The S&P 500 futures were flat on Tuesday due to concerns regarding higher bond yields and fears that the Federal Reserve may not decrease rates as much as expected by Wall Street. Shares of Palantir Technologies surged 18% after posting a revenue beat in the fourth quarter, while NXP Semiconductors also rose more than 2% on better-than-expected results. On Monday, the S&P 500 lost 0.32% from its record high following comments from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell that a rate cut in the central bank’s March meeting is unlikely. The 10-year Treasury yield also rose about 13 points Monday to 4.16%, prompting concerns from Bob Doll, CEO of Crossmark Global Investments, who expressed concerns about the sustainability of the market’s recent rally.
The Federal Reserve’s lack of clarity on rate cuts and rising Treasury yields led to a sell-off in stocks, pulling the S&P 500 down from its record high last week. Concerns around the Fed living up to rate-cut expectations and sustaining double-digit earnings growth have left some investors, including Bob Doll, feeling both invested and nervous about the market dynamics. All eyes were on the upcoming New York Fed household debt and credit report for the fourth quarter on Tuesday, and market watchers were eagerly waiting for several central bank speakers to give comments, including Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester and Boston Fed President Susan Collins. The day also marked the halfway point of the earnings season, with upcoming results from Eli Lilly, Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems, and DuPont in the morning, followed by Amgen, Chipotle Mexican Grill, and Ford after the bell.