US markets settle higher amid trade deal hopes

16 Nov 2019 Evaluate

The US markets settled at fresh record highs on Friday on revived hopes for a US - China trade deal despite mixed economic data. White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Thursday that US and Chinese negotiators are in contact every single day and are getting close to a phase one trade deal. He said ‘It's not done yet, but there has been very good progress and the talks have been very constructive’. In an appearance on the Fox Business Network on Friday, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said the talks are ‘down to the last details’ and a deal will be completed ‘in all likelihood’. Adding optimism among market participants, China has lifted a nearly five-year ban on imports of US poultry in a goodwill gesture that could lead to more than $1 billion in annual shipments to China.

Traders also reacted positively to a report from the Commerce Department showing US retail sales rebounded by slightly more than expected in the month of October. The Commerce Department said retail sales climbed by 0.3 percent in October, reversing the 0.3 percent drop in September. Street had expected retail sales to rise by 0.2 percent. Excluding a rebound in auto sales, the report said retail sales rose by 0.2 percent in October after edging down by 0.1 percent in September. Ex-auto sales had been expected to increase by 0.4 percent. Meanwhile, traders shrugged off a report from the Federal Reserve showing a steep drop in industrial production in October, as the decrease was partly due to the since-resolved strike at General Motors (GM).

Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 222.93 points or 0.80 percent to 28004.89, Nasdaq gained 61.81 points or 0.73 percent to 8540.83 and S&P 500 was up by 23.83 points or 0.77 percent to 3120.46.

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