MarketBeat Minute(2023-11-22)

Equity markets stumbled on Tuesday on mixed results from Lowe's and other retailers. The quarterly results were mixed with top-line weakness but margin strength to drive outperformance on the bottom line. Still, it was the guidance that sapped investors' confidence. The guidance points to a weaker-than-expected holiday quarter, but there is a caveat. The caveat is that weaker-than-expected guidance has been the theme in retail all year and offset by better-than-expected reality. If this trend continues, the holiday quarter shouldn't be too bad.

Other news impacting market sentiment includes the FOMC minutes. The minutes from the last meeting gave no indication that a rate cut was near, which isn't what the market wants to hear. The market is ready for the first cuts to start soon so that the housing market can get unstuck, but it could be disappointed. Although the pace of inflation is slowing it is still high, and the FOMC needs to be sure that inflation is tamed, so higher-for-longer is still the name of the game.