US markets gain on progress over budget negotiation

30 Nov 2012 Evaluate
The US markets edged higher on Thursday, for a second day lifting the Dow industrials into positive terrain for the week, as investors bet on at least a short-term fix to avert the so-called fiscal cliff. The Obama administration and House Republicans were at loggerheads in fiscal cliff talks, as the White House reportedly called for $1.6 trillion in new tax revenue and an unlimited debt ceiling on the table. The markets however came off their highs after House Speaker John Boehner declared that no substantive progress had been made in talks to reach a budget deal. Earlier, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and another senior White House aide visited Capitol Hill for talks with congressional leaders on averting automatic spending cuts and tax hikes set to begin in 2013. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner presented a plan that included taxing dividends as income. The White House plan included a 45% estate tax on inheritances over $3.5 million. Meanwhile, the economic reports drew little response from investors, who lately have bypassed any data in favor of paying attention solely to developments related to the budget talks.
 
The major economic reports included the National Association of Realtors saying pending home sales rose 5.2% in October, illustrating ongoing recovery in the housing market. The pending-home-sales index rose to 104.8 in October from 99.6 in September. Besides, the country’s  economy expanded more than initially projected in the third quarter, the Commerce Department reported, with the nation’s economic growth rising to 2.7% in the period - up from an initial estimate of 2% but just under estimates calling for a 2.8% rise. Though, the US grew much faster in the third quarter than originally reported, but softer consumer spending and business investment suggest the economy did not enter the final three months of 2012 with a head of steam. Separately, the Labor Department stated that claims for unemployment benefits declined by 23,000 to 393,000 in the week ended November 24, with the decline not as much as expected. The number of people who filed new applications for unemployment benefits fell sharply for the second straight week as the effects of Hurricane Sandy continued to fade.
 
In Europe, the sentiments in euro zone improved after falling for eight months in a row. The latest survey from the European Commission showed sentiment indicator in November increased 1.4% to 85.7, an increase for the first time after falling for eight months in a row. The Commission also estimated 0.1% growth in the euro zone in 2013, however estimates from OECD and other private estimates forecast a recession. Besides, euro zone leading economic index declined in October, the Conference Board stated. The Conference Board Leading Economic Index for the euro area decreased 0.2% in October to 104.9, after decreasing 0.3% in September. The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index for the euro area, which measures current economic activity, remained unchanged in October. The index now stands at 102.2.
 
The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 36.71 points, or 0.28 percent, to close at 13,021.80, the S&P 500 finished up by 6.02 points, or 0.43 percent at 1,415.95, while the Nasdaq ended higher by 20.25 points, or 0.68 percent to settle at 3,012.03.
 
Indian ADRs closed in green on Thursday, ICICI Bank was up 2.76%, HDFC Bank was up by 2.58%, Tata Motors was up 1.39%, Infosys was up 1.22% and Sterlite Industries was up 0.39%.

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