Morgans AM

US equity markets advanced, retracing sharp moves at the end of last week as investors looked ahead to a flurry of economic data and US corporate earnings - Dow rose +314-points or +0.93%, market the 30-stock indices sixth advance in the past seven sessions and best single session gain since September. Nike Inc (up +2.13%) and Travelers Companies Inc (+2.09%) both climbed over >2% to be the leading Dow components overnight.

US equity markets weaker on Friday (13 October) as investors digested consumer sentiment data and kept a wary eye on the unfolding conflict in the Middle East – Dow added +39-points or +0.12% despite Boeing Co (down -3.34%) and Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (-3.89%) dropping over >3%. UnitedHealth Group Inc gained +2.64% after the healthcare-services and insurance giant posted better-than-expected third quarter adjusted EPS (US$6.56 versus consensus US$6.33) and revenue (US$92.361B, up from US$80.894B a year earlier and versus consensus US$91.414B), and again raised its full year adjusted EPS guidance (to US$24.85-to-US$25.00 versus current consensus US$24.83). On a call with analysts, UnitedHealth faced several questions about coverage of popular diabetes and weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy. “We’re struggling, and frankly our clients are struggling, with the list prices which have been demanded on these products in the U.S.,” CEO Andrew Witty said on the call. Regarding whether customers are seeking increased coverage of the drugs, CEO of the company’s UnitedHealthcare unit Brian Thompson said “it’s a mixed bag”, noting that “Some are seeking coverage, albeit dissatisfied with the price point. Some are backing off, given the cost.” Clients see the cost of the drugs as an “open-ended financial risk,” Mr Witty added on the call. “We’re trying to put forward to manufacturers a variety of options, but we need the manufacturers to move. It’s as simple as that.”

US equity markets retreated, and bond prices fell following the latest monthly inflation figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and with investors eyeing the beginning of the third quarter earnings season - Dow fell -174-points or -0.51%, with Boeing Co dropping -2.43%.

US equity markets extended their advance into a fourth straight session as investors digested the minutes from the Federal Reserve’s September monetary policy meeting and September wholesale price inflation figures - Dow added +66-points or +0.19%, with Amgen Inc jumping +4.55% following an analyst upgrade that cited an expanding earnings multiple and pipeline news flow as catalysts.

US equity markets extended gains into a third consecutive session as oil prices and bond yields retreated, and with investors seemingly not concerned about the Middle East conflict widening - Dow rose +135-points or +0.40%, with Boeing Co (up +2.67%) and Coca-Cola Co (+2.17%) gaining over >2%.

US equity markets advanced, recovering from opening losses as investors continued to digest terrorist group Hamas’ barbaric attacks in Israel and the scope for the conflict to broaden - Dow up +197-points or +0.59%, with energy giant Chevron Corp (up +2.77% the leading index performer. Walt Disney Co gained +2.12% after The Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources, that activist investor Nelson Peltz’s Trian Fund Management has lifted its stake in a bid to get several more seats on the company’s board.

US equity markets climbed on Friday (6 October), reversing earlier session declines as investors digested the latest non-farm payrolls data - Dow gained +288-points or +0.87%, recovering from an earlier decline of as much as -272-points but settling of its best levels of the session that saw the 30-stock index up more than >400-points. Caterpillar Inc (up +2.01%), Honeywell International (+2.58%), Microsoft Corp (+2.47%), Salesforce.com Inc (+2.65%) and Walt Disney Co (+2.64%) all gained over >2%.

US equity markets settled little changed ahead of the release of key jobs data tonight AEST - Dow dipped -10-points or -0.03%. Coca Cola Co dropped -4.83%, logging its steepest one-day decline since 18 May, 2022 to be the worst Dow component overnight.

US equity markets advanced as US Treasury yields pulled back from multi-year highs following weaker-than-expected labour market data - Dow added +127-points or +0.39%, snapping a three session losing streak. Microsoft Corp (up +1.78%) was the leading Dow component overnight.

US equity markets fell sharply, with the Dow cementing its sharpest single session decline since the March banking crisis as the bond market came under renewed selling pressure following the latest stronger-than-expected labour market data - Dow fell -431-points or -1.29% to 33,002.38, marking the 30-stock index’s lowest close since 31 May. Goldman Sachs Group Inc (down -3.89%) and American Express Co (-2.96%) were the worst performing Dow components overnight. The latest fall also pulled the index into negative territory for the year (down -0.44%).