background image

NY Open: Wall Street chilled by Chinese cold front

Equities 4 minutes to read

Summary:  US shares are in the red today with Caterpillar and Nvidia leading the charge lower.


The temporary end to the US government shutdown may have brought civil servants in from the cold, but not Wall Street traders. They are getting a frosty reception from China. More accurately, from American companies with substantial interests in China.

Caterpillar (CAT: NYSE) is getting skinned in early trading after the company’s earnings and forward guidance disappointed analysts. CAT earnings per share of $2.55 fell short of expectations of $2.98 and 2019 forward guidance also disappointed, due to lower than expected demand from China. CAT shares dropped 8.0% as of 14:00 GMT.

China was also blamed for NVIDIA (NVDA: NASDAQ) cutting its Q4 revenue guidance to $2.20 billion from $2.70bn, and it doesn’t even report earnings until February 14. NVDA plunged 15.5% in early trading.

The China and Nvidia reports spooked the rest of Wall Street and sparked a broad sell-off in equities. The three major US indices were deep in the red by 14:00 GMT.
USDCAD is the biggest gainer since the New York open, climbing steadily from 1.3225 to 1.3282, supported by the ongoing drop in oil prices. WTI fell from $52.69 to $51.93/barrel during that period; AUDUSD and NZDUSD are only marginally lower.

EURUSD is a tad higher after bouncing around in a 1.1404-1.1428 range. Prices managed to squeeze higher even after European Central bank president Mario Draghi repeated that weak data underscores the need for stimulus. GBPUSD managed to hold on to overnight gains and as of 14:00 GMT, is unchanged.

WTI oil prices snapped a month-long rally when they dropped below $52.50/barrel this morning. A decisive break below $51.80 targets further losses to $50.55/b. Sellers emerged after Saudi Arabian oil minister Khalid al-Falih said the Venezuela oil crisis is not affecting the oil market. Caution around the US/China trade talks also undermined prices.
WTI crude
USOIL (source: Saxo Bank)

This content is marketing material. 

None of the information provided on this website constitutes an offer, solicitation, or endorsement to buy or sell any financial instrument, nor is it financial, investment, or trading advice. Saxo Bank A/S and its entities within the Saxo Bank Group provide execution-only services, with all trades and investments based on self-directed decisions. Analysis, research, and educational content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered advice or a recommendation.

Saxo’s content may reflect the personal views of the author, which are subject to change without notice. Mentions of specific financial products are for illustrative purposes only and may serve to clarify financial literacy topics. Content classified as investment research is marketing material and does not meet legal requirements for independent research.

Saxo partners with companies that provide compensation for promotional activities conducted on its platform. Some partners also pay retrocessions contingent on clients investing in products from those partners.

While Saxo receives compensation from these partnerships, all educational and research content remains focused on providing information to clients.

Before making any investment decisions, you should assess your own financial situation, needs, and objectives, and consider seeking independent professional advice. Saxo does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information provided and assumes no liability for any errors, omissions, losses, or damages resulting from the use of this information.

Please refer to our full disclaimer and notification on non-independent investment research for more details.

Saxo Bank A/S (Headquarters)
Philip Heymans Alle 15
2900 Hellerup
Denmark

Contact Saxo

International
International

All trading and investing comes with risk, including but not limited to the potential to lose your entire invested amount.

Information on our international website (as selected from the globe drop-down) can be accessed worldwide and relates to Saxo Bank A/S as the parent company of the Saxo Bank Group. Any mention of the Saxo Bank Group refers to the overall organisation, including subsidiaries and branches under Saxo Bank A/S. Client agreements are made with the relevant Saxo entity based on your country of residence and are governed by the applicable laws of that entity's jurisdiction.

Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the US and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC.