5 Things to Know Before the Stock Market Opens

News of the day for September 27, 2024

The Federal Reserve's preferred measure of inflation is due this morning; U.S. stock futures are steady after Thursday's jump and the S&P 500's record close; Costco Wholesale (COST) shares are slipping in premarket trading after disappointing quarterly revenue numbers; almost 1.2 million electricity customers are without power in Florida as Helene slams the state as a Category 4 hurricane; and Intel (INTC) reportedly rebuffs a bid by Arm Holdings (ARM) for its product division. Here's what investors need to know today.

1. PCE Inflation Data Due

Market watchers will be focused on the Fed's preferred inflation measure to gauge the future path of interest rates, after last week's half-percentage-point cut signaled the central bank's view that price pressures are easing. The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) index is expected to have risen 2.3% year-over-year in August, down from 2.5% in July, according to a survey of economists by Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal, but the "core" number is expected to have risen to 2.7% from 2.6%.

2. US Stock Futures Steady After Thursday's Surge

U.S. stock futures are little changed after major indexes surged Thursday, with the S&P 500 closing at a record high after a strong earnings report from Micron (MU) sent chip stocks sharply higher and shares of companies with exposure to the Chinese economy jumped on reports of additional government stimulus. The Nasdaq finished higher for a fourth straight session yesterday, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average inched closer to another record high of its own.

3. Costco Stock Slips as Q4 Revenue Growth Disappoints 

Costco Wholesale (COST) shares are slipping 1% in premarket trading after the warehouse retailer's quarterly revenue missed analysts' expectations as growth slowed. The company's fiscal fourth-quarter sales growth was just 1% year-over-year, offsetting earnings that topped forecasts. Investors will be watching how higher membership fees could affect the company’s results going forward.

4. About 1.2M Electricity Customers Without Power as Helene Slams Florida

Hurricane Helene landed in Florida as a Category 4 storm Thursday night with wind speeds of around 140 miles per hour, with about 1.2 million customers losing power in the state, according to PowerOutage.us. Helene weakened to a tropical storm as it moved farther inland over Georgia, but a "life-threatening storm surge, winds, and heavy rains continue," the National Hurricane Center said.

5. Intel Rebuffs Arm's Bid for Product Unit, Report Says

Troubled chipmaker Intel (INTC) has rejected a bid by chip designer Arm Holdings (ARM) for its product division, Bloomberg reported late Thursday. Earlier this week, the news outlet reported that Apollo Global Management had offered to invest as much as $5 billion in Intel, days after The Wall  Street Journal said that Qualcomm (QCOM) had made a "takeover approach"  for it. Intel shares, which are little changed in premarket trading, are down more than 50% this year. American depositary receipts (ADRs) of Arm are edging lower.

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