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Technology companies led a broad slide for stocks on Wall Street Monday, handing the market a downbeat start to the month after notching strong gains in November.

Industrial, communication services and financial stocks also accounted for a big share of the sell-off. Energy stocks notched the biggest gain, aided by a 1.4% increase in the price of U.S. crude oil. Bond yields rose.

Trade tensions flared with China’s diplomatic retaliation for U.S. support of protesters in Hong Kong, putting investors in a selling mood. The selling accelerated after the U.S. government issued weak manufacturing and construction spending reports.

Wall Street has been hoping that the world’s two biggest economies can make progress toward at least stalling new tariffs scheduled for Dec. 15 on $160 billion worth of Chinese products, including smartphones and laptops. The latest friction between Washington and Beijing could hamper that progress.

“The market is getting increasingly anxious that it’s possible, perhaps not likely, that the tariffs are imposed on Dec. 15, thus escalating the tariff trade war,” said Quincy Krosby, chief market strategist at Prudential Financial.

The S&P 500 index fell 27.11 points, or 0.9%, to 3,113.87. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 268.37 points, or 1%, to 27,783.04.

The Nasdaq lost 97.48 points, or 1.1%, to 8,567.99. The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks gave up 16.92 points, or 1%, to 1,607.58.

The S&P/ASX 200 index looks set to sink lower on Tuesday. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 index is expected to fall 1.2% or 84 points at the open.

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http://www.dailyjournal.net/2019/12/02/financial-markets-26/

US stocks stumble amid trade tensions, weak economic data
By ALEX VEIGA and DAMIAN J. TROISE -
12/2/19 4:52 PM

Technology companies led a broad slide for stocks on Wall Street Monday, handing the market a downbeat start to the month after notching strong gains in November.

Industrial, communication services and financial stocks also accounted for a big share of the sell-off. Energy stocks notched the biggest gain, aided by a 1.4% increase in the price of U.S. crude oil. Bond yields rose.

Trade tensions flared with China’s diplomatic retaliation for U.S. support of protesters in Hong Kong, putting investors in a selling mood. The selling accelerated after the U.S. government issued weak manufacturing and construction spending reports.

Wall Street has been hoping that the world’s two biggest economies can make progress toward at least stalling new tariffs scheduled for Dec. 15 on $160 billion worth of Chinese products, including smartphones and laptops. The latest friction between Washington and Beijing could hamper that progress.

“The market is getting increasingly anxious that it’s possible, perhaps not likely, that the tariffs are imposed on Dec. 15, thus escalating the tariff trade war,” said Quincy Krosby, chief market strategist at Prudential Financial.

The S&P 500 index fell 27.11 points, or 0.9%, to 3,113.87. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 268.37 points, or 1%, to 27,783.04.

The Nasdaq lost 97.48 points, or 1.1%, to 8,567.99. The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks gave up 16.92 points, or 1%, to 1,607.58.

Bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 1.82% from 1.77% late Friday.

The stumbling start to December is a departure from the market’s strong performance last month. The S&P 500 closed out November with its best monthly gain since June. Last week also marked the benchmark index’s seventh weekly gain in eight weeks. In that time span, the S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq each set multiple record closing highs.

Investor optimism that the U.S. and China were nearing a trade deal helped spur the market’s milestone-setting run this fall, lifting it from a summer slide brought on by recession fears and uncertainty over trade.

The negotiations to end the longstanding trade war could face a tougher path this month following a flareup over Hong Kong, however.

China said Monday it will suspend U.S. military ship and aircraft visits to the semi-autonomous territory and sanction several American pro-democracy groups in retaliation against Washington for enacting into law legislation supporting anti-government protests.

The law, signed last Wednesday by President Donald Trump, mandates sanctions on Chinese and Hong Kong officials who carry out human rights abuses and requires an annual review of the favorable trade status that Washington grants Hong Kong.

In other trade developments, President Trump on Monday accused Argentina and Brazil of hurting American farmers through currency manipulation and said he’ll slap tariffs on their steel and aluminum imports to retaliate.

Both South American nations were among a group of U.S. allies that Trump had exempted from steel and aluminum tariffs in March 2018. United States Steel climbed 4.2% and AK Steel rose 4.7% after Trump’s remarks.

New data on manufacturing and construction spending also helped drag stock indexes lower Monday.

U.S. manufacturing shrank more than expected in November, according to figures released by the Institute for Supply Management.

Solid job growth, along with consumer spending, have been among the key factors pushing economic growth. But manufacturing has been a weak spot in the broader economy. Still, investors were not expecting the latest data to show further weakness, Krosby said.

“That triggered the market’s concerns about the economic underpinning of the economy,” she said.

Homebuilders fell broadly after the government report showing that spending on construction projects declined unexpectedly in October. Hovnanian Enterprises slumped 6.9%.

Other key reports are due out this week which should help shed light on the health of the economy.

A report on the services sector, which makes up the bulk of the economy, is expected on Wednesday, as is payroll processor ADP’s latest survey of hiring by private companies. The Labor Department will release its closely watched employment data on Friday.

Technology stocks were the biggest drag on the market Monday. Many of the companies in that sector rely on China for sales and supply chains and can become very volatile with new developments in trade negotiations. Adobe fell 2.2% and Microsoft slid 1.2%.

Industrial and communication services companies also moved lower. Honeywell shed 2.4% and Netflix dropped 1.5%.

Energy stocks held up the best as oil prices rose. Halliburton gained 1.4%.

Companies that make or sell consumer goods such as cigarettes, food and beverages also eked out a gain. Hormel Foods added 2% and Campbell Soup rose 1.4%.

Benchmark crude oil rose 79 cents to settle at $55.96 a barrel. Brent crude oil, the international standard, gained 43 cents to close at $60.92 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline fell 2 cents to $1.57 per gallon. Heating oil climbed 1 cent to $1.89 per gallon. Natural gas rose 5 cents to $2.33 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold fell $3.30 to $1,462.30 per ounce, silver fell 13 cents to $16.84 per ounce and copper fell 1 cent to $2.63 per pound.

The dollar fell to 108.98 Japanese yen from 109.48 yen on Friday. The euro strengthened to $1.1078 from $1.1017.

European markets closed broadly lower Monday.
 
Stocks closed broadly lower and bond prices rose sharply on Wall Street Tuesday after President Donald Trump cast doubt over the potential for a trade deal with China this year.

Technology companies, banks and industrial stocks accounted for much of the sell-off, which extended the S&P 500’s losing streak to a third day. Utilities and real estate stocks rose as traders favored less-risky assets.

Trump said he has “no deadline” for a trade deal and doesn’t mind waiting until after the 2020 election to make one. Investors had been hoping for a deal this year, or at least enough progress to stave off new U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods, including smartphones and laptops, scheduled to start Dec. 15.

Tensions between the two nations flared anew last week after Trump signed legislation expressing U.S. support for pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong.

“We’re running out of time and the markets are finally woken up to ‘Hey, there’s a risk out there and maybe things aren’t going to be all good after all,’” said Randy Frederick, vice president of trading & derivatives at Charles Schwab.

The S&P 500 index fell 20.67 points, or 0.7%, to 3,093.20. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 280.23 points, or 1%, to 27,502.81. The index was briefly down 457 points.

The Nasdaq dropped 47.34 points, or 0.6%, to 8,520.64. The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks gave up 4.95 points, or 0.3%, to 1,602.63.

The S&P/ASX 200 index looks set to sink lower for a second day in a row. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 index is expected to fall 0.9% or 62 points at the open.

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https://apnews.com/383776a6a1f647fdbc83c636b721ff3d

US stocks fall for 3rd straight day over more trade worries
By ALEX VEIGA

Stocks closed broadly lower and bond prices rose sharply on Wall Street Tuesday after President Donald Trump cast doubt over the potential for a trade deal with China this year.

Technology companies, banks and industrial stocks accounted for much of the sell-off, which extended the S&P 500’s losing streak to a third day. Utilities and real estate stocks rose as traders favored less-risky assets.

Trump said he has “no deadline” for a trade deal and doesn’t mind waiting until after the 2020 election to make one. Investors had been hoping for a deal this year, or at least enough progress to stave off new U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods, including smartphones and laptops, scheduled to start Dec. 15.

Tensions between the two nations flared anew last week after Trump signed legislation expressing U.S. support for pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong.

“We’re running out of time and the markets are finally woken up to ‘Hey, there’s a risk out there and maybe things aren’t going to be all good after all,’” said Randy Frederick, vice president of trading & derivatives at Charles Schwab.

The S&P 500 index fell 20.67 points, or 0.7%, to 3,093.20. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 280.23 points, or 1%, to 27,502.81. The index was briefly down 457 points.

The Nasdaq dropped 47.34 points, or 0.6%, to 8,520.64. The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks gave up 4.95 points, or 0.3%, to 1,602.63.

Stocks have been racking up losses this week, giving up some of the market’s solid gains from a strong November rally fueled partly by investor optimism about the prospects for a trade deal between Washington and Beijing.

Pressure has been building on both sides to complete what Trump has called a limited “Phase 1” deal before the new tariffs on Chinese goods kick in Dec. 15.

“We’re less than two weeks away from new tariffs that will be implemented on a bunch of consumer goods that have never had tariffs on them, and I think that’s when the consumer really starts to feel the pain,” Frederick said.

Wall Street is also weighing the potential for an expanded series of trade disputes. On Tuesday, Trump proposed tariffs on $2.4 billion in French products in retaliation for a tax on global tech giants including Google, Amazon and Facebook. That follows a threat Monday to raise tariffs on steel and aluminum from Argentina and Brazil.

The lack of a trade deal before the year ends could mean the market is in for a turnaround from a strong, record-setting November. The S&P 500 had its best month since June with a 3.4% gain because of cooling trade tensions and optimism that a resolution to the dispute was near.

Two days of deflated hopes has already sent the S&P 500 about 1.5% lower and the tech-heavy Nasdaq has slipped 1.7%.

December is a typically solid month for the stock market, with the S&P 500 making gains regularly since the last recession ended in 2009. Last year, though, fears about a recession and rising interest rates hurt the major indexes.

Technology stocks led the losses Tuesday. The sector is highly sensitive to twists in the trade dispute because many of the companies rely on China for sales and supply chains. Apple slumped 1.8% and Intel fell 2.8%.

Bank stocks also suffered heavy losses as investors headed for the safety of bonds and pushed yields lower. Banks rely on higher bond yields to charge more lucrative interest rates on mortgages and other loans. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell sharply to 1.72% from 1.83% late Monday.

Bank of America shed 1.8% and Citigroup fell 1.6%.

Utilities and real estate companies held up the best as investors shifted money to the safe-play sectors.

Traders sent shares in Cleveland-Cliffs 10.7% lower after the iron-ore miner said it will pay $1.1 billion for steel maker AK Steel. U.S. steel producers have struggled since the Trump administration put a 25% steel tariff into place last year. Domestic demand has slumped as oil and gas drillers pull back on purchases of steel pipe. The price for hot rolled steel has slid almost 30% this year. AK Steel rose 4.2%.

Lands’ End vaulted 21% after the clothing maker reported surprisingly good fourth-quarter earnings and raised its profit forecast for the year.

Benchmark crude oil rose 14 cents to settle at $56.10 a barrel. Brent crude oil, the international standard, slipped 10 cents to close at $60.82 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline fell 1 cent to $1.56 per gallon. Heating oil declined 1 cent to $1.88 per gallon. Natural gas rose 11 cents to $2.44 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold rose $15.90 to $1,478.20 per ounce, silver rose 29 cents to $17.13 per ounce and copper fell 2 cents to $2.61 per pound.

The dollar fell to 108.57 Japanese yen from 108.98 yen on Monday. The euro strengthened to $1.1082 from $1.1078.

Asian and European markets closed lower.
 
Stocks closed broadly higher Wednesday amid renewed hopes on Wall Street that a U.S. trade deal with China may be nearing, despite tough recent talk from President Donald Trump.

The gains snapped a three-day losing streak for the S&P 500, though the benchmark index remains on track for a weekly decline.

The market has swung sharply for months on every hint of progress about talks between the world’s largest economies, and the latest flip-flop followed a report from Bloomberg News saying U.S. negotiators expect a “Phase 1” trade agreement to be completed before U.S. tariffs are set to rise on Chinese products Dec. 15.

The report came a day after Trump said he wouldn’t mind waiting until after the 2020 elections for a deal, a remark that officials reportedly called off the cuff but nevertheless sent markets skidding.

“The trade war will be the key driver of sentiment in the immediate few weeks,” DBS Group analysts wrote in a report.

Health care and financial stocks drove much of Wednesday’s rally. Energy companies notched the biggest gain following a 4.2% increase in the price of U.S. crude oil. Materials stocks ended essentially flat.

The S&P 500 rose 19.56 points, or 0.6%, to 3,112.76. Despite recovering some losses, the index is still down 0.9% for the week.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 146.97 points, or 0.5%, to 27,649.78. The Nasdaq composite gained 46.03 points, or 0.5%, to 8,566.67. The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks picked up 11.27 points, or 0.7%, to 1,613.90.

After a couple of very disappointing days of trade, the S&P/ASX 200 index looks set to return to form on Thursday. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 index is expected to jump 59 points or 0.9% at the open.

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https://www.usnews.com/news/busines...cks-follow-wall-street-lower-on-trade-worries

Stocks Rise Broadly; S&P 500 Ends 3-Day Losing Streak
Stocks closed broadly higher amid renewed hopes on Wall Street that a U.S. trade deal with China may be nearing, despite tough recent talk from President Donald Trump.
By Associated Press, Wire Service Content Dec. 4, 2019, at 4:58 p.m.

By ALEX VEIGA and STAN CHOE, AP Business Writers

Stocks closed broadly higher Wednesday amid renewed hopes on Wall Street that a U.S. trade deal with China may be nearing, despite tough recent talk from President Donald Trump.

The gains snapped a three-day losing streak for the S&P 500, though the benchmark index remains on track for a weekly decline.

The market has swung sharply for months on every hint of progress about talks between the world’s largest economies, and the latest flip-flop followed a report from Bloomberg News saying U.S. negotiators expect a “Phase 1” trade agreement to be completed before U.S. tariffs are set to rise on Chinese products Dec. 15.

The report came a day after Trump said he wouldn’t mind waiting until after the 2020 elections for a deal, a remark that officials reportedly called off the cuff but nevertheless sent markets skidding.

“The trade war will be the key driver of sentiment in the immediate few weeks,” DBS Group analysts wrote in a report.

Health care and financial stocks drove much of Wednesday’s rally. Energy companies notched the biggest gain following a 4.2% increase in the price of U.S. crude oil. Materials stocks ended essentially flat.

The S&P 500 rose 19.56 points, or 0.6%, to 3,112.76. Despite recovering some losses, the index is still down 0.9% for the week.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 146.97 points, or 0.5%, to 27,649.78. The Nasdaq composite gained 46.03 points, or 0.5%, to 8,566.67. The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks picked up 11.27 points, or 0.7%, to 1,613.90.

Treasury yields also recouped some of their sharp drops from earlier in the week. Rising optimism on trade means less demand for safe investments, and when prices for Treasurys fall, their yields rise.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 1.77% from 1.71% late Tuesday. It was at 1.83% on Monday.

The stock gains are the first so far this month since the market closed out a strong November rally that brought major indexes to all-time highs.

Surprisingly good company earnings and solid economic data have helped keep investors in a buying mood this fall against a backdrop of optimism that the U.S. and China were nearing a trade deal.

Beyond China, Trump has been pushing ahead on trade disputes all around the world recently. On Tuesday, he proposed tariffs on $2.4 billion in French products in retaliation for a tax on global tech giants including Google, Amazon and Facebook. That follows a threat Monday to raise tariffs on steel and aluminum from Argentina and Brazil.

The trade war has hurt manufacturers and weighed on economic growth around the world. Central banks have cut interest rates and unloaded stimulus to help spur growth. In the U.S., a strong job market is helping to prop up the economy.

A report on the U.S. job market came in surprisingly weak, which could raise doubts about what’s been the strongest part of the economy. Private employers added just 67,000 jobs last month, according to payroll processor ADP. That’s roughly half of October’s hiring pace and weaker than economists expected.

The more comprehensive jobs report from the Labor Department will arrive on Friday, and it will likely have a bigger impact on the market.

A separate report showed that U.S. services industries grew last month, but not as quickly as economists expected.

Traders shrugged off the mixed economic data Wednesday.

“This market is trading under the assumption that global growth has put a bottom in and is in the process of recovering, and nothing in the data we’ve seen today disputes that conclusion,” said Scott Ladner, chief investment officer at Horizon Investments.

A rebound in the price of crude sent oil-related stocks to the market’s biggest gains. Energy stocks in the S&P 500 rose 1.6% for the biggest gain among the 11 sectors that make up the index. Halliburton rose 4.2%, and Devon Energy added 4.6%.

Benchmark U.S. crude climbed $2.33, or 4.2%, to $58.43 per barrel as members of OPEC prepare to meet later this week and vote on production levels. Brent crude, the international standard, rose $2.18, or 3.6%, to $63.

Financial stocks were strong after a rise in interest rates boosted profit expectations for companies making loans and sitting on large investment portfolios. JPMorgan Chase rose 2%, and Regions Financial gained 1.6%.

Expedia Group climbed 6.2% after the company shook its leadership and expanded its stock buyback program.

In other commodities trading, wholesale gasoline rose 4 cents to $1.60 per gallon and heating oil climbed 4 cents to $1.92 per gallon.

Natural gas fell 4 cents to $2.40 per 1,000 cubic feet. Gold slid $4.20 to $1,474.00 per ounce and silver dropped 33 cents to $16.80 per ounce. Copper, which often moves with expectations for global economic strength, rose 3 cents to $2.64 per pound.

The dollar rose to 108.93 Japanese yen from 108.57 yen on Tuesday. The euro weakened to $1.1075 from $1.1082.

European stock indexes finished higher, while Asian markets sank.
 

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Wall Street capped a wobbly day of trading Thursday with slight gains for the major stock indexes as technology companies and banks outweighed declines elsewhere in the market.

The muted trading came as investors looked ahead to a key government report on jobs and kept an eye on developments in the negotiations to end the trade war between the U.S. and China.

Investors are hoping that the world’s two biggest economies will reach a trade deal before new U.S. tariffs go into effect Dec. 15 on some popular products made in China, including smartphones.

They’re also looking for more clarity on the health of the economy. They’ll get a better sense of that Friday, when the Labor Department issues its November tally of hiring by nonfarm employers.

“You’ve had some mixed economic data this week, so the market probably wants to wait and see what we get tomorrow morning,” said Willie Delwiche, investment strategist at Baird.

The S&P 500 index rose 4.67 points, or 0.2%, to 3,117.43. Even with the latest gain, the benchmark index is on track for a weekly loss, though it’s still up 24.4% for the year.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 28.01 points, or 0.1%, to 27,677.79.

The Nasdaq added 4.03 points, less than 0.1%, to 8,570.70. The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks picked up 0.94 points, also less than 0.1%, to 1,614.83.

The S&P/ASX 200 index looks set to continue its push higher on Friday. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 index is expected to rise 9 points or 0.1% at the open.

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https://apnews.com/6939ff224ee14338a8c7ff41daa1c55d

Stocks end wobbly day with slight gains ahead of jobs report
By ALEX VEIGA

Wall Street capped a wobbly day of trading Thursday with slight gains for the major stock indexes as technology companies and banks outweighed declines elsewhere in the market.

The muted trading came as investors looked ahead to a key government report on jobs and kept an eye on developments in the negotiations to end the trade war between the U.S. and China.

Investors are hoping that the world’s two biggest economies will reach a trade deal before new U.S. tariffs go into effect Dec. 15 on some popular products made in China, including smartphones.

They’re also looking for more clarity on the health of the economy. They’ll get a better sense of that Friday, when the Labor Department issues its November tally of hiring by nonfarm employers.

“You’ve had some mixed economic data this week, so the market probably wants to wait and see what we get tomorrow morning,” said Willie Delwiche, investment strategist at Baird.

The S&P 500 index rose 4.67 points, or 0.2%, to 3,117.43. Even with the latest gain, the benchmark index is on track for a weekly loss, though it’s still up 24.4% for the year.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 28.01 points, or 0.1%, to 27,677.79.

The Nasdaq added 4.03 points, less than 0.1%, to 8,570.70. The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks picked up 0.94 points, also less than 0.1%, to 1,614.83.

Wall Street has been assessing disappointing economic data this week in the lead-up to Friday’s highly anticipated jobs report. Economists expect the unemployment rate to hold steady at 3.6%.

Data released on Wednesday showed that the U.S. services sector, which makes up the bulk of the economy, grew at a surprisingly slow pace. That does not bode well as a gauge for the economy while the manufacturing sector continues shrinking.

Payroll processer ADP reported Wednesday that private employers added far fewer jobs in November than economists expected. Job growth has been a strong part of the economy and the report raises doubts ahead of the Labor Department’s more comprehensive update.

U.S. stock indexes got off to an uneven start this week amid mixed signals on trade.

Stocks fell early in the week after President Donald Trump said he wouldn’t mind waiting for a trade deal beyond the 2020 elections. The indexes rebounded Wednesday on a report that Washington and Beijing could be on track for a trade deal before the new tariffs kick in next week.

Existing tariffs have been a key sticking point in negotiations and China has been calling for the U.S. to roll back some of them as part of the latest push for a deal.

“It’s kind of a standard playbook at this point: Stocks go up, the administration takes a slightly more aggressive tone; stocks go down, the administration takes a slightly more accommodating tone,” Delwiche said. “Trying to discern exactly what’s happening is anybody’s guess, but we do know a deal hasn’t been signed.”

Technology stocks were among the biggest gainers Thursday. Apple rose 1.5%. The sector has much to gain, or lose, in trade negotiations because many of the companies rely heavily on China for sales and supplies.

Rising bond yields helped steady banks. The sector relies on higher bond yields to charge more lucrative interest on loans. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 1.80% from 1.78% late Wednesday.

Communication services stocks also rose. ViacomCBS led the sector, climbing 3.6%. It was the first day of trading for the newly combined company.

Energy stocks were the biggest losers. Cimarex Energy slid 1.8%.

Makers and sellers of household goods fell. Molson Coors Brewing dropped 1.5% and supermarket operator Kroger fell 3%.

Retailers also declined. L Brands fell 3.4%.

United Airlines slipped 0.4% after it said CEO Oscar Munoz is stepping down from his post and will become executive chairman. The airline said that President J. Scott Kirby will be its new CEO.

Munoz led the company through a choppy period, and in 2017 gave up his bonus after the forcible removal of a ticketed passenger led to widespread criticism.

Benchmark crude oil was unchanged at $58.43 a barrel. Brent crude oil, the international standard, rose 39 cents to close at $63.39 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline rose 2 cents to $1.62 per gallon. Heating oil climbed 1 cent to $1.93 per gallon. Natural gas rose 3 cents to $2.43 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold rose $2.90 to $1,476.90 per ounce, silver rose 14 cents to $16.94 per ounce and copper rose 1 cent to $2.65 per pound.

The dollar fell to 108.74 Japanese yen from 108.93 yen on Wednesday. The euro strengthened to $1.1099 from $1.1075.

Major stock indexes in Europe closed mostly lower.
 
A SEA OF GREEN TODAY

A surprisingly strong U.S. jobs report put investors in a buying mood Friday, driving stocks on Wall Street broadly higher and extending the market’s winning streak to a third day.

The rally pushed the Dow Jones Industrial Average up by more than 300 points and erased the S&P 500's losses from earlier in the week, nudging the benchmark index to a second consecutive weekly gain.

Technology, financial and industrial stocks drove much of the gains. Utilities, a safe-play sector, were the only laggard. Bond yields rose.

The Labor Department said employers added 266,000 positions, well above estimates of 184,000. The report also showed unemployment falling to a 50-year low. Separately, an index that measures how consumers feel about the economy showed an increase from last month.

The encouraging reports offer reassurance for investors who may have been worried that consumers might be pulling back on spending, said Rob Haworth, senior investment strategist at U.S. Bank Wealth Management.

The S&P 500 rose 28.48 points, or 0.9%, to 3,145.91. The index posted a 0.2% gain for the week, a solid pivot from losses of more than 1% as of late Thursday. It’s now within 0.3% of its all-time high set on Nov. 27 and up 25.5% so far this year.

The latest gains also helped stem some of the losses for the Dow and Nasdaq.

The Dow climbed 337.27 points, or 1.2%, to 28,015.06. The Nasdaq gained 85.83 points, or 1%, to 8,656.53. The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks picked up 19 points, or 1.2%, to 1,633.84.

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Chart DOW vs AORD
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https://www.newser.com/article/0818...gain-as-jobs-growth-blows-past-forecasts.html

S&P notches weekly gain as jobs growth blows past forecasts

By ALEX VEIGA, Associated Press

A surprisingly strong U.S. jobs report put investors in a buying mood Friday, driving stocks on Wall Street broadly higher and extending the market’s winning streak to a third day.

The rally pushed the Dow Jones Industrial Average up by more than 300 points and erased the S&P 500's losses from earlier in the week, nudging the benchmark index to a second consecutive weekly gain.

Technology, financial and industrial stocks drove much of the gains. Utilities, a safe-play sector, were the only laggard. Bond yields rose.

The Labor Department said employers added 266,000 positions, well above estimates of 184,000. The report also showed unemployment falling to a 50-year low. Separately, an index that measures how consumers feel about the economy showed an increase from last month.

The encouraging reports offer reassurance for investors who may have been worried that consumers might be pulling back on spending, said Rob Haworth, senior investment strategist at U.S. Bank Wealth Management.

“Increasing jobs, people back to work, plus that jump in consumer confidence tells you that the consumer is still there, and probably will still spend money,” he said. “It's a better than we expected set of data, and clearly the market is pricing that in.”

The S&P 500 rose 28.48 points, or 0.9%, to 3,145.91. The index posted a 0.2% gain for the week, a solid pivot from losses of more than 1% as of late Thursday. It’s now within 0.3% of its all-time high set on Nov. 27 and up 25.5% so far this year.

The latest gains also helped stem some of the losses for the Dow and Nasdaq.

The Dow climbed 337.27 points, or 1.2%, to 28,015.06. The Nasdaq gained 85.83 points, or 1%, to 8,656.53. The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks picked up 19 points, or 1.2%, to 1,633.84.

Friday’s batch of encouraging economic data capped what started as a rough week for the market.

Increased trade tensions and disappointing economic reports -- including data showing manufacturing continues to shrink and growth in the service sector is slowing -- dragged the market to steep losses on Monday and Tuesday. The major indexes stayed in a slump through Thursday.

“All that took a bit of the surge out of the market,” Haworth said.

The latest employment report and consumer sentiment data are a welcome development as steady job growth has been one of the bright spots in the economy, along with solid consumer spending.

Investors also got some encouraging news on the U.S.-China trade front, with Beijing saying Friday that it is waiving punitive tariffs on U.S. soybeans and pork as negotiations for a trade deal continue.

Financial markets were rattled this week when President Donald Trump said he wouldn’t mind waiting until after the 2020 elections for a trade deal. Wall Street has been hoping enough progress can be made on a “phase 1” trade agreement to avert new tariffs on Chinese goods, such as laptops and cellphones, set to become effective on Dec. 15. China has been seeking relief from some tariffs as part of the negotiations.

“You're getting feel-good news going into the weekend,” Haworth said. “It doesn't mean, to my mind, that all the concerns are off the table. One of the risks we'll have in the coming week is you still haven't gotten the phase 1 deal.”

Gains by technology sector stocks helped drive the market rally Friday. Micron Technology rose 2.8%.

Banks also rose, as the solid jobs report sent bond yields higher, which lenders rely on to charge higher interest rates on mortgages and other loans. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 1.84% from 1.79% late Thursday. JPMorgan Chase rose 1.5%.

Industrial stocks also notched solid gains. 3M rose 4.3%.

Uber fell 2.8% after a safety report revealed that more than 3,000 sexual assaults were reported during its U.S. rides in 2018. The report is part of the ride-hailing company’s effort to be more transparent after years of criticism over its safety record.

Benchmark crude oil rose 77 cents to settle at $59.20 a barrel. Brent crude oil, the international standard, gained $1 to close at $64.39 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline rose 3 cents to $1.65 per gallon. Heating oil climbed 2 cents to $1.95 per gallon. Natural gas fell 10 cents to $2.33 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold fell $17.80 to $1,459.10 per ounce, silver fell 46 cents to $16.48 per ounce and copper rose 6 cents to $2.71 per pound.

The dollar fell to 108.55 Japanese yen from 108.74 yen on Thursday. The euro weakened to $1.1056 from $1.1099.

Major stock indexes in Europe finished higher.

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Stocks closed modestly lower on Wall Street Monday as losses in technology, health care and financial companies outweighed gains elsewhere in the market.

The selling snapped a three-day winning streak for the S&P 500, cutting into its gain from last week.

Trading was mostly muted as investors looked ahead to a busy week of economic reports and an interest rate policy update from the Federal Reserve. The market also remained focused on developments in the trade negotiations between the U.S. and China.

Both sides have been working toward a limited “phase 1” deal that investors hope can at least avert new U.S. tariffs from kicking in on $160 billion of Chinese imports on Sunday. That would raise prices on key products, including cell phones and laptops, and threaten to affect consumers.

“With the deadline being Sunday, most people don’t think that new tariffs will be put in place, but they also don’t expect a phase 1 (deal) to be signed this week,” said Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA.

The S&P 500 index lost 9.95 points, or 0.3%, to 3,135.96. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 105.46 points, or 0.4%, to 27,909.60. The Nasdaq dropped 34.70 points, or 0.4%, to 8,621.83. The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks gave up 4.22 points, or 0.3%, to 1,629.62.

The S&P/ASX 200 index looks set to slide lower on Tuesday. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is poised to edge 4 points lower at the open.

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https://apnews.com/83425b4ffe4bf0a91bd9962c6bda20a9

Stocks close broadly lower on Wall Street; trade in focus
By ALEX VEIGA

Stocks closed modestly lower on Wall Street Monday as losses in technology, health care and financial companies outweighed gains elsewhere in the market.

The selling snapped a three-day winning streak for the S&P 500, cutting into its gain from last week.

Trading was mostly muted as investors looked ahead to a busy week of economic reports and an interest rate policy update from the Federal Reserve. The market also remained focused on developments in the trade negotiations between the U.S. and China.

Both sides have been working toward a limited “phase 1” deal that investors hope can at least avert new U.S. tariffs from kicking in on $160 billion of Chinese imports on Sunday. That would raise prices on key products, including cell phones and laptops, and threaten to affect consumers.

“With the deadline being Sunday, most people don’t think that new tariffs will be put in place, but they also don’t expect a phase 1 (deal) to be signed this week,” said Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA.

The S&P 500 index lost 9.95 points, or 0.3%, to 3,135.96. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 105.46 points, or 0.4%, to 27,909.60. The Nasdaq dropped 34.70 points, or 0.4%, to 8,621.83. The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks gave up 4.22 points, or 0.3%, to 1,629.62.

Major stock indexes in Europe also closed broadly lower.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 1.82% from 1.84% late Friday.

After strong gains in November, U.S. stock indexes have mostly pulled back this month ahead of the scheduled rollout of new U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods this weekend.

A Chinese official said Monday that the nation wants a prompt settlement, but gave no details on progress toward a potential deal. China made a conciliatory gesture last week when it said it would waive tariffs on American soybeans and pork.

Technology sector stocks, which have been particularly sensitive to developments on trade because many of the companies rely on China for sales and supply chains, helped drag the market lower Monday. Apple fell 1.4% and chipmaker Micron Technology slid 3.1%.

Industrial stocks also fell. United Airlines dropped 1.1% and General Electric dropped 1%. Abiomed led the slide in health care stocks, falling 4%. Banks fell as bond yields declined. Goldman Sachs dropped 1.2%.

Several retailers helped lift the consumer discretionary stocks sector. Home Depot gained 1.1% and rival Lowe’s rose 1.4%. Target also picked up 1.1%.

Traders also weighed several big health care sector deals.

Shares in ArQule more than doubled on news that Merck agreed to buy the small biotechnology company for $2.7 billion. ArQule is in the early stages of studying potential treatments for conditions including leukemia. Merck inched 0.1% higher.

Sanofi made a similar play, spending $2.5 billion for Synthorx, which is also in the earlier stages of testing cancer treatments. Sanofi fell 1.6% and Synthorx jumped more than threefold.

In other deal news, health insurer United HealthGroup said it is buying Diplomat Pharmacy to help bolster its pharmacy benefits unit, OptimRx. The deal is being made at a steep discount, which sent Diplomat’s stock plunging 32.7%. UnitedHealth dropped 0.9%.

PG&E vaulted 15.9% following late Friday’s news that the California utility has reached a tentative $13.5 billion settlement that resolves all major claims related to the deadly, devastating Northern California wildfires of 2017-2018. The blazes were blamed on PG&E’s outdated equipment and negligence. The deal, which still requires court approval, represents a key step in PG&E’s exit from Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Wall Street is in for a busy week of economic reports culminating in a key update on whether Americans are still spending at a healthy pace.

Investors will get a revised report on worker productivity for the July-September quarter on Tuesday. Data released in November showed a decline for the first time since late 2015. On Wednesday the government will release its November report for consumer prices, which have been rising at a modest rate this year. A gauge on producer prices will be released on Thursday.

The Commerce Department’s report on retail sales coming up Friday is possibly the most important update this week. The economy has been propped up in part by solid spending and job growth.

Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve is scheduled to deliver its latest economic and interest rate policy update on Wednesday after a two-day meeting of its policymakers. The central bank is widely expected hold off on making any changes to interest rates.

“The market does not expect a rate cut in December, but is probably still holding out for one or two in 2020,” Stovall said. “We think the Fed is going to sit pat and not really do anything.”

The Fed cut interest rates three times this year in a bid to buttress economic growth. That nearly reversed four rate hikes in 2018. The Fed has signaled that it will hold off on any additional rate cuts while the economy remains healthy.

Benchmark crude oil fell 18 cents to settle at $59.02 a barrel. Brent crude oil, the international standard, dropped 14 cents to close at $64.25 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline was little changed at $1.65 per gallon. Heating oil slipped a penny to $1.94 per gallon. Natural gas fell 10 cents to $2.23 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold fell 20 cents to $1,464.90 per ounce, silver gained 5 cents to $16.53 per ounce and copper rose 3 cents to $2.75 per pound.

The dollar rose to 108.62 Japanese yen from 108.55 yen on Friday. The euro strengthened to $1.1064 from $1.1056.
 
U.S. stocks edged lower on Tuesday ahead of a looming weekend deadline for trade talks between Washington and Beijing.

A new round of U.S. tariffs is scheduled to take effect on Chinese goods Sunday, the latest escalation in a trade dispute that has dragged on economies around the world. But media reports suggested the U.S. may delay the tariffs on phones, laptops and other popular products as the two sides negotiate a limited “Phase 1” deal.

The S&P 500 flipped repeatedly between small gains and losses throughout the day, and the market was nearly evenly split between losers and winners as markets await more certainty about what the rules of global trade will be. Losses for Comcast, Netflix and other communications companies weighed most heavily on the market, but gains for health care and energy stocks helped limit the damage.

The S&P 500 slipped 3.44 points, or 0.1%, to 3,132.52. It earlier swung between a gain of 0.2% and a loss of 0.3%.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 27.88, or 0.1%, to 27,881.72, and the Nasdaq composite fell 5.64, or 0.1%, to 8,616.18. The Russell 2000 index of smaller stocks was an outlier and rose 2.10 points, or 0.1%, to 1,631.71.

The S&P/ASX 200 index is expected to edge higher on Wednesday morning. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is poised to rise 4 points at the open.

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https://apnews.com/3da7445c5994a9c18de21d122365707d

US stocks dip ahead of looming weekend deadline on trade
By STAN CHOE and DAMIAN J. TROISE

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks edged lower on Tuesday ahead of a looming weekend deadline for trade talks between Washington and Beijing.

A new round of U.S. tariffs is scheduled to take effect on Chinese goods Sunday, the latest escalation in a trade dispute that has dragged on economies around the world. But media reports suggested the U.S. may delay the tariffs on phones, laptops and other popular products as the two sides negotiate a limited “Phase 1” deal.

The S&P 500 flipped repeatedly between small gains and losses throughout the day, and the market was nearly evenly split between losers and winners as markets await more certainty about what the rules of global trade will be. Losses for Comcast, Netflix and other communications companies weighed most heavily on the market, but gains for health care and energy stocks helped limit the damage.

The S&P 500 slipped 3.44 points, or 0.1%, to 3,132.52. It earlier swung between a gain of 0.2% and a loss of 0.3%.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 27.88, or 0.1%, to 27,881.72, and the Nasdaq composite fell 5.64, or 0.1%, to 8,616.18. The Russell 2000 index of smaller stocks was an outlier and rose 2.10 points, or 0.1%, to 1,631.71.

Sunday’s deadline isn’t the only big potential event for markets in the coming days. The Federal Reserve and European Central Bank will make decisions on interest rate policy this week. Big moves by both of them earlier this year helped send prices for stocks and bonds around the world surging. A report will also arrive Wednesday on inflation in the United States, which is key because tame inflation has allowed the Fed to keep interest rates low.

Investors are nearly unanimous that the Fed will vote Wednesday to keep interest rates steady.

The biggest wild card for stocks recently has been trade, though, and markets have been swinging on every iota of progress in talks between Washington and Beijing. The longstanding conflict has hurt manufacturing around the world and caused U.S. businesses to hold back on making investments. The saving grace for the economy has been a strong job market and consumer spending, and the economy grew at a 2.1% annual rate in the third quarter.

“The market does seem to be pricing in somewhat good news,” said Mike Dowdall, investment strategist at BMO Global Asset Management. “And by good news, I define that as tariffs not going into effect. But beyond that, it’s quite unclear.”

That long-term perspective in any potential deal is likely to be the most important thing for markets.

“The real issue is not the exact details or timing, but the durability,” said David Kelly, chief global strategist at JPMorgan Funds. “Multiple changes of direction on trade over the last few years means nobody can trust that what we’re headed for here is a durable peace, rather it is a fragile cease-fire.”

Elsewhere on the trade front, Democrats in the House of Representatives and the White House announced a revised deal with Mexico and Canada. The deal would replace the North American Free Trade Agreement and would offer more provisions for U.S. workers.

Bond trading was nearly as quiet as stock trading was. The yield on the 10-year Treasury held steady at 1.83%, the same as late Monday.

Overseas markets were mixed. In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 index slipped 0.1%, South Korea’s Kospi gained 0.4% and the Hang Seng in Hong Kong slipped 0.2%. In Europe, France’s CAC 40 gained 0.2%, and the German DAX lost 0.3%. The FTSE 100 in London also slipped 0.3%.

Benchmark crude oil rose 22 cents to settle at $59.24 a barrel. Brent crude oil, the international standard, rose 9 cents to $64.34 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline was unchanged at $1.65 per gallon. Heating oil climbed 2 cents to $1.97 per gallon. Natural gas rose 3 cents to $2.26 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold rose $3.30 to $1,462.60 per ounce, silver rose 7 cents to $16.60 per ounce and copper rose 1 cent to $2.76 per pound.

The dollar rose to 108.73 Japanese yen from 108.62 yen on Monday. The euro strengthened to $1.1096 from $1.1064.
 
Wall Street capped a wobbly day Wednesday with modest gains for stocks, snapping a two-day losing streak for the S&P 500.

The market shook off a mixed start after the Federal Reserve announced it is would be leaving interest rates unchanged this month and signaled that it expects to leave them alone in 2020.

The central bank had been expected to leave its benchmark interest rate unchanged this month after lowering it three times this year in a bid to shield the economy from slowing global growth and the fallout of U.S. trade conflicts.

Investor jitters over whether the U.S. and China will be able to avert a new escalation in their trade war has made for choppy trading this week, pulling major indexes lower.

Wall Street is hoping that both sides can avoid a new round of tariffs scheduled to kick in Sunday on Chinese goods that include phones, laptops and other popular products.

“We’re in a wait-and-see mode going into Friday to see if we have any more clarity on the trade tariffs that go into effect on Sunday,” said Keith Buchanan, portfolio manager at Globalt Investments. “The market is kind of sitting on its hands right now.”

The S&P 500 index gained 9.11 points, or 0.3%, to 3,141.63. The benchmark index is still on track for a slight weekly loss.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average bounced back after being slightly lower most of the day. It rose 29.58 points, or 0.1%, to 27,911.30. The Nasdaq added 37.87 points, or 0.4%, to 8,654.05.

The S&P/ASX 200 index looks set to sink lower on Thursday despite a solid night of trade on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is poised to fall 0.45% or 30 points at the open.

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https://apnews.com/d23c24982f6ae6da5ce222f89da1fa4f

US stocks notch modest gains as Fed leaves rates unchanged
By ALEX VEIGA

Wall Street capped a wobbly day Wednesday with modest gains for stocks, snapping a two-day losing streak for the S&P 500.

The market shook off a mixed start after the Federal Reserve announced it is would be leaving interest rates unchanged this month and signaled that it expects to leave them alone in 2020.

The central bank had been expected to leave its benchmark interest rate unchanged this month after lowering it three times this year in a bid to shield the economy from slowing global growth and the fallout of U.S. trade conflicts.

Investor jitters over whether the U.S. and China will be able to avert a new escalation in their trade war has made for choppy trading this week, pulling major indexes lower.

Wall Street is hoping that both sides can avoid a new round of tariffs scheduled to kick in Sunday on Chinese goods that include phones, laptops and other popular products.

“We’re in a wait-and-see mode going into Friday to see if we have any more clarity on the trade tariffs that go into effect on Sunday,” said Keith Buchanan, portfolio manager at Globalt Investments. “The market is kind of sitting on its hands right now.”

The S&P 500 index gained 9.11 points, or 0.3%, to 3,141.63. The benchmark index is still on track for a slight weekly loss.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average bounced back after being slightly lower most of the day. It rose 29.58 points, or 0.1%, to 27,911.30. The Nasdaq added 37.87 points, or 0.4%, to 8,654.05.

The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks edged up 0.21 points, or less than 0.1%, to 1,631.93.

Despite the wobbly week in the market, the major indexes on track for strong gains this year. The Nasdaq is leading the way, with a gain of 30.4%. The S&P 500 is now up 25.3% and the Dow is up nearly 20%.

The Fed’s decision to stay put on rates this month leaves its benchmark rate, which influences many consumer and business loans, in a low range of 1.5% to 1.75%.

In a sign of the Fed’s confidence about the economy, its latest policy statement dropped a phrase it had previously used that referred to “uncertainties” surrounding the economic outlook. That suggests that the Fed is less worried about the impact of the U.S.-China trade war or overseas developments, and that it views the U.S. economy as generally healthy.

Technology and industrial stocks led the gains Wednesday. Skyworks Solutions climbed 4.7% and United Rentals rose 2.1%.

Banks and real estate companies lagged the market. U.S. Bancorp slid 1.2% and mall owner Simon Property Group lost 2.4%.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury slipped to 1.79% from 1.83% late Tuesday.

Some companies made big moves after releasing earnings reports. Ollie’s Bargain Outlet surged 15% after reporting surprisingly good third-quarter profit and revenue. GameStop plunged 15.1% after issuing a surprising loss and cutting its profit forecast.

Home Depot dropped 1.8% after giving investors a weak sales forecast.

Shares in American Eagle Outfitters slumped 6.5% after the clothing chain reported third-quarter results that were largely in line with Wall Street’s expectations, but noted it saw softer demand for certain apparel categories.

Chevron fell skidded 1.4% after the energy company warned investors about a potential charge of up to $11 billion because of lower long-term prices for oil and natural gas. The huge fourth-quarter write-down underscores the challenge posed by rising production that has prevented energy prices from increasing sharply during a time of increasing global demand.

Benchmark crude oil fell 48 cents to settle at $58.76 a barrel. Brent crude oil, the international standard, dropped 62 cents to close at $63.72 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline fell 2 cents to $1.63 per gallon. Heating oil climbed 4 cents to $1.93 per gallon. Natural gas fell 2 cents to $2.24 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold rose $6.80 to $1,469.40 per ounce, silver rose 14 cents to $16.74 per ounce and copper fell 2 cents to $2.78 per pound.

The dollar fell to 108.51 Japanese yen from 108.73 yen on Tuesday. The euro strengthened to $1.1140 from $1.1096.

Stock indexes in Europe closed broadly higher.
 
The S&P 500 and Nasdaq closed at all-time highs Thursday on renewed optimism that the U.S. and China are close to reaching a deal in their costly trade war.

Financial, technology and health care stocks powered much of the rally, which gave the S&P 500 its second straight gain and erased its losses from earlier in the week.

Bond yields surged and real estate companies, utilities stocks and household goods makers fell as investors shifted money away from safe-play investments.

The market has been quick to react to headlines and remarks out of the Trump administration about the 16-month trade war, and Thursday was no different.

Shares jumped in the early going after President Donald Trump said that the U.S. is getting close to a “big deal” with China. Traders were also encouraged by a Wall Street Journal report saying Washington has offered to slash existing tariffs and cancel new ones set to kick in on Sunday in exchange for more agricultural purchases and intellectual property protection.

“If we do see the tariffs removed, that's saying, ‘OK, China must be agreeing to things or we must be right there,'” said Ben Phillips, chief investment officer at EventShares. “That’s why the market is looking at tariffs as the bellwether to a trade deal.”

The S&P 500 climbed 26.94 points, or 0.9%, to 3,168.57. The index is up about 0.5% from its last all-time closing high on Nov. 27.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 220.75, or 0.8%, to 28,132.05. The Nasdaq gained 63.27 points, or 0.7%, to 8,717.32. The index, which is heavily weighted with technology stocks, is now up about 0.1% its record set on Nov. 27.

The S&P/ASX 200 index looks set to end the week on a positive note following a strong night of trade on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is poised to rise 23 points or 0.35% at the open.
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https://www.usnews.com/news/busines...en-higher-as-central-banks-stand-pat-on-rates

S&P 500, Nasdaq at Records as Hopes Build for a Trade Deal
The S&P 500 and Nasdaq closed at all-time highs Thursday on optimism that the U.S. and China are close to reaching a deal to end their costly trade war.
By Associated Press, Wire Service Content Dec. 12, 2019, at 4:55 p.m.

By ALEX VEIGA, AP Business Writer

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq closed at all-time highs Thursday on renewed optimism that the U.S. and China are close to reaching a deal in their costly trade war.

Financial, technology and health care stocks powered much of the rally, which gave the S&P 500 its second straight gain and erased its losses from earlier in the week.

Bond yields surged and real estate companies, utilities stocks and household goods makers fell as investors shifted money away from safe-play investments.

The market has been quick to react to headlines and remarks out of the Trump administration about the 16-month trade war, and Thursday was no different.

Shares jumped in the early going after President Donald Trump said that the U.S. is getting close to a “big deal” with China. Traders were also encouraged by a Wall Street Journal report saying Washington has offered to slash existing tariffs and cancel new ones set to kick in on Sunday in exchange for more agricultural purchases and intellectual property protection.

“If we do see the tariffs removed, that's saying, ‘OK, China must be agreeing to things or we must be right there,'” said Ben Phillips, chief investment officer at EventShares. “That’s why the market is looking at tariffs as the bellwether to a trade deal.”

The S&P 500 climbed 26.94 points, or 0.9%, to 3,168.57. The index is up about 0.5% from its last all-time closing high on Nov. 27.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 220.75, or 0.8%, to 28,132.05. The Nasdaq gained 63.27 points, or 0.7%, to 8,717.32. The index, which is heavily weighted with technology stocks, is now up about 0.1% its record set on Nov. 27.

The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks climbed 12.89 points, or 0.8%, to 1,644.81.

China’s Ministry of commerce said Thursday that its negotiators were in “close communication” with their American counterparts ahead of the new round of tariffs, but gave no indication whether the trade talks were making progress.

The planned weekend U.S. tariff expansion would extend punitive duties to almost everything the U.S. buys from China. Beijing has threatened to retaliate if the new tariffs go into effect.

Uncertainty over trade has been the biggest wildcard for stocks this year. The longstanding conflict has hurt manufacturing around the world and caused U.S. businesses to hold back on making investments. The saving grace for the economy has been a strong job market and consumer spending.

Speculation that the world’s two biggest economies could be close to reaching an interim “Phase 1” trade agreement spurred investors on Thursday to move money into technology, industrial and other stock sectors that tend to do well when the economy is growing.

“If we get a China trade deal, it’s probably going to catalyze another 12-plus months of growth in the U.S. and globally,” Phillips said.

Banks helped lead the gains as bond prices fell, sending yields higher. Bank of America rose 3.1%. Higher yields allow banks to charge more lucrative interest rates on mortgages and other loans. The yield on the 10-year Treasury jumped to 1.90% from 1.79% late Wednesday. That’s an unusually large increase and signals more confidence in economic growth.

Technology companies also made strong gains. The sector is one of the most sensitive to swings in trade because many of the companies rely on China for sales and supply chains. Cisco Systems climbed 3.1%.

Investors bid up shares in Delta Air Lines 2.9% after the most profitable U.S. carrier gave investors a surprisingly good profit and revenue forecast for 2020. The company said it expects sustained demand for air travel and stable prices for jet fuel.

Southwest Airlines gained 0.9% after it reached a deal with Boeing for compensation over the grounding of the 737 Max aircraft.

Traders hammered shares in Tailored Brands after the owner of Men's Wearhouse issued quarterly forecasts below what analysts were expecting. The stock skidded 11.1% and is down 68.4% so far this year.

While investors continue to wait for an official word on a possible U.S.-China trade deal, they’ll get a look at new economic data Friday. The Commerce Department is due to report its November snapshot of retail sales. Economists expect retail sales rose last month. The measure gives more insight into consumer spending, which has been among the brighter spots in the economy helping to push growth.

Benchmark crude oil rose 42 cents to settle at $59.18 a barrel. Brent crude oil, the international standard, gained 48 cents to close at $64.20 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline was unchanged at $1.63 per gallon. Heating oil climbed 2 cents to $1.95 per gallon. Natural gas rose 9 cents to $2.33 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold fell $2.70 to $1,466.70 per ounce, silver rose 11 cents to $16.85 per ounce and copper rose 1 cent to $2.79 per pound.

The dollar rose to 109.34 Japanese yen from 108.51 yen on Wednesday. The euro weakened to $1.1112 from $1.1140.

Major stock indexes in Europe closed broadly higher.
 
Wall Street closed out a listless day Friday with tiny gains and more record highs for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq.

The U.S. and China revealed they have reached an initial deal in their long-running trade war. The “Phase 1” agreement means that the U.S. won't impose new tariffs on Chinese goods that had been set to kick in this weekend. Investors’ anxiety over the prospects of such an escalation in the trade war contributed to a sluggish start for the market this month.

President Donald Trump and China made separate statements confirming the agreement Friday. Media reports signaling that a deal was close spurred a rally a day earlier that sent the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq to record highs. That likely led to the muted reaction in the markets Friday.

“People obviously were excited about what they heard yesterday and now what you're seeing is a consolidation now that it's actually been confirmed,” said Lisa Erickson, head of the traditional investment group at U.S. Bank Wealth Management.

Technology companies, which rely heavily on China for sales as well as parts, led the gainers Friday, outweighing losses in banks, energy stocks and elsewhere. Bond prices rose, pulling yields lower.

The S&P 500 index added a mere 0.23 points, or less than 0.1%, to reach an all-time high of 3,168.80.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average inched up 3.33 points, or less than 0.1%, to 28,135.38.

The Nasdaq, which is heavily weighted with technology stocks, rose 17.56 points, or 0.2%, to 8,734.88.

The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks fell 6.84 points, or 0.4%, to 1,637.98.

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Chart DOW vs AORD
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https://www.newser.com/article/a0ed...eaction-to-long-awaited-china-trade-deal.html

Markets have muted reaction to long-awaited China trade deal
By ALEX VEIGA, Associated Press
10 minutes ago

Wall Street closed out a listless day Friday with tiny gains and more record highs for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq.

The U.S. and China revealed they have reached an initial deal in their long-running trade war. The “Phase 1” agreement means that the U.S. won't impose new tariffs on Chinese goods that had been set to kick in this weekend. Investors’ anxiety over the prospects of such an escalation in the trade war contributed to a sluggish start for the market this month.

President Donald Trump and China made separate statements confirming the agreement Friday. Media reports signaling that a deal was close spurred a rally a day earlier that sent the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq to record highs. That likely led to the muted reaction in the markets Friday.

“People obviously were excited about what they heard yesterday and now what you're seeing is a consolidation now that it's actually been confirmed,” said Lisa Erickson, head of the traditional investment group at U.S. Bank Wealth Management.

Technology companies, which rely heavily on China for sales as well as parts, led the gainers Friday, outweighing losses in banks, energy stocks and elsewhere. Bond prices rose, pulling yields lower.

The S&P 500 index added a mere 0.23 points, or less than 0.1%, to reach an all-time high of 3,168.80.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average inched up 3.33 points, or less than 0.1%, to 28,135.38.

The Nasdaq, which is heavily weighted with technology stocks, rose 17.56 points, or 0.2%, to 8,734.88.

The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks fell 6.84 points, or 0.4%, to 1,637.98.

Optimism over the possibility of a trade deal helped stocks rebound after a downbeat start to the week. The S&P 500 ended the week with its third straight weekly gain. With less than three weeks left in 2019, the benchmark index is up 26.4% for the year.

The stock indexes were little changed through most of Friday as investors weighed the implications of the trade deal.

The costly trade conflict and the threat it could escalate at any moment has been the biggest source of uncertainty for Wall Street this year. The dispute has also hurt manufacturing around the world and caused U.S. businesses to hold back on making investments. The saving grace for the economy has been a strong job market and consumer spending.

Word that Washington and Beijing were pursuing a limited deal helped allay some of those concerns this fall, which helped spur the market higher after a sharp pullback this summer. But investors grew anxious earlier this month as the Dec. 15 planned rollout of U.S. tariffs on $160 billion worth of Chinese imports neared.

In addition to canceling the new tariffs, the U.S. also agreed to reduce certain existing import taxes on about $112 billion in Chinese goods from 15% to 7.5%. In return, Trump said on Twitter, the Chinese have agreed to "massive” purchases of American farm and manufactured products as part of the initial deal.

It's unclear how much the partial trade deal removes the uncertainty over another escalation in the dispute, which has had more than a few swings since it started 17 months ago.

“We got something, but until we have a full-fledged deal it may be tough to get excited,” said JJ Kinahan, chief market strategist for TD Ameritrade.

The latest development in trade relations didn’t have much of an impact on the market because it is essentially just a tariff truce, according to Jamie Cox, managing partner for Harris Financial Group. The next phase of the agreement will have to tackle some of the larger issues to provide relief from existing tariffs.

“It’s going to be a bigger lift in large part because the president doesn’t really want to take the tariffs off,” Cox said. “That’s going to require much more give on the Chinese part than what is currently in the offer.”

Technology sector stocks were the biggest winners Friday. Adobe climbed 3.9% after its latest quarterly results topped Wall Street’s estimates.

Utilities, household goods makers and real estate stocks also notched gains.

Banks fell the most as bond yields, which are used to set the interest rates that lenders charge on mortgages and other consumer loans, fell. Wells Fargo slid 1.1%.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury dropped to 1.83% from 1.90% late Thursday.

The government said U.S. retail sales rose at a seasonally adjusted 0.2% rate in November. The modest pace fell short of analysts' forecasts for a pickup of 0.5% and suggests the holiday shopping season got off to a slow start. Shares in several department store chains fell. Macy's dropped 3.4%, while L Brands slid 4.2% and Nordstrom lost 3.3%.

Facebook fell 1.3% amid reports that the Federal Trade Commission could block the company from integrating its messaging apps. Facebook has been planning to integrate its messaging apps, including Messenger and What’sApp, since early 2019. Federal regulators are concerned that the plan could make it hard to break up the company should the FTC find that necessary.

British stocks and the British pound moved sharply higher a day after a resounding victory for the Conservative Party eased uncertainty over the nation’s upcoming exit from the European Union. The benchmark FTSE 100 rallied 1.1%. The British pound rose to $1.3339 from $1.3134. Other European markets also closed higher.

Benchmark crude oil rose 89 cents to settle at $60.07 a barrel. Brent crude oil, the international standard, increased $1.02 to close at $65.22 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline rose 3 cents to $1.66 per gallon. Heating oil climbed 4 cents to $1.99 per gallon. Natural gas fell 3 cents to $2.30 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold rose $8.90 to $1,475.60 per ounce, silver rose 6 cents to $16.91 per ounce and copper fell 1 cent to $2.78 per pound.

The dollar fell to 109.32 Japanese yen from 109.34 yen on Thursday. The euro strengthened to $1.1121 from $1.1112

104
 
Stocks closed broadly higher on Wall Street Monday, extending the market’s gains from last week and sending the major indexes to record highs.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq notched all-time highs for the third straight trading day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average bested its last record high set in late November.

Surprisingly strong economic reports out of China helped drive the rally. Growth in factory activity and retail sales in the world's second-largest economy both beat analysts’ expectations for last month.

The economic reports gave investors more reason for encouragement. The market got a big confidence boost late last week after the United States and China reached a long-awaited “Phase 1” trade deal. The trade pact removed some of the uncertainty that's hung over businesses and investors.

“What’s important about it is that we’re not witnessing an acceleration in the trade war,” said Quincy Krosby, chief market strategist at Prudential Financial. “Right now, what the market is looking at is the possibility that we go into 2020 and we actually see global growth beginning to emerge, even if it’s not immediate.”

The S&P 500 rose 22.65 points, or 0.7%, to 3,191.45. The benchmark index is on a four-day winning streak.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 100.51 points, or 0.4%, to 28,235.89. The Nasdaq composite climbed 79.35 points, or 0.9%, to 8,814.23.

The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks picked up 11.96 points, or 0.7%, to 1,649.94.

The S&P/ASX 200 index looks set to continue its positive run on Tuesday. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is poised to rise 0.3% or 21 points at the open.

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https://www.newser.com/article/eade...-street-as-rally-stretches-to-fourth-day.html

Stocks rise on Wall Street as rally stretches to fourth day
By ALEX VEIGA and STAN CHOE, Associated Press

Stocks closed broadly higher on Wall Street Monday, extending the market’s gains from last week and sending the major indexes to record highs.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq notched all-time highs for the third straight trading day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average bested its last record high set in late November.

Surprisingly strong economic reports out of China helped drive the rally. Growth in factory activity and retail sales in the world's second-largest economy both beat analysts’ expectations for last month.

The economic reports gave investors more reason for encouragement. The market got a big confidence boost late last week after the United States and China reached a long-awaited “Phase 1” trade deal. The trade pact removed some of the uncertainty that's hung over businesses and investors.

“What’s important about it is that we’re not witnessing an acceleration in the trade war,” said Quincy Krosby, chief market strategist at Prudential Financial. “Right now, what the market is looking at is the possibility that we go into 2020 and we actually see global growth beginning to emerge, even if it’s not immediate.”

The S&P 500 rose 22.65 points, or 0.7%, to 3,191.45. The benchmark index is on a four-day winning streak.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 100.51 points, or 0.4%, to 28,235.89. The Nasdaq composite climbed 79.35 points, or 0.9%, to 8,814.23.

The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks picked up 11.96 points, or 0.7%, to 1,649.94.

European markets closed broadly higher. Asian markets were mixed.

Monday’s wave of buying was broad, with roughly 85% of the stocks in the S&P 500 rising. The benchmark index capped last week with its third straight weekly gain as optimism over the U.S.-China trade deal put investors in a buying mood.

With less than three weeks left in 2019, the benchmark index is up 27.3% for the year.

Wall Street’s latest gains followed a rally in global stocks as traders welcomed news that China’s industrial production rose 6.2% in November from a year earlier. Meanwhile, retail sales growth rose to a five-month high of 8% from October’s 7.2%.

“With some trade uncertainty removed last week, investors should start feeling more confident that China will be able to keep their economy growing at 6% or better in 2020,” said Edward Moya, economist with Oanda.

The U.S. and China agreed last week to cut tariffs on some of each others' goods and postpone other tariff threats, the first time the two countries have stepped back from the brink in their 17-month trade fight.

In return, China promised to ramp up its purchases of U.S. agricultural, energy and other goods and to stop forcing U.S. companies to turn over technology as a condition of doing business in that country.

The interim trade deal is one of a “trifecta of positive catalysts” that swept through the market last week and could help support it through the end of the year, Morgan Stanley strategists wrote in a research note. The others are a Federal Reserve that appears committed to keeping interest rates low and the potential for an orderly exit by the United Kingdom from the European Union following last week’s U.K. elections.

Technology stocks accounted for a big slice of the rally Monday. Micron Technology jumped 3.4% and Broadcom rose 2.4%. Tech stocks have had big swings in recent months with every hint of progress on the U.S.-China trade war because of how much business the companies do in China.

Health care stocks also notched solid gains. Centene climbed 4%.

Energy stocks were the market's best performers, rising 1.4%, after the price of oil added a bit to its gain last week and natural gas prices jumped. Oil and gas producer EOG Resources climbed 3.2%, while Marathon Petroleum rose 3.7%.

Benchmark U.S. crude rose 14 cents to $60.21 per barrel, close to its highest level in three months. Brent crude, the international standard, added 12 cents to $65.34 per barrel.

Treasury yields rallied. The 10-year yield rose to 1.88% from 1.82% late Friday.

Higher rates can mean bigger profits for banks making loans and more interest income for insurers, brokerages and other financial companies. Bank of America and Wells Fargo each rose 0.8%. Financial stocks in the S&P 500 overall gained 0.4%.

Stocks that pay big dividends lagged the market because higher interest payments for bonds can lure away income-seeking investors. Real-estate investment trusts rose 0.3% for the smallest gain among the 11 sectors that make up the S&P 500.

Boeing fell 4.3% on a report that the company may cut production of its troubled 737 Max airplane or even suspend it all together. The Wall Street Journal said the company could announce a decision Monday.

International Flavors and Fragrances slumped 10.4% for the biggest loss in the S&P 500 after it said it's merging with DuPont's Nutrition and Biosciences unit in a $26.2 billion deal.

In other commodities trading, wholesale gasoline was little changed at $1.66 per gallon. Heating oil rose 2 cents to $2 per gallon. Natural gas climbed 5 cents, or 2%, to $2.34 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold fell 60 cents to $1,475 per ounce, silver rose 11 cents to $17.02 per ounce and copper gained 4 cents to $2.82 per pound.

The dollar rose to 109.59 Japanese yen from 109.32 yen on Friday. The euro strengthened to $1.1147 from $1.1121.

___
 
Wall Street extended its milestone-shattering run Tuesday with modest gains for stocks, nudging the major indexes to more record highs.

The S&P 500 had its fifth gain in a row. The benchmark index and the Nasdaq closed at new highs for the fourth straight day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also closed at a record high, it’s second milestone this week.

Banks and companies that rely on consumer spending led the way higher, outweighing losses in technology and health care stocks. Treasury yields gave back some of their gains from a day earlier, while the price of crude oil continued its recent march higher.

Investors welcomed encouraging reports on U.S. home construction, industrial production and job openings, extending the market’s upward momentum. Stocks have been vaulting higher in recent days on optimism about an interim U.S.-China trade deal announced on Friday. A Federal Reserve meeting last week also spurred buying after investors saw signals from Chairman Jerome Powell that interest rates will stay low for a while.

“A lot of the strength that we’re seeing is just a continuation of the ‘Phase 1’ U.S.-China deal from last week and some potential clarity around Brexit,” said Jamie Lavin, global investment specialist at J.P. Morgan Private Bank. “But, really, this morning one of the things that’s kept us higher is we did see some stronger economic data.”

The S&P 500 rose 1.07 points, or less than 0.1%, to 3,192.52. With less than three weeks left in 2019, the index is up 27.4% for the year.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 31.27 points, or 0.1%, to 28,267.16. The Nasdaq climbed 9.13 points or 0.1%, to 8,823.36. The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks picked up 7.63 points, or 0.5%, to 1,657.56.

The S&P/ASX 200 index looks set to return to form again on Wednesday. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is poised to climb 0.35% or 24 points at the open.


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https://www.toledoblade.com/busines...ugh-for-more-record-highs/stories/20191217145

Slight gains on Wall Street are enough for more record highs
By ALEX VEIGA and STAN CHOE Associated Press
December 17, 2019

Wall Street extended its milestone-shattering run Tuesday with modest gains for stocks, nudging the major indexes to more record highs.

The S&P 500 had its fifth gain in a row. The benchmark index and the Nasdaq closed at new highs for the fourth straight day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also closed at a record high, it’s second milestone this week.

Banks and companies that rely on consumer spending led the way higher, outweighing losses in technology and health care stocks. Treasury yields gave back some of their gains from a day earlier, while the price of crude oil continued its recent march higher.

Investors welcomed encouraging reports on U.S. home construction, industrial production and job openings, extending the market’s upward momentum. Stocks have been vaulting higher in recent days on optimism about an interim U.S.-China trade deal announced on Friday. A Federal Reserve meeting last week also spurred buying after investors saw signals from Chairman Jerome Powell that interest rates will stay low for a while.

“A lot of the strength that we’re seeing is just a continuation of the ‘Phase 1’ U.S.-China deal from last week and some potential clarity around Brexit,” said Jamie Lavin, global investment specialist at J.P. Morgan Private Bank. “But, really, this morning one of the things that’s kept us higher is we did see some stronger economic data.”

The S&P 500 rose 1.07 points, or less than 0.1%, to 3,192.52. With less than three weeks left in 2019, the index is up 27.4% for the year.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 31.27 points, or 0.1%, to 28,267.16. The Nasdaq climbed 9.13 points or 0.1%, to 8,823.36. The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks picked up 7.63 points, or 0.5%, to 1,657.56.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 1.88% from 1.89% late Monday.

The U.S. and China agreed last week to cut tariffs on some of each others’ goods and postpone other tariff threats. The interim trade deal has helped ease a key source of uncertainty for investors heading into next year.

The latest batch of economic data also helps buttress traders’ confidence in the health of the U.S. economy. In August, fears that the U.S. was headed for recession roiled markets.

The Fed said Tuesday that industrial production and manufacturing were stronger last month than economists expected, though they are weaker than a year ago. Industrial production rebounded to 1.1% growth in November from October, better than the 0.8% that the market was expecting. But it remains 0.8% below year-ago levels.

Housing data were also stronger than expected. Homebuilders broke ground on 3.2% more homes in November than October, well above the 1.2% growth that economists had projected. In addition, applications for building permits jumped to the highest level in 12 years.

Housing has been on the upswing for months following three interest-rate cuts by the Federal Reserve earlier in the year. The average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is now almost a full percentage point below where it was a year ago.

“Now that (rates) are coming down, you’re seeing housing starts pick back up,” Lavin said.

Homebuilder shares were broadly lower following the report. KB Home fell 2%.

Banks notched the biggest gains Tuesday. Goldman Sachs Group rose 1.4% and Citigroup added 1.1%. Gains for Amazon, Target and other companies that depend on spending by consumers also helped to push the market higher, but drops for UnitedHealth, Boston Scientific and other health care stocks kept the market in check.

The technology sector, which has been the market’s strongest gainer this year, was the biggest loser Tuesday. Oracle slid 2.1% and Autodesk dropped 1.6%. Tech stocks have been prone to big swings with every hint of progress in the trade conflict between Washington and Beijing because of how much business the companies do in China.

However, Tuesday’s slide in tech stocks was probably due in part to investors cashing in on their big gains ahead of 2020, Lavin said.

“It’s been a strong year in equity markets and people are getting their portfolios ready for 2020, so it could be some profit-taking impact,” she said.

Netflix climbed 3.7% after the company reported breakdowns for its revenue and membership by region, which analysts said showed that Netflix has been increasing its prices steadily around the world.

Bed Bath & Beyond surged 11.2% after its new CEO shook up the company’s management by removing six senior executives, including its chief merchandising officer and chief legal officer. CEO Mark Tritton, who took over about two months ago, said it was the first in a number of steps Bed Bath & Beyond is taking to transform itself.

Worthington Industries jumped 8.8% after the metal manufacturer’s fiscal second-quarter results topped Wall Street’s forecasts.

Benchmark U.S. crude rose 73 cents, or 1.2%, to $60.94 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, gained 76 cents to $66.10 per barrel. Crude oil has been touching its highest price in three months.

Wholesale gasoline rose 3 cents to $1.69 per gallon. Heating oil climbed 3 cents to $2.03 per gallon. Natural gas fell 2 cents to $2.32 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold fell 40 cents to $1,474.60 per ounce, silver fell 4 cents to $16.98 per ounce and copper was unchanged at $2.82 per pound.

The dollar fell to 109.49 Japanese yen from 109.59 yen on Monday. The euro was unchanged at to $1.1147.

Major stock indexes in Europe finished lower.
 
A last-minute burst of selling pulled the major U.S. stock indexes mostly lower Wednesday, ending the market’s five-day winning streak.

The S&P 500 index and Dow Jones Industrial Average finished with tiny losses that left them just below their all-time highs set a day earlier. The Nasdaq composite eked out a slight gain, giving it its fifth-straight record high.

Trading was listless most of the day in the absence of major new economic data and only a few corporate earnings reports for investors to mull over. Stocks have jumped recently on optimism around a “Phase 1” trade deal announced last week between the United States and China, among other factors. But after five straight days of gains, the S&P 500 had less fuel to push higher.

“The market doesn't seem like it's stretched, so it's not surprising that we're seeing it kind of slowly moving up higher,” said Veronica Willis, investment strategy analyst at Wells Fargo Investment Institute. “But I would not be surprised to see a little bit of profit-taking as we're getting these record highs.”

Losses in banks, industrial stocks, household goods makers and technology companies helped pull the market lower. They offset gains in real estate, communication services, health care and elsewhere in the market.

The S&P 500 fell 1.38 points, or less than 0.1%, to 3,191.14. The Dow dropped 27.88 points, or 0.1%, to 28,239.28. The Nasdaq composite rose 4.38 points, or 0.1%, to 8,827.73, a record.

Smaller-company stocks outperformed the rest of the market. The Russell 2000 index gained 4.17 points, or 0.3%, to 1,661.73.

The S&P/ASX 200 index is poised to drop lower on Thursday. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to fall 0.25% or 16 points at the open.

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https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/article238498078.html

Modest rally for stocks is mostly gone by the closing bell
By ALEX VEIGA and STAN CHOE AP Business Writers
December 18, 2019 05:16 PM

A last-minute burst of selling pulled the major U.S. stock indexes mostly lower Wednesday, ending the market’s five-day winning streak.

The S&P 500 index and Dow Jones Industrial Average finished with tiny losses that left them just below their all-time highs set a day earlier. The Nasdaq composite eked out a slight gain, giving it its fifth-straight record high.

Trading was listless most of the day in the absence of major new economic data and only a few corporate earnings reports for investors to mull over. Stocks have jumped recently on optimism around a “Phase 1” trade deal announced last week between the United States and China, among other factors. But after five straight days of gains, the S&P 500 had less fuel to push higher.

“The market doesn't seem like it's stretched, so it's not surprising that we're seeing it kind of slowly moving up higher,” said Veronica Willis, investment strategy analyst at Wells Fargo Investment Institute. “But I would not be surprised to see a little bit of profit-taking as we're getting these record highs.”

Losses in banks, industrial stocks, household goods makers and technology companies helped pull the market lower. They offset gains in real estate, communication services, health care and elsewhere in the market.

The S&P 500 fell 1.38 points, or less than 0.1%, to 3,191.14. The Dow dropped 27.88 points, or 0.1%, to 28,239.28. The Nasdaq composite rose 4.38 points, or 0.1%, to 8,827.73, a record.

Smaller-company stocks outperformed the rest of the market. The Russell 2000 index gained 4.17 points, or 0.3%, to 1,661.73.

More stocks rose than fell on the New York Stock Exchange.

Treasury yields rose slightly. The yield on the 10-year Treasury climbed to 1.92% from 1.89% late Tuesday.

Despite the last-minute dip, stocks are on track for strong gains this year. The benchmark S&P 500 is up 27.3%, while the Dow is up 21.1%. The Nasdaq, which is heavily weighted with technology stocks, is up 33%.

Stocks have been mostly hovering near their recent all-time highs this week. Investors have appeared content this week to hold on to their gains from a fall runup in the market. Traders have drawn encouragement from the U.S. and China’s steps to de-escalate their trade conflict, including reaching a limited deal on trade on Friday.

For now, at least, the pact has helped ease a key source of uncertainty for investors heading into next year.

Wednesday’s historic House of Representatives session to impeach President Donald Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstructing Congress didn’t appear to have any impact on the market.

“This is what the market already expected, that it would go to a vote in the House and once it eventually moves on to the Senate the president won't be removed from office,” Willis said. “There are no surprises on that front, which is why the market isn't reacting much to it.”

Investors like Trump’s approach of low taxes and less regulation for businesses, but they see his removal from office as unlikely because the Republican-controlled Senate would decide his fate following a House impeachment vote.

Traders had their eye on a mixed batch of corporate earnings reports Wednesday.

FedEx was the biggest loser in the S&P 500 after the package delivery giant cut its profit forecast for its fiscal year and reported weaker quarterly earnings than analysts expected. The company cited “weak global economic conditions” and higher expenses.

The stock slumped 10%. FedEx's woes also pulled shares in rival UPS lower. That stock gave up 1.9%.

General Mills added 1.9% after it reported stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The company behind Haagen-Dazs ice cream and Yoplait yogurt said its sales were flat from a year ago, which was a touch weaker than analysts expected, but it made more in profit from each $1 in sales than Wall Street forecast.

Cigna climbed 2.4% after the company agreed to sell its group life and disability coverage business for $6.3 billion.

Cintas added 2% after it reported stronger earnings and revenue for the latest quarter than Wall Street expected. The company, which provides uniforms, restroom supplies and other products for businesses, also raised its profit forecast for the fiscal year.

Several department store chains also notched solid gains. Macy's rose 3.1%, L Brands climbed 3.3% and Nordstrom picked up 3%.

Benchmark crude oil fell 1 cent to settle at $60.93 a barrel, snapping a five-day winning streak. Brent crude oil, the international standard, rose 7 cents to close at $66.17 a barrel.

Wholesale gasoline fell 1 cent to $1.68 per gallon. Heating oil declined 1 cent to $2.02 per gallon. Natural gas fell 3 cents to $2.29 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold fell $2.00 to $1,472.60 per ounce, silver fell 3 cents to $16.95 per ounce and copper was unchanged at $2.82 per pound.

The dollar rose to 109.60 Japanese yen from 109.49 yen on Tuesday. The euro weakened to $1.1115 from $1.1147.

Major European markets closed mostly lower.




 
Technology companies led stocks higher on Wall Street Thursday, extending the market’s gains for the week and pushing the major indexes to more record highs.

The broad gains erased the S&P 500’s slight losses from a day earlier. The benchmark index has notched gains six out of the past seven days.

A batch of encouraging earnings reports from several big companies helped keep investors in a buying mood. Rite Aid, Conagra Brands and Micron Technology rose after posting quarterly results that exceeded analysts’ forecasts.

Stock indexes were little changed for much of the day. Stocks, bonds, gold and a measure of fear among investors on Wall Street made only modest moves in the first day of trading after President Donald Trump’s impeachment by the House of Representatives.

“We’ve kind of known how this was going to play out for months,” said Scott Ladner, chief investment officer at Horizon Investments. “That just means that everybody has had an opinion, and whatever opinion that is it’s been priced into the market.”

The S&P 500 rose 14.23 points, or 0.4%, to 3,205.37. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 137.68 points, or 0.5%, to 28,376.96, a record.

The Nasdaq composite climbed 59.48 points, or 0.7%, to 8,887.22, a record. The Russell 2000 index of small-cap stocks picked up 5.36 points, or 0.3%, to 1,667.09.

The S&P/ASX 200 index looks set to finish the week on a disappointing note despite the solid gains were made on U.S. markets. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to fall 0.4% or 27 points at the open.

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https://apnews.com/55fa094308fa2f08e8c26bfec64888c6

US stocks move higher as markets yawn at Trump’s impeachment
By ALEX VEIGA and STAN CHOE

Technology companies led stocks higher on Wall Street Thursday, extending the market’s gains for the week and pushing the major indexes to more record highs.

The broad gains erased the S&P 500’s slight losses from a day earlier. The benchmark index has notched gains six out of the past seven days.

A batch of encouraging earnings reports from several big companies helped keep investors in a buying mood. Rite Aid, Conagra Brands and Micron Technology rose after posting quarterly results that exceeded analysts’ forecasts.

Stock indexes were little changed for much of the day. Stocks, bonds, gold and a measure of fear among investors on Wall Street made only modest moves in the first day of trading after President Donald Trump’s impeachment by the House of Representatives.

“We’ve kind of known how this was going to play out for months,” said Scott Ladner, chief investment officer at Horizon Investments. “That just means that everybody has had an opinion, and whatever opinion that is it’s been priced into the market.”

The S&P 500 rose 14.23 points, or 0.4%, to 3,205.37. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 137.68 points, or 0.5%, to 28,376.96, a record.

The Nasdaq composite climbed 59.48 points, or 0.7%, to 8,887.22, a record. The Russell 2000 index of small-cap stocks picked up 5.36 points, or 0.3%, to 1,667.09.

More stocks rose on the New York Stock Exchange than fell.

Treasury yields slipped. The 10-year Treasury yield dipped to 1.91% from 1.92% late Wednesday. The two-year yield was unchanged at 1.62% and the 30-year yield rose to 2.36% from 2.35%.

The major stock indexes climbed to record highs late last week as investors welcomed news that the U.S. and China had taken steps to de-escalate their trade conflict. Stocks have mostly continued their record-breaking run this week, shrugging off the House’s impeachment of President Trump.

Trump became just the third U.S. president to be impeached after the House voted Wednesday on charges of abuse of power and obstructing Congress in an investigation.

The President had warned months ago that his impeachment would roil markets, but traders say it has virtually no impact. That’s mostly because they see it as extremely unlikely that he or his market-friendly policies will leave office before the end of his term.

Trump, who has often reveled on Twitter when stock prices are rising, warned in October that “The Impeachment Hoax is hurting our Stock Market.”

A gauge measuring how worried traders are about upcoming swings for the S&P 500 rose only 0.6%.

Technology and communication services stocks accounted for much of the gains Thursday. Utilities and energy companies were the only decliners.

Investors had their eye on earnings reports from several companies.

Conagra Brands surged 15.9% for the biggest gain in the S&P 500 after it reported stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than Wall Street forecast due in part to sales of frozen and snack foods.

Micron Technology rose 2.8% after it reported stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. Its CEO also said it expects this quarter to mark “the cyclical bottom for our financial performance.”

Apogee Enterprises slumped 20.4% after the glass products company reported quarterly earnings that fell far short of what investors were expecting.

Traders sent shares in TiVo 6.1% higher after the company scrapped plans to split up and instead will merge with Xperi, an entertainment technology company.

Reports on the U.S. economy were mixed. Fewer workers applied for jobless benefits last week than the prior week, but the number was higher than economists forecast.

A report by the Philadelphia Federal Reserve said that manufacturing activity was nearly flat in the region last month. The pace of sales of previously occupied homes also weakened last month, as more Americans get priced out of the rising housing market.

Benchmark crude oil rose 29 cents to settle at $61.22 a barrel. Brent crude oil, the international standard, gained 37 cents to close at $66.54 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline rose 3 cents to $1.71 per gallon. Heating oil climbed 1 cent to $2.03 per gallon. Natural gas fell 2 cents to $2.27 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold rose $5.60 to $1,478.20 per ounce, silver rose 11 cents to $17.06 per ounce and copper rose 1 cent to $2.83 per pound.

The dollar fell to 109.28 Japanese yen from 109.60 yen on Wednesday. The euro strengthened to $1.1123 from $1.1115.

European markets closed mostly higher.
 
Wall Street capped a mostly quiet week of trading Friday with broad gains for stocks and more record highs for the major indexes.

Technology and health care stocks powered much of the rally. The S&P 500 notched its 10th winning week in the last 11. The benchmark index also finished with a record high for the fourth time this week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq composite also ended the week at new highs.

Momentum for stocks has been clearly upward for months, and the market is heading into what’s historically been a seasonally good period.

Rising optimism around a “Phase 1” trade deal announced a week ago between the United States and China has helped push stock indexes to records. Fears about a possible recession have also faded since the summer after the Federal Reserve cut interest rates three times, and the central bank appears set to keep them low for a long time.

“It's just a benign continuation of the year-end rally based on no compelling reasons to scare people into selling,” said Tom Martin, senior portfolio manager with Globalt Investments. “You have not a lot of reasons to sell; maybe a few reasons to buy. So, it's just a very slow, low volume drift upward.”

The S&P 500 rose 15.85 points, or 0.5%, to 3,221.22. With less than two weeks left in 2019, the S&P 500 is up 28.5% for the year.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 78.13 points, or 0.3%, to 28,455.09. The Nasdaq composite added 37.74 points, or 0.4%, to 8,924.96. The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks picked up 4.81 points, or 0.3%., to 1,671.90.

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Chart DOW vs AORD
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https://www.usnews.com/news/busines...broadly-higher-on-wall-street-extending-gains

S&P 500 Index Closes Out 10th Winning Week in the Past 11
Major indexes closed broadly higher on Wall Street, giving the S&P 500 index its 10th winning week in the last 11.
By Associated Press, Wire Service Content Dec. 20, 2019, at 4:59 p.m

By ALEX VEIGA and STAN CHOE, AP Business Writers

Wall Street capped a mostly quiet week of trading Friday with broad gains for stocks and more record highs for the major indexes.

Technology and health care stocks powered much of the rally. The S&P 500 notched its 10th winning week in the last 11. The benchmark index also finished with a record high for the fourth time this week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq composite also ended the week at new highs.

Momentum for stocks has been clearly upward for months, and the market is heading into what’s historically been a seasonally good period.

Rising optimism around a “Phase 1” trade deal announced a week ago between the United States and China has helped push stock indexes to records. Fears about a possible recession have also faded since the summer after the Federal Reserve cut interest rates three times, and the central bank appears set to keep them low for a long time.

“It's just a benign continuation of the year-end rally based on no compelling reasons to scare people into selling,” said Tom Martin, senior portfolio manager with Globalt Investments. “You have not a lot of reasons to sell; maybe a few reasons to buy. So, it's just a very slow, low volume drift upward.”

The S&P 500 rose 15.85 points, or 0.5%, to 3,221.22. With less than two weeks left in 2019, the S&P 500 is up 28.5% for the year.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 78.13 points, or 0.3%, to 28,455.09. The Nasdaq composite added 37.74 points, or 0.4%, to 8,924.96. The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks picked up 4.81 points, or 0.3%., to 1,671.90.

Roughly two stocks rose for every one that fell on the New York Stock Exchange.

The 10-year Treasury yield edged to 1.92% from 1.91% late Thursday. The two-year yield climbed to 1.62% from 1.60%. The 30-year yield held steady at 2.34%.

The U.S. and China agreed last week to cut tariffs on some of each others' goods and postpone other tariff threats. The interim trade deal has helped ease a key source of uncertainty for investors heading into next year.

Encouraging reports on home construction, industrial production and other economic data earlier this week helped keep the rally going.

More good news arrived Friday with a report showing U.S. households continue to spend amid a healthy job market. That is making up for hesitance by businesses to spend, and it's helping to keep the economy growing at a moderate pace.

“What we've had in the last several weeks is a lessening of uncertainty,” Martin said.

Spending by U.S. households has been the main pillar for the economy recently, even as CEOs turned cautious amid all the uncertainty created by President Donald Trump's trade wars.

Consumer spending rose 0.4% last month from October, the strongest growth in four months, according to the latest data from the Commerce Department. The increase in spending came as incomes rose 0.5% from a month earlier.

A separate report confirmed the economy grew at a moderate annual rate of 2.1% in the third quarter. Much of the growth from that July-through-September quarter came from stronger consumer spending.

Technology stocks accounted for a big slice of the market's gains. Intel rose 1.7%. Health care and industrial stocks also notched solid gains. Cigna climbed 3% and Union Pacific added 1.7%.

Carnival jumped 7.6% for the biggest gain in the S&P 500 after it reported stronger earnings for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The cruise ship operator also gave a profit forecast for the upcoming quarter that topped analysts’ forecasts.

CarMax dropped 6.2%, the largest loss in the S&P 500, after it reported weaker earnings for the latest quarter than analysts expected.

Stocks have traditionally climbed in the last five days of each calendar year, plus the first two of the new year. It’s happened often enough that traders call it the “Santa rally,” and it’s brought an average gain of 1.3% for the S&P 500 since 1969, according to the Stock Trader’s Almanac.

Over the last 50 years, stocks have climbed in the seven-day stretch roughly three-quarters of the time.

Benchmark crude oil fell 74 cents to settle at $60.44 a barrel. Brent crude oil, the international standard, slid 40 cents to close at $66.14 a barrel.

Wholesale gasoline was unchanged at $1.71 per gallon. Heating oil declined 1 cent to $2.02 per gallon. Natural gas rose 6 cents to $2.33 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold fell $3.50 to $1,474.70 per ounce, silver rose 7 cents to $17.13 per ounce and copper fell 2 cents to $2.81 per pound.

The dollar rose to 109.47 Japanese yen from 109.28 yen on Thursday. The euro weakened to $1.1075 from $1.1123.

European stock markets closed broadly higher.

382
 
The Australian share market will be closing earlier than normal at 2:10 pm Eastern Time this afternoon. It will then reopen again on Friday as normal

US markets are scheduled to open for only a half day on Tuesday and be closed Wednesday for Christmas.

Merry Xmas to all and best wishes,
John


Stocks closed modestly higher on Wall Street Monday, extending the major indexes’ milestone-shattering run.

The S&P 500 index notched its third-consecutive all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq composite also set record highs.

Technology, industrial and health care stocks led the gains. Energy companies rose along with the price of crude oil. Communication services stocks, household goods makers and banks fell. Utilities took the heaviest losses as investors shifted money away from more defensive sectors.

Shares of Boeing jumped after the company said its CEO has resigned, as the crisis related to its marquee 737 Max aircraft drags on. Apache Corp. soared after it announced a joint venture to develop an oil field in Suriname.

The market’s latest gains came on a day of mostly muted trading as investors kicked off a holiday shortened week. U.S. markets were scheduled to open for only a half day on Tuesday and then close Wednesday for Christmas.

The S&P 500 inched up 2.79 points, or 0.1%, to 3,224.01. The Dow gained 96.44 points, or 0.3%, to 28,551.53.

The Nasdaq climbed 20.69 points, or 0.2%, to 8,945.65. The index, which is heavily weighted with technology stocks, is on a nine-day winning streak.

The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks rose 2.24 points, or 0.1%, to 1,674.14.

The S&P/ASX 200 index looks set to extend its declines on Tuesday ahead of the Christmas break. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is poised to fall 2 points at the open.

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https://www.newser.com/article/1d01...ecords-after-quiet-pre-christmas-trading.html

US stocks set more records after quiet pre-Christmas trading
By ALEX VEIGA, Associated Press

Stocks closed modestly higher on Wall Street Monday, extending the major indexes’ milestone-shattering run.

The S&P 500 index notched its third-consecutive all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq composite also set record highs.

Technology, industrial and health care stocks led the gains. Energy companies rose along with the price of crude oil. Communication services stocks, household goods makers and banks fell. Utilities took the heaviest losses as investors shifted money away from more defensive sectors.

Shares of Boeing jumped after the company said its CEO has resigned, as the crisis related to its marquee 737 Max aircraft drags on. Apache Corp. soared after it announced a joint venture to develop an oil field in Suriname.

Homebuilders fell broadly after the Commerce Department said new home sales increased in November at a slower rate than analysts expected.

The market’s latest gains came on a day of mostly muted trading as investors kicked off a holiday shortened week. U.S. markets were scheduled to open for only a half day on Tuesday and then close Wednesday for Christmas.

“Right now, a lot of people have gone home for the year and the path of least resistance is higher,” said Sameer Samana, senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute. “It's hard to see any kind of meaningful trend change between now and the end of the year.”

The S&P 500 inched up 2.79 points, or 0.1%, to 3,224.01. The Dow gained 96.44 points, or 0.3%, to 28,551.53.

The Nasdaq climbed 20.69 points, or 0.2%, to 8,945.65. The index, which is heavily weighted with technology stocks, is on a nine-day winning streak.

The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks rose 2.24 points, or 0.1%, to 1,674.14.

Bond prices fell. The 10-year Treasury yield rose to 1.93% from 1.91% late Friday.

Momentum for stocks has been clearly upward for months, driving the major stock indexes to record highs. The benchmark S&P 500 index has finished with a weekly gain in 10 out of the past 11 weeks.

Rising optimism around a “Phase 1” trade deal announced earlier this month between the United States and China has helped put investors in a buying mood. Fears about a possible recession have also faded since the summer after the Federal Reserve cut interest rates three times, and the central bank appears set to keep them low for a long time.

Meanwhile, the stock market is nearing what’s historically been a positive stretch for stocks. The last five trading days of each year, plus the first two in the new year, have brought an average gain of 1.3% since 1950, according to the Stock Trader's Almanac.

“Unfortunately, we've probably pulled forward some returns from 2020,” Samana said. “Next year it gets a little bit more tricky with elections probably becoming a bigger focus that will lead to some more volatility.”

Technology stocks continued to add to their blockbuster gains Monday. The sector, which is up 47.2% with less than two weeks to go in 2019, helped lift the market. Apple rose 1.6%.

Energy stocks notched the biggest gain, 1.1%. It is the worst-performing of the S&P 500’s 11 sectors and is up 7.8% for the year.

Traders hammered homebuilding stocks after the Commerce Department said sales of newly built homes increased 1.3% in November to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 719,000 -- below the 730,000 rate analysts were expecting. New-home sales have increased 9.8% so far this year, thanks largely to a steady decline in mortgage rates.

“Housing was weak and that was probably a little bit due to rates slowly starting to creep back up,” Samana said.

Boeing rose 2.9% after the Chicago manufacturer said CEO Dennis Muilenburg is stepping down immediately over the company’s troubled Max 737 aircraft. The board's current chairman David Calhoun will officially take over on January 13.

The board said a change in leadership was necessary to restore confidence in the company as it works to repair relationships with regulators and stakeholders. The Max was grounded worldwide in March after two crashes by 737s, killing a combined 346 people.

Traders bid up shares in Apache Corp. 17.3% on news of the oil and natural gas producer’s new joint venture.

Walt Disney shares fell 1.5% after box office receipts for "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" failed to match the opening weekend performance of its recent predecessors.

Benchmark U.S. crude oil reversed an early slide, rising 8 cents to settle at $60.52 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, added 25 cents to close at $66.39 per barrel.

Wholesale gasoline was unchanged at $1.71 per gallon. Heating oil was unchanged at $2.02 per gallon. Natural gas fell 12 cents to $2.21 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold rose $7.80 to $1,482.50 per ounce. Silver rose 27 cents to $17.40 per ounce and copper rose 2 cents to $2.82 per pound.

The dollar fell to 109.37 Japanese yen from 109.47 yen on Friday. The euro strengthened to $1.1093 from $1.1075.

Major stock indexes in Europe closed mostly higher.
 
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U.S. markets are closed Wednesday and scheduled to reopen Thursday.

Our market will reopen on Friday as normal

Major U.S. stock indexes ended nearly flat Tuesday after an abbreviated trading session ahead of Christmas Day.

The Nasdaq composite eked out a tiny gain, extending the index’s winning streak to 10 days and nudging it to a record high for the seventh day in a row. The S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average finished with tiny losses.

Industrial, health care and communication services stocks were the biggest losers Tuesday. Those losses outweighed gains in banks, technology stocks and elsewhere in the market.

Trading was lighter than usual during the half day that U.S. markets were open. They are closed on Wednesday for the holiday.

"It's normal to see profit-taking and we're seeing a little bit of that," said Quincy Krosby, chief market strategist at Prudential Financial. "And that's to be expected in a market that's moved fast, quickly and up only in one direction."

The S&P 500 slipped 0.63 points, or less than 0.1%, to 3,223.38. The drop snapped a three-day winning streak for the index, which hit an all-time high Monday.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 36.08 points, or 0.1%, to 28,515.45. The Nasdaq composite recovered from an early slide, gaining 7.24 points, or 0.1%, to 8,952.88.

The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks fared better than the rest of the market, adding 3.87 points, or 0.2%, to 1,678.01.


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https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2019-12-23/asian-stocks-mixed-in-quiet-holiday-trading

US Stocks End Nearly Flat at Early Close for Christmas
Major US stock indexes ended nearly flat Tuesday after an abbreviated trading session ahead of Christmas Day.
By Associated Press, Wire Service Content Dec. 24, 2019, at 1:59 p.m.

ALEX VEIGA, AP Business Writer

Major U.S. stock indexes ended nearly flat Tuesday after an abbreviated trading session ahead of Christmas Day.

The Nasdaq composite eked out a tiny gain, extending the index’s winning streak to 10 days and nudging it to a record high for the seventh day in a row. The S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average finished with tiny losses.

Industrial, health care and communication services stocks were the biggest losers Tuesday. Those losses outweighed gains in banks, technology stocks and elsewhere in the market.

Trading was lighter than usual during the half day that U.S. markets were open. They are closed on Wednesday for the holiday.

"It's normal to see profit-taking and we're seeing a little bit of that," said Quincy Krosby, chief market strategist at Prudential Financial. "And that's to be expected in a market that's moved fast, quickly and up only in one direction."

The S&P 500 slipped 0.63 points, or less than 0.1%, to 3,223.38. The drop snapped a three-day winning streak for the index, which hit an all-time high Monday.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 36.08 points, or 0.1%, to 28,515.45. The Nasdaq composite recovered from an early slide, gaining 7.24 points, or 0.1%, to 8,952.88.

The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks fared better than the rest of the market, adding 3.87 points, or 0.2%, to 1,678.01.

Bond prices rose. The 10-year Treasury yield slipped to 1.90% from 1.93% late Monday.

The market's modest slide follows a strong winning streak for stocks that has propelled the major indexes to record highs this month. The benchmark S&P 500 index has finished with a weekly gain in 10 out of the past 11 weeks.

Rising optimism around a “Phase 1” trade deal announced earlier this month between the United States and China helped put investors in a buying mood in recent weeks. Fears about a possible recession have also faded since the summer after the Federal Reserve cut interest rates three times, and the central bank appears set to keep them low for a long time.

Still, as traders turn their attention to 2020, fears about the outlook for the global economy remain, as do concerns over unresolved trade issues between Washington and Beijing. Next year also has the added complication of the U.S. presidential election.

Industrial stocks led the way lower Tuesday. Boeing fell 1.4%, giving up some of its day-earlier gains when the aerospace manufacturer said its CEO has resigned amid ongoing problems related to its troubled 737 Max aircraft.

Health care and communication services stocks also helped pull the indexes lower. Cigna fell 1.2% and Facebook dropped 0.5%.

Financial stocks, retailers and other companies that rely on consumer spending notched gains. Assurant rose 0.9% and Home Depot rose 0.7%, while Ross Stores added 0.8%.

Homebuilders bounced back with broad gains after falling the day before following a disappointing home sales report. Hovnanian Enterprises gained 3.2%.

Uber Technologies rose 0.4% on news that ex-CEO Travis Kalanick will resign from the board next week, effectively severing ties with the ride-hailing company he co-founded a decade ago.

Kalanick was ousted as CEO in the summer of 2017 with the company mired in numerous lawsuits. The departure did not come as a surprise. Kalanick recently sold more than $2.5 billion worth of shares in the company, more than 90% of his holdings.

Shares in mining company Freeport-McMoRan climbed 1.1% as the price of gold rose. Gold gained $16.10, or 1.1%, to $1,504.80 per ounce.

Benchmark U.S. crude oil gained 59 cents to $61.11 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, added 25 cents at $66.39 per barrel.

Stock markets in Europe were either closed or opened for limited hours Tuesday. Britain's FTSE 100 index closed 0.1% higher, while the CAC 40 in Paris ended flat. Both markets opened for only half the day, and will remain closed until Friday. Germany's DAX was closed Tuesday and won't reopen until Friday.

Major stock indexes in Asia finished mixed.

U.S. markets are scheduled to reopen Thursday.
 
Retailers and technology companies powered stocks broadly higher on Wall Street Thursday, extending the market's record-setting run.

The Nasdaq composite climbed above 9,000 points for the first time as Apple led technology stocks higher. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 also climbed to new highs. The benchmark index is on course for its best year since 2013.

The latest gains came as investors welcomed a report showing that a last-minute surge in online shopping helped lift holiday sales. The data gave a boost to shares in Amazon.com and big department store chains such as Macy's and Nordstrom.

"That's just a confirmation that the consumer is incredibly strong and resilient and helping to power the economy to better numbers,” said Jeff Kravetz, regional investment director for U.S. Bank Wealth Management.

The S&P 500 rose 16.53 points, or 0.5%, to 3,239.91. The index, which had previously set a record high on Monday, has finished with a weekly gain in 10 out of the past 11 weeks.

The Dow gained 105.94 points, or 0.4%, to 28,621.39. The Nasdaq composite climbed 69.51 points, or 0.8%, to 9,022.39. The index, which is heavily weighted with tech stocks, is on an 11-day winning streak.

Markets in Europe, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Australia remained closed Thursday.

The Australian share market is expected to open flat despite gains on Wall Street overnight.
The SPI200 futures contract was unchanged at 6,710.0 at 0800 AEDT, suggesting a steady start for the benchmark S&P/ASX200 on Friday.

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https://www.newser.com/article/076e...e-at-record-highs-nasdaq-goes-above-9000.html

US stocks close at record highs; Nasdaq goes above 9,000
By ALEX VEIGA, Associated Press
17 minutes ago

Retailers and technology companies powered stocks broadly higher on Wall Street Thursday, extending the market's record-setting run.

The Nasdaq composite climbed above 9,000 points for the first time as Apple led technology stocks higher. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 also climbed to new highs. The benchmark index is on course for its best year since 2013.

The latest gains came as investors welcomed a report showing that a last-minute surge in online shopping helped lift holiday sales. The data gave a boost to shares in Amazon.com and big department store chains such as Macy's and Nordstrom.

"That's just a confirmation that the consumer is incredibly strong and resilient and helping to power the economy to better numbers,” said Jeff Kravetz, regional investment director for U.S. Bank Wealth Management.

The S&P 500 rose 16.53 points, or 0.5%, to 3,239.91. The index, which had previously set a record high on Monday, has finished with a weekly gain in 10 out of the past 11 weeks.

The Dow gained 105.94 points, or 0.4%, to 28,621.39. The Nasdaq composite climbed 69.51 points, or 0.8%, to 9,022.39. The index, which is heavily weighted with tech stocks, is on an 11-day winning streak.

Smaller company stocks lagged the broader market, leaving the Russell 2000 index essentially flat. The index slipped 0.34 points, or less than 0.1%, to 1,677.67.

Bond prices were little changed. The 10-year Treasury yield held steady at 1.90%. The yield is a benchmark for the interest rates that lenders charge on mortgages and other consumer loans.

Trading volume was lighter than usual Thursday as U.S. markets reopened after the Christmas holiday.

The latest gains added to the market’s strong upward trajectory for 2019. The major indexes are on pace to close out the year on a strong note after moving mostly higher since early October. Fears about a possible recession have faded since the summer after the Federal Reserve cut interest rates three times, and the central bank appears set to keep them low for a long time.

A “Phase 1” trade deal announced earlier this month between the United States and China helped solidify investors’ optimism. The result has been a year-end market rally that has the 11 sectors in the S&P 500 on pace for solid-to-stellar gains.

Still, as traders turn their attention to 2020, fears about the outlook for the global economy remain, as do concerns over unresolved trade issues between Washington and Beijing. Next year also has the added complication of the U.S. presidential election.

“Trade will continue to be a factor that drives short-term market volatility,” Kravetz said. “But if you look at the other factors, the more fundamental economic factors — consumer and business sentiment — those are the ones which are really keeping investors in the game and more confident.”

The last five days of December and the first two in the new year have historically been a positive period for the market. Stocks have brought an average gain of 1.3% over that stretch since 1950, according to the Stock Trader's Almanac.

Technology stocks continued to lead the way Thursday. The sector, which is on pace for its best year since 2009, is up 48.3% so far this year, well above the other sectors in the S&P 500. Apple was the sector’s biggest gainer, climbing 2%.

Big retailers also rallied following a report from Mastercard SpendingPulse that shows holiday retail sales rose 3.4%, with online shopping rising 18.8%.

Amazon led the pack, climbing 4.5%, the biggest gainer in the S&P 500. Macy's rose 2.6%, Nordstrom added 1.8%, and Gap gained 1.6%

Health care stocks were the only decliners. Incyte fell 2.9%.

Other health sector stocks fared better. Immunomedics climbed 5.7% after the biopharmaceutical company said that the FDA accepted its application for accelerated approval of a breast-cancer therapy.

Benchmark U.S. crude gained 57 cents to settle at $61.68 per barrel. Brent crude oil, the international standard, picked up 72 cents to close at $67.92 per barrel.

The rise in oil prices helped lift some energy sector stocks. Diamondback Energy gained 1.3%.

Shares in mining companies rose along with the price of gold, which climbed $9.60 to $1,514.40 per ounce. Newmont Goldcorp added 1.2%, while Freeport-McMoRan gained 1.4%.

In other commodities trading, wholesale gasoline rose 3 cents to $1.75 per gallon. Heating oil climbed 2 cents to $2.05 per gallon. Natural gas jumped 12 cents, or 5.6%, to $2.29 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Silver rose 14 cents to $17.99 per ounce. Copper gained 2 cents to $2.85 per pound.

The dollar fell to 109.65 Japanese yen from 109.78 yen on Wednesday. The euro weakened to $1.1102 from $1.1314.

Markets in Europe, Hong Kong and Australia remained closed Thursday. Elsewhere in Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 index advanced 0.6% to 23,924.92, while the Kospi in South Korea gained 0.4% to 2,197.93. India's Sensex lost 0.3% to 41,339.87. In Southeast Asia, benchmarks were mixed, while Taiwan was flat.
 

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Major U.S. stock indexes ended essentially flat Friday after a day of mostly listless trading. Even so, the S&P 500 closed out the week with its fifth straight weekly gain.

The benchmark index squeaked out a tiny gain that was good enough for its 35th record high this year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also notched a slight gain, giving it its 22nd all-time high of 2019. The Nasdaq composite closed with a modest loss, snapping the index’s 11-day winning streak.

Investors drove up shares of stocks in defensive sectors, including household goods makers, real estate companies and utilities. Those gains were checked by losses in energy, financial and communication services stocks. Bond yields fell.

With two days of trading left in 2019, the market is on track for its best year since 2013.

“Some of the selling today is just profit-taking,” said Ben Phillips, chief investment officer at EventShares. “People are just maybe checking out for the rest of the year and taking some profits on positions because there are a lot of things that are up meaningfully.”

The S&P 500 inched up 0.11 points, or less than 0.1%, to 3,240.02. The index has finished with a weekly gain 11 out of the past 12 weeks.

The Dow rose 23.87 points, or 0.1%, to 28,645.26. The Nasdaq composite slipped 15.77 points, or 0.2%, to 9,006.62.

Smaller company stocks took the brunt of the selling. The Russell 2000 index fell 8.64 points, or 0.5%, to 1,669.03. More stocks declined than rose on the New York Stock Exchange.

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Chart DOW vs AORD
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https://www.usnews.com/news/us/arti...k-indexes-off-to-mixed-start-in-early-trading

US Stocks Nearly Flat; S&P 500 Notches 5th Weekly Gain
Major U.S. stock indexes ended essentially flat Friday after a day of mostly listless trading.
By Associated Press, Wire Service Content Dec. 27, 2019, at 5:08 p.m.

ALEX VEIGA, AP Business Writer

Major U.S. stock indexes ended essentially flat Friday after a day of mostly listless trading. Even so, the S&P 500 closed out the week with its fifth straight weekly gain.

The benchmark index squeaked out a tiny gain that was good enough for its 35th record high this year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also notched a slight gain, giving it its 22nd all-time high of 2019. The Nasdaq composite closed with a modest loss, snapping the index’s 11-day winning streak.

Investors drove up shares of stocks in defensive sectors, including household goods makers, real estate companies and utilities. Those gains were checked by losses in energy, financial and communication services stocks. Bond yields fell.

With two days of trading left in 2019, the market is on track for its best year since 2013.

“Some of the selling today is just profit-taking,” said Ben Phillips, chief investment officer at EventShares. “People are just maybe checking out for the rest of the year and taking some profits on positions because there are a lot of things that are up meaningfully.”

The S&P 500 inched up 0.11 points, or less than 0.1%, to 3,240.02. The index has finished with a weekly gain 11 out of the past 12 weeks.

The Dow rose 23.87 points, or 0.1%, to 28,645.26. The Nasdaq composite slipped 15.77 points, or 0.2%, to 9,006.62.

Smaller company stocks took the brunt of the selling. The Russell 2000 index fell 8.64 points, or 0.5%, to 1,669.03. More stocks declined than rose on the New York Stock Exchange.

Bond prices rose. The 10-year Treasury yield fell to 1.87% from 1.90% late Thursday.

A truce in the 17-month U.S.-China trade war and positive signs for the economy have helped keep investors in a buying mood. Fears about a possible recession have also faded since the summer after the Federal Reserve cut interest rates three times and signaled that it will keep them low for a long time.

Still, as the market prepares to close out a strong year of gains next week, uncertainty remains over the final details of the “Phase 1” trade deal and whether Washington and Beijing will be able to resolve remaining differences not addressed by the initial pact. The U.S. presidential election could also drive volatility in the markets next year.

"If the trade deal really gets done, that's improvement in sentiment, which drives markets and CEO confidence, and then you still have very easy money out there and the Fed doesn't plan on changing that," Phillips said. "All those things combined suggest that equities should rise in the next 12 months, though maybe not as strong as 2019."

Trading volume remained lighter than usual Friday. General Mills was among the biggest gainers in the S&P 500 as traders shifted assets into traditionally defensive sector stocks. The consumer foods company rose 1.5%.

Investors also favored real estate and utilities stocks. Kimco Realty gained 1.5% and American Water Works rose 0.9%.

Several airlines fell. American Airlines Group was the biggest decliner in the S&P 500, shedding 4.2%. Southwest Airlines and Alaska Air Group lost 1.1%.

Devon Energy led a slide in energy sector stocks, shedding 2.4%.

Investors bid up shares in Michaels Cos. after the arts and crafts retailer hired an executive from Walmart to be CEO. The stock vaulted 32.9%.

Oil prices rebounded from an early stumble. Benchmark U.S. crude rose 1 cent to settle at $61.72 per barrel. Brent crude, used to price international oils, gained 24 cents to close at $68.16 per barrel.

In other commodities trading, wholesale gasoline fell 1 cent to $1.74 per gallon. Heating oil was little changed at $2.05 per gallon. Natural gas slid 14 cents, or 5.9%, to $2.16 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The price of gold rose $3.70 to $1,518.10 per ounce. Silver fell 5 cents to $17.94 per ounce. Copper dropped 2 cents to $2.83 per pound.

The dollar fell to 109.40 Japanese yen from 109.65 yen on Thursday. The euro strengthened to $1.1186 from $1.1102.

European markets closed mostly higher. Earlier in Asia, Hong Kong finished with gains and Tokyo declined.

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Stocks closed broadly lower on Wall Street Monday, erasing some of the major indexes’ recent gains, though the market remains on track to end the year with its best performance since 2013.

The pullback ended a two-day winning streak by the S&P 500. The benchmark index has risen five straight weeks, notching multiple all-time highs along the way. It’s on track to end December with its fourth consecutive monthly gain.

Technology, communication services and health care stocks accounted for much of the selling Monday. Retailers and other companies that rely on consumer spending also fell.

Homebuilders fell after a report on pending U.S. home sales in November came in below analysts' expectations. Shares in utilities and real estate sector companies fared the best, ending with only tiny losses, as investors shifted assets to high-dividend stocks and other bond proxies.

“There could be a few big institutions out there that are taking some profits,” said Randy Frederick, vice-president of trading & derivatives at Charles Schwab. “Big players can have a bigger influence on the market when the volumes are low.”

The S&P 500 dropped 18.73 points, or 0.6%, to 3,221.29. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 183.12 points, or 0.6%, to 28,462.14. The Nasdaq composite lost 60.62 points, or 0.7%, to 8,945.99.

The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks slid 4.88 points, or 0.3%, to 1,664.15.

The S&P/ASX 200 index looks set to end the year with a day deep in the red. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is poised to fall 0.9% or 61 points at the open.

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https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-open-lower-beginning-holiday-144449368.html

US stocks move broadly lower to start holiday-shortened week
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The Canadian Press

Alex Veiga, The Associated Press

Stocks closed broadly lower on Wall Street Monday, erasing some of the major indexes’ recent gains, though the market remains on track to end the year with its best performance since 2013.

The pullback ended a two-day winning streak by the S&P 500. The benchmark index has risen five straight weeks, notching multiple all-time highs along the way. It’s on track to end December with its fourth consecutive monthly gain.

Technology, communication services and health care stocks accounted for much of the selling Monday. Retailers and other companies that rely on consumer spending also fell.

Homebuilders fell after a report on pending U.S. home sales in November came in below analysts' expectations. Shares in utilities and real estate sector companies fared the best, ending with only tiny losses, as investors shifted assets to high-dividend stocks and other bond proxies.

“There could be a few big institutions out there that are taking some profits,” said Randy Frederick, vice-president of trading & derivatives at Charles Schwab. “Big players can have a bigger influence on the market when the volumes are low.”

The S&P 500 dropped 18.73 points, or 0.6%, to 3,221.29. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 183.12 points, or 0.6%, to 28,462.14. The Nasdaq composite lost 60.62 points, or 0.7%, to 8,945.99.

The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks slid 4.88 points, or 0.3%, to 1,664.15.

Bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 1.89% from 1.87% late Friday.

Despite the downbeat start to the holiday shortened week, the S&P 500 is on pace to finish the year 28.5% higher, which would make it the strongest annual gain for the market since 2013.

A truce in the 17-month U.S.-China trade war and positive signs for the economy have helped keep investors in a buying mood. Fears about a possible recession have also faded since the summer after the Federal Reserve cut interest rates three times. The central bank appears set to keep them low for the near future.

Still, as the market prepares to close out a strong year of gains, uncertainty remains over the final details of a “Phase 1” trade deal between Washington and Beijing, which U.S. officials say will be signed in early January. Details of the agreement have not been disclosed, and it's unclear how much impact it will have if the two sides are unable to resolve their remaining differences.

Hovnanian Enterprises led the slide in homebuilder shares Monday, falling 2.5%. The National Association of Realtors said that its pending home sales index, which measures the number of purchase contracts signed, rose 1.2% last month to 108.5. Analysts had expected a 1.4% gain, according to FactSet.

Axsome Therapeutics rose 1.8% after the pharmaceutical company reported encouraging results from a trial of its migraine treatment drug.

Lending Tree climbed 3% after analysts at Compass Point upgraded the online loan marketplace operator to “buy.”

Trading is expected to be muted this week as the holiday season continues with U.S. markets closing on Wednesday for New Year’s Day. Still, a couple of potentially market-moving economic reports are scheduled to for release this week.

Investors will get to mull over new data on U.S. consumer confidence and home prices Tuesday, and the latest snapshot of manufacturing on Friday. Meanwhile, the minutes of the Federal Reserve’s latest interest rate policy meeting are also due out on Friday.

Frederick said the latest data on manufacturing is probably the one that investors should pay attention to the most.

“While (manufacturing) only represents about 12% of the economy, it tends to be much more of a leading indicator versus the services sector,” he said. “And it’s been one of the things that’s been causing those out there who think we still might be seeing a recession at some point soon to worry.”

Coming off a four-week winning streak, benchmark U.S. crude slipped 4 cents to $61.68 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, gained 28 cents to $68.44 per barrel.

In other commodities trading, wholesale gasoline fell 2 cents to $1.73 per gallon. Heating oil slipped a penny to $2.04 per gallon. Natural gas dropped 5 cents, or 2%, to $2.19 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The price of gold inched up 20 cents to $1,514.50 per ounce. Silver gained 6 cents to $17.91 per ounce. Copper was little changed at $2.83 per pound.

The dollar fell to 108.83 Japanese yen from 109.40 yen on Friday. The euro strengthened to $1.1202 from $1.1186.

European stock indexes closed broadly lower. Germany's DAX fell 0.7%, while the CAC 40 in Paris slid 0.9%. In Britain, the FTSE 100 dropped 0.8%.

Major markets in Asia closed mostly lower.
 
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