Stock futures rise as Wall Street wraps up its best August in more than 30 years

U.S. stock futures rose on Sunday night as traders were set to end the market’s best August performance since the 1980s.

The S&P 500 is up 7.2{3c4481f38fc19dde56b7b1f4329b509c88239ba5565146922180ec5012de023f} month to date, putting the broader-market index on track for its biggest August gain since 1984. The Dow has rallied more than 8{3c4481f38fc19dde56b7b1f4329b509c88239ba5565146922180ec5012de023f} this month and is also headed for its best August in 36 years.

This month’s gains have pushed the S&P 500 to record levels, officially confirming a new bull market has started. The Dow, meanwhile, erased its 2020 losses on Friday, closing the session with a year-to-date gain 0.4{3c4481f38fc19dde56b7b1f4329b509c88239ba5565146922180ec5012de023f}.

The August rally built on the market’s sharp rebound off the March 23 intraday lows. Since then, the Dow and S&P 500 are up 57{3c4481f38fc19dde56b7b1f4329b509c88239ba5565146922180ec5012de023f} and 60.1{3c4481f38fc19dde56b7b1f4329b509c88239ba5565146922180ec5012de023f}, respectively.

We “had hoped that the market would consolidate its gains since March 23, giving earnings a chance to rebound,” said Ed Yardeni, president and chief investment strategist at Yardeni Research, in a note. “However, Fed officials continue to drive up stock prices by committing to keeping interest rates close to zero for a very long time … Consequently, they are fueling the meltup in stock prices.”

Earlier this year, the Federal Reserve cut rates to zero and launched an open-ended asset-purchasing program to support the economy through the coronavirus pandemic. Last week, the central bank laid out an inflation policy framework that would keep rates lower for longer.

The Dow will kick off the week with three new constituents and with Apple having a much smaller influence on the 30-stock average.

Come Monday’s open, Salesforce, Amgen and Honeywell will be included in the Dow, replacing longtime component Exxon Mobil, Pfizer and Raytheon Technologies. A 4-for-1 Apple stock split will also take effect on Monday.

Traders will also look ahead to Friday, when the latest U.S. jobs report is set for release. Economists polled by Dow Jones forecast that 1.255 million jobs were created in August.

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