Investing.com - Here’s a preview of the top 3 things that could rock markets tomorrow.
1. Fed Minutes Come After Powell’s Dovish Speech
The market certainly treated Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s speech today as a dovish tilt, raising the possibility of fewer interest rate hikes next year.
Tomorrow, investors will get the chance to parse the minutes of the last FOMC meeting for further signs the Fed is stepping away from its slow-and-steady hike plan.
The Fed kept its benchmark rate in a range of 2% to 2.25% at the conclusion of its two-day policy meeting on Nov. 8, but signaled a plan for further rate hikes in a bid to keep inflation in check, including three likely in 2019.
But Powell’s comments that rates are currently just below neutral led equity investors to speculate that maybe just two more hikes could leave the Fed in the sweet spot.
Traders are currently pricing in a 40.5% chance of a fed funds range of 2.5% to 2.75% following the Fed’s Oct. 30, 2019 meeting, higher than the day before, according to Investing.com’s Fed Rate Monitor Tool. Those predicting rates hitting 2.75% to 3% declined from the previous day.
2. Inflation Data, Pending Home Sales Scheduled
On the economic calendar, the Fed’s favorite inflation gauge, personal consumption expenditures (PCE), excluding food and energy, arrives before the opening bell.
Released with the October personal income and spending numbers at 8:30 AM ET (13:30 GMT), the core PCE price index is expected to come in with a 0.2% rise for the month, an annual gain of 1.9%. The Fed likes to target core PCE inflation below 2%.
Spending and income are both forecast to rise 0.4%.
At the same time, weekly initial jobless claims come out, with economists predicting a slight drop to 221,000.
At 10 AM ET, the National Association of Realtors will release the October figures on pending home sales, coming off disappointing new home sales data today.
On average, economists are looking for a rise of 0.8% for the month.
3. Dollar Tree, Abercrombie on Tap to Report
Retail earnings keep rolling in, with discount store Dollar Tree (NASDAQ:DLTR) reporting ahead of trading. Those long the stock will be hoping to avoid a repeat performance of the previous quarter’s results, where lower guidance slammed shares.
Analysts are predicting a profit of $1.15 per share on sales of about $5.5 billion.
Shares have languished around the same area since the warning on Aug. 30 pushed the stock from the mid-$90s to the low $80s.
Also before the bell in retail, Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE:ANF) will release its latest quarterly numbers.