Circuit Breaker Halts Nasdaq 100 Futures
NASDAQ 100 futures [NDZ9>NDZ9] sold off sharply on the open and traded down 60 points (its daily limit), halting trading temporarily as prescribed by exchange rules. The contract recovered somewhat after re-opening approximately twelve minutes later and finished down 53.50 at 3015.5. December Dow futures [DJZ9>DJZ9] fell 114.0 to 11,028.0 and the S&P futures [SPZ9>SPZ9] lost 15.20 to 1412.00.
A weaker-than-expected durable goods order from the Commerce Department had little effect on interest rate products today: March T-bonds [USH0>USH0] ended 2/32 lower at 94 9/32. The December contract ended 4/32 lower at 113 04/32.
Dollar index futures [DXZ9>DXZ9] moved higher despite lower bond and equity prices. The December contract ended .14 higher at 100.76. Japanese yen [JYZ9>JYZ9] also gained, adding .0059 to .9628 on continued optimism about the Japanese economy. The Swiss francs [SFZ9>SFZ9] fell .0016 to .6437.
Crude oil [CLF0>CLF0] fell 2.33% despite Iraq’s cessation of exports in protest of nine-year sanctions and OPEC’s declaration it would not increase shipments to make up the shortfall. Heating oil [HOF0>HOF0] also fell .0128 to .6812 but unleaded gas [HUF0>HUF0] held its ground, losing just .0065 to close at .7268.
From the Multiple Days Low Volatility List, February gold [GCG0>GCG0] popped above a recent consolidation range, rising 3.5 to 300.8. March silver [SIH0>SIH0] rose 8.4 to 531.6.
February pork bellies [PBG0>PBG0], from the Pullback Off Highs List, rose their daily limit (3.000) and closed at a contract high of 78.000. December lean hogs [LHZ9>LHZ9] followed suit, rising to a 5-month high and closed 1.175 higher at 56.250.
Coffee [KCH0>KCH0] fell for a fourth consecutive day, losing 2.65 to close at 112.05. Coffee did show strength toward the end of the session, ending on its high of the day. March cocoa [CCH0>CCH0] rose 10 to 876.