S&P 500 Erases June Losses After Record Home Sales: Markets Wrap

(Bloomberg) -- U.S. stocks climbed after better-than-estimated economic data overshadowed concern over an increase in coronavirus cases. The dollar advanced and Treasuries were little changed.

The S&P 500 erased its June decline after a report showed U.S. pending home sales posted a record gain, exceeding all forecasts. Boeing Co. led gains the Dow Jones Industrial Average after a 737 Max lifted off from a Seattle airfield with a U.S. Federal Aviation Administration pilot on board. The tech-heavy Nasdaq extended gains as Facebook Inc. wiped out its losses.

The improvement in economic data partly resulted from some states beginning to ease restrictions from lockdowns. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell stressed the importance of keeping the coronavirus contagion contained as the economy bounces back. Florida reported a jump in its double-digit infection rate, New Jersey halted plans for indoor dining and New York City said it’s considering it. As deaths from the virus surpassed 500,000 worldwide and confirmed cases exceeded 10 million, the World Health Organization warned the worst is yet to come.

“There’s a lot of cash on the sidelines,” Tom Lee, co-founder and head of research at Fundstrat Global Advisors, told Bloomberg TV. “It’s not clear what trajectory coronavirus is heading. But I also think because we’re into quarter-end, there’s been some re-balancing. So I’m kind of in the camp that any weakness is short-lived. I would think July is going to be a strong month for stocks.”

U.S. companies are providing reason for hope that an earnings recession may be less severe than analysts expect. The signal comes from a profit-outlook index, compiled by Bloomberg and based on corporate revisions to forecasts.

For almost all of June, the index’s 20-day moving average has exceeded 50, showing more companies raised projections than lowered them. The average peaked June 17 at 63.4, the highest reading in the index’s 20-year history. Analysts estimate that second-quarter earnings for the S&P 500 will plunge 44% after a first-quarter decline of 18%.

Here are some key events coming up:

• Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin testify before the House Financial Services Committee on Tuesday.
• The monthly U.S. jobs report will be released on Thursday.

These are some of the main moves in markets:

Stocks

• The S&P 500 Index rose 1.5% as of 4 p.m. New York time.
• The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 2.3%.
• The Nasdaq Composite Index rose 1.2%.
• The Stoxx Europe 600 Index increased 0.4%.
• The MSCI Asia Pacific Index decreased 1.4%.

Currencies

• The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index gained 0.2%.
• The euro increased 0.2% to $1.1238.
• The Japanese yen depreciated 0.3% to 107.59 per dollar.

Bonds

• The yield on 10-year Treasuries dipped less than one basis point to 0.64%.
• Germany’s 10-year yield rose one basis point to -0.47%.
• Britain’s 10-year yield declined one basis point to 0.163%.

Commodities

• The Bloomberg Commodity Index jumped 1.6%.
• West Texas Intermediate crude rose 3% to $39.63 a barrel.
• Gold increased 0.1% to $1,782.50 an ounce.

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