US equity markets opened August with modest declines, with all three benchmark indices snapping a three session winning streak - Dow fell -47-points or -0.14%, Boeing Co rallied +6.13% to lead Dow gainers after the aerospace and defence giant reportedly cleared a hurdle with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that could allow it to resume deliveries of its 787 airliner. The FAA said it would approve Boeing’s process for validating fixes to each 787 plane before they are delivered to customers, according to an Associated Press report. Separately, The Wall Street Journal reported that Boeing’s defence manufacturing plants will vote on Wednesday (3 August) on a labour contract proposal, which temporarily delays a strike that was scheduled to begin as soon as Monday. The broader S&P500 -0.28%, with Energy (down -2.18%) leading seven of the eleven primary sectors lower. Chevron Corp fell -2.00% and ExxonMobil Corp -2.53%. Consumer Staples sat atop the primary leaderboard with a +1.21% gain. The Nasdaq -0.18% despite a solid session for chipmakers, with Advanced Micro Devices Inc up +2.45% ahead its quarterly result tonight AEST, Intel Corp +1.79%, Micron Technology Inc +1.10% and Nvidia Corp +1.53%. Apple Inc (down -0.62%) raised US$5.5B via the issuance of four series of bonds with ratings of AAA from Moody’s Investors Service and AA+ from S&P Global. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 lost -0.10%. Automotive oil, additives and lubricant maker Valvoline Inc (down -2.70%) it has reached an agreement with Saudi Arabian Oil Co (Aramco) to sell its global products business for US$2.65B in cash.