Markets News, September 4, 2024: S&P 500, Nasdaq Composite Close Lower as Nvidia Continues Sliding

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The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite finished lower for the second straight day Wednesday, as AI investor favorite Nvidia (NVDA) continued losin🔥g ground while other large-cap♚ tech stocks also slid.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq dropped 0.2% and 0.3%, respectively, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.1%. The major indexes were coming off 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:their worst day since Aug. 5 yeste꧟rday, as September h🏅as started off much the same way as the previous month amid concerns about the health of the U.S. economy and a downturn in tech stocks.

Nvidia shares, which fell nearly 10% on Tuesday, declined another 1.7% today. The stock has slumped over the past week amid concerns about a slowdown in the AI chipmaker's blockbuster growth, while reports late Tuesday that the company 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:received subpoenas from the Justice Department as part of an antitrust investigation also weighed𒉰 on sentiment.

Other mega-cap technology stocks were mostly lower Wednesday, with Apple (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN), Microsoft (MSFT) and Alphabet (GOOGL) losing ground, while Meta Platforms (META) inched higher.

Among other notable movers, Zscaler (ZS) fell 19% after the provider of cloud-based cybersecurity services issued an earnings outlook that came in well below Wall Street expectations. Discount retailer Dollar Tree (DLTR) fell 22%, leading S&P decliners, after reporting weak earnings and lowering its outlook, citing a "challenging" economic environment.

On the economic data front Wednesday, a 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:report on job openings came in lighter than expected, while trade and factory order numbers were in line with economists' estimates. On Tuesday, 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:two indicators of manufacturi♑ng activity showed continued sluggish activity in the sect⛄or, whi🧸ch has been weighed down by high interest rates.

The most highly anticipated event of the week comes Friday, with the release of 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:the August jobs report, whic🔴h investors will be watching closely after a higher-th🏅an-expected July unemployment reading sent markets reeling in early August.

Market participants are watching economic indicators closely to get a sense of how aggressive the Federal Reserve might be in cutting its benchmark interest rate. 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Fed Chair Jerome Powell has signaled that rate cuts are coming, possibly as soon as the September meeting of the central bank's policy committee, but has said that incoming data will drive the decisions on the pace and depth of the 🌟easing.

The president of the Atlanta Fed, Raphael Bostic, said in 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:an essay released Wednesday that the Fed 💫can't wait until annual inflation has fallen to the central bank's 2% target before cutting interest rates. Bostic, a member of the Fed's rate-setting committee, said that "data and our grassroots feedback describe an economy and labor market losing momentum."

The yield on 10-year Treasurys, which is sensitive to expectations around interest rates, was down to around 3.76% Wed𒁏nesday afternoon, from 3.84% yesterday, at its lowest level in a month.

Gold futures were slightly higher at around $2,520 per ounce, while bitcoin rose to around $58,000 after falling to a four-week low near $56,000 earlier Wednesday.

Biggest S&P 500 Movers on Wednesday

September 04, 2024 05:44 PM EDT

Decliners

  • Dollar Tree (DLTR) shares plummeted 22.2%, falling more than any other S&P 500 stock. The discount retailer reported lower-than-expected sales and profits for the second quarter and 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:reduced its full-year guidance. The company said macroeconomic pressure had a growing impact on its middle-income and higher-income customers.
  • Health insurers' shares came under pressure after executives from Centene (CNC) raised 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:concerns about a potential decline in the number of people who receive Medicaid benefits. Speaking at the Wells Fargo 2024 Healthcare Conference, Centene CEO Sarah London said the company's Medicaid business faces continued headwinds related to shifts in the redeterminations process, which determines eligibility for recipients. Centene shares dropped 8.7%, while shares of competitor Molina Healthcare (MOH) were down 7.0%.
  • Shares of Hormel Foods (HRL) lost 6.4% after the maker of Spam, Planters peanuts, and other packaged food brands 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:slashed its full-year sales fo🌞recast. Although Hormel's net income for its fiscal third quarter topped expectations, the company said lower commodity prices and production disruptions at a plant in Virginia dragged on its performance.

Advancers

  • Tesla (TSLA) shares drove 4.2% higher on Wednesday, marking the top performance in the S&P 500, following reports that the electric vehicle (EV) maker intends to 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:launch a six-seat version of its Model🙈 Y car. Sources told Reuters that Tesla plans to start production of the new model in China late next year and has told suppliers to anticipate a double-digit increase in Model Y output from its Shanghai factory.
The Tesla stand at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, China, on July 5, 2024,
The Tesla stand at the World Artificialꦆ Iꦬntelligence Conference in Shanghai, China, on July 5, 2024.

Ying Tang / NurPhoto / Getty Images

  • Shares of Mondelez International (MDLZ), parent company to food brands like Oreo cookies and Philadelphia cream cheese, added 4.2% following positive comments from Evercore ISI. Analysts at the investment banking firm applauded sales gains in the U.S. and Europe, noting the snack company is well positioned to accelerate sales growth in the second half of 2024.
  • Seagate Technology (STX) stock advanced 4.1%. A report by Zacks Equities Research earlier this week highlighted positive short-term price momentum for shares of the data storage technology provider, boosted by upward revisions to earnings estimates.
  • Shares of insulin pump manufacturer Insulet (PODD) gained 2.8%. The stock has posted significant gains since last week, when the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Insulet's Omnipod 5 device for patients with type 2 diabetes.

Health Insurers Tumble on Medicaid Enrollment Concerns

September 04, 2024 03:01 PM EDT

Shares of health insurers lost ground Wednesday as executives at Centene (CNC) warned about a pullback in the number of people receiving Medicaid benefits.

Centene 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sarah London told the Wells Fargo 2024 Healthcare Conference in Everett, Mass., that the company is "still seeing pressure in Medicaid, largely driven by the unprecedented redeterminations pr♏ocess," referring to how recipient eligibility is determine🍌d.

澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Drew Asher s👍aid Centene expects its Medicaid membership to be about 12.9 million to 13.0 million in 2024. That's down from the company's previous estimate of a low of 13.2 million, which it anticipated would climb to 13.6 million by the end of the year. 

Shares of Centene and rivals Molina Healthcare (MOH) and Elevance (ELV) were among the biggest ⛦decliners in the S&P 500 toda🐬y.

-澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Bill McColl

Intel Shares Continue Sliding

September 04, 2024 12:56 PM EDT

Intel (INTC) shares extended their losses Wednesday amid a stretch of bad news, as Reuters reported that recent tests of the chip giant's most advanced manufacturing process conducted by Broadcom (AVGO) failed.

Silicon wafers, which chips are printed on, reportedly were returned to Broadcom last month after they were run through Intel's 18A manufacturing process. A review by Broadcom engineers found that the process isn't ready to be used for high-volume production, Reuters said.

While many♔ chip stocks have surged amid AI demand, Intel shares have lo🅷st about 60% of their value since the start of 2024. The stock was down 2% in early-afternoon trading Wednesday.

Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger delivers a speech at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center during Computex 2024, in Taipei on June 4, 2024.
Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger dꦫelivers a speech during Computex 2024, in Taipei, on June 4, 2024.

I-Hwa Cheng / AFP / Getty Images

Those struggles have accelerated over the last month, with a 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:disappointing earnings report and the announcement that it would lay off about 15% of its employees as part of a larger cost-cutting ☂plan. The earnings report sent shares 26% lower the day after it was released, to their lowest point in over a decade.

The earnings-related fall was followed by reports that concerns have emerged over the company's 澳洲幸运5开奖号🐼码历史查询:planned construction of two new f🔯acilities in Germany. On Tuesday, shares were driven lower by a report that executives are preparing to present plans to 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:cut costs and sell assets amid the company's struggles, and concerns that Intel could 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:potentially face removal from the Dow.

-澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Aaron McDade

GitLab Soars as Outlook Boosted Amid AI Demand

September 04, 2024 11:38 AM EDT

GitLab (GTLB) shares soared Wednesday, a day after it posted better-than-expected results and raised its guidance, becoming the latest tech firm to benefit from the soaring demand for 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:artificial intelligence (AI) products.

The software-development provider reported fiscal 2025 second-quarter adjusted 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:earnings per share (EPS) of ꧋$0.15, with revenue jumping✤ 31% year-over-year to $182.6 million.

The number of customers with annual 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:recurring revenue (ARR) of more than $5,000 increased 19% to 9,314, and those with ARR of more than $100,000 ro𝄹se 33% to 1,076.

GitLab now sees full-year adjusted EPS in the range of $0.45 to $0.47, compared with its earlier forecast of $0.34 to $0.37. It anticipates revenue between $74♕2.0 million and $744.0 million, up from the previous $733.0 million to $737.0 million.

GitLab stock price chart

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GitLab shares were up 19% in recent trading. Despite the surge Wednesday, the stock isꦬ still down nearly 16% since the start of 2024.

-澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Bill McColl

Dollar Tree Tumbles Amid 'Immense Pressures'

September 04, 2024 09:45 AM EDT

Dollar Tree (DLTR) shares tumbled early Wednesday after the 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:discount retailer reported another earnings miss and said it is facing "immense pressures from aꦉ challenging macro environment."

The retailer posted $132.4 million in 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:net income for the second quarter of fiscal 2024, down from $200.4 million last year and well below analysts' estimates. Revenue rose slightly to $7.38 billion but was 🗹still below expectations.

The retailer also lowered sales and profit projections for fiscal 2024, expecting revenue from $30.6 billion to $30.9 billion, down from $31.0 billion to $32.0 billion previously. Adjusted 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:earnings per share are now expecteꦺd to be within a range of $5.20 to $5.60, compared with $6.50 to 🉐$7.00 previously.

Wednesday's results are another disappointment for Dollar Tree, which reported earnings below estimates in the two previous quarters. In its Q1 report, the company said it was 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:exploring "strategic alternatives" including selling or spinning off the Family Dollar brand roughly a decade after acquiring it, while in the prior quarter 澳꧂洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Dollar Tree said it planned to close about 1,000 stores.

Dollar Tree stock price chart

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Dollar Tree shares were down 17% to a seven-year low in recent trad🀅ing.

-澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Aaron McDade

Zscaler Plunges on Disappointing Outlook

September 04, 2024 08:49 AM EDT

Shares in Zscaler (ZS) were down 17% in premarket trading Wednesday after the provider 🐷of cloud-based cybersecurity services issued earnings guidance that came in significantly below analysts' expectations.

Two rallies in the stock up to the 200-day moving average in July and August have been met with consid🎃erable resistance, in🦩dicating underlying selling pressure.

Source: TradingView.com.

Amid earnings-🙈driven weakness, investors should monitor key chart levels at $16ꦫ4, $143, and $135.

Read our full 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:technical analysis piece here.

-澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Timothy Smith

Major Indexes Pointing to Another Lower Open

September 04, 2024 07:59 AM EDT

Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average were down 0.1%✅.

DJIA futures - Sept. 4, 2024

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S&P 500 futures were down 0.3%.

S&P 500 futures - September 4, 2024

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Nasdaq 100 futures were off 0.7%.

Nasdaq 100 futures - September 4, 2024

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