Dow records third straight gain
US stocks ended higher on low volume trading Tuesday ahead of important January inflation report. The S&P 500 rose 0.3% to 2662.94 led by Consumer Staples and Real Estate Real Estate shares. Dow Jones industrial average gained 0.2% to 24640.45, with gains in Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) and Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) outweighing 1.3% drop in United Technologies Corporation (NYSE:UTX). The NASDAQ Composite index climbed 0.5% to 7013.51. The dollar weakness accelerated: the live dollar index data show the ICE US Dollar index, a measure of the dollar’s strength against a basket of six rival currencies, fell 0.5% to 89.72. Index futures point to higher openings today.
European stocks pull back
European stock indices resumed the retreat on Tuesday after Monday bounce. The euro and British pound extended gains against the dollar. The Stoxx Europe 600 dropped 0.6% Tuesday as gains in mining and travel shares failed to outweigh losses in utility and telecom shares. The German DAX 30 fell 0.7% to 12196.50. France’s CAC 40 declined 0.6% and UK’s FTSE 100 slipped 0.1% to 7168.01. Markets opened 0.5%-0.8% higher today.
Asian stocks mixed
Asian stock indices are mixed today after partial recovery following heavy losses last week. Nikkei extended losses falling 0.5% to 21143 as yen extended gains against the dollar. Stocks declined as Japan’s fourth-quarter GDP recorded the 8th straight quarter of growth, missing expectations. Chinese stocks are rising: the Shanghai Composite Index is up 0.5% and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index is 1.8% higher. Australia’s ASX All Ordinaries is down 0.25% with Australian dollar gaining against the greenback.
Brent Oil stable
Brent futures prices are stable today on the back of a weaker dollar and Saudi Arabia statement. Saudi crude output would drop in March. Prices inched higher yesterday after the International Energy Agency forecast strong global crude demand. The American Petroleum Institute late Tuesday report indicated US crude inventories rose by 3.9 million barrels to 422.4 million last week. Today at 16:30 CET the Energy Information Administration will release US Crude Oil Inventories.