|

S&P 500 (SPX) falls as hawks circle Santa's rally sleigh

  • Stocks fall as central banks turn hawkish and risk assets move lower.
  • Nasdaq falls over 3%, while S&P and Dow fall over 2%.
  • ECB adds to risk assets woes with an uber-hawk move.

The S&P 500 struggled along with other indices on Thursday as the penny dropped that central banks are not going to reduce their rate hikes. The ECB was notably hawkish, and rumours circulated that members wanted a 75bps hike but Lagarde had to offer a series of 50bps hikes to get an agreement. Stocks naturally fell sharply while yields rose.

S&P 500 (SPX) stock news

European markets are already weaker, but there is some positive news again on the earnings front with US Steel a notable barometer. They said commercial demand is improving. Darden Restaurants also showed the consumer continues to hold up well. With yields rising again as investors digest four central banks hiking 50bps each in the past 24 hours, stocks will struggle. Santa rally? Hmm, let's first see if he is real!

S&P 500 (SPX) forecast

Today sees one of the biggest quadruple witchings in the past 10 years with a huge expiry. That will cause massive volumes and volatility and is likely the year's last major event. The recent range has been 4,100 to 3,900, and we have options strikes at those levels. Direction is very hard to call into such an expiry, but IB assessments are mildly bullish. A break of 3,859 is likely to test 3,745. No strong resistance until 4,100, but sentiment again looks bearish.

SPX daily chart

Premium

You have reached your limit of 3 free articles for this month.

Start your subscription and get access to all our original articles.

Subscribe to PremiumSign In

Author

Ivan Brian

Ivan Brian

FXStreet

Ivan Brian started his career with AIB Bank in corporate finance and then worked for seven years at Baxter. He started as a macro analyst before becoming Head of Research and then CFO.

More from Ivan Brian
Share:

Markets move fast. We move first.

Orange Juice Newsletter brings you expert driven insights - not headlines. Every day on your inbox.

By subscribing you agree to our Terms and conditions.

Editor's Picks

EUR/USD moves sideways below 1.1800 on Christmas Eve

EUR/USD struggles to find direction and trades in a narrow channel below 1.1800 after posting gains for two consecutive days. Bond and stock markets in the US will open at the usual time and close early on Christmas Eve, allowing the trading action to remain subdued. 

GBP/USD keeps range around 1.3500 amid quiet markets

GBP/USD keeps its range trade intact at around 1.3500 on Wednesday. The Pound Sterling holds the upper hand over the US Dollar amid pre-Christmas light trading as traders move to the sidelines heading into the holiday season. 

Gold retreats from record highs, trades below $4,500

Gold retreats after setting a new record-high above $4,520 earlier in the day and trades in a tight range below $4,500 as trading volumes thin out ahead of the Christmas break. The US Dollar selling bias remains unabated on the back of dovish Fed expectations, which continues to act as a tailwind for the bullion amid persistent geopolitical risks.

Bitcoin slips below $87,000 as ETF outflows intensify, whale participation declines

Bitcoin price continues to trade around $86,770 on Wednesday, after failing to break above the $90,000 resistance. US-listed spot ETFs record an outflow of $188.64 million on Tuesday, marking the fourth consecutive day of withdrawals.

Economic outlook 2026-2027 in advanced countries: Solidity test

After a year marked by global economic resilience and ending on a note of optimism, 2026 looks promising and could be a year of solid economic performance. In our baseline scenario, we expect most of the supportive factors at work in 2025 to continue to play a role in 2026.

Avalanche struggles near $12 as Grayscale files updated form for ETF

Avalanche trades close to $12 by press time on Wednesday, extending the nearly 2% drop from the previous day. Grayscale filed an updated form to convert its Avalanche-focused Trust into an ETF with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.