Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, November 15, 2022.
Brendan McDermid | Reuters
Here are the most important news items that investors need to start their trading day:
The producer price index, which gauges inflation in wholesale prices, came in softer than expected Tuesday, which helped push stocks slightly higher. The tech-heavy Nasdaq has outperformed the S&P 500 and the Dow so far this week. Investors are also weighing the latest earnings data from big retailers, such as Walmart and Home Depot, which reported Tuesday, and Target and Lowe’s, which reported Wednesday. It’s a mixed bag heading into the holiday season. While Walmart and Home Depot shares performed well after their reports, Target is in dire straits (see below), and Lowe’s offered murky guidance as the year heads toward its end. The Census Bureau is slated to report October retail sales data at 8:30 a.m. ET, as well. Read live market updates here.
The exterior of a Target store in Los Angeles, California before the start of business on August 17, 2022.
Robyn Beck | AFP | Getty Images
The good news? Target made a great deal of progress in eliminating piles of unwanted merchandise. The bad news? The cost of doing so, through markdowns and other means, weighed heavily on its profit in the most recent quarter, resulting in an approximately 50% year-over-year decline. The ugly news? Even with all those...
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is in "good health" and suffered only minor injuries during the February 28 strikes, senior Iranian officials said on Friday, dismissing mounting speculation...