All ten sectors posted gains
The stock market began December 2015 on an upbeat note with the S&P 500 climbing 1.1% while the Nasdaq Composite settled just behind. The S&P 500 on Tuesday closed above 2,100 for the first time in nearly a month, a day ahead of remarks by Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen and November jobs data due at the end of the week.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 168.43 points, or 1%, to close at 17,888.35, while the Nasdaq Composite advanced 47.64 points, or 0.9%, to settle at 5,156.31. The S&P 500 index finished 22.22 points, or 1.1%, higher at to 2,102.63.
All in all, the Tuesday session was very quiet as the S&P 500 marked its high during the opening hour and inched above that level during afternoon action. The index briefly slipped from the morning high after today's economic data showed that the ISM Index registered its first contractionary reading (below 50) in 36 months. Investors remained optimistic about the November jobs report, set to be released Friday, despite a weak reading from Institute for Supply Management's manufacturing index, which fell to 48.6% in November, its weakest reading since mid-2009.
All ten sectors posted gains with heavily-weighted groups like health care, technology, consumer discretionary, and financials ending in the lead. Elsewhere among influential groups, technology settled in-line with the broader market, overshadowing a 0.8% decline in the shares of Apple hich slipped to a one-week low.
European equities closed lower as investors were reluctant to take any major positions ahead of the ECB meeting on Thursday. Market widely expect the central bank to extend its quantitative easing program and possibly move the deposit rate further into negative territory.
More From This Section
The U.S. dollar index was weaker on this day, which was also a mildly bullish underlying element supporting the precious metals markets. World stock markets were firmer on Tuesday, on investor hopes of more monetary policy stimulus measures coming from the major central banks of the world, not including the U.S. Federal Reserve.
Also on Tuesday, U.S. manufacturing data was downbeat, with the Institute for Supply Management's manufacturing index falling in November to its lowest level since 2009. The U.S. ISM November manufacturing purchasing managers' (PMI) index was released today and came in at 48.6 versus 50.1 in October. A reading of 50.5 was expected. The November figure was a six-year low. However, the weaker PMI number in November was offset by some other upbeat U.S. data that was released on Tuesday.
On tap later this week is an OPEC oil cartel meeting on Friday and the regular meeting of the European Central Bank on Thursday. Many expect the ECB to announce additional monetary policy stimulus measures at Thursday's meeting. The important U.S. jobs report is due out on Friday. The key non-farm payrolls number is expected to be up around 205,000 in November.
Fed Chairwoman Janet Yellen will speak at separate events Wednesday and Thursday. The employment data are expected to further confirm that the Fed is on track to deliver its first interest-rate hike in nearly a decade when it meets later this month.
Meantime, in overnight news China's official PMI fell to a three-year low of 49.6 in November from 49.8 in October. A number of 49.9 was expected. A reading below 50.0 suggests contraction. Data from the world's second-largest economy continues to show a deceleration in economic growth. That's bearish for the raw commodity sector, as China is the world's largest raw commodity importer.
There was upbeat economic data coming out of Europe. The Euro zone manufacturing PMI was reported at 52.8 in November versus 52.3 in October. A reading of 52.8 was expected. The Euro zone unemployment rate fell to a nearly four-year low, it was also reported Tuesdayat 10.7% in October from 10.8% in September. The unemployment rate in the Euro zone is twice the level of that of the U.S.
Meanwhile, the Chinese government said Tuesday the country's official manufacturing purchasing manager index fell to 49.6 in November the lowest reading since August 2012. In the U.S., the Institute for Supply Management said its manufacturing index fell to 48.6% last month, marking the lowest level since June 2009.
Bullion prices ended the day lower on Tuesday, 01 December 2015. Gold futures settled with a loss on Tuesday as investors looked toward upcoming U.S. labor market data and comments from Federal Reserve officials for clues on whether the central bank will decide to lift interest rates when it meets later this month.
Gold for February delivery on Comex fell $1.80, or 0.2%, to settle at $1,063.50 an ounce after posting gains in the previous session, while March silver finished less than half a cent lower at $14.083 an ounce.
U.S. oil futures ended mildly higher on Tuesday, 01 December 2015 as expectations for a decline in weekly U.S. crude supplies temporarily distracted traders as they mulled the potential outcome of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries' meeting later this week. Ahead of key U.S. government data due Wednesday, some market expectations point to the likelihood that crude inventories fell for the first time in 10 weeks. But the market generally believes that OPEC won't take any action to alleviate the glut of global crude supplies when they meet Friday, and weak manufacturing data from the U.S. and China Tuesday also raised concerns over the outlook for energy demand.
January West Texas Intermediate crude settled at $41.85 a barrel, up 20 cents, or 0.5%, on the New York Mercantile Exchangeafter trading between a low of $41.17 and high of $42.23. January Brent crude on London's ICE Futures exchange fell 17 cents, or 0.4%, to $44.44 a barrel.
The disappointing report was met with a spike in Treasuries that sent the 10-yr note to a fresh high. The benchmark instrument settled on its best level of the day, pressuring its yield six basis points to 2.15%.
Tomorrow, the weekly MBA Mortgage Index will be released at 7:00 ET while November ADP Employment Change (consensus 185,000) will be reported at 8:15 ET. Q3 Productivity (consensus 2.2%) and Unit Labor Cost data (expected 1.2%) will be released at 8:30 ET and the Federal Reserve's December beige book will cross the wires at 14:00 ET.
Powered by Capital Market - Live News