US markets gain for second straight day

05 Sep 2013 Evaluate

The US markets gained on Wednesday for a second straight day as investors kept their eye trained on the debate over prospective US intervention in the Syrian civil war. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved a resolution supporting the use of US military force in Syria. The Federal Reserve released its Beige Book survey of economic conditions, which found the US economy grew at a modest to moderate pace in July and August and offered few new clues as to the timing and scale of the anticipated cutback in the Fed’s $85 billion in monthly bond purchases. The Fed’s so-called Beige Book found modest expansion in the manufacturing sector; rising consumer spending in most Fed districts; a slight increase in services activity; and moderate residential real estate sales. The latest Beige Book comes two weeks before the Fed’s next policy meeting, at which many expected that central bank will start to scale back its asset purchases.

Meanwhile, a top Federal Reserve official state that reducing securities purchases later this year and ending them in mid-2014 is still the best course forward assuming economic forecasts hold true. San Francisco Fed President John Williams told any policy changes will depend on the unemployment rate continuing to decline and inflation holding steady. Separately, Minneapolis Fed President Narayana Kocherlakota stated that the Federal Reserve isn’t providing sufficient stimulus to the economy. Kocherlakota added that Fed’s own forecasts of inflation below 2% over the medium term and a gradual decline in joblessness suggest that it should be providing more stimulus to the economy, not less.

On the economy front, the US trade deficit with other nations surged 13.3% in July, reflecting higher demand for oil and imported autos. The trade gap widened to a seasonally adjusted $39.1 billion from a revised $34.5 billion in June, the Commerce Department stated. That’s roughly in line with the monthly average so far in 2013. While, Ford Motor Company posted its best retail-sales month in seven years.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 96.91 points or 0.65 percent to 14,930.90, the S&P 500 was up 13.31 points or 0.81 percent to 1,653.08, while the Nasdaq added 36.43 points or 1.01 percent to 3,649.04.

Indian ADRs closed in green on Wednesday; Dr. Reddy’s Lab was up 1.55%, ICICI Bank was up 1.46%, Infosys was up 1.25%, Tata Motors was up 1.19% and HDFC Bank was up 1.00%.

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