Stocks look poised for another pullback at the start of Monday’s session, adding to a sharp decline seen on Friday. The Columbus Day holiday has the bond market closed and will likely keep volume low.
Here are some of the stocks to watch for Monday:
- Ford (F) and GM (GM) both lost ground in premarket action after the automakers received downgrades from UBS, with each stock dropping more than 3% before the opening bell. GM was cut from Buy to Neutral, while F had its rating slashed from Neutral to Sell. In making the downgrade, UBS cited the increased risk of a recession, leading to the likelihood of lower demand.
- In another high-profile downgrade, Goldman Sachs cut its rating on Procter & Gamble (PG) to Neutral from Buy. This came as Goldman became more cautious about the consumer staples sector, saying that relative valuation levels for the group have become “daunting” and are “now even richer than the onset of the last recession.”
- Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) was also the subject of analyst commentary. Bank of America argued that the tech giant would face near-term challenges for its iPad product, as the pandemic likely pulled some demand forward.
- Merck (MRK) revealed that its sotatercept product met the main goal in a late-stage clinical trial. The drug was being tested in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Later this week, earnings season will begin to ramp up, with analysts entering the reporting period with downbeat projections.
