Looking for a reason why the Dow Jones Industrial Average today slipped 84 points? Look no further than New York Federal Reserve Bank President William Dudley.
Dudley drew traders' attention today when he announced that an interest rate hike is "possible" in September. Of course, what Dudley didn't say is that while possible, the probability of such a rate hike is extremely low, at least in the expectations of the markets.
According to CME FedWatch, there is just a 2% probability that the central bank will increase rates during the next FOMC meeting. So, yes, it's possible... just very unlikely.
With the Dow Jones, the S&P 500, and the Nasdaq all declining after the three indices hit all-time highs on Monday, investors want to know if now is the time to sell.
Money Morning Capital Wave Strategist Shah Gilani offered his take this morning during an appearance on FOX Business Network's "Varney & Co."
"It's not time to sell," Shah said. "It's time to start getting very cautious and perhaps put on some hedges. The market has too much momentum going higher. Chances are it has a good way to go higher."
In fact, the small sell-off today created several opportunities for investors. Before we get to the breakout possibilities, check out the results for the Dow Jones, S&P 500, and Nasdaq:
Dow Jones: 18,522.02; -84.03; -0.45%
S&P 500: 2,178.15; -12.00; -0.55%
Nasdaq: 5,227.11; -34.90; -0.66%
Now, here's the top stock market news today and related opportunities...
DJIA Today: Dow Slips as Traders Weigh Possible Rate Hike in September
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 84 points on Tuesday after investors weighed Dudley's statement on interest rates. Tomorrow, the U.S. Federal Reserve will release the minutes from its July meeting on monetary policy. Inside, traders will be seeking clues about the central bank's expectations for the labor market and inflation. Dudley's statements were surprising given this morning's announcement that inflation levels fell to their lowest since February.
FANG stocks were back in focus on Tuesday. Shares of all four companies - Facebook Inc. (Nasdaq: FB), Amazon.com Inc. (Nasdaq: AMZN), Netflix Inc. (Nasdaq: NFLX) and Alphabet Inc. (Nasdaq: GOOGL) - slipped on the day. With stocks all in striking distance of their all-time highs, FOX Business asked today if the time to sell the FANG stocks is now. Capital Wave Strategist Shah Gilani has some important tips for investors.
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"No, it's not time to sell them," Gilani said of FANG stocks. "If you're an investor, an average investor, the prudent thing to do is to put some [selling] stops in there, slightly below where you have some level of discomfort... in the meantime, ride this bull market as long as you can. There is no timing that is ever going to be exact or accurate on when to get out. This bull market can continue and investors need to stay with it as long as the market is going forward."
Crude oil prices pushed higher again today as investors anticipate that global oil producers are in talks to reduce production and set a bottom for prices. WTI crude gained 1.7%, while Brent crude prices added 1.7%. Here is where the price of oil is heading after the recent four-day rally.
The big news today happened in the insurance industry. The Obamacare death watch is in full swing after a bombshell announcement by health insurance giant Aetna Inc. (NYSE: AET). The firm will pull out of 11 of 15 states where it provides coverage under the Affordable Care Act. The company argued that it has become too expensive to operate in those states and that the firm needs to reduce its financial exposure to the ACA. The announcement follows similar exit strategies by insurance rivals UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE: UNH) and Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM).
Now, let's look at the day's biggest stock movers....
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Top Stock Market News Today
- Shares of Home Depot Inc. (NYSE: HD) were up more than 0.5% in pre-market hours after the company's Q2 earnings matched Wall Street expectations. The home retailer matched earnings per share (EPS) estimates of $1.97, revenue expectations, and comparable-store sales. The company did hike its forward-looking outlook, but that was slightly below expectations. This morning, Shah Gilani chimed in on whether or not it's time to buy at $136 per share. "It's a little pricey in here," Gilani said. "I think if you own it, you hold on to it, and put a stop on it underneath. I think it has a good opportunity to go higher. I would look for a decent 5% to 15% move on it and then get out."
- Shares of Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL) were up 0.2% on news that Warren Buffett's firm Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK.A) increased its stock holdings by 55% in the previous quarter. Buffett is buying Apple, while other investment titans like Carl Icahn have been reducing their stakes in recent months. We think that Buffett is buying at the right time. Here's why we think AAPL stock is poised to take off over the next few years.
- After the bell, keep an eye out for earnings report from Urban Outfitters Inc. (Nasdaq: URBN), Cree Inc. (Nasdaq: CREE), and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Inc. (Nasdaq: PLKI).
Up Next: One of the best stocks to buy today is up an incredible 228% since we first recommended it, and that's just the start of this stock's long-term gains. In fact, we see this stock doubling again... Click here to read all about it.
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About the Author
Garrett Baldwin is a globally recognized research economist, financial writer, consultant, and political risk analyst with decades of trading experience and degrees in economics, cybersecurity, and business from Johns Hopkins, Purdue, Indiana University, and Northwestern.