Are retail stores open on 4th of July? Details on TJ Maxx, Belk, IKEA, more
Most restaurant and grocery chains will also be open on July 4, while banks, post offices, and the stock market will be closed.
The origins of the Fourth of July date back to July 4, 1776, when the U.S. unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence.
However, the annual observation of the holiday only became a regular occurrence after the War of 1812, when events such as groundbreaking ceremonies for the Erie Canal and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad were scheduled to coincide with Fourth of July festivities, according to the Library of Congress. Congress passed a law making Independence Day a federal holiday on June 28, 1870.
Here's what you need to know about retail stores and whether or not they'll be open on Friday, July 4.
Is Target open on the Fourth of July?
Yes, Target stores will be open on July 4, the company told USA TODAY. Store hours vary by location, so check with your local store regarding its specific holiday hours.
Is Walmart open on the Fourth of July?
Yes, Walmart stores will be open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. on the Fourth of July; however, it is best to check with your local Walmart or the online store directory to confirm hours before heading to the store.
Is Costco open on the Fourth of July?
According to Costco's website, warehouses will be closed on Friday, July 4.
Is Sam's Club open on the Fourth of July?
Sam's Club warehouses will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for Plus members, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for Club members on the Fourth of July, according to the company's website.
Is Home Depot open on the Fourth of July?
Home Depot stores will open at their regular time on July 4 and will close at 8 p.m. local time, a company spokesperson told USA TODAY.
Is Lowe's open on the Fourth of July?
Yes, Lowe's stores will be open regular hours on the Fourth of July, the company told USA TODAY.
Is Ace Hardware open on the Fourth of July?
Ace Hardware stores are independently owned and operated, so hours vary by location. Customers are encouraged to contact their local store to confirm business hours on July 4.
Are TJ Maxx, Marshall's or HomeGoods open on the Fourth of July?
All three stores will be open; however, stores will close early at 8 p.m. local time, the company confirmed to USA TODAY.
Is Macy's open on the Fourth of July?
Yes, Macy's stores will be open their regular hours on July 4, the company told USA TODAY.
Is Nordstrom open on the Fourth of July?
Most Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack stores will be open with modified holiday hours, according to the company's website. Store hours vary by location, so it is best to check with your local Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack concerning their specific hours on July 4.
Is JCPenney open on the Fourth of July?
JCPenney stores will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, July 4, a company spokesperson told USA TODAY.
Is Kohl's open on the Fourth of July?
Most Kohl's stores will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, July 4. However, store hours vary by location, so customers are encouraged to check Kohls.com for details regarding their specific store.
Is Sephora open on the Fourth of July?
Sephora store hours vary by location, and customers are encouraged to use the company's store locator for specific store hours.
Is Belk open on the Fourth of July?
A company spokesperson told USA TODAY that Belk stores will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on July 4.
Are Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic or Athleta open on the Fourth of July?
Independence Day hours will vary for each of these stores, and customers are encouraged to contact their local stores for specific hours of operation.
Are Bass Pro Shops or Cabela's open on the Fourth of July?
Most Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's locations will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on July 4, according to their websites.
Some locations are subject to the hours of their malls or shopping centers; therefore, the company recommends checking with your local store for specific holiday hours.
Is REI open on the Fourth of July?
Yes, REI stores will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on July 4, a company spokesperson told USA TODAY.
Is Burlington open on the Fourth of July?
Burlington store hours may vary on the Fourth of July, a company spokesperson told USA TODAY. Customers are encouraged to visit Burlington.com to find specific store hours for their nearest location.
Is IKEA open on the Fourth of July?
Yes, IKEA stores will be open regular hours on July 4, a company spokesperson confirmed to USA TODAY.
Is Petco open on the Fourth of July?
Petco stores will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the Fourth of July, the company told USA TODAY.
Is PetSmart open on the Fourth of July?
Yes, most PetSmart stores will be open on July 4, according to the company's website. However, store hours may vary by location, so it is best to check with your local store for their specific hours.
Are Office Depot and OfficeMax open on the Fourth of July?
Yes, both stores will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on July 4, a company spokesperson told USA TODAY.
Is Tractor Supply Company open on the Fourth of July?
Tractor Supply Co. stores will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Independence Day, a company spokesperson confirmed to USA TODAY.
Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@gannett.com.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
ETFs to Tap July 4 Spending and Travel Trends
The Fourth of July, a cherished American holiday marked by barbecues, fireworks and patriotic festivities, may see subdued celebrations this year as rising costs due to tariffs, inflation and a higher cost of living deter some consumers. However, travel is expected to surpass last year's levels. Total consumer spending for the Fourth of July holiday is expected to reach $8.9 billion, down from $9.4 billion in 2024, according to the National Retail Federation. About 86% of Americans plan to celebrate and spend an average of $92.44 per person this Independence Day, up from $90.42 in 2024. Cookouts, barbecues and picnics continue to be the most popular activity (61%), followed by fireworks and community celebrations (41%). About 13% will travel and 12% will attend a parade. As such, Independence Day marks the beginning of the busiest half of the year for retailers. Many retailers are already flashing exciting deals for the Fourth of July, and massive discounts are in the cards for this day (read: 5 Top-Ranked ETFs of 1H25 Poised to Stay Strong in 2H). Travel is in full swing, with the July 4 week expected to be the busiest ever. AAA projects about 72.2 million people to travel 50 miles or more from home on the weekend (June 28-July 6), up 1.7 million from last year. Of them, a record 61.6 million people are expected to hit the road in the Independence Day week, 5.84 million will fly and 4.78 million are expected to travel by other modes of transportation, including buses, cruises and trains. Low gas prices are encouraging more drivers to hit the road. The national average price of gasoline is expected to be $3.15 per gallon on the Fourth of July, the cheapest gas price for the holiday since 2021, according to Gas Buddy. However, a round-trip domestic flight is 4% expensive than last year, averaging $810, per AAA. Independence Day will be a celebration not just of freedom, but also of economic vitality. Fueled by patriotic spirit, the holiday is expected to boost revenues and profits across multiple sectors. Industries such as travel & leisure, lodging, hospitality, restaurants, and retail are poised to benefit the most. Investors aiming to capitalize on this growth can consider exposure through the following ETFs. AdvisorShares Restaurant ETF (EATZ)AdvisorShares Restaurant ETF is an actively managed fund offering focused exposure to the global restaurant and foodservice industry. It holds 26 securities in its basket with a modest concentration on the top firms. AdvisorShares Restaurant ETF has gathered $3.7 million in its asset base. EATZ charges 0.99% as annual fees and trades in an average daily volume of 1,000 shares. ETFMG Travel Tech ETF (AWAY)ETFMG Travel Tech ETF is the first ETF that offers direct access to the technology-focused global travel and tourism industry. It follows the Prime Travel Technology Index, charging investors 75 bps in annual fees. ETFMG Travel Tech ETF holds 30 stocks in its basket, with American firms accounting for 36%, followed by 16.4% share in Australia and 13.8% in China. It has accumulated $47.5 million in its asset base and trades in an average daily volume of 7,000 Vectors Retail ETF (RTH)VanEck Vectors Retail ETF provides exposure to the 26 largest retail firms by tracking the MVIS US Listed Retail 25 Index, which measures the performance of companies involved in retail distribution, wholesalers, online, direct mail and TV retailers, multi-line retailers, specialty retailers and food and other staples retailers. VanEck Vectors Retail ETF has amassed $246.2 million in its asset base and charges 35 bps in annual fees. It trades in a lower volume of 5,000 shares a day on average. VanEck Vectors Retail ETF has a Zacks ETF Rank #3 (Hold) with a Medium risk outlook (read: Consumer Rebound Boosts Outlook for Discretionary ETFs).AdvisorShares Hotel ETF (BEDZ) AdvisorShares Hotel ETF is actively managed and provides exposure to the global hotel and travel-related services. It holds 30 stocks in its basket, with American firms accounting for about 90% share in the basket. AdvisorShares Hotel ETF charges 99 bps in annual fees and trades in an average daily volume of 1,000 shares. It has amassed $2.7 million in its asset base. U.S. Global Jets ETF (JETS) U.S. Global Jets ETF provides exposure to the global airline industry, including airline operators and manufacturers from all over the world, by tracking the U.S. Global Jets Index. The product holds 50 securities, with American firms accounting for 76% of the assets, followed by Canada, Singapore and Spain. U.S. Global Jets ETF has gathered $819 million in its asset base while seeing a heavy trading volume of nearly 4 million shares a day. It charges investors 60 bps in annual fees and has a Zacks ETF Rank #1 (Strong Buy) with a High risk outlook. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Amplify Travel Tech ETF (AWAY): ETF Research Reports VanEck Retail ETF (RTH): ETF Research Reports U.S. Global Jets ETF (JETS): ETF Research Reports AdvisorShares Restaurant ETF (EATZ): ETF Research Reports This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research
CBS News
39 minutes ago
- CBS News
Former Oakdale Kmart may become new Walmart Neighborhood Market
A Central Valley community may soon get a new Walmart grocery store location in a spot that has been vacant for years. The City of Oakdale announced Thursday that they had received a site plan review application for the former Kmart site along S. Maag Avenue. Officials say the plan would demolish the old Kmart building and replace it with a new, 45,000 square-foot Walmart Neighborhood Market store complete with a drive-thru pharmacy. City staff are now reviewing the plans. They expect the proposal to formally come before the city's planning commission by late summer or early fall. Oakdale's Kmart closed in 2019. It was Stanislaus County's last remaining Kmart store. Walmart Neighborhood Markets are smaller than the box store's regular Supercenter locations and focus on groceries.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Stock market today: S&P 500, Nasdaq climb, set for fresh records after jobs report beat
US stocks popped and aimed for more records on Thursday as investors digested a stronger-than-expected June jobs report that dampened hopes for a Federal Reserve interest-rate cut soon. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) moved up about 0.8%, while the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) rose around 1%, after both indices closed at fresh record highs on Wednesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) gained over 0.8%, with its own record close suddenly back in sight. The jobs report showed an increase of 147,000 jobs added in June, versus expectations of 106,000. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate unexpectedly ticked down to 4.1%, and the May payrolls print was revised higher. Recent signs of a softening in the labor market had given investors a new wave of confidence that a rate cut could come soon. But traders pared bets on rate cuts after the payrolls data, all but taking a July cut off the table. Trump's ongoing feud with its chair, Jerome Powell — particularly reports he may announce a successor early — has further buoyed hopes for a reduction in rates. The president said Powell "should resign immediately" in a social media post late Wednesday, ramping up an already intense White House pressure campaign. Investors are also on alert for fresh developments on the trade front, as countries race to beat the July 9 deadline for the resumption of sweeping tariffs. Trump's trade deal with Vietnam has boosted market sentiment and hopes for more agreements to fend off economic damage from tariffs. Read more: The latest on Trump's tariffs The US has lifted curbs on exports of chip design software to China, a sign of thawing in trade tensions between the world's top two economies. Shares of leading US providers of the software, Synopsys (SNPS) and Cadence Design Systems (CDNS), jumped in premarket trading. Meanwhile, the president's massive tax and spending bill is nearing a final vote after it cleared a key House procedural vote on Thursday. House Speaker Mike Johnson said he has the backing to get the legislation passed by Friday, July 4, Trump's deadline, as Republican leaders win over opponents. US stock trading ends early on Thursday at 1 p.m. ET for the Independence Day holiday. Markets are closed on Friday. Microsoft (MSFT) and Nvidia (NVDA) could both hit $4 trillion in market value this summer, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives believes. Potentially, the "Magnificent Seven" members could reach $5 trillion in over the next 18 months, Ives told clients in a note on Thursday. "We believe tech stocks will have a very strong second half of the year," he said. "Our bullish view is that investors are still underestimating the tidal wave of growth on the horizon from the $2 trillion of spending over the next 3 years coming from enterprise and government spending around AI technology and use cases." Microsoft and Nvidia recently notched record highs after a rocky first half of the year for stocks more broadly. Other market watchers are more skeptical about the AI boom. Legendary short seller Jim Chanos told Bloomberg that the "ecosystem around the AI boom" is similar to the dot-com bubble. 'But it is a riskier revenue stream because if people pull back, they can pull back CapEx very easily. Projects can get put on hold ... and that immediately shows up in disappointing revenues and earnings forecast, if it happens," Chanos said, per the report. 'We're not there yet, but that's one of the risks out there that I think a lot of people are underestimating,' he added. Nvidia (NVDA) reached $3.92 trillion in market cap during intraday trading on Thursday, setting it on track to become the world's most valuable company in history. Shares in the the AI chipmaker were up over 2% at one point in the morning, trading at $160.98 apiece. The current record market cap was set by Apple (AAPL), which notched a $3.915 trillion closing value in December. The iPhone maker's value has dropped since then, as it struggled to catch up to its Big Tech peers on AI and contended with President Trump's threat to hit its overseas-made products with tariffs. Meanwhile, Nvidia's stock has seen a stunning comeback since May: Its most recent quarterly earnings report showed the chipmaker continuing to thrive, despite US restrictions on Chinese use of its chips. The stock has continued to notch fresh record highs since late June. The payrolls report showed more jobs were added in June — a sign that the US labor market was more resilient than anticipated in the final month of the second quarter. But Indeed senior economist Cory Stahle said the report was "not stormproof" and "might not be as solid as it seems on the surface." The job gains were again concentrated in just a few industries, Stahle noted in an analysis out Thursday. Healthcare and social assistance, and state and local government employers accounted for 94% of the total. "The headline job gains and surprising dip in unemployment are undoubtedly good news, but for job seekers outside of healthcare & social assistance, local government, and public education, the gains will likely ring hollow," Stahle wrote. Outside of those industries, employment growth has been "anemic at best", he added, noting the duration of unemployment for the typical unemployed worker seeking a job continues to creep up. "There are real weaknesses in the market — including concentrated job gains, slowing wage growth, and falling participation — that have persisted for months, and there are scant signs of those concerns fading anytime soon," he wrote. Gasoline prices hovered at their lowest level since 2021 heading into the July Fourth holiday, Yahoo Finance's Ines Ferré reports. Read morehere. Meta (META) shares climbed 1.2%, leading the "Magnificent Seven" stocks higher alongside Amazon (AMZN). The gain came after the Facebook parent's stock was upgraded to Hold from an Underperform rating by Needham analyst Laura Martin. Martin cited strength in Meta's labor productivity, measured by free cash flow per full-time employee. "Our upgrade to Hold is driven by our latest labor productivity research that shows that META has had among the strongest labor productivity metrics for the past 4 years," she wrote. In its fiscal year 2024, Meta had a free cash flow of over $730,000 for every full-time employee. That was followed by Apple's $663,457, while the average for big-cap companies covered by Martin was nearly $302,000. Martin said she remained at a Hold rather than a Buy rating partly due to the "uncertain" return on Meta's growing capital expenditures, which have been driven by its investments in AI. Martin said "the larger the spending, the more likely there is waste, in our view." US stocks rose on Thursday morning after a stronger-than-expected June jobs report that showed unemployment ticking down to 4.1%. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) moved up about 0.4%, while the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) advanced 0.6%, after both indices closed at fresh record highs on Wednesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) gained 0.3%. Tech led the gains in stocks Thursday, with Meta (META) and Amazon (AMZN) leading the "Magnificent Seven" Big Tech stocks higher. Meta was up over 2% after an analyst at investing firm Needham upgraded the stock to Hold from Underperform, citing its "strong" labor productivity. A stronger-than-expected June jobs report has traders scaling back bets on when the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates next. Following the report, increasing bets on a July interest rate cut from the Fed reversed. Markets are now pricing in just a 5% chance the central bank lowers rates at its July meeting, down from the 24% odds seen a day prior, per the CME FedWatch Tool. Traders also grew more skeptical of a September move from the Fed. Markets are now pricing in a 78% chance the Fed cuts by the end of its meeting that m, down from a 94% chance seen a day prior. The June jobs report showed the US labor market remained more resilient than anticipated in the final month of the second quarter. The US economy added 147,000 nonfarm payrolls in June, more than the 106,000 expected by economists. The unemployment rate unexpectedly fell to 4.1%. Economists had expected the unemployment rate to move higher, to 4.3%. In May, the US economy added 144,000 jobs while the unemployment held flat at 4.2%. Those figures were revised higher on Friday from a previously reported 139,000 job additions in May. Read more here. Yahoo Finance's Hamza Shaban reports in today's Morning Brief: Read more here. Earnings: No notable earnings releases. Economic data: Nonfarm payrolls (June); Unemployment rate (June); Average hourly earnings; Average weekly hours worked (June); Labor force participation rate (June); Initial jobless claims (week ending June 28); Continuing claims (week ending May 24); Unit labor costs (first quarter final); S&P Global US Composite PMI (June final); ISM Services index (June); Federal Reserve Beige Book released; Durable goods orders (May final) Here are some of the biggest stories you may have missed overnight and early this morning: Investors are all smiles as 'Liberation Day' Part 2 looms June jobs report on deck as Fed rate cut bets heat up House vote moves Trump's megabill toward final vote US lifts chip design curbs on China in sign of thaw OpenAI condemns Robinhood's 'OpenAI tokens' Stock pickers shine, sniffing out value during market tumult Trump aims to shut trade loopholes China uses to evade tariffs Here are some top stocks trending on Yahoo Finance in premarket trading: Datadog, Inc. (DDOG) stock jumped 11% before the bell on Thursday after it was announced it would be joining the S&P 500. Datadog, which makes monitoring and analytic programs, will join the S&P 500 on July 9, replacing Juniper Networks, which was acquired by Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Robinhood (HOOD) stock fell over 1% in premarket trading following OpenAI's statement that Robinhood's sale of 'OpenAI tokens' will not give everyday consumers equity — or stock — in OpenAI, the company said in a post from its official newsroom account on X. Tripadvisor (TRIP) stock rose 6% before the bell following a report that activist investor Starboard Value has taken a stake of more than 9% in the travel review group. UK stocks and bonds bounced back from Wednesday's sharp selloff as Keir Starmer said Rachel Reeves will retain her role as finance minister for many years to come. The British prime minister was attempting to calm speculation about a possible exit of the chancellor of the Exchequer, after he failed to back a tearful Reeves in parliament on Wednesday. The yield on 30-year UK bonds dropped 10 basis points to 5.32%, coming back from a 19 basis point jump on Wednesday. The FTSE 250, which lists UK-focused stocks, moved up 0.5%. US Treasurys were also coming back after getting caught up in the UK gilt turmoil. The benchmark 10-year yield (^TNX) edged down roughly 2 basis points to 4.27% early on Thursday morning, while the 30-year yield (^TYX) slipped to around 4.79%. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. US stock markets will close early on Thursday, July 3, and trading will end at 1 p.m. ET. They will stay shuttered on July 4 for the Independence Day holiday. The stock market will reopen on Monday, July 7, at 9:30 a.m. ET. After that, the remaining holidays in 2025 observed by the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq are: Read more here about the 10 stock market holidays in 2025. Software companies Synopsys (SNPS) and Cadence (CDNS) rose in premarket trading by over 5% after the US removed export restrictions on chip design software shipments to China, easing trade tensions between the two countries. China recently made concessions over its rare earth export controls. Synopsys, Cadence and Siemens said they will now restore access for their Chinese customers. These firms develop important electronic design automation tools used in chipmaking. The US also lifted licensing rules for ethane producers. Earlier restrictions were part of Trump's response to China blocking rare earth exports, which had disrupted supply chains for cars, aerospace and defence industries. Reuters reports: Read more here. Oil prices slipped after posting their strongest gain in nearly two weeks, as investors monitored ongoing US trade negotiations and an upcoming OPEC+ meeting this weekend. Bloomberg reports: Brent (BZ=F) traded near $69 a barrel after surging by 3% on Wednesday, with West Texas Intermediate (CL=F) above $67. President Donald Trump said he had struck a trade deal with Vietnam, which would be just the third announced following agreements with the UK and China, before a July 9 deadline to reach accords. Crude has been buffeted in recent weeks, surging and collapsing along with perceived geopolitical risk in the Middle East, although volatility and volumes have fallen in recent days before Friday's US holiday. Focus is returning to trade talks, and the associated tariffs that threaten oil demand, as well as to Sunday's OPEC+ meeting, where the group is widely expected to agree on another bumper increase in supply quotas. 'While trade optimism provided a boost to oil prices, the sustainability of this move will likely be short-lived,' said Warren Patterson, head of commodities strategy for ING Groep NV. 'OPEC+ is set to decide on August output levels this weekend, and so the market will probably be cautious about carrying too much risk into the US long weekend.' Read more here. Microsoft (MSFT) and Nvidia (NVDA) could both hit $4 trillion in market value this summer, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives believes. Potentially, the "Magnificent Seven" members could reach $5 trillion in over the next 18 months, Ives told clients in a note on Thursday. "We believe tech stocks will have a very strong second half of the year," he said. "Our bullish view is that investors are still underestimating the tidal wave of growth on the horizon from the $2 trillion of spending over the next 3 years coming from enterprise and government spending around AI technology and use cases." Microsoft and Nvidia recently notched record highs after a rocky first half of the year for stocks more broadly. Other market watchers are more skeptical about the AI boom. Legendary short seller Jim Chanos told Bloomberg that the "ecosystem around the AI boom" is similar to the dot-com bubble. 'But it is a riskier revenue stream because if people pull back, they can pull back CapEx very easily. Projects can get put on hold ... and that immediately shows up in disappointing revenues and earnings forecast, if it happens," Chanos said, per the report. 'We're not there yet, but that's one of the risks out there that I think a lot of people are underestimating,' he added. Nvidia (NVDA) reached $3.92 trillion in market cap during intraday trading on Thursday, setting it on track to become the world's most valuable company in history. Shares in the the AI chipmaker were up over 2% at one point in the morning, trading at $160.98 apiece. The current record market cap was set by Apple (AAPL), which notched a $3.915 trillion closing value in December. The iPhone maker's value has dropped since then, as it struggled to catch up to its Big Tech peers on AI and contended with President Trump's threat to hit its overseas-made products with tariffs. Meanwhile, Nvidia's stock has seen a stunning comeback since May: Its most recent quarterly earnings report showed the chipmaker continuing to thrive, despite US restrictions on Chinese use of its chips. The stock has continued to notch fresh record highs since late June. The payrolls report showed more jobs were added in June — a sign that the US labor market was more resilient than anticipated in the final month of the second quarter. But Indeed senior economist Cory Stahle said the report was "not stormproof" and "might not be as solid as it seems on the surface." The job gains were again concentrated in just a few industries, Stahle noted in an analysis out Thursday. Healthcare and social assistance, and state and local government employers accounted for 94% of the total. "The headline job gains and surprising dip in unemployment are undoubtedly good news, but for job seekers outside of healthcare & social assistance, local government, and public education, the gains will likely ring hollow," Stahle wrote. Outside of those industries, employment growth has been "anemic at best", he added, noting the duration of unemployment for the typical unemployed worker seeking a job continues to creep up. "There are real weaknesses in the market — including concentrated job gains, slowing wage growth, and falling participation — that have persisted for months, and there are scant signs of those concerns fading anytime soon," he wrote. Gasoline prices hovered at their lowest level since 2021 heading into the July Fourth holiday, Yahoo Finance's Ines Ferré reports. Read morehere. Meta (META) shares climbed 1.2%, leading the "Magnificent Seven" stocks higher alongside Amazon (AMZN). The gain came after the Facebook parent's stock was upgraded to Hold from an Underperform rating by Needham analyst Laura Martin. Martin cited strength in Meta's labor productivity, measured by free cash flow per full-time employee. "Our upgrade to Hold is driven by our latest labor productivity research that shows that META has had among the strongest labor productivity metrics for the past 4 years," she wrote. In its fiscal year 2024, Meta had a free cash flow of over $730,000 for every full-time employee. That was followed by Apple's $663,457, while the average for big-cap companies covered by Martin was nearly $302,000. Martin said she remained at a Hold rather than a Buy rating partly due to the "uncertain" return on Meta's growing capital expenditures, which have been driven by its investments in AI. Martin said "the larger the spending, the more likely there is waste, in our view." US stocks rose on Thursday morning after a stronger-than-expected June jobs report that showed unemployment ticking down to 4.1%. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) moved up about 0.4%, while the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) advanced 0.6%, after both indices closed at fresh record highs on Wednesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) gained 0.3%. Tech led the gains in stocks Thursday, with Meta (META) and Amazon (AMZN) leading the "Magnificent Seven" Big Tech stocks higher. Meta was up over 2% after an analyst at investing firm Needham upgraded the stock to Hold from Underperform, citing its "strong" labor productivity. A stronger-than-expected June jobs report has traders scaling back bets on when the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates next. Following the report, increasing bets on a July interest rate cut from the Fed reversed. Markets are now pricing in just a 5% chance the central bank lowers rates at its July meeting, down from the 24% odds seen a day prior, per the CME FedWatch Tool. Traders also grew more skeptical of a September move from the Fed. Markets are now pricing in a 78% chance the Fed cuts by the end of its meeting that m, down from a 94% chance seen a day prior. The June jobs report showed the US labor market remained more resilient than anticipated in the final month of the second quarter. The US economy added 147,000 nonfarm payrolls in June, more than the 106,000 expected by economists. The unemployment rate unexpectedly fell to 4.1%. Economists had expected the unemployment rate to move higher, to 4.3%. In May, the US economy added 144,000 jobs while the unemployment held flat at 4.2%. Those figures were revised higher on Friday from a previously reported 139,000 job additions in May. Read more here. Yahoo Finance's Hamza Shaban reports in today's Morning Brief: Read more here. Earnings: No notable earnings releases. Economic data: Nonfarm payrolls (June); Unemployment rate (June); Average hourly earnings; Average weekly hours worked (June); Labor force participation rate (June); Initial jobless claims (week ending June 28); Continuing claims (week ending May 24); Unit labor costs (first quarter final); S&P Global US Composite PMI (June final); ISM Services index (June); Federal Reserve Beige Book released; Durable goods orders (May final) Here are some of the biggest stories you may have missed overnight and early this morning: Investors are all smiles as 'Liberation Day' Part 2 looms June jobs report on deck as Fed rate cut bets heat up House vote moves Trump's megabill toward final vote US lifts chip design curbs on China in sign of thaw OpenAI condemns Robinhood's 'OpenAI tokens' Stock pickers shine, sniffing out value during market tumult Trump aims to shut trade loopholes China uses to evade tariffs Here are some top stocks trending on Yahoo Finance in premarket trading: Datadog, Inc. (DDOG) stock jumped 11% before the bell on Thursday after it was announced it would be joining the S&P 500. Datadog, which makes monitoring and analytic programs, will join the S&P 500 on July 9, replacing Juniper Networks, which was acquired by Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Robinhood (HOOD) stock fell over 1% in premarket trading following OpenAI's statement that Robinhood's sale of 'OpenAI tokens' will not give everyday consumers equity — or stock — in OpenAI, the company said in a post from its official newsroom account on X. Tripadvisor (TRIP) stock rose 6% before the bell following a report that activist investor Starboard Value has taken a stake of more than 9% in the travel review group. UK stocks and bonds bounced back from Wednesday's sharp selloff as Keir Starmer said Rachel Reeves will retain her role as finance minister for many years to come. The British prime minister was attempting to calm speculation about a possible exit of the chancellor of the Exchequer, after he failed to back a tearful Reeves in parliament on Wednesday. The yield on 30-year UK bonds dropped 10 basis points to 5.32%, coming back from a 19 basis point jump on Wednesday. The FTSE 250, which lists UK-focused stocks, moved up 0.5%. US Treasurys were also coming back after getting caught up in the UK gilt turmoil. The benchmark 10-year yield (^TNX) edged down roughly 2 basis points to 4.27% early on Thursday morning, while the 30-year yield (^TYX) slipped to around 4.79%. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. US stock markets will close early on Thursday, July 3, and trading will end at 1 p.m. ET. They will stay shuttered on July 4 for the Independence Day holiday. The stock market will reopen on Monday, July 7, at 9:30 a.m. ET. After that, the remaining holidays in 2025 observed by the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq are: Read more here about the 10 stock market holidays in 2025. Software companies Synopsys (SNPS) and Cadence (CDNS) rose in premarket trading by over 5% after the US removed export restrictions on chip design software shipments to China, easing trade tensions between the two countries. China recently made concessions over its rare earth export controls. Synopsys, Cadence and Siemens said they will now restore access for their Chinese customers. These firms develop important electronic design automation tools used in chipmaking. The US also lifted licensing rules for ethane producers. Earlier restrictions were part of Trump's response to China blocking rare earth exports, which had disrupted supply chains for cars, aerospace and defence industries. Reuters reports: Read more here. Oil prices slipped after posting their strongest gain in nearly two weeks, as investors monitored ongoing US trade negotiations and an upcoming OPEC+ meeting this weekend. Bloomberg reports: Brent (BZ=F) traded near $69 a barrel after surging by 3% on Wednesday, with West Texas Intermediate (CL=F) above $67. President Donald Trump said he had struck a trade deal with Vietnam, which would be just the third announced following agreements with the UK and China, before a July 9 deadline to reach accords. Crude has been buffeted in recent weeks, surging and collapsing along with perceived geopolitical risk in the Middle East, although volatility and volumes have fallen in recent days before Friday's US holiday. Focus is returning to trade talks, and the associated tariffs that threaten oil demand, as well as to Sunday's OPEC+ meeting, where the group is widely expected to agree on another bumper increase in supply quotas. 'While trade optimism provided a boost to oil prices, the sustainability of this move will likely be short-lived,' said Warren Patterson, head of commodities strategy for ING Groep NV. 'OPEC+ is set to decide on August output levels this weekend, and so the market will probably be cautious about carrying too much risk into the US long weekend.' Read more here. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
