Wall St set for lower open as Home Depot, retail sales data weigh

Reuters

Published May 16, 2023 05:58

Updated May 16, 2023 09:16

By Shreyashi Sanyal and Shristi Achar A

(Reuters) - U.S. stocks were set to open lower on Tuesday after a dour forecast from Home Depot (NYSE:HD) and April retail sales data pointed to consumers feeling the pinch from high inflation and restrictive monetary policy, ahead of crucial debt limit talks.

The Commerce Department reported retail sales rose 0.4% in April, at half the pace against an expected increase of 0.8%. But the underlying trend was solid, despite growing risks of a recession this year.

"The retail sales data has been positive in several months, but it's still weak," said Jamie Cox, managing partner at Harris Financial Group.

"It basically reinforces what we saw from Home Depot this morning. You are probably seeing the end of the decline in retail sales, but it's not going to be a smooth ride from here."

Dow Jones Industrial Average component Home Depot shed 2.5% in premarket trading after the home improvement chain lowered its annual sales forecast, with Americans cutting back on spending on tools and building materials as inflation stays sticky.

Shares of rival Lowe's Companies Inc (NYSE:LOW) fell 2.3%, while retail giant Walmart (NYSE:WMT) Inc slipped 0.6%.

Data recently has pointed to a slowing U.S. economy, which is starting to feel the heat from the Federal Reserve's restrictive monetary policy, and also heightened expectations for when the central bank will pause its hiking cycle.

The main indexes started the week with modest gains, as trading was range-bound amid a wrangling in Washington between the White House and Republicans. They will sit down later in the day to try to make progress on a deal to raise the U.S. government's $31.4 trillion debt ceiling and avert an economically catastrophic default.

"There is little chance we will see a resolution to the U.S. debt ceiling issue today," said Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote Bank.

"The negotiations will likely remain tight as Republicans ask decent spending cuts to accept a debt ceiling relief, while Biden is not willing to compromise on spending into the election year."

At 8:46 a.m. ET, Dow e-minis were down 90 points, or 0.27%, S&P 500 e-minis were down 9.25 points, or 0.22%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 21.25 points, or 0.16%.

Shares of Capital One Financial Corp (NYSE:COF) jumped 6.5% after Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRKa) Inc on Monday disclosed it has begun investing in the consumer lender.