10 things you need to know before the opening bell
Here's what you need to know before the markets open.
1. 'Central banks are on their A game': Stocks, oil, and bitcoin rally as stimulus efforts temper coronavirus fears. "We need to see a further decline in volatility and price stabilization before crying victory," one analyst cautioned.
2. 'An unprecedented surge in layoffs': Goldman Sachs says US jobless claims could spike to a record 2.25 million this week. Goldman's forecast would mark an eight-fold increase, more than tripling the previous record set in 1982.
3. Bitcoin price rockets as investors look for a new safe haven. 'The crypto king is on fire.' The cryptocurrency had been down 30% year-to-date amid a sell-off fueled by coronavirus fears.
4. US power industry may ask key employees to live at work if coronavirus worsens. Employers could ask essential staff to live on site at power plants and control centers, Reuters reported, and have been stockpiling beds, blankets, and food for them.
5. Inditex considers 25,000 temporary layoffs in Spain. The fashion giant behind Zara could lay off all of its shop staff in Spain if the country's state of emergency extends beyond April 15.
6. Steep capacity cut leaves airlines with overhedged jet fuel headache. "We do have an overhedged position and that will come at a cost," Qantas Airways' finance chief told analysts.
7. Tesla's China car registrations fall 35% month-on-month in February. Overall auto sales in China plunged 79.1% in February, marking their biggest-ever monthly decline as coronavirus hammered sales.
8. Stocks rallied. In Europe, Germany's DAX rose 3.7%, Britain's FTSE 100 rose 1.6%, and the Euro Stoxx 50 rose 3.3%. In Asia, China's Shanghai Composite rose 1.6% and Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 5.1%, while Japan's Nikkei slid 1%. US stocks were set to rally. Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and Nasdaq futures were up between 1% and 2.6%.
9. Key earnings are out. Jewelry giant Tiffany & Co. is the highlight.
10. Interesting data is on the docket. Existing home sales will be closely watched.