|

S&P 500 bears seeking a break of critical support structure

  • S&P 500 under pressure on banking sector concerns. 
  • Plunging deposits at First Republic Bank have reignited worries over the health of the banking sector.
  • S&P 500 is on the backside of bull trend, eyes on critical structures. 

The S&P 500 is firmly down on Tuesday and is printing fresh lows in late trade to 4,074.22. The index has traveled between a high of 4,126.43 and a low of 4,074.07 so far and is losing 1.57% at the time of writing. 

US stocks are on track to end lower on a slew of earnings reports that have come out largely negative has weighed on risk sentiment, especially in the banking sector, bourne out of worrying earnings from First Republic Bank and UBS.

Plunging deposits at First Republic Bank have reignited worries over the health of the banking sector and UBS reporting a 52% slide in quarterly income as it prepares to swallow fallen rival Credit Suisse has not helped to encourage any hunger for risk in the financial markets. The revival of banking sector concerns could be an ongoing theme and that leaves the outlook fundamentally bearish for US equities and the S&P 500 index. 

Meanwhile, Tuesday's economic calendar came with a number of several data points on the housing market and combined with consumer confidence falling to its lowest since July, while the Richmond Fed's survey of manufacturing activity came in at -10 versus a consensus of +4, bears have moved in. 

S&P 500 index

The S&P 500 index has broken structure on the backside of the prior supporting trendline and is embarking on a test of the 4,069 critical support. A pullback could be on the cards at this juncture from such a major support level:

Author

Ross J Burland

Ross J Burland, born in England, UK, is a sportsman at heart. He played Rugby and Judo for his county, Kent and the South East of England Rugby team.

More from Ross J Burland
Share:

Editor's Picks

AUD/USD remains depressed near 0.6950 after RBA minutes

AUD/USD attracts follow-through selling during Tuesday’s Asian session, looking to extend the overnight rejection slide from 0.7000, or a two-week top, following the release of RBA meeting Minutes. The US Dollar retains a bullish undertone near its highest level since April 2025 as energy-driven inflation risks keep December Fed rate hike bets firmly on the table. Adding to this, geopolitical risks further underpin the safe-haven USD.

USD/JPY extends retreat below 158.50 as intervention risks loom

USD/JPY is dropping below 158.50 in the Asian session on Tuesday, snapping a two-day winning streak and pulling back from an over two-week top touched the previous day, despite Japan's soft PPI inflation print. Bulls turn cautious amid speculation that authorities will step in to prop up the Japanese Yen, which, in turn, weighs on the pair.

Gold bulls seem hesitant below $4,200 as hawkish Fed offset USD weakness

Gold retains a mildly positive bias though it remains capped below the $4,200 mark and the top boundary of a two-week-old trading range. The US Dollar retreats from its highest level since April 2025 amid some profit-taking, offering support to the precious metal. However, the US Federal Reserve's hawkish stance and escalating Middle East conflicts could limit deeper losses for the safe-haven buck, keeping a lid on the commodity and warranting some caution for aggressive bulls.

Solana reclaims 50-day EMA amid tokenization expansion

Solana (SOL) trades above $107 on Tuesday, reclaiming the 50-day EMA after closing below it the previous day. Meanwhile, Solana’s tokenization expansion and the upcoming listing of Hong Kong’s second spot Solana Exchange Traded Fund highlight growing institutional interest.

Dollar corrects as markets watch bank earnings
The US Dollar remains broadly strong but is now correcting, with a possible retest of the breakout zone around 102 on the Dollar Index. Equity markets are showing a mixed picture: the S&P 500 and Nasdaq are weaker, while blue-chip indices such as the Dow Jones and DAX are moving higher.
Has Bitcoin really escaped the macro forces it was built to fight?
Over 17 years ago, Satoshi Nakamoto designed Bitcoin (BTC) on the back of a global financial crisis as an alternative to the global monetary system outside the control of central banks, governments and traditional intermediaries. This raises a key question: has Bitcoin really become independent of the macroeconomic forces it was built to challenge?