US markets end mostly higher on Friday

23 Dec 2023 Evaluate

The US markets ended mostly higher on Friday after revised data released by the University of Michigan showed consumer sentiment in the U.S. improved by slightly more than initially estimated in the month of December. The University of Michigan said its consumer sentiment index for December was upwardly revised to 69.7 from a preliminary reading of 69.4. Street had expected the index to be unrevised. With the upward revision, the consumer sentiment index is even further above the final November reading of 61.3.The report said the current economic conditions index jumped to 73.3 in December from 68.3 in November, while the index of consumer expectations spiked to 67.4 from 56.8. With regard to inflation expectations, year-ahead inflation expectations plunged to 3.1 percent in December from 4.5 percent in November, hitting the lowest level since March 2021.

Long-run inflation expectations also fell to 2.9 percent in December from 3.2 percent in November, staying within the narrow 2.9-3.1 percent range for 26 of the last 29 months. Meanwhile, a highly anticipated report released by the Commerce Department showed consumer price growth in the U.S. slowed by more than expected in the month of November. The report said the annual rate of consumer price growth decelerated to 2.6 percent in November from a downwardly revised 2.9 percent in October. Street had expected the pace of price growth to slow to 2.8 percent from the 3.0 percent originally reported for the previous month. The annual rate of growth by core consumer prices, which exclude food and energy prices, also slowed to 3.2 percent in November from a downwardly revised 3.4 percent in October.

Nasdaq rose 29.11 points or 0.19 percent to 14,992.97 and S&P 500 was up by 7.88 points 0.17 percent to 4,754.63, while Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 18.38 points or 0.05 to 37,385.97. 


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