Morgans AM: Monday, 30 January 2023

US equity markets rallied to cap a strong week that saw investors weigh a host of key corporate earnings releases and key economic data, and as investors eye another busy week ahead on the earnings calendar along with some key global central bank interest rate decisions – Dow edged +29-points or +0.08% higher to book a sixth consecutive session of gains and longest winning streak since late October last year. The broader S&P500 rose +0.25% to 4,070.56, recording its highest settlement since 2 December last year. The Consumer Discretionary sector gained +2.27% to be the leading primary sector performer on Friday (27 January) underpinned by the latest double-digit percentage rally for Tesla Inc (up +11.00%). Electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer Lucid Group Inc spiked +43.00% amid rumours that Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, intended to take the company private. Energy (down -1.99%) was the worst performing primary sector but still sits +4.2% higher year-to-date. With 30% of the Energy sector's 23 companies having reported quarterly results so far, fourth-quarter earnings are expected to have climbed +60% from a year earlier, and +155% for full-year 2022, according to Refintiv IBES. But earnings for the Energy sector are expected to decline -15% this year, the biggest drop among the 11 S&P 500 sectors. Hasbro Inc tumbled -8.11% after the toymaker warned of weak holiday quarter results and said it would cut 1,000 jobs (equating to ~15% of its workforce). The Nasdaq gained +0.95% to 11,621.71, the technology centric indice’s highest close since 14 September last year. Intel Corp dropped -6.41% after the chipmaker’s fourth quarter result released after the closing bell of the previous session fell short of consensus analyst expectations, as did the accompanying outlook. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 rose +0.44% (to be up almost 7% month-to-date).