Pre-Market Report – Tuesday 30 July: US Markets Tread Water - SPI Down 55 - Quarterlies Continue

Wall Street ended virtually flat overnight ahead of a big week of tech earnings, Fed interest rate decisions and US labour data all due this week. The Dow slid 49 points (-0.12%). S&P 500 and NASDAQ finished near flat, up 0.08% and 0.07%, respectively. Small caps Russell 2000 underperformed, down 1.09% and Wall Street's ‘fear gauge’ the VIX rose 2.41%. Mcdonald's shares gained 3.7% despite reporting a surprise drop in sales, its first in 13 quarters, as executives pledge to launch new promotions. Telsa jumped 5.6% after Morgan Stanley added it to its “top pick” US autos list. Bitcoin hit seven-week highs before easing a touch resulting in some choppy trading in Crypto stocks. Coinbase fell 3.59%, while Marathon Digital and Riot Platforms fell over 5% each. US treasuries barely budged. 10Y yield eased 2.3bps, and 2Y yield rose 1.6bps. Markets are expecting a Hold from the Fed this week, while the consensus is that the Fed will cut in September, with the probability sitting at 88.7%, according to CME FedWatch tool.  ASX to slip. SPI Futures down 55 points (-0.69%).COMMODITIESUnion at BHP's Escondida mine urges rejection of contract offer, strike possible.Trump effect in clean tech sector deepens angst in Europe's boardrooms.Aluminium at 4-month low on short positions buildup, high inventory.Gold slips as dollar gains, traders eye Fed meeting.Dalian iron ore pares losses on better China data, stimulus hopes.Oil falls 2% as Israel seeks to avoid broader Middle East conflict.Why not sign up for a free trial? Get access to expert market insights and manage your investments with confidence. Ready to invest in yourself? Join the Marcus Today community.