US PRE MARKET
The S&P 500 Futures is trading at 2,503.38 with a loss of -0.04% percent or -1.12 point.Other U.S. stock futures lower in pre-market trading for December 20.The Dow Futures is trading at 23,292.50 with a loss of -0.09% percent or -20.50 point.The Nasdaq Futures is trading at 6,352.50 with a loss of -0.09% percent or -5.75 point.
THURSDAY’S FACTORS AND EVENTS
For the day the Dow is trading at 23,323.66 with a loss of -1.49% percent or -351.98 point. The S&P 500 is trading at 2,506.96 with a loss of -1.54% percent or -39.20 point. The Nasdaq Composite is trading at 6,636.83 with a loss of -2.17% percent or -147.08 point.
Other leading market index closes included the small-cap Russell 2000 Index closed at 1,349.23 with a loss of -2.03% percent or -27.95 point; the S&P 600 Small-Cap Index closed at 840.46 with a loss of -2.14% percent or -18.40 point; the S&P 400 Mid-Cap Index closed at 1,665.72 with a loss of -1.71% percent or -29.05 point; the S&P 100 Index closed at 1,113.55 with a loss of -1.63% percent or -18.48 point; the Russell 3000 Index closed at 1,472.18 with a loss of -1.57% percent or -23.54 point; the Russell 1000 Index closed at 1,384.27 with a loss of -1.54% percent or -21.64 point;
In overnight trading in the Eastern Hemisphere, Japan’s Nikkei 225 is trading at 20,392.58 with a loss of -2.84% percent or -595.34 point. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng is trading at 25,585.37 with a loss of -1.08% percent or -280.02 point. China’s Shanghai Composite is trading at 2,536.27 with a loss of -0.52% percent or -13.30 point. India’s BSE Sensex is trading at 36,375.02 with a loss of -0.30% percent or -109.31 point at 12:15 PM.The FTSE 100 is trading at 6,733.60 with a loss of -0.48% percent or -32.34 point. Germany’s DAX is trading at 10,654.34 with a loss of -1.04% percent or -111.87 point. France’s CAC 40 is trading at 4,704.47 with a loss of -1.53% percent or -72.98 point. The Stoxx Europe 600 is trading at 337.83 with a loss of -1.07% percent or -3.69 point.
Market focus is largely attuned to the actions of the U.S. central bank, amid mounting speculation the Fed could be tempted to pause monetary tightening on Wednesday.
the Fed’s statement and Chairman Jerome Powell’s subsequent press conference did not suggest that the central bank would slow its pace of rate hikes as quickly as some had hoped.
Markets also took a leg lower on comments the central bank would continue to reduce the size of its balance sheet at the current pace.
“I think that the run-off of the balance sheet has been smooth and has served its purpose,” Powell said during a news conference, before adding: “I don’t see us changing that.”
WEDNESDAY’S ACTIVITY