US markets climb on encouraging economic data

18 May 2013 Evaluate

The US markets climbed on Friday, advancing to a fourth weekly gain, with both the Dow industrials and the S&P 500 at all-time high close, after data cast a positive spin on the economy. The consumer sentiment perked up in May to its highest level in more than six years, helped by falling gasoline prices, a rising stock market and firmer housing prices. The preliminary May reading of the University of Michigan and Thomson Reuters consumer sentiment index jumped to a reading of 83.7, well up from 76.4 in April and the best reading since July 2007.Also, according to an index that measures the nation’s economic health, the US is still expanding and growth could accelerate later in the year. The leading economic index bounced back with a 0.6% gain to 95.0% in April after falling a downwardly revised 0.2% in March, the Conference Board stated. The LEI is a weighted gauge of 10 indicators designed to signal business-cycle peaks and troughs. Seven of the 10 components expanded in April, led by permits to build new homes, the interest-rate spread and initial claims for unemployment benefits. On the downside, consumers were still somewhat pessimistic in April about the direction of the US economy and it remains to be seen whether federal spending cuts under a law known as the sequester start to pinch growth.

Meanwhile, member of board of governors expects fiscal policy to significantly hinder growth this year and remain restrictive going forward, but predicts continued moderate recovery. Sarah Bloom Raskin, a member of the board of governors of the US Federal Reserve, has warned of the major drag US fiscal policy is having on the economy. Sarah Bloom Raskin stated that tax legislation signed into law in January and the sharp spending cuts associated with sequestration will likely significantly hinder GDP growth this year.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 121.18 points or 0.80 percent at 15,354.40, the S&P 500 added 17.00 points or 1.03 percent to 1,667.47 and Nasdaq inched higher by 33.72 points or 0.97 percent to 3,498.97.

Indian ADRs closed mostly in green on Thursday, Infosys was up by 0.64%, HDFC Bank was up 0.62% and ICICI Bank was up 0.38%. On the flip side, Dr. Reddy’s Lab was down 0.61% and Tata Communications was down 0.22%.

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