Dow Jones Industrial Average Dips Today as FOMC Meeting Looms

Garrett Baldwin

For Sept. 14, 2015, here are your stock market futures, earnings reports, top stock market news, and stocks to watch…

Stock Futures Today

Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average today (Monday, Sept. 14) forecast a 24-point decline as investors look toward this week's critical FOMC meeting. This week, the U.S. central bank will decide whether it will raise interest rates for the first time since 2006, a decision that isn't being taken lightly by investors.

On Friday, the Dow added another 102 points, while the S&P 500 completed its largest weekly gain since July. The S&P 500 was fueled by Gilead Sciences Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD), which added nearly 2% today on news the company completed its $10 billion debt offering. Traders are speculating the biotech giant is poised to make a big acquisition in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, shares of Shake Shack Inc. (NYSE: SHAK) gained more than 13% after receiving a series of upgrades.

Top News in the Stock Market Today

• The Stock Market Today: A light economic calendar in the U.S. hits the markets on Monday, but traders are not going to be lulled to sleep. Investors are keeping a tight eye for any clues related to the critical FOMC meeting in which the U.S. central bank will decide whether to raise interest rates for the first time in nearly a decade.
• Oil Outlook: Oil prices as concerns about the Chinese economy rattled investors again. A new round of data suggested that the country is running below its target growth rate of 7%. This morning, WTI prices were off roughly 0.6% to reach $44.37. Meanwhile, Brent oil prices declined about 1.3% to $47.48 per barrel. Meanwhile, OPEC slashed its supply forecast for non-member suppliers, a sign the ongoing price decline is affecting shale producers across the United States. Last week, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE: GS) predicted oil prices could fall as low as $20 due to oversupply concerns and falling global demand.
• Earnings Reports: Companies reporting quarterly earnings include Hanger Orthopedic Group Inc. (NYSE: HGR) and Energy XXI Ltd. (NYSE: EXXI).

Pre-Market Movers in the Stock Market Today: YHOO, BABA

Garrett Baldwin

About the Author

Browse Garrett's articles | View Garrett's research services

Garrett Baldwin is a globally recognized research economist, financial writer, and consultant with degrees from Northwestern, Johns Hopkins, Purdue, and Indiana University. He is a seasoned financial and political risk analyst, with a focus on stocks, hedge funds, private equity, blockchain, and housing policy. He has conducted risk assessment projects for clients in 27 countries, and consulted on policy and financial operations for some of the nation's largest financial institutions, including a $1.5 trillion credit fund, a $43 billion credit and auto loan giant, as well as two of the largest Wall Street banks by assets under management.

Garrett joined Money Map Press as an economist and researcher in 2011, specializing in alternative strategies with an emphasis on fundamental and technical analysis.

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