US equity markets settled little changed following a slew of mixed economic data - Dow slipped -43-points or -0.1%, unwinding an earlier rise of over >135-points to log a third consecutive session decline. Walt Disney Co fell -3.13% after shareholders re-elected all 12 of the entertainment giant's directors at the annual shareholder meeting overnight, dealing activist investor Nelson Peltz defeat in his months-long campaign to claim spots on the board for himself and former chief financial officer Jay Rasulo. Intel Corp tumbled -8.22% as analysts and investors mulled yesterday’s announcement that its foundry business recorded a $7 billion operating loss in 2023. However, Amazon.com Inc rose +0.95% after it said it would lay off hundreds of employees in its Amazon Web Services unit.

US equity markets extended their lackluster start to the new quarter, with the Dow and S&P 500 logging their worst single session performance since 5 March - Dow shed -397-points or -1.00% after falling over >500-points earlier in the session. UnitedHealth Group slumped -6.44% after the government finalised a January proposal to raise payments to Medicare Advantage plans by 3.7% in 2025, a modest increase that analysts expect will crimp insurers’ profits. Honeywell International Inc fell -0.88% amid a report from Bloomberg that the industrial conglomerate was exploring a sale of its personal protective equipment unit.

US equity markets resumed trading following the Good Friday holiday, opening the new quarter on a subdued note following positive manufacturing data that lifted Treasury yields – Dow fell -241-points or -0.60%, marking the sharpest single session decline for the 30-stock index since 22 March.

US equity markets rallied, logging a broad advance in the final hour of the session - Dow rallied +478-points or +1.22%, and is on pace for its best first quarter gain since 2021. Merck & Co rallied +4.96% to be the leading component in the 30-stock index a day after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved its drug (which will be marketed as Winrevair)  to treat a rare, progressive and life-threatening lung condition called pulmonary arterial hypertension.

US equity markets retreated, with investors eyeing key inflation figures on Friday night AEST (29 March) - Dow slipped -31-points or -0.08%. Boeing Co fell 2.04% as credit rating agency Moody’s said it was considering downgrading some of the jet maker’s debt. Johnson & Johnson added +0.35% amid reports it was in talks to acquire medical device maker Shockwave Medical Inc (+10.04%). Visa Inc slipped -0.22% as it agreed to lower swipe fees to settle a legal battle it and peer Mastercard (up +0.16%) have fought with retailers for decades.

US equity markets were mostly weaker on Friday (22 March) but capped their biggest weekly advance in three months - Dow fell -305-points or -0.77%. Nike Inc sank -6.90% after the world's largest sportswear maker warned that its revenue in the first half of fiscal 2025 would shrink by a low-single-digit percentage, as it scales back on franchises to save costs. However, FedEx Corp rallied +7.35% after the economic bellwether raised its 2024 guidance and said it would continue to cut costs and trim its spending for the year after the close of the previous session.

The benchmark US equity indices rallied to fresh all-time highs after the Federal Reserve signaled that it remains on track to lower interest rates three times this year - Dow rallied +401-points or +1.03% to 39,512.13. Boeing Co gained +3.67% to be the leading performer in the 30-stock index, while American Express Co (+2.81%) and 3M Co (+2.65%) climbed over >2.5%.

US equity markets advanced as investors eyed the conclusion of the Federal Reserve’s latest two-day monetary policy meeting tomorrow morning AEST (21 March) - Dow rallied +320-points or +0.83%, booking its largest one-day point and percentage gains since 22 February. Home Depot Inc (up +2.02%) was the leading performed in the 30-stock index.

US equity markets advanced despite Treasury yields hitting three week highs ahead of a busy week of key global central bank meetings - Dow added +76-points or +0.20%, with Salesforce Inc (up +2.1%) and Walt Disney Co (+1.7%) rising over >1.5 to be the leading performers in the 30-stock index.