US markets gain on strong GDP data

21 Dec 2013 Evaluate

The US markets gained on Friday, lifting the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 to record levels, after a government report showed the economy grew at its fastest pace in two years last quarter.  The US economy expanded in the third quarter at its fastest pace in two years owing to stronger consumer spending and business investment than previously reported. The Commerce Department stated that gross domestic product (GDP) climbed at a 4.1% annual rate from July through September. Previously the increase was reported as 3.6%. Consumer spending, the main driver of the US economy, rose 2% instead a lackluster 1.4% as initially estimated. The annualized pace of inflation was little changed at 1.9% as measured by the PCE index, or just 1.4% on a core basis.

Meanwhile, Eric Rosengren, the president of the Boston Federal Reserve Bank stated that the Federal Reserve could have delayed a taper until it had more evidence that the economy was improving. Rosengren was the lone dissenter on the Fed’s decision earlier this week to pull back its stimulus starting next month, calling the move premature. While Rosengren told that he agreed with his colleagues that the economy was strengthening, and suggested growth may accelerate to the 3% range in 2014, he added he did not yet have sufficient confidence in this outlook to risk the removal of any monetary accommodation at this time. He noted the outlook may be improving but activity is still underperforming.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 42.06 points or 0.26 percent to 16,221.14, the S&P 500 was up 8.72 points or 0.48 percent to 1,818.32, while Nasdaq gained 46.60 points or 1.15 percent to 4,104.74.

Indian ADRs closed mostly in green on Friday; Dr. Reddy’s Lab was up 1.09%, Infosys was up 0.45%, ICICI Bank was up 0.41% and Wipro was up by 0.35%. On the other hand, HDFC Bank was down 0.18%.

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