The Dow Jones news today is highlighted by stocks ticking lower ahead of a busy day of earnings reports and economic data.
Let's look at the numbers from Tuesday for the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq:
Dow Jones: 20,651.30; -6.72; -0.03%
S&P 500: 2,353.78; -3.38; -0.14%
Nasdaq: 5,866.77; -14.15; -0.24%
Today's market highlights:
Ongoing geopolitical tensions have pushed investors into more risk-averse assets.
On Tuesday, the Dow shed a little more than six points as geopolitical instability in North Korea and Syria weighed on investor sentiment. Geopolitical instability pushed the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) to its highest levels in five months.
Oil prices, meanwhile, continue to tick higher on expectations that OPEC will extend its deal to cap excessive crude production in the months ahead.
Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE: DAL) kicks off a busy first-quarter earnings season.
Tesla Inc. (Nasdaq: TSLA) is set to announce the appointment of independent board members.
Volatility sits near five-month high as gold prices continue to tick higher.
A government shutdown looms, and investors can cash in on one profitable fund.
Must See:This Great Depression-Era "Secret" Helped Transform Two Teachers into Millionaires.Read more...
What's Ahead for the Dow Jones Industrial Average Today
Dow Jones futures are down 12 points ahead of the morning trading bell as investors turn their attention to earnings reports. Gold prices have been pushing higher in recent trading sessions thanks to an increase in geopolitical instability. Concerns about North Korea's nuclear threat, Syria's continued civil war, and a potential trade war between the United States and China has the markets on edge.
There is a lot of money to be made in the best gold investments of 2017. Here at Money Morning, we're always recommending gold stocks that are poised for big long-term gains. That's why Money Morning Resource Specialist Peter Krauth is giving our readers access to two investments poised to rally more than 81% and 40%, respectively.
Crude oil prices ticked higher on news that Saudi Arabia wants to extend OPEC's deal to cap excessive production in order to support crude prices.
The WTI crude oil price today added 0.2%, while Brent crude gained 0.41%. Money Morning Global Energy Strategist Dr. Kent Moors just predicted WTI crude oil prices will climb to the low $60 per barrel range in 2017 and sees Brent oil prices per barrel in the mid $60s this year. Higher crude prices will create a wealth of opportunities for investors in the months ahead.
Investors looking to make money in the energy sector should be looking north of the Canadian border. The Canadian oil sands could be one of the most lucrative oil plays in the world. There's an estimated 315 billion barrels of oil in the oil sands in Alberta, and we've identified one stock that could rally as much as 70% in 2017. Read all about our top oil sands stock, right here.
But the big story is the possibility of a government shutdown in late April. The current agreement to fund the government ends on April 28, and a complete shutdown is now more likely than investors think. The prospects of a government shutdown in 2017 are being glossed over by politicians and the media, too. But investors looking to profit from a possible government shutdown can make big profits by investing in one fund that we have identified for our readers. In fact, this fund helped investors make huge gains during the last government shutdown threats in 2011, 2013, and 2015. Check out it out, right here.
Stocks to Watch Today, April 12, 2017:
Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. (Nasdaq: AAL) are in focus after the company raised its first-quarter forward guidance and margin expectations. Shares pushed up nearly 4% Tuesday on the news. The airline giant is also the beneficiary of a massive public relations problem by its rival United Continental Holdings Inc. (NYSE: UAL) after the company kicked a passenger off a flight and caused a massive uproar and calls for a boycott.
Shares of Whole Foods Market Inc. (Nasdaq: WFM) are in focus after activist hedge fund filed a 13D with the SEC regarding its stake in the company. Jana Partners announced it has been building up a stake in the retail grocery giant since February. The activist fund now has an 8.3% stake or 26.31 million shares. The firm also owns options to purchase an additional 3.53 million shares.
The markets will begin trading YEXT stock after it is priced between $8 and $10 per share on Wednesday. The stock will go public for the first time on Thursday. Of course, Money Morning readers are well aware they will not have access to that Yext stock price. Here's what you need to know about the stock and how you should trade it this week.
In earnings news, Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE: DAL) will report first-quarter results before the bell. Wall Street anticipates that company will report earnings per share (EPS) of $0.73 on top of $9.156 billion in revenue.
Look for additional earnings reports from Fastenal Co. (Nasdaq: FAST), Pier 1 Imports Inc. (NYSE: PIR), ClubCorp Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: MYCC), Apogee Enterprises Inc. (Nasdaq: APOG), and Shaw CommunicationsInc. (NYSE: SJR).
Today's U.S. Economic Calendar (all times EDT)
MBA Mortgage Applications at 7 a.m.
Import and Export Prices at 8:30 a.m.
Atlanta Fed Business Inflation Expectations at 10 a.m.
Dallas Federal Reserve Bank President Robert Kaplan speaks at 10 a.m.