Premarket: Bond selloff deepens and stocks drop as oil prices stoke inflation fears

Premarket: Wall Street futures kick off September under pressure as yields, oil prices rise PUBLISHED 2 HOURS AGO UPDATED 15 MINUTES AGO COMMENTS SHARE SAVE FOR LATER Listen to this article Learn more about audio Log in or create a free account to listen to this article. U.S. stock index futures slipped on Tuesday, extending a weak run as elevated bond yields and higher oil prices kept investors at bay at ⁠the start ​of a historically weak month for equities. A sharp increase in rate-hike bets has soured sentiment in recent sessions, while renewed clashes in the Middle East have heightened worries that borrowing costs may need to rise to contain price pressures. The selloff in U.S. Treasuries also pushed ​yields to their highest in months, dampening risk appetite further. ‌Higher yields on risk-free Treasuries typically reduce the appeal of equities. “Yields may not spike into crisis territory, but the low-rate era is unlikely to return soon,” wrote Richard de Chazal, macro analyst at William Blair. “The balance of risks still points to yields remaining elevated.” Investors are also contending with seasonal weakness. Since 1926, the benchmark ‌S&P 500 ​has lost 0.7 per cent on average ‌in September, making it the weakest month for stocks and the only one with a ​negative average return, according to Fisher Investments, which cited data ⁠from Finaeon. Still, historical trends may not be a reason to step away from ⁠stocks, said Anthony Saglimbene, chief market strategist at Ameriprise Financial. “The fundamental backdrop for stocks and the economy is sound. ​We believe investors are better served staying invested through the seasonal chop than trying to time around it,” he added. At 6:33 a.m. ET, Dow E-minis were down 212 points, or 0.4 per cent, and S&P 500 E-minis were down 36.25 points, or 0.47 per cent. Nasdaq 100 E-minis were down 265.25 points, or 0.9 per cent. The ⁠Labor Department’s Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, also known as the JOLTS report, will be in focus later in the session, ahead of the more crucial nonfarm payrolls data on Friday. The reports are expected to be analyzed for clues on the health of the labor market after Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh said taming inflation is the central bank’s ⁠chief focus. “The Fed’s focus remains squarely on inflation. A (payrolls) report ​landing near consensus would reinforce the view that the timing of any future policy shift hinges ⁠more on the path of price pressures than…