MARKET SNAPSHOT: Dow Aims For Third Consecutive Record, But Health-care Slumps On Trump
December 07 2016 - 10:18AM
Dow Jones News
By Mark DeCambre and Victor Reklaitis, MarketWatch
The IBB is on track for its worst daily drop since October
The Dow industrials and S&P 500 on Wednesday opened slightly
lower, but were trading within striking distance of records ahead
of a key meetings by European and U.S. central banks that has kept
investors cautious.
A rapid advance in stock-market indexes since the Nov. 8
presidential election fueled a euphoric rally has raised some
concerns that equity values have become overextended. A second
decline in crude-oil prices also has kept investors on the
sidelines.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average was trading steady at 19,258,
but ahead of its all-time closing high set Tuesday. A 0.8% rise in
Goldman Sachs Group(GS) helped support the blue-chip benchmark,
while a 1.8% slump in shares of Johnson & Johnson(JNJ) weighed
on the gauge.
The S&P 500 index slipped about 3 points, or 0.1%, at 2,209,
with all but one of the S&P 500's 11 sector in positive
territory. Health-care led the way lower, with a 1.9%, decline,
after President-elect Donald Trump threatened to cut drug prices
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/president-elect-trumps-promise-to-bring-down-drug-prices-sends-biotech-etfs-slumping-2016-12-07).
The iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF(IBB), the most widely used way
to place bets on the biotech business, sank 3.3%, and was on track
for its worst daily decline since Oct. 11, according to FactSet
data.
The IBB's drop weighed on the Nasdaq Composite Index which saw
the biggest decline among the three main benchmarks, down 0.4% at
5,312.
On Tuesday, the S&P 500 finished 0.3% higher, within 0.1% of
its Nov. 25 record close of 2,213.35. The Dow gained 0.2% and
finished at an all-time high for a second straight session
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/dow-reaches-for-a-fresh-record-but-itll-be-a-struggle-2016-12-06).
The Nasdaq Composite added 0.5%.
The stock market's postelection climb has been underpinned by
hopes that President-elect Donald Trump will follow through with a
slate of pro-business policies, including boosting infrastructure
spending and cutting taxes for the wealthy.
However, some strategists and traders are concerned that a
pullback
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/gundlach-says-the-trump-trade-is-losing-steam-2016-12-02)
might be in the offing.
"It appears that nothing can stop the equity rally," said Naeem
Aslam, chief market analyst at ThinkMarkets UK, in a note.
"If you look at the volatility index, it has dropped near the 11
handle, which confirms that appetite for riskier assets is strong,"
he added, referring to the CBOE Volatility Index . "Buying
volatility at these levels may not be that much of a bad idea."
Read:Why the rally by U.S. stocks is 'just getting started'--in
one chart
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/why-the-rally-by-us-stocks-is-just-getting-started-in-one-chart-2016-11-28)
Other markets:European stocks
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/credit-suisse-miners-push-stoxx-europe-600-toward-highest-close-since-september-2016-12-07)
gained, with banks and miners among the session's big winners, and
Asian markets closed broadly higher
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/bank-stocks-surge-as-asian-markets-post-gains-2016-12-06).
Oil futures
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/oil-prices-continue-to-backtrack-as-investors-question-opec-deal-2016-12-07)
retreated, while gold futures and a key dollar index
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/dollar-flattens-out-as-investors-look-ahead-to-fed-ecb-meetings-2016-12-07)
were modestly higher.
Individual stocks: Ahead of the opening bell, Brown-Forman
Corp.(BFA) reported quarterly sales that topped estimates
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/brown-forman-sales-top-estimates-sticks-with-full-year-view-2016-12-07),
as the maker of Jack Daniel's whiskey backed its full-year
forecast. The stock wasn't yet active in premarket trade.
Handbag seller Vera Bradley Inc.(VRA) cut its full-year outlook
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/vera-bradley-shares-slump-as-company-cuts-outlook-2016-12-07)
after missing its own guidance range for the third quarter. Shares
were tumbling 11% in early trade.
Economic news: Investors are looking for a report on consumer
credit at 3 p.m. Eastern.
Investors are also bracing for the European Central Bank's
policy-setting meeting
(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/how-italys-no-vote-might-be-the-ecbs-silver-lining-2016-12-05)
on Thursday. The Federal Reserve entered the so-called blackout
period Tuesday ahead of its meeting Dec. 13-14, so there are no Fed
speakers on the docket.
Check out:
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
December 07, 2016 10:03 ET (15:03 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2016 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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