· The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq rose on Thursday following strong quarterly reports from several technology companies, including Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O), but dour results from 3M Co (MMM.N) stymied the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI fell 28.42 points, or 0.11%, to 26,805.53, the S&P 500 .SPX gained 5.77 points, or 0.19%, to 3,010.29 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC added 66.00 points, or 0.81%, to8,185.80.
· European stocks traded higher Thursday as traders remain in limbo over an expected delay to the U.K.’s departure from the European Union, while corporate earnings season gathers pace.
The pan-European Stoxx 600 climbed 0.6% by the close, with healthcare stocks rising 1.5% to lead gains while telecoms slipped 1.2% as one of only two sectors trading in the red, alongside technology.
Markets briefly pared gains after worse-than-expected euro zone manufacturing and services data. The IHS Markit October flash services PMI (purchasing managers’ index) estimate for October came in at 51.8, slightly below the expected 51.9, while its manufacturing counterpart came in at 45.7 against a forecast of 46.0. October’s composite PMI flash estimate was 50.2, up from 50.1 in September but lower than the50.3 forecast.
However, a generally upbeat wave of corporate earnings helped shrug off the economic apprehension.
· Asia Pacific markets traded cautiously on Friday morning as investors searched for guidance on developments in the U.S.-China trade war and in the U.K.’s planned departure from the European Union.
The Nikkei 225 in Japan rose 0.13% while the Topix index was fractionally higher. In South Korea, the Kospi index slipped 0.14%. Australia’s benchmark ASX 200 rose 0.64%, with all sectors advancing.
Reference: CNBC, Reuters
Thai
Eng