U.S. stock index futures fell Tuesday, a year after the bull market started from the pandemic lows, as investors took profits in stocks that will benefit the most from the reopening of the economy.
Futures contracts linked to the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 136 points. S&P 500 futures lost 0.4%. Nasdaq 100 futures fell 0.2%.
The shares of the cruise lines Carnival and Norwegian both fell more than 2% in premarket trading. American Airlines and United Airlines fell about 2% apiece. The stationary retailer Gap also fell slightly.
ViacomCBS, one of the top performers in the S&P 500 since the pandemic lows, lost 4% in premarket trading after it announced it would offer more shares for sale. Stocks are up more than 700% since last March.
Tuesday marks the first anniversary of the market bottoming out when the coronavirus pandemic caused stocks to tumble 30% at the fastest pace in history. Since the March 23 low, both the S&P 500 and the Dow are up more than 75%. The Nasdaq Composite is up more than 90% while the Russell 2000 is up 126%.
“The circle is now complete as stocks have rallied rapidly and hit new highs around the world as the economy recovers at a record pace,” said Ryan Detrick, chief market strategist at LPL Financial.
“This bull has got off to an amazing start, but it is important to remember that it is still young. While volatility pickups would be normal during this period of a strong bull, we think appropriate investors are considering buying The decline. The distribution of vaccines, fiscal and monetary stimulus and a robust economic recovery have our confidence high, “he added.
Regarding the pandemic, a U.S. health agency on Tuesday expressed concern that AstraZeneca may have included outdated information in its Covid-19 vaccine trial results.
The US gives about 2.5 million Covid vaccinations every day. However, the number of new cases is increasing in 21 states as highly infectious varieties spread and governors relax restrictions on businesses.
The Dow ended the session 103 points higher on Monday, up 0.32%. The S&P 500 broke a two-day losing streak, gaining 0.7%. The Nasdaq Composite was the relative outperformer, rising 1.23% for the fifth time in six sessions.
The gains came as 10-year government bond yields fell from a 14-month high last week. The 10-year yield fell again on Tuesday, but this did not boost stock futures.
“While the surge in returns has created volatility, we don’t expect it to break the stock rally,” said Mark Haefele, chief investment officer, UBS Global Wealth Management. “We believe that rising yields reflect growth optimism and expectations for higher inflation.”
On Tuesday, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will make their first joint appearance before the US House Committee on Financial Services. The discussion will focus on monitoring the Treasury and Federal Reserve’s pandemic response.
In prepared comments released ahead of the hearing, Powell noted that the recovery is picking up momentum before adding that there is still a long way to go.
“The recovery has progressed faster than widely expected and appears to be strengthening. This is in large part due to the unprecedented fiscal and monetary policies that have been instrumental in helping households, businesses and communities,” he said in the prepared comments.
“But the recovery is far from over, so we at the Fed will continue to provide the economy with the support it needs while it lasts,” he added.