US markets end mostly lower as earnings season gets under way

15 Jan 2020 Evaluate

The US markets ended mostly lower on Tuesday as earnings season opened with mixed banking results. Shares of Wells Fargo (WFC) moved sharply lower after the banking giant reported fourth quarter results that missed expectations. However, shares of JPMorgan Chase (JPM) saw notable strength on the day after the financial giant reported better than expected fourth quarter results. Besides, sentiments were bruised private report that said the United States could maintain tariffs on more than $300 billion in Chinese goods past November 2020. The report came a day before US and Chinese representatives are set to sign a partial trade deal in which the Washington agreed not to impose additional tariffs and to reduce tariffs on about $120 billion of goods.

On the economic data front, consumer prices in the US increased by slightly less than anticipated in the month of December, according to a report released by the Labor Department. The Labor Department said its consumer price index rose by 0.2 percent in December after climbing by 0.3 percent in November. Street had been expecting another 0.3 percent increase. The increase in consumer prices was partly due to a jump in energy prices, which surged up by 1.4 percent in December amid a 2.8 percent jump in gasoline prices. Excluding food and energy prices, core consumer prices inched up by 0.1 percent in December after rising by 0.2 percent in November. Core prices had been expected to rise by another 0.2 percent. The uptick on core prices reflected higher prices for shelter and medical care as well as increases by prices for apparel, motor vehicle insurance, recreation, and new vehicles.

Nasdaq declined 22.6 points or 0.24 percent to 9251.33 and S&P 500 was down by 4.98 points or 0.15 percent to 3283.15, while Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 32.62 points or 0.11 percent to 28939.67.

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