The S&P 500 index closed higher for a second consecutive week as signs that the Federal Reserve might be nearing the end of its rate-hike cycle overshadowed disappointing quarterly results from tech sector heavyweights.
Related: Market Recap Week of 10/17/2022 Through 10/21/2022
Deteriorating consumer confidence coupled with a 26-month low in a leading manufacturing index fueled speculation that the Fed could pause or slow further rate hikes to avoid steering the economy into a hard landing.
Wall Street braced for the deluge of third-quarter results as the five biggest names in the technology sector — representing a combined market cap of nearly $7 trillion — all reported last week.
Though Microsoft (MSFT) and Apple (AAPL) beat expectations, investors were not as impressed with Amazon’s (AMZN) downbeat sales forecast. The stock fell to its lowest level since April 2020, nearly torpedoing the entire sector. With the help of bullish results from Enphase Energy (ENPH) and ServiceNow (NOW), the tech sector ended the week 4.28% higher.
While earnings were in focus last week, economic data tempered fears that the Federal Reserve would continue to aggressively raise interest rates to cool the economy. The S&P Global manufacturing PMI slid into contractionary territory, while the corresponding index on the services sector fell to 46.6 from 49.3 the month prior. Housing data painted a bleak picture of the housing market with new home sales down nearly 11% in September, pending home sales down 4%, and home prices dropping another 0.8%.
This week’s focus shifts to the labor market with the release of the ADP private payrolls report, JOLTs, and the all-important Labor Market non-farm payroll report on Friday. The economy is expected to have created 190,000 new jobs in October with the jobless rate inching up to 3.6% from 3.5% in September.
Additionally, the Federal Open Market Committee likely will raise interest rates again next Wednesday with odds favoring a 75-basis-point increase to the Fed funds target rate.
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