security Last Change Change %
I:DJI DOW JONES AVERAGES 31176.01 -12.37 -0.04%
SP500 S&P 500 3853.07 +1.22 +0.03%
I:COMP NASDAQ COMPOSITE INDEX 13530.914939 +73.67 +0.55%

On Thursday, the benchmark S&P 500 index ended up less than 0.1% at 3,853.07 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost less than 0.1% to 31,176.01.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite climbed 0.6% to 13,530.91 after traders bid up shares in Big Tech stocks, including Apple, Amazon and Facebook. That helped outweigh losses in energy, bank and other stocks.

Stocks have risen on optimism the rollout of vaccines developed by U.S., European and Chinese drug companies would allow economies to return to normal.

BIDEN’S $1.9T CORONAVIRUS RELIEF PACKAGE ‘GOOD STEP’: ECONOMIST MARK ZANDI

Markets also have been encouraged by the inauguration of President Biden, who has proposed a $1.9 trillion economic aid package, including $1,400 cash payments for most Americans.

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Benchmark U.S. crude lost $1.32 to $51.78 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 11 cents on Thursday to $53.13. Brent crude, the price standard for international oils, shed $1.23 to $54.86 per barrel in London. It rose 2 cents the previous session to $56.10 a barrel.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Business

Dow Jones Futures: Apple, AMD, Nvidia Lead But Stock Market Rally Warnings Grow Louder; Intel Headlines Earnings Movers Late

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Dow Jones futures tilted lower Thursday night, along with S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq futures. The Nasdaq again led the stock market rally to fresh highs, with tech giants Apple stock, Amazon.com (AMZN), Intel (INTC), Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Nvidia (NVDA) fueling the gains.




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But the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite is becoming increasingly extended, raising the risk of a pullback.

Key Earnings Late

Intel jumped the gun, reporting earnings just before the close. Intuitive Surgical (ISRG), IBM (IBM) and CSX (CSX) reported quarterly results late Thursday.

Intel earnings and sales beat views while the Dow Jones chip giant also guided higher for Q1. Incoming CEO Pat Gelsinger, who takes over on Feb. 15, committed to keeping the chip giant’s manufacturing business, despite calls from some investors to shed those assets. Intel stock fell 5% overnight. That was after soaring 6.5% to 62.46 on Thursday, with some of those gains coming in the last few minutes on the early earnings release. Intel stock has been running on the announcement Gelsinger, Intel’s former CTO, will become chief executive. But it’s still far from a buy point.

Intuitive Surgical earnings and revenue rose slightly, rebounding from declines in the prior two quarters. The maker of the da Vinci robotic surgical system gave preliminary revenue figures last week. ISRG stock fell slightly in extended trade after closing up 10 cents at 798.67. Intuitive Surgical stock looks set to dip back below a 792.64 buy point. It could try to find support at the 10-week line again as it builds a short consolidation on top of the prior base.

IBM earnings topped views, but sales missed, once again declining vs. a year earlier. IBM stock tumbled overnight after rising 1.2% to 131.65 on Thursday. The Dow tech giant has a 131.98 buy point in a bottoming base. But it’s still in a long-term downtrend, with weak fundamentals for years.

CSX earnings missed while revenue topped. CSX stock was little changed overnight after closing down 1.7% to 91.61, around its 50-day line. An early January breakout from a flat base quickly fizzled, though the 93.80 buy point is still valid, according to MarketSmith analysis.

Why This IBD Tool Simplifies The Search For Top Stocks

Tech Giants Eye Buy Points

As for other tech giants, Apple (AAPL) rose to just below a buy point. Amazon stock climbed toward possible early entries after regaining its 50-day line Wednesday. AMD stock moved back above key levels and within a prior buy zone. Nvidia stock rebounded from key support, but investors likely want to see a little more strength first.

But looming earnings — as well as the extended stock market rally — complicate buying any of those tech giants. Apple and AMD stock have earnings next week. Amazon is also next week. Nvidia isn’t due for a few weeks, but may move on AMD’s earnings and guidance.

Apple, AMD and Nvidia stock are on IBD Leaderboard. Apple stock is on SwingTrader. AMD stock and Nvidia are on the IBD 50.

Find The Best Long-Term Investments With IBD Long-Term Leaders

Dow Jones Futures Today

Dow Jones futures fell 0.2% vs. fair value, with Intel and IBM stock weighing on the blue-chip index. S&P 500 futures lost 0.15% while Nasdaq 100 futures retreated 0.2%.

Bitcoin continued to slide, falling below $30,000 Thursday night, down $10,000 from a week earlier and the all-time high of nearly $42,000 on Jan. 8.

Remember that overnight action in Dow futures and elsewhere doesn’t necessarily translate into actual trading in the next regular stock market session.

Join IBD experts as they analyze actionable stocks in the stock market rally on IBD Live.

Coronavirus News

Coronavirus cases worldwide reached 98.04 million. Covid-19 deaths topped 2.09 million.

Coronavirus cases in the U.S. have hit 25.18 million, with deaths above 419,000.

Newly reported U.S. Covid cases continue to trend lower, with hospitalizations and deaths also turning down.

U.S. coronavirus vaccinations hit 1.6 million on Wednesday as the pace continues to improve.

President Biden signed new executive orders to increase vaccine production and to impose mask mandates in airplanes and airports, as well as on federal property.

Stock Market Rally

U.S. Stock Market Today Overview
Index Symbol Price Gain/Loss % Change
Dow Jones (0DJIA) 31176.01 -12.37 -0.04
S&P 500 (0S&P5) 3853.07 +1.22 +0.03
Nasdaq (0NDQC ) 13530.92 +73.67 +0.55
Russell 2000 (IWM) 212.51 -1.88 -0.88
IBD 50 (FFTY) 46.12 +0.46 +1.01
Last Update: 4:24 PM ET 1/21/2021

The stock market rally continued to advance, once again led by tech giants.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost a fraction in Thursday’s stock market trading. The S&P 500 index edged higher. The Nasdaq composite climbed 0.55%. The Nasdaq 100, which includes Apple, Amazon, Intel, AMD and Nvidia stock, popped 0.8%.

Apple stock, a member of the Dow Jones, S&P 500 and Nasdaq composite, rose 3.7% to 136.87. That’s just below a 138.89 cup-with-handle entry. Apple earnings are on Jan. 27.

Amazon stock climbed 1.3% to 3,306.99, flirting with a trend line starting with the Sept. 2 peak. Investors also could use 3,350.75 as another early entry. Amazon earnings are due Feb. 2.

AMD stock rallied 3.1% to 91.53, back above its 50-day and 21-day lines and back above an 88.82 double-bottom buy point. Shares rose 2% overnight after initially falling following the Intel earnings report. AMD competes with Intel in PC microprocessors and data center chips. AMD earnings are due Jan. 26.

Nvidia advanced 3.75% to 554.70, above its 50-day. Several short-lived moves above the 50-day line have fizzled, so investors likely should wait until NVDA stock decisively clears at least the Jan. 11 high of 558.44 before starting a position.

Key ETFs

Growth stocks were mixed, with chips clearly leading.

Among the best ETFs, the Innovator IBD 50 ETF (FFTY) rose 1% to a fresh all-time high, while the Innovator IBD Breakout Opportunities ETF (BOUT) dipped 0.2%. The iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (IGV) edged down 0.4%. The VanEck Vectors Semiconductor ETF (SMH) climbed 1.55%, with AMD, Nvidia and Intel stock all notable components.

IBD Stock Of The Day Hits Buy Zone, Building On Gains

Stock Market Rally Extended

The Nasdaq composite is now 8.1% above its 50-day moving average, picking up from Wednesday’s 7.8% and the highest since Sept. 2. (With Apple stock and other tech giants rallying, the big-cap Nasdaq 100 is now 7% above its 50-day.) Further, the Nasdaq is 4.1% above its 21-day exponential moving average, the most since just after the early November follow-through days.

When the Nasdaq is 6% or more above its 50-day line, that’s a yellow flag. The odds of a pullback are higher. The market doesn’t have to retreat right away, but the more extended it gets, the higher the risk of a significant pullback or correction.

In August, the Nasdaq was generally at least 6% above the 50-day, with Apple stock and Tesla (TSLA) leading a big-cap rally. As of Aug. 25, the index was more than 8% extended, but it kept going. It finally reached 11.6% above the 50-day line on Sept. 2. But on Sept. 3, the Nasdaq plunged 5%, wiping out all the gains after Aug. 25. By Sept. 8, the third day of the pullback, the Nasdaq had wiped out essentially all of August’s gains, closing slightly below the 50-day line. It’s a classic example of the stock market rising on a escalator, falling on an elevator.

Ideally, the stock market rally would move sideways or drift lower over several weeks. Last week the major indexes did retreat modestly, but only enough to bring the Nasdaq from extended to “almost extended.” A bigger pullback or longer sideways action would be helpful.

But, as always, the stock market rally is going to do what it’s going to do.

What Investors Should Do

With that in mind, what should investors be doing? Right now, the stock market rally is working. There’s no need to get defensive. Investors may want to consider selling some stocks into strength, taking some profits. You probably should be cautious about starting new positions and adding exposure, especially if you’re on margin. Breakouts that happen just before a market pullback are highly likely to run into trouble.

Most importantly, have a game plan if the stock market rally does reverse. Where will you take partial profits and which stocks are your core holdings? Then stick to those rules.

Read The Big Picture every day to stay in sync with the market direction and leading stocks and sectors.

Please follow Ed Carson on Twitter at @IBD_ECarson for stock market updates and more.

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