Major US stock indices decreased slightly

Major US stock indexes finished trading in the red on the back of a decline in bank shares, which presented their quarterly results.

A certain pressure on the indices also had disappointing data on the US. Preliminary results of the studies, submitted by Thomson-Reuters and the Michigan Institute, showed: the mood sensor among US consumers fell in April, more than the average expert predictions. According to the data, in April the consumer sentiment index fell to 97.8 points compared to the final reading for March at 101.4 points. According to average estimates, the index had to fall to the level of 100.5 points. In addition, the results of the research presented in the report showed that the current conditions index fell to 115.0 from 121.2, the expectations index fell to 86.8 from 88.8, the index of 12 months of inflation expectations was + 2.7% against +2 , 8%, while the index of 5-year inflation expectations worsened to + 2.4% against + 2.5% in March.

In addition, the Job Vacancy and Yield Survey (JOLTS) from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that in February the number of vacancies fell to 6.052 million. Meanwhile, the figure for January was revised to 6.228 million from 6.312 million. Analysts had expected the number vacancies will decrease only to 6.173 million. The vacancy rate was 3.9 percent, decreasing by 0.1 percent compared to January. The number of vacancies declined in the private sector, and little has changed in the government segment. As for branches, the number of vacancies increased in the finance and insurance sector (+69,000) and in the state and municipal education segment (+31,000). The reduction was recorded in a number of industries, with the largest drop observed in the housing and food services sector (-91,000), the construction sector (-56,000) and the wholesale segment (-38,000). In addition, hiring amounted to 5.507 million against 5.574 million in January. The level of hiring fell by 0.1 percent, and amounted to 3.7 percent. The number of hired workers has changed little in the private sector, as well as in the government sphere.

The components of the DOW index finished the auction mixed (15 in positive territory, 15 in negative territory). The leader of growth was shares of General Electric Company (GE, + 2.43%). Outsider were the shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM, -2.91%).

Most S & P sectors recorded a decline. The largest decrease was recorded in the financial sector (-0.9%). The utilities sector grew most (+ 0.5%)

At closing:

Dow -0.50% 24,360.86 -122.19

Nasdaq -0.47% 7.106.65 -33.60

S & P -0.29% 2,656.34 -7.65