Stock market as of October 1: S&P500 and NASDAQ close quarter at new highs

[Ben Graham]

At the end of the previous day, American stock indices closed higher. The S&P 500 rose by 0.41%, while the Nasdaq 100 added 0.30%. The industrial Dow Jones climbed by 0.18%.

Today, futures for American stock indices fell, as the deadline to prevent a government shutdown expired. This disrupted the operations of one of the country's largest employers and threatened to delay the publication of key economic data. This has created an atmosphere of uncertainty in financial markets, where investors are already worried about interest rate prospects and a slowdown in economic growth. A delay in the release of economic reports, such as the employment report, could make it more difficult for the Federal Reserve System to assess the state of the economy and to make decisions about monetary policy. As a result, this could increase market volatility and complicate company planning concerning investments and hiring.

In addition to the economic consequences, the government shutdown is also affecting the daily lives of millions of Americans. National parks are being closed, the issuance of passports has been suspended, and there are delays in the provision of social services. All these factors can create significant inconveniences and lead to public dissatisfaction.

Contracts for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 indices fell by 0.5% after the failure of a temporary funding bill that was meant to prevent economic paralysis. The dollar declined, while gold reached a record high, surpassing $3,875 per ounce. Asian stock indices fell by 0.2%. Treasury bonds remained mostly unchanged, with the yield on 10-year bonds at 4.15%. Futures indicated a somewhat weak start of trading for European stocks.

The United States government began shutting down after a dispute between Democratic lawmakers and President Donald Trump regarding healthcare spending. The President raised the stakes in the conflict, stating that his administration could permanently lay off many federal employees in the event of a shutdown.

FBB Capital Partners noted that serious problems could arise if the shutdown led to an information vacuum regarding employment and inflation data before the next Fed rate decision. They also pointed out that, since stocks and their prices were close to previous highs, negative news could trigger a major correction in the near future.

According to estimates by the Congressional Budget Office, about 750,000 employees will be sent on unpaid leave, which would result in $400 million in losses per day. This, in turn, could affect spending and negatively impact the economy.

Regarding the technical picture for the S&P 500, the main goal for buyers today is to overcome the nearest resistance at $6,660. Achieving this will help demonstrate growth and open the possibility for a move to the new level of $6,672. Keeping control at $6,682 is also an important task for bulls, which would strengthen the buyers' positions. In case the price moves down amid reduced risk appetite, buyers must step in around $6,648. A break below this level would quickly push the trading instrument back to $6,638 and open the way to $6,630.

The material has been provided by InstaForex Company - www.instaforex.com