Dow stocks hitting 52 week highs include Microsoft (MSFT). There are no Dow stock 52 week lows.

The Market

Premarket today, the Dow was indicated to open down -268 points.

Wednesday the Dow closed down -382.59 (-1.08%) at 34,960.69.

Year-to-date the Dow is up +14.23%.

There were 2 Dow stocks up Wednesday.

The Dow stock winners Wednesday were Salesforce (CRM) 251.22 (+1.71%) and Home Depot (HD) 321.55 (+0.25%).

The Dow stock losers Wednesday were led by Chevron (CVX) 96.70 (-2.71%), Apple (AAPL) 146.36 (-2.55%), IBM (IBM) 139.47 (-2.07%) and Amgen (AMGN) 226.84 (-1.89%).

U.S. stock futures fell Thursday amid growing concern the Federal Reserve’s stimulus removal this year could hinder the economic recovery. The Fed, in the July meeting minutes released Wednesday, indicated the central bank is willing to start reducing its asset purchases before year-end. Those purchases were started last year to help the economy recover from the pandemic-induced recession.

A new measure presented by President Joe Biden will require nursing home staff to get fully vaccinated against Covid. “If you work in a nursing home and serve people on Medicare or Medicaid, you will also be required to get vaccinated,” Biden said Wednesday. Those remarks came after an administration official confirmed that the government will withhold funding for nursing homes that fail to get their staff fully vaccinated. The announcement comes as Covid cases around the country are rising, in large part due to the highly contagious delta variant.

First-time filings for unemployment insurance hit a new pandemic-era low last week, a sign that the jobs market is improving heading into the fall. Jobless claims for the week ended Aug. 14 totaled 348,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That was below estimates for 365,000 and a decline of 29,000 from the previous week.

US futures are lower, European stocks are lower and Asian markets ended lower.

The national average price of gasoline is down three-tenths of a cent at $3.177 per gallon.

Earnings Reports

Nike (NKE) reported earnings on 6/24/2021 after the market close of $0.93, beating estimates of $0.51 per share.

Walgreens (WBA) reported earnings on 7/1/2021 before the market open of $1.51, beating estimates of $1.114 per share.

Goldman Sachs (GS) reported earnings on 7/13/2021 before the market open of $15.02, beating estimates of $10.24 per share.

JPMorgan (JPM) reported earnings on 7/13/2021 before the market open of $3.78, beating estimates of $3.10 per share.

UnitedHealth (UNH) reported earnings on 7/15/2021 before the market open of $4.70, beating estimates of $4.407 per share.

IBM (IBM) reported earnings on 7/19/2021 after the market close of $2.33, beating estimates of $2.252 per share.

Travelers (TRV) reported earnings on 7/20/2021 before the market open of $3.45, beating estimates of $2.346 per share.

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) reported earnings on 7/21/2021 before the market open of $2.48, beating estimates of $2.28 per share.

Coca Cola (KO) reported earnings on 7/21/2021 before the market open of $0.68, beating estimates of $0.566 per share.

Verizon (VZ) reported earnings on 7/21/2021 before the market open of $1.37, beating estimates of $1.303 per share.

Dow (DOW) reported earnings on 7/22/2021 before the market open of $2.72, beating estimates calling for $2.477 per share.

Intel (INTC) reported earnings on 7/22/2021 after the market close of $1.28, beating estimates of $1.057 per share.

American Express (AXP) reported earnings on 7/23/2021 before the market open of $2.80, beating estimates of $1.641 per share.

Honeywell (HON) reported earnings on 7/23/2021 before the market open of $2.02, beating estimates of $1.938 per share.

3M (MMM) reported earnings on 7/27/2021 before the market open of $2.59, beating estimates of $2.245 per share.

Apple (AAPL) reported earnings on 7/27/2021 after the market close of $1.30, beating estimates of $1.001 per share.

Microsoft (MSFT) reported earnings on 7/27/2021 after the market close of $2.17, beating estimates of $1.90 per share.

Visa (V) reported earnings on 7/27/2021 after the market close of $1.49, beating estimates of $1.334 per share.

Boeing (BA) reported earnings on 7/28/2021 before the market open of $0.40, beating estimates of -$0.654 per share.

McDonald’s (MCD) reported earnings on 7/28/2021 before the market open of $2.37, beating estimates of $2.123 per share.

Merck (MRK) reported earnings on 7/29/2021 before the market open of $1.30, missing estimates calling for $1.325 per share.

Caterpillar (CAT) reported earnings on 7/30/2021 before the market open of $2.56, beating estimates of $2.36 per share.

Chevron (CVX) reported earnings on 7/30/2021 before the market open of $1.60, beating estimates of $1.536 per share.

Procter & Gamble (PG) reported earnings on 7/30/2021 before the market open of $1.13, beating estimates of $1.083 per share.

Amgen (AMGN) reported earnings on 8/3/2021 after the market close of $4.38, beating estimates of $4.128 per share.

Disney (DIS) reports earnings on 8/12/2021 after the market close of $0.80, beating estimates calling for $0.565 per share.

Home Depot (HD) reported earnings on 8/17/2021 before the market open of $4.53, beating estimates of $4.427 per share.

Walmart (WMT) reported earnings on 8/17/2021 before the market open of $1.78, beating estimates of $1.562 per share.

Cisco (CSCO) reported earnings on 8/18/2021 after the market close of $0.84, beating estimates of $0.737 per share.

Salesforce (CRM) reports earnings on 8/25/2021 after the market close.

Today’s Featured Dow Stock

Intel (INTC)

Intel (INTC) 52.19 (-0.95%) is up +4.76% in 2021.

Financial Calendar

8:30 AM ET Jobless Claims

8:30 AM ET Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index

10:00 AM ET E-Commerce Retail Sales

10:00 AM ET Leading Indicators

10:00 AM ET Quarterly Services Survey

10:30 AM ET EIA Natural Gas Report

11:00 AM ET 3-Month Bill Announcement

11:00 AM ET 6-Month Bill Announcement

11:00 AM ET 2-Yr FRN Note Announcement

11:00 AM ET 2-Yr Note Announcement

11:00 AM ET 5-Yr Note Announcement

11:00 AM ET 7-Yr Note Announcement

11:30 AM ET 4-Week Bill Auction

11:30 AM ET 8-Week Bill Auction

1:00 PM ET 30-Yr TIPS Auction

4:30 PM ET Fed Balance Sheet