5 things to know before the stock market opens Wednesday, Nov. 3

Here are the most essential information, tendencies and evaluation that buyers want to begin their buying and selling day:

U.S. stock futures were little changed Wednesday ahead of the conclusion of the Federal Reserve’s two-day November meeting. Central bankers will almost certainly announce they’re reducing the amount of bonds they buy each month. The Fed’s extraordinary Covid-era monetary policies also include near-zero interest rates, and investors will be looking for signals on when the cost of borrowing may be going up.

CVS Health on Wednesday beat expectations with third-quarter earnings and revenue. The pharmacy chain got a boost from filling more prescriptions and giving more Covid vaccines. CVS raised its forecast for the year. Before adjustments, however, that guidance was revised downward and shares dropped nearly 1% in the premarket. As of Tuesday’s close, CVS shares touched a 52-week high and were up about 33% in 2021. The company’s stock market value was more than $120 billion.

Children ages 5 to 11 will be able to get a Covid-19 vaccine after the CDC cleared Pfizer’s doses for younger kids Tuesday night, allowing many parents across the U.S. to breathe a sigh of relief. Vaccinations for young kids are expected to begin immediately. The FDA granted emergency approval for the shots Friday. The White House said Monday it began the process of moving 15 million doses from Pfizer’s freezers and facilities to distribution centers.

Glenn Youngkin, a wealthy Republican businessman, won Virginia’s hotly contested gubernatorial election, defeating Democratic power player and former Gov. Terry McAuliffe in a race that drew national scrutiny, according to an NBC News projection.

• Potentially even more concerning for Democrats, the governor’s race in New Jersey between incumbent Phil Murphy and Republican Jack Ciattarelli was nonetheless too shut to name.
• Democrat Eric Adams, a former police captain, was elected mayor of New York City. He’ll be the metropolis’s second Black mayor.

— NBC News, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. Follow all the market motion like a professional on CNBC Pro. Get the newest on the pandemic with CNBC’s coronavirus protection.