A lack of catalysts led to a decline in market activity on Monday, as buyers withdrew and sellers dominated trading. While cash equity volumes remained steady, selling pressure was evident in stocks like Nvidia, Amazon, Meta, Tesla, and Microsoft. The absence of buyers resulted in equities falling under the weight of these selling flows.Markets reacted to comments from Federal Reserve officials, including Chair Jay Powell and Governor Michelle Bowman, but their remarks provided little new information for interest rates. Bowman expressed concerns about the Fed being behind the curve, citing a fragile labour market. Economic indicators such as the core PCE inflation and jobless claims may influence future Fed decisions.

Market Dynamics

The S&P 500 ended the day down 0.6%, reflecting selling dynamics after a flat trading start. The tech and consumer discretionary sectors lagged, while energy stocks gained. Treasury yields decreased, and a solid 2-year Treasury auction occurred with little impact from PMIs. Currency markets showed mixed results, with notable activity in Australian and Latin American forex pairs. In commodities, platinum rose significantly, raising questions about market trends, while gold faced minor profit-taking.