US markets closed flat despite jump in consumer confidence

28 Dec 2011 Evaluate

The US markets made a flat closing with Dow Jones Industrial Average remaining slightly lower on Tuesday to end its recent winning streak, but the S&P 500 Index and Nasdaq Composite finished modestly higher on the heels of a jump in consumer confidence for December. Confidence among consumers rose to an eight-month high in December as an improving job market helped Americans regain all the ground lost following the mid-year government budget battle and credit-rating downgrade. The Conference Board’s index increased to 64.5, exceeding all estimates and the highest since April, from a revised 55.2 reading in November.

However, another report showed home prices fell more than projected in October. The S&P/Case-Shiller index of home values in cities dropped 3.4 percent from October 2010 after decreasing 3.5 percent in the year ended September. In Europe, the lingering Europe debt crisis and a cooling domestic property market are dimming growth prospects for the world’s second-largest economy.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 2.65 points, or 0.02 percent, to 12,291.30. The Standard and Poor’s 500 closed higher by 0.10 points, or 0.01 percent, to 1,265.43, while the Nasdaq composite gained 6.56 points, or 0.25 percent, to 2,625.20.

The Indian ADRs made a mixed closing on Tuesday, Tata Motors was down by 0.56%, Dr. Reddy’s Lab was down by 0.52% and ICICI Bank was down by 0.24%. On the flip side, Infosys Technologies was up 0.20%, Tata Communications was up 0.09% and and HDFC Bank was up 0.09%.

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