We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience.
This includes personalizing content and advertising.
By pressing "Accept All" or closing out of this banner, you consent to the use of all cookies and similar technologies and the sharing of information they collect with third parties.
You can reject marketing cookies by pressing "Deny Optional," but we still use essential, performance, and functional cookies.
In addition, whether you "Accept All," Deny Optional," click the X or otherwise continue to use the site, you accept our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, revised from time to time.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
Pre-Market Futures Are Up on Latest Hopes for a Peace Plan
ADP Payrolls Surprised Higher to 109K
DIS, CVS, NVO and MAR All Beat Estimates Solidly
Wednesday, May 6th, 2026
Pre-market futures are up nicely this morning as “Peace in the Middle East” once again grabs headlines. The U.S. has paused its three-day blockade at the Gulf of Oman, allowing for safe passage of commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz. Peace talks are reportedly underway with a one-page “Memo of Understanding,” but without many details cited.
Based on the rhetoric from both sides over the past several weeks, a major breakthrough would seem to be a stretch of logic in the near-term. Nevertheless, hope springs eternal. WTI and Brent crude prices dipped below $100/bbl, while the Dow is up another +421 points at this hour, +0.87%, the S&P 500 is +53 points, +0.74%, the Nasdaq +321, +1.14% and the small-cap Russell 2000 — leading major indexes for a second-straight day — is currently +38 points, +1.35%.
Private-Sector Jobs from ADP Surprises Higher: +109K
It’s the first Wednesday of a new month, so we’re greeted ahead of the open with the latest private-sector jobs report from Automatic Data Processing (ADP). A higher-than-expected +109K new private-sector jobs filled in April is the strongest print we’ve seen since January of 2025, and above the +84K analysts were projecting. (The prior month was revised downward slightly to +61K.)
Goods-producing jobs gained +15K for the month, with Services positions +94K — more or less where the normal ratio breaks down. Small firms (sub-50 employees) and large businesses (500+ workers) led the way with +65K and +42K, respectively, while medium-sized companies grew by only +2K. Those who changed their job in the month averaged +6.6% wage gain; job stayers averaged +4.4%.
In terms of industry, Education/Healthcare led the way again, unsurprisingly: +61K. Trade/Transportation/Utilities was next at +25K, followed by Construction +10K and Leisure/Hospitality +4K. Professional/Business Services shed -8K positions in the private sector last month. The good news, looking past the obvious strength in Healthcare, was that we’re starting to see “green shoots” in industries that a year ago were seeing negative growth.
ADP Chief Economist Nela Richardson visited the set of CNBC’s “Squawk Box” this morning, and was able to shed some light on these numbers, like she usually does: “Hiring at small firms tend to be more part-time, lower paying jobs… (thus we’re) replac(ing) jobs with lower pay and fewer hours… Healthcare is (still) driving everything, including home healthcare,” which are not currently under threat of replacement by AI.
Earnings Reports at a Glance This Morning: DIS, CVS, NVO & More
The Walt Disney Company (DIS - Free Report) reported its first quarterly earnings results under new CEO Josh D’Amaro, and results were solid. Earnings of $1.57 per share amounted to a +5.37% outperformance, while revenues of $25.17 billion outpaced estimates by +0.41%. Shares had been down -11.7% year to date, but are growing +5.4% on the fiscal Q2 earnings news. For more on DIS’ earnings, click here.
CVS Health (CVS - Free Report) — the full-service healthcare firm that owns Aetna insurance, Oak Street Health clinics and CVS pharmacies — surpassed expectations on Q1 earnings by +16.29% to $2.57 per share this morning. Revenues of $100.43 billion bettered estimates by +6.41%. Shares are up +6% in early trading, adding to the stock’s +1.68% gains year to date. For more on CVS’ earnings, click here.
GLP-1 Wegovy manufacturer Novo Nordisk (NVO - Free Report) posted a +19.5% beat on its bottom line this morning, with earnings of $1.04 per share easily zipping past the $0.87 in the Zacks consensus. Shares are up +5.35% in today’s pre-market on the news, filling in roughly half of the stock’s -11.8% hole year to date.
Marriott (MAR - Free Report) shares are flat on the hotelier’s +5.4% earnings beat in its Q1 report this morning, to $2.72 per share. Revenues of $6.65 billion in the quarter was +0.90% ahead of expectations. Shares had already gained +14% year to date. For more on MAR’s earnings, click here.
View the Zacks #1 Rank List
Image: Bigstock
ADP +109K: Job Growth on Lower-Paying Work
Key Takeaways
Wednesday, May 6th, 2026
Pre-market futures are up nicely this morning as “Peace in the Middle East” once again grabs headlines. The U.S. has paused its three-day blockade at the Gulf of Oman, allowing for safe passage of commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz. Peace talks are reportedly underway with a one-page “Memo of Understanding,” but without many details cited.
Based on the rhetoric from both sides over the past several weeks, a major breakthrough would seem to be a stretch of logic in the near-term. Nevertheless, hope springs eternal. WTI and Brent crude prices dipped below $100/bbl, while the Dow is up another +421 points at this hour, +0.87%, the S&P 500 is +53 points, +0.74%, the Nasdaq +321, +1.14% and the small-cap Russell 2000 — leading major indexes for a second-straight day — is currently +38 points, +1.35%.
Private-Sector Jobs from ADP Surprises Higher: +109K
It’s the first Wednesday of a new month, so we’re greeted ahead of the open with the latest private-sector jobs report from Automatic Data Processing (ADP). A higher-than-expected +109K new private-sector jobs filled in April is the strongest print we’ve seen since January of 2025, and above the +84K analysts were projecting. (The prior month was revised downward slightly to +61K.)
Goods-producing jobs gained +15K for the month, with Services positions +94K — more or less where the normal ratio breaks down. Small firms (sub-50 employees) and large businesses (500+ workers) led the way with +65K and +42K, respectively, while medium-sized companies grew by only +2K. Those who changed their job in the month averaged +6.6% wage gain; job stayers averaged +4.4%.
In terms of industry, Education/Healthcare led the way again, unsurprisingly: +61K. Trade/Transportation/Utilities was next at +25K, followed by Construction +10K and Leisure/Hospitality +4K. Professional/Business Services shed -8K positions in the private sector last month. The good news, looking past the obvious strength in Healthcare, was that we’re starting to see “green shoots” in industries that a year ago were seeing negative growth.
ADP Chief Economist Nela Richardson visited the set of CNBC’s “Squawk Box” this morning, and was able to shed some light on these numbers, like she usually does: “Hiring at small firms tend to be more part-time, lower paying jobs… (thus we’re) replac(ing) jobs with lower pay and fewer hours… Healthcare is (still) driving everything, including home healthcare,” which are not currently under threat of replacement by AI.
Earnings Reports at a Glance This Morning: DIS, CVS, NVO & More
The Walt Disney Company (DIS - Free Report) reported its first quarterly earnings results under new CEO Josh D’Amaro, and results were solid. Earnings of $1.57 per share amounted to a +5.37% outperformance, while revenues of $25.17 billion outpaced estimates by +0.41%. Shares had been down -11.7% year to date, but are growing +5.4% on the fiscal Q2 earnings news. For more on DIS’ earnings, click here.
CVS Health (CVS - Free Report) — the full-service healthcare firm that owns Aetna insurance, Oak Street Health clinics and CVS pharmacies — surpassed expectations on Q1 earnings by +16.29% to $2.57 per share this morning. Revenues of $100.43 billion bettered estimates by +6.41%. Shares are up +6% in early trading, adding to the stock’s +1.68% gains year to date. For more on CVS’ earnings, click here.
GLP-1 Wegovy manufacturer Novo Nordisk (NVO - Free Report) posted a +19.5% beat on its bottom line this morning, with earnings of $1.04 per share easily zipping past the $0.87 in the Zacks consensus. Shares are up +5.35% in today’s pre-market on the news, filling in roughly half of the stock’s -11.8% hole year to date.
Marriott (MAR - Free Report) shares are flat on the hotelier’s +5.4% earnings beat in its Q1 report this morning, to $2.72 per share. Revenues of $6.65 billion in the quarter was +0.90% ahead of expectations. Shares had already gained +14% year to date. For more on MAR’s earnings, click here.
Questions or comments about this article and/or author? Click here>>