Analytics, News, and Forecasts for CFD Markets: stock news — 17-10-2017.

The major US stock indexes finished trading near zero, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average surpassing 23,000 for the first time, thanks to a more than 6 percent increase in UnitedHealth (UNH) shares and a more than 3 percent increase in Johnson & Johnson (JNJ ).

Certain support for the market was also provided by favorable data for the United States. The Bureau of Employment Accounting reported that in September, import prices in the US rose by 0.7 percent, which is the largest monthly increase since the increase of 0.7 percent in June 2016. Last time, import prices increased by more than 0.7 percent in May 2016 (then growth was 1.2 percent). Higher prices for imports of both fuel and non-fuel materials contributed to a general increase in import prices for September. Import prices in the US also increased on a 12-month basis, reaching 2.7 percent.

Meanwhile, the Fed said that industrial production in the US rose in September, as the effects of hurricanes Harvey and Irma began to disappear, and construction and utility production were restored. Industrial production increased by 0.3% after it decreased by 0.7% in August (revised from -0.9%.) Nevertheless, the July release was revised to -0.1% from +0.4 The economists predicted that in September industrial production will grow by 0.3%, while the total production growth increased by 0.2 percentage points to 76.0% from the revised 75.8% in August.

At the same time, the confidence of builders in the market of newly built houses for one family increased by four points to 68 in October, according to the housing market index (HMI) from the National Association of House Builders (NAHB) / Wells Fargo. This was the highest rate since May.

Most components of the DOW index finished trading in the red (17 of 30). Outsider were the shares of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS, -2.69%). The leader of growth was UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH, + 6.06%).

Most sectors of the S & P index recorded a decline. The largest decrease was shown in the financial sector (-0.4%). The healthcare sector grew most (+ 0.9%).

At closing:

DJIA + 0.17% 22,996.69 +39.73

Nasdaq -0.01% 6,623.66 -0.35

S & P + 0.07% 2.559.35 +1.71

U.S. stock-index futures were flat on Tuesday as investors assessed earnings reports from big corporates, including UnitedHealth (UNH), Morgan Stanley (MS), Goldman Sachs (GS) and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ).

Global Stocks:

Nikkei 21,336.12 +80.56 +0.38%

Hang Seng 28,697.49 +4.69 +0.02%

Shanghai 3,373.44 -5.03 -0.15%

S&P/ASX 5,889.61 +42.85 +0.73%

FTSE 7,548.27 +21.30 +0.28%

CAC 5,366.84 +3.96 +0.07%

DAX 13,021.56 +17.86 +0.14%

Crude $52.13 (+0.50%)

Gold $1,289.80 (-1.01%)

(company / ticker / price / change ($/%) / volume)

General Electric (GE) target lowered to $23 from $27 at Goldman

Freeport-McMoRan (FCX) downgraded to Sell from Hold at Deutsche Bank

Chevron (CVX) upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Macquarie

UnitedHealth (UNH) reported Q3 FY 2017 earnings of $2.66 per share (versus $2.17 in Q3 FY 2016), beating analysts' consensus estimate of $2.57.

The company's quarterly revenues amounted to $50.322 bln (+8.7% y/y), generally in-line with analysts' consensus estimate of $50.383 bln.

The company also raised guidance for FY2017, projecting EPS approaching $10.00 (prior $9.75-9.90) versus analysts' consensus estimate of $9.86.

UNH rose to $196.00 (+1.45%) in pre-market trading.

Morgan Stanley (MS) reported Q3 FY 2017 earnings of $0.93 per share (versus $0.81 in Q3 FY 2016), beating analysts' consensus estimate of $0.81.

The company's quarterly revenues amounted to $9.197 bln (+3.2% y/y), beating analysts' consensus estimate of $9.048 bln.

MS rose to $ 49.55 (+1.25%) in pre-market trading.

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) reported Q3 FY 2017 earnings of $1.90 per share (versus $1.68 in Q3 FY 2016), beating analysts' consensus estimate of $1.80.

The company's quarterly revenues amounted to $19.650 bln (+10.3% y/y), beating analysts' consensus estimate of $19.291 bln.

The company also raised FY2017 EPS guidance to $7.25-7.30 from $7.12-7.22 (versus analysts' consensus estimate of $7.18) and FY2017 revenues forecast to $76.1-76.5 bln from $75.8-76.1 bln (versus analysts' consensus estimate of $75.84 bln).

JNJ rose to $137.57 (+1.07%) in pre-market trading.

Goldman Sachs (GS) reported Q3 FY 2017 earnings of $5.02 per share (versus $4.88 in Q3 FY 2016), beating analysts' consensus estimate of $4.16.

The company's quarterly revenues amounted to $8.330 bln (+2.0% y/y), beating analysts' consensus estimate of $7.595 bln.

GS rose to $245.25 (+1.17%) in pre-market trading.

Stocks listed in Spain dropped Monday, weighing on the pan-European benchmark, after the central government in Madrid gave Catalonia's separatist leaders until Thursday to drop their push for independence. In Madrid, the IBEX 35 IBEX, -0.75% fell 0.8% to close at 10,181.40, falling for a third straight session. As the index extended its loss from the open, the broader Stoxx Europe 600 SXXP, +0.00% erased its gain to end flat at 391.41.

The global stock rally showed signs of slowing Tuesday, with many Asia-Pacific indexes little changed ahead of the start of the Chinese Communist Party's congress. One exception was Australia, where stocks rebounded thanks to stronger commodity prices. The S&P/ASX 200 XJO, +0.80% was recently up 0.7% as it got a lift from Rio Tinto RIO, +1.84% and BHP Billiton BHP, +1.45% . Their shares rose more than 1%, with Rio hitting another 3½-year high.

U.S. stocks closed higher Monday, with all three major indexes logging another round of records, as investors looked ahead to key corporate earnings reports that could set the tone for trading and determine whether the lofty levels of the equity market are justified.