Here are the most important news, trends and analysis that investors need to start their trading day:
1. Stocks set to rise after record closes for Dow and S&P 500
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.
NYSE
2. Bitcoin takes breather after surge to over $60,000
Bitcoin dropped 6% on Monday, after jumping Saturday to another all-time high — this time above $60,000. The world’s biggest cryptocurrency has just about doubled this year. It’s soared more than 1,000% over the past 12 months. Bitcoin’s market value climbed back above $1 trillion last week. The incredible rally has been driven by increased adoption by larger institutional investors and firms as well as speculative demand.
3. Treasury yields near 1-year highs ahead of Fed meeting
While the 10-year Treasury yield was actually a bit lower Monday morning, it was only slightly below its more than one-year high of 1.642% on Friday. The rapid rise in yields this year has traders wondering whether the Federal Reserve may be losing control of the direction of interest rates. The Fed’s two-day March meeting begins Tuesday, with questions about how long near-zero rates and extraordinarily easy Covid monetary policy can last.
4. Biden and Harris to sell $1.9 trillion Covid relief plan
President Joe Biden, with Vice President Kamala Harris (R), speaks about the American Rescue Plan in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, DC, on March 12, 2021.
Olivier Douliery | AFP | Getty Images
The Fed is expected to forecast better economic growth after last week’s signing by President Joe Biden of the $1.9 trillion package of fiscal measures designed to help Americans, U.S. businesses and state and local governments dealing with the fallout from the pandemic. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris hit the road this week to sell the Covid stimulus plan, which includes up to $1,400 in direct payments to many people.
5. Fauci warns against lifting U.S. restrictions right now
White House Chief Medical Adviser on Covid-19 Dr. Anthony Fauci listens as US President Joe Biden (out of frame) speaks about the 50 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine shot administered in the US during an event commemorating the milestone in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, DC, February 25, 2021.
Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images
White House Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci is warning state leaders that the nation’s battle with the coronavirus is still “not in the end zone.” He urged Americans to adhere to public health measures despite the ramp-up of vaccinations, pointing to new infection spikes in Europe as a cautionary tale of relaxing too soon. As of Sunday night, the CDC reported that nearly 37.5 million people in the U.S. were fully vaccinated — more than 11% of the nation’s population of over 330 million.
— The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. Get the latest on the pandemic with CNBC’s coronavirus blog.
