US markets closed mostly higher; Nasdaq ends in red

24 Dec 2014 Evaluate

The US markets closed mostly higher on Tuesday; with the Dow Jones Industrial Average closing above 18,000 for the first time, making it the fifth fastest 1,000-point rise in the Dow’s history. On the economy front, the US economy accelerated to its highest pace of growth in the past 11 years during the third quarter, an unexpectedly strong revision as consumer spending was stronger than first estimated. Gross domestic product - the value of all goods and services produced by the US - grew at a real 5.0% annual rate in the third quarter. That’s up from a prior reading of 3.9% and an initial estimate of 3.5%. This is the fastest pace of growth since the third quarter of 2003.

Meanwhile, consumer spending in the US rose in November at the fastest pace in three months, surpassing economists’ estimates, in another positive sign for retailers this holiday season. Consumer spending rose 0.6% in November, up from 0.3% in October. Personal income meanwhile rose 0.4% in month of November, the fastest growth in five months. Inflation, as measured by an index for personal consumption expenditures, fell 0.2% last month, as energy prices dropped. The core inflation index, which excludes food and energy, was unchanged in November. Over the past 12 months, the broad PCE index rose 1.2%, while the core gauge grew 1.4%.

On the other hand, orders for long-lasting goods critical to US economic growth unexpectedly declined in November, as an expected boost from Boeing airplane orders failed to materialize. Orders for US-made durable goods fell a seasonally adjusted 0.7% last month, with few signs of strength. The final reading for the University of Michigan and Thomson Reuters consumer sentiment index for December was downwardly revised to 93.6 from 93.8. It’s still the best showing since January 2007. Sales of new single-family homes fell in November to the slowest pace in four months, with drops in three of four US regions. Last month sales of new single-family homes fell 1.6% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 438,000.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 64.73 points or 0.36 percent to 18,024.17, S&P 500 gained 3.63 points or 0.17 percent to 2,082.17 while, Nasdaq was down by 16.00 points or 0.33 percent to 4,765.42.

Indian ADRs closed in red on Tuesday; Tata Motors was down by 0.57%, Dr. Reddy’s Lab was down by 0.45%, HDFC Bank was udown0.21%, Wipro was down 0.05% and Infosys was down by 0.05%.  

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