U.S. stocks were near all-time highs on Friday as investors weighed the June jobs report, which plays into calculations of a Federal Reserve interest rate cut.
The S&P 500 (^GSPC) slipped just below the flatline in the wake of the report after hitting a record high in the shortened session on Wednesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) fell 0.2%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) rose 0.3%. All three gauges were closed Thursday for the Fourth of July holiday.
The U.S. economy added 206,000 jobs in June, more than Wall Street had expected by 190,000. But the unemployment rate unexpectedly rose to 4.1%, the highest level since November 2021, in another signal the jobs market continues to cool.
Signs of looser conditions in labor data earlier this week reinforced the view that inflation will continue to ease, setting the stage for the central bank to cut interest rates from their current two-decade highs. Traders are now pricing in a 75% chance of a cut in September CME’s FedWatch tool.
The 10-year Treasury yield ( ^TNX ) fell 4.31% in morning trade, continuing its slide for the week.
Investors grappled with Friday’s jobs data to decide whether the slowdown in monthly job growth reflects a normalization in the labor market or the contagion shake-up or early signs of a broader economic slowdown.
Elsewhere, Labour’s landslide victory in the UK elections caught the attention of investors, especially as the US presidential election approaches, monitoring political risk. Donald Trump’s growing lead in the polls and what that means for the markets, as some major donors urge President Joe Biden to step aside.
On the corporate front, Samsung Electronics’ ( 005930.KS ) quarterly profit rose 15 times from a year ago.
Crypto-linked stocks Coinbase Global (COIN) lost 4% and Marathon Digital (MARA) fell 6% in morning trade as Bitcoin (BTC-USD) hit its lowest level against the dollar since February.
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Epic Games says Apple refuses to launch its Europe Games Store
Epic Games, maker of the popular “Fortnite” video game, has rejected its submissions to Apple ( AAPL ) that would allow it to launch a game store in Europe, hampering its efforts.
In response, the game publisher said it had shared its concerns with the European Commission, escalating a long-standing feud between the two companies over Apple allowing buyers direct access outside the App Store.
In A series of X Friday posts, Epic Games said Apple objected to the design, placement and labeling of certain digital buttons in submission documents for its mobile storefront. Epic argues that it uses the same naming conventions in app stores on other platforms and follows standard conventions for buttons in iOS apps.
“Apple’s rejection is arbitrary, capricious and in violation of the DMA, and we have shared our concerns with the European Commission,” Epic said in the filing.
Last month, EU regulators brought their first charges under a new digital competition law against Apple, accusing Apple of preventing app developers from driving customers to more affordable options outside its app store.
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Stocks trending in morning trade
Here are some of the leading stocks on Yahoo Finance’s Trending Tickers page during Friday morning trading.
Tesla (D.S.L.A): Tesla shares retreated some after investors sent the EV maker up 25% last week after the company reported vehicle deliveries that beat Wall Street expectations. More broadly, bullish analysts say investors will expect a positive quarterly report later this month and the unveiling of a robotaxi in early August to create the next phase of the Tesla story. Shares were down less than 1% in morning trading.
Coinbase (currency): The crypto market wobbles and drags down the companies associated with it. The digital asset exchange fell 5%, reflecting falling prices for Bitcoin (BTC-USD), the most popular cryptocurrency and the largest by market cap. Bitcoin fell to its lowest level against the dollar since February. Crypto miner Marathon (MARA) fell 7%, while online broker Robinhood (HOOD) fell 4%.
Macy’s (M): Shares of the troubled department store chain rose as much as 10% Friday morning, Following a statement An investor group has proposed a second time to buy it. The latest offer is $300 million more than the previous one.
Samsung Electronics (005930.K.S): The manufacturing giant gained 3% on Friday morning, with quarterly profit up 15 times from a year ago, lifting shares buoyed by the AI boom to a three-year high.
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