Skip to content

Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Beat the street: Investors eye Fed speak; data; earnings; McDonald’s; Caterpillar

Traders brace for a full week as they eye Fed speakers and data points including PMIs and inflation for more clues as to when US rates might come down. US stocks also pressured by rising Treasury yields.

Video poster image

McDonald’s unveils its first quarterly sales miss in almost four years. Caterpillar benefits from a rebound in the US residential market and higher infrastructure spending.

(AI Video Summary)

Dow Jones, S&P 500 and Fed updates

In today's edition of "Beat the street" , Angeline Ong talks about the financial markets before Wall Street opens. She mentions that US stocks are feeling the pressure from increasing Treasury yields, and investors are eagerly anticipating more earnings and the timing of a US rate cut. McDonald's is not doing well because they are seeing low demand in the Middle East, China, and India. However, Caterpillar is doing great because of the growing housing market in the US and increased spending on infrastructure.

Ong gives an overview of the Dow Jones and the S&P 500, two important stock market indices. She says that both are expected to have a cautious start but have recently reached record highs. Then, Chris Vecchio in New York talks about the Fed's influence on different asset classes and the potential disconnect between stocks and other assets. Vecchio emphasises the importance of earnings from companies and speeches by Fed officials in the days to come.

Earnings season updates

She mentions that around 80% of companies in the S&P 500 have reported, and their estimated collective profits are up by 7.8% compared to last year. Ong points out that McDonald's has disappointed with weak first quarter sales, especially in international markets, while Caterpillar has performed well due to high demand in construction.

She also briefly talks about Novo Holdings' acquisition of Catalent, a drug maker, and provides updates on major tech companies like Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft, Meta Platforms, Apple, Tesla, and Facebook.

S&P 500 chart and oil updates

Next, Axel Rudolph analyses the S&P 500 chart and suggests that as long as the index stays above recent lows, there is a greater chance of further gains. Ong concludes the video by briefly mentioning oil prices and the cautious opening of US markets, which have seen four consecutive weeks of gains.

This information has been prepared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary.

Seize your opportunity

Deal on the world’s stock indices today.

  • Trade on rising or falling markets
  • Get one-point spreads on the FTSE 100
  • Unrivalled 24-hour pricing

See opportunity on an index?

Try a risk-free trade in your demo account, and see whether you’re on to something.

  • Log in to your demo
  • Try a risk-free trade
  • See whether your hunch pays off

See opportunity on an index?

Don’t miss your chance – upgrade to a live account to take advantage.

  • Get spreads from one point on the FTSE 100
  • Trade more 24-hour indices than any other provider
  • Analyse and deal seamlessly on smart, fast charts

See opportunity on an index?

Don’t miss your chance. Log in to take your position.

Live prices on most popular markets

  • Equities
  • Indices
  • Forex
  • Commodities


Prices above are subject to our website terms and agreements. Prices are indicative only. All share prices are delayed by at least 15 minutes.

Prices above are subject to our website terms and agreements. Prices are indicative only. All shares prices are delayed by at least 15 mins.

Plan your trading week

Get the week’s market-moving news sent directly to your inbox every Sunday. The Week Ahead gives you a full calendar of upcoming economic events, as well as commentary from our expert analysts on the key markets to watch.


For more info on how we might use your data, see our privacy notice and access policy and privacy webpage.

You might be interested in…

Find out what charges your trades could incur with our transparent fee structure.

Discover why so many clients choose us, and what makes us a world-leading provider of spread betting and CFDs.

Stay on top of upcoming market-moving events with our customisable economic calendar.