Eight keys to Fed’s September meeting
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — This week’s Federal Reserve meeting is perhaps the most closely-watched gathering of the year as the U.S. central bank prepares the groundwork for an eventual liftoff in interest rates.

There are several moving parts for investors. Here are eight things to watch for clues on when the central bank might a liftoff of short-term interest rates and what the tightening cycle might look like.

The Fed will release its policy statement and economic projections at 2 p.m. on Wednesday. Fed Chairwoman Janet Yellen will follow up with a press conference at 2:30 p.m. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/eight-keys-to-feds-september-meeting-2014-09-15?dist=beforebell

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U.S. stocks rise; S&P 500 hits record high
Jobs report ‘not a game-changer’ for stocks
NEW YORK (MarketWatch)—The U.S. stock market rose modestly on Friday as investors shrugged off a weaker-than-expected jobs report. The S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average recorded their fifth consecutive weekly gains.

A surprisingly weak jobs report indicated a marked slowdown in the labor market. However the initial reaction was muted, as investors appeared to focus on the idea that the creation of fewer new jobs than expected won’t alter the Federal Reserve’s thinking on interest rates.

Analysts also cautioned against putting too much emphasis on just one month’s data.

The economy added 142,000 new jobs in August, the smallest gain since December and well below Wall Street expectations for 228,000.

Even so, “most indicators in the report were better than in July,” said John Canally, investment strategist and economist at LPL Financial. “After the initial knee-jerk reaction, investors looked into the details and at implications and realized that this report was not a game-changer.” .

But Uri Landesman, the president of Platinum Partners, a New York-based hedge fund, said the weak jobs numbers may indicate the recovery is stalling.

“In the short term, a few more weak data points may trigger a correction. The market is pricing in the good news but not a lot of bad news. From a technical standpoint, there is not much support in the S&P 500, as the index moved in a straight line up,” Landesman said.

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Pressure for early Fed rate hike to recede after August job report
Internal pressure within the Federal Reserve on Janet Yellen to increase interest rates will recede in the wake of the surprisingly weak August job report, one economist said. http://blogs.marketwatch.com/capitolreport/2014/09/05/pressure-for-early-fed-rate-hike-to-recede-after-august-job-report/

yep

So August seemed a little (cough) slow in the OTC right? Is there even a “Bar” showing up on this graph? Geez… let’s hope we make a comeback in September!


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So August seemed a little (cough) slow in the OTC right? Is there even a “Bar” showing up on this graph? Geez… let’s hope we make a comeback in September!


http://huntforthenext10bagger.com/

So August seemed a little (cough) slow in the OTC right? Is there even a “Bar” showing up on this graph? Geez… let’s hope we make a comeback in September!


http://huntforthenext10bagger.com/

U.S. stocks: Futures higher as Draghi lifts Europe
MADRID (MarketWatch) — U.S. stock futures moved higher early Monday, inspired by merger news and gains from European markets, which rose on hints of more stimulus from European Central Bank President Mario Draghi.

New-home sales data is among indicators to watch, while shares of Burger King Worldwide Inc. and InterMune Inc. could gain on deal news.

Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average DJU4, +0.28% rose 50 points, or 0.3%, to 17,043, while those for the S&P 500 index SPU4, +0.27% gained 6.2 points, or 0.3%, to 1,994. Futures for the Nasdaq-100 index NDU4, +0.45% added 15.5 points, or 0.4%, to 4,070.50.

Stocks closed lower on Friday, with both the S&P 500 SPX, -0.20% and Dow industrials DJIA, -0.22% snapping four-day winning streaks. For the week, both the Nasdaq Composite COMP, +0.14% and the S&P 500 rose 1.7%, while the Dow industrials rose 2%.

The Chicago Fed national activity index for July will be released at 8:30 a.m. Eastern, while new home sales for July are due at 10 a.m. Eastern. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-stocks-futures-higher-as-draghi-lifts-europe-2014-08-25

Durable goods in focus as capital spending signal
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch)—Durable goods orders and how they translate into capital expenditures will likely be one of the main catalysts for investors this week as U.S. stocks are expected to remain subdued before the more volatile midterm elections season following Labor Day. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/durable-goods-in-focus-as-capital-spending-signal-2014-08-24

S&P 500 ends lower Friday, pulling back from record
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) — U.S. stocks closed mostly lower on Friday, with the S&P 500 pulling back from Thursday’s record close as Ukraine-Russia worries ramped up again.

Investors also appeared to shrug at speeches by Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen and European Central Bank President Mario Draghi, as their comments largely matched expectations.

The S&P 500 SPX, -0.20% slipped by 3.97 points, or 0.2%, to finish at 1,988.40, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, -0.22% shed 38.27 points, or 0.2%, to end at 17,001.22, according to early FactSet data. The Nasdaq Composite COMP, +0.14% bucked the negative trend, tacking on 6.45 points, or 0.1%, to close at 4,538.55.

The three main indexes all achieved their third weekly gain in a row. The S&P 500 advanced by 1.7% for the week, while the Dow rose 2% and the Nasdaq, 1.7%.

Stocks traded roughly flat after Yellen’s speech, then slumped to session lows after fresh Ukraine-Russia reports before paring losses. The reports said NATO viewed a buildup of Russian forces near Ukraine as alarming, and the organization condemned the entry of a Russian convoy into Ukraine.

Careful comments in Jackson Hole: Yellen, at her speech at the annual gathering of central bankers in Jackson Hole, Wyo., said the economy is getting closer to the Fed’s goals of full employment and stable inflation, and the debate at the central bank is “naturally shifting” to when the central bank should begin to raise interest rates. Balancing this more hawkish tone, Yellen said that indicators followed by the Fed suggest the unemployment rate’s ecline overstates the improvement in overall labor market conditions.

“I think the most important takeaway is that as one of the most dovish members of the board, she’s clearly much less dovish than she was,” Bruce McCain, chief investment strategist at Key Private Bank, told MarketWatch. He said Yellen is now making “more an argument for patience rather than dovishness.”

Draghi said the European Central Bank stands ready to take more unconventional action if needed, but it can’t solve the euro zone’s unemployment problem all by itself. Beyond the central bankers talking, there were no major U.S. economic reports on Friday’s schedule. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-stocks-futures-slip-ahead-of-yellen-speech-2014-08-22

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Gold snaps losing streak on Yellen, geopolitics
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Gold futures snapped a five-session losing streak to rebound Friday on slightly more hawkish comments from Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen and Ukraine-Russia tensions. December gold GCZ4, +0.47% rose $4.80 for the session to settle at $1,280.20 an ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. The precious metal shed 2% for the week. Yellen, speaking in Jackson Hole, Wyo., said the debate at the central bank is shifting to when the Fed should begin to tighten monetary policy. Reports that NATO expressed alarm over the buildup of Russian forces near Ukraine also supported gold.

NATO sees alarming build-up of Russian forces near Ukraine: Rasmussen
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Friday the alliance had observed an alarming build-up of Russian ground and air forces in the vicinity of Ukraine.
"We have also seen transfers of large quantities of advanced weapons, including tanks, armored personnel carriers and artillery to separatist groups in eastern Ukraine," Rasmussen said in a statement.
Rasmussen said Russia continued to escalate the crisis in eastern Ukraine and that this could lead to further isolation of Moscow. http://news.yahoo.com/nato-sees-alarming-build-russian-forces-near-ukraine-151906404.html

Opinion: Coming soon: the ‘September of Yellen’
How the media sum up the Fed chairwoman’s tenure will reverberate in the securities markets http://www.marketwatch.com/story/coming-soon-the-september-of-yellen-2014-08-22

U.S. stocks: Futures slip ahead of Yellen speech
LONDON (MarketWatch) — U.S. stock futures slipped Friday before Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen was set to capture center stage at a high-profile gathering of the world’s central bankers.

Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average DJU4, -0.24% were off 2 points at 17,014, while those for the S&P 500 index SPU4, -0.16% shed 1 point to 1,988.90. Nasdaq 100 index NDU4, +0.05% futures gave up less than 1 point at 4,047.00.

The major benchmarks are on track to log weekly advances of at least 1.5% each. Thursday’s session ended with the S&P 500 Index SPX, +0.29% marking its 28th record closing high this year and the Nasdaq Composite COMP, +0.12% ending at its highest level since March 31, 2000.

Journey to Jackson Hole: Yellen, at her speech at the annual gathering of central bankers in Wyoming, is expected to focus on the labor market. Her remarks are slated to begin at 10 a.m. Eastern Time. Yellen has previously outlined the lineup of indicators she’s watching to gauge the health of the labor market, including wages and the number of people working part time who want to work full-time.

The “hawkish noises coming out of the recent [Fed] meeting minutes will add extra spice to what Yellen has to say,” said Richard Perry, market analyst at Hantec Markets, in a Friday note. “It would be surprising if she did anything other than hold a steady ship and that the Fed will maintain an accommodative monetary policy for a considerable period of time.” http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-stocks-futures-slip-ahead-of-yellen-speech-2014-08-22

GameStop soars, Aeropostale sinks, Foot Locker reports earnings Friday
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/gamestop-soars-aeropostale-sinks-foot-locker-reports-earnings-friday-2014-08-21?dist=beforebell

After-hours buzz: Gamestop, Gap, Aeropostale & more
http://www.cnbc.com/id/101938306

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U.S. stocks: S&P 500 on pace for record close; Dow regains 17,000
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) — U.S. stocks advanced Thursday, with the S&P 500 logging its fourth straight daily gain and closing at a record high.

Reports on existing-home sales and manufacturing topped forecasts, and expectations of dovish notes in Friday’s speech from Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen also boosted sentiment.

The S&P 500 SPX, +0.30% gained 5.86 points, or 0.3%, to finish at 1,992.37, topping its July 24 all-time closing high of 1,987.98 to set its 28th record close in 2014. During the session, the index hit an intraday record at 1,994.76. Read more: Why a new all-time high doesn’t mean a crash is due

The Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, +0.36% rose 60.43 points, or 0.4%, to 17,039.56, as the blue-chip index moved back above 17,000 and held about 0.5% below its July 16 record close. The Nasdaq Composite COMP, +0.12% rose 5.62 points, or 0.1%, to 4,532.10.

Today’s market-moving economic data: An August reading for the Philadelphia Fed index, a manufacturing gauge, came in at 28, besting forecasts for a reading of 18, and a manufacturing gauge from Markit also jumped. Meanwhile, sales of existing homes rose 2.4% in July to 5.15 million, above expectations, and initial weekly jobless claims came in basically in line with forecasts.

Thursday’s encouraging economic reports have provided a lift to U.S. stocks, said Kim Caughey Forrest, a portfolio manager and senior equity analyst at Fort Pitt Capital Group. The good news might have been bad news for the stock market, spurring worries the Fed could pull back sooner from its stimulus efforts, but the central bank has been offering “soothing words,” she told MarketWatch.

““It looks like regardless of how long the Fed hawks are talking, the doves are winning at this point,” Forrest said.

Investors further shrugged off the Fed minutes released Wednesday that showed some officials arguing the groundwork should be laid for raising interest rates sooner than expected. A hike is hardly imminent. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-stocks-futures-up-as-fed-china-given-the-brush-off-2014-08-21

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Gold skids 1.5% to two-month low settlement
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Gold futures sank 1.5% to a two-month low settlement Thursday as strong economic data fanned fears of tighter monetary policy. December gold GCZ4, -1.51% fell $19.80 for the session to $1,275.40, its lowest settlement since June 18. U.S. jobless claims dropped by 14,000 to 298,000 in the week ended Aug. 16, according to the Labor Department