US markets climbs as home builders’ data bolstered hopes

20 Mar 2012 Evaluate

The US markets edged higher on Monday, extending five-month rally and the S&P 500 index closed at a 4-year high as Apple Inc.’s dividend plans boosted the Nasdaq and home builders’ data bolstered hopes of sector’s recovery. A measure of sentiment for builders of new single-family homes in March stayed at the highest level in close to five years after a downward revision to the preceding month, according to data released yesterday. The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo housing market index stayed at 28, which marks the highest level since June 2007 after the one-point downward revision of February’s data to 28. It’s the first of a series of housing reports expected this week. On Tuesday, data on US housing starts for February will be released. US sold off the final tranche of mortgage securities last week it purchased to save Fannie and Freddie during the 2008 crisis.

The index’s biggest component, Apple announced it would start paying a quarterly dividend in its fourth quarter, which runs July through September. The company will initiate a quarterly dividend of $2.65 a share in the fourth fiscal quarter of this year, which ends September 31. It will also begin a $10 billion share buyback at the start of its next fiscal year, though the company stated the latter move was more about offsetting dilution from employee stock-awards.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed higher by 6.51 points, or 0.05 percent, at 13,239.10. The S&P 500 gained 5.58 points, or 0.40 percent, at 1,409.75, while the Nasdaq was up by 23.06 points, or 0.75 percent, at 3,078.32.

Indian ADRs closed mixed on Monday, Tata Communications was up 0.25%, Dr. Reddy’s Lab was up 0.20% and MTNL was up 0.05%. On the flip side, Infosys Technologies was down 0.67% and ICICI Bank was down 0.63%.

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