Global Market Report - May 3, 2018

Markets were mixed after US stocks fell following the Federal Reserve meeting

James Gard 3 May, 2018 | 10:54AM
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn

Asia

Stock markets in the region were mixed on Thursday after a lower close on Wall Street following the Federal Reserve meeting. China’s CSI 300 was up nearly 1% on the day but Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was over 1% lower.

US-China trade talks begin in earnest today with the arrival of US negotiators in Beijing.

Japanese markets were closed for today and tomorrow as part of the Golden Week celebrations.

Europe

Markets in Europe inevitably tracked the weaker sentiment in the US and Asia, with Germany’s Dax and France’s CAC 40 both modestly lower on the day. The FTSE 100 just managed to climb into positive territory in midmorning trading, with banks, housebuilders and commodity firms in the ascendant.

The last of the PMI surveys, services, came in below expectations for April but still above the 50 level that marks the difference between expansion and contraction. Yesterday construction PMI beat expectations, but the day before manufacturing was below forecasts but still expanding at a healthy rate.

Smith & Nephew (SN) was off sharply after lowering its full-year earnings guidance after a tricky first quarter.

North America

After the Federal Reserve meeting this week, investors’ attention now turns to US job numbers for April. The economy is expected to have added 190,000 jobs in the month, against 103,000 in March – a figure that came in below expectations.

Tesla (TSLA) continued its love-hate relationship with the financial community and the media by remaining upbeat despite posting a loss of nearly $800 million for the first quarter. Revenue was up, however, and the electric car firm is expecting to produce 5,000 Model 3 cars a week this quarter. Tesla is rated as a two-star stock by Morningstar equity analysts, meaning it is overvalued - the fair value estimate is $235 a share, against a current price just above $400.

Xerox (XRX) is among the companies reporting on Thursday.

 

 

The information contained within is for educational and informational purposes ONLY. It is not intended nor should it be considered an invitation or inducement to buy or sell a security or securities noted within nor should it be viewed as a communication intended to persuade or incite you to buy or sell security or securities noted within. Any commentary provided is the opinion of the author and should not be considered a personalised recommendation. The information contained within should not be a person's sole basis for making an investment decision. Please contact your financial professional before making an investment decision.

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn

Securities Mentioned in Article

Security NamePriceChange (%)Morningstar
Rating
Smith & Nephew PLC987.80 GBX1.33Rating
Tesla Inc142.05 USD-3.40Rating
Xerox Holdings Corp16.42 USD-0.12Rating

About Author

James Gard

James Gard  is senior editor for Morningstar.co.uk

 

© Copyright 2024 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved.

Terms of Use        Privacy Policy        Modern Slavery Statement        Cookie Settings        Disclosures