US markets edge mostly higher on mixed economic data

16 Jan 2013 Evaluate

The US markets edged mostly higher on Tuesday, on mixed economic data and before major earnings release, while further losses for Apple Inc. weighed on the technology sector. Apple was the biggest decliner in the S&P 500. Meanwhile, Fitch Ratings reiterated its warning that a delay in raising ceiling would lead to a formal review of the country’s AAA credit rating. On Monday, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner stated that the United States could hit the debt ceiling between mid-February and early March unless Congress took action to raise it.

On the economy front, Americans mostly ignored a bitter budget battle in Washington in December and increased retail spending by the most in three months. The US retail sales rose a seasonally adjusted 0.5% in December and sales for November and October were revised slightly higher. The increase was the highest since September and demand was even stronger if sales at gas stations are excluded. Besides, manufacturing activity in the New York area contracted for the sixth straight month in January as orders dried up given uncertainty over the economic impact of US fiscal policy. The index fell to negative 7.8 in January from a revised negative 7.3 in December, originally reported as negative 8.1.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 27.57 points or 0.20 percent to 13,534.90, the Nasdaq dropped 6.72 points or 0.22 percent to 3,110.78 and the S&P 500 closed higher by 1.66 points or 0.11 percent to 1,472.34.

Indian ADRs closed mixed on Tuesday, Tata Motors was up 0.34%, ICICI Bank was up 0.08% and Tata Communications was up 0.01%. On the other hand, HDFC Bank was down 1.20% and Infosys was down 0.93%. 

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