What To Know Before Friday's Market Opens

Today's financial headlines are led by the Labor Department's March jobs report, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's meetings in China, and Ford's announcement of delayed production for its new electric SUV and pickup truck.

In addition, take a look at today's important earnings reports and stocks worth watching.

U.S. employment report (March)

Defying expectations, the U.S. job market remained strong in March, with nonfarm payrolls jumping to 303,000, surpassing February's 270,000 and expectations of 212,000. This growth accompanies a 0.3% rise in average hourly earnings and a drop in unemployment to 3.8%, maintaining a sub-4% rate for 26 months, a first since the 1960s.

These indicators of labor market strength could influence the Federal Reserve's policy, which previously considered three rate cuts this year. However, Fed officials, including Chair Jerome Powell and Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari, advocate for a data-driven approach, suggesting rate cuts may not be imminent if inflation is controlled. This cautious stance is reinforced by unexpected manufacturing gains, hinting at a robust economy that challenges the Fed's rate decisions.

Today's market shows a cautious yet optimistic sentiment, with notable performances by companies like Vail Resorts Inc. highlighting the economy's varied sectors. The Fed faces a complex task of promoting growth while managing inflation, with its upcoming decisions pivotal for the U.S. and global economies.

Today's Earnings

Ford Motor Co.'s stock fell behind competitors Thursday

Ford announced on Thursday a postponement in the launch of its upcoming all-electric large SUV and pickup truck. The debut of the three-row SUV has been rescheduled to 2027, diverging from the original 2025 timeline. Similarly, the release of the pickup, known as “T3”, will now occur in 2026 instead of late 2025.

Ford's strategy includes introducing hybrid variants across its North American range by 2030. This adjustment is attributed to the slower-than-anticipated uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) and persistently high production expenses.

MTN Stock - Double Bottoms (12 Months)

Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN)

Market Cap: 8.642B
P/E Ratio: 35.97
Beta: 1.12
Performance YTD: 6.20%

The stock lies in the middle of a weak rising trend in the short term and a further rise within the trend is signaled.

The Vail Resorts Inc stock holds buy signals from both short and long-term Moving Averages giving a positive forecast for the stock, but the stock has a general sell signal from the relation between the two signals where the long-term average is above the short-term average.

With a consensus target price of $272.83 and a positive 'Buy' consensus from analysts, the outlook for MTN appears optimistic. The high target of $333 further underscores the stock's growth potential, with the DCF analysis suggesting an intrinsic value of $232.51, slightly above its current market price.

Our recommended stop-loss: $213.92 (-5.64%). Read the full analysis >>

Don't miss today: