Market Ups and Downs
As the closing bell rang, the S&P 500 showed resilience, edging up by approximately 0.3% on Thursday.
While the Dow dipped 0.08% to 38,919.26, the NASDAQ showcased strength with a 0.53% increase to 16,032.35. Simultaneously, the S&P 500 climbed by 0.30% to reach 5,084.84.
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The Ebb and Flow of Sectors
Real estate stocks flourished, marking a 1.2% gain on Thursday.
Conversely, health care shares experienced a 0.6% dip in Thursday’s trading.
Breaking News: Hayward Holdings Soars
Hayward Holdings, Inc. (HAYW) witnessed a remarkable surge of over 17% on Thursday following its impressive fourth-quarter financial performance.
The company outshone expectations by reporting adjusted earnings of 20 cents per share, exceeding market projections of 18 cents per share. Furthermore, its quarterly sales stood at $278.47 million, surpassing the estimated $271.92 million.
Stocks Shining Bright
Societal CDMO, Inc. (SCTL) saw a whopping 130% surge to $1.06 as CoreRx Inc., a private entity, announced its acquisition of the contract development and manufacturing organization.
Enveric Biosciences, Inc. (ENVB) experienced a significant uplift, jumping 125% to $1.87, following the signing of non-binding term sheets for the exclusive out-licensing of three compound classes.
Vertex, Inc. (VERX) also showcased strength, climbing 32% to $33.63 after surpassing fourth-quarter projections and offering robust FY24 guidance.
Stocks Under Pressure
LivePerson, Inc. (LPSN) witnessed a 45% decline to $1.33 after releasing its fourth-quarter financial results.
Endava plc (DAVA) faced a 39% drop to $38.90 subsequent to its second-quarter earnings report.
Kineta, Inc. (KA) also struggled, plummeting by 46% to $1.2399 as the company announced its intent to explore strategic alternatives.
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Commodity Movement
Within the realm of commodities, oil saw a moderate uptick of 0.1% to $78.56, whereas gold displayed a 0.6% uptrend, reaching $2,054.50.
On Thursday, silver surged by 1.1% to $22.895, while copper edged up by 0.1% to $3.8460.
European Market Insights
European markets exhibited a mixed sentiment. The STOXX 600 of the eurozone saw a marginal 0.01% rise, while London’s FTSE 100 climbed by 0.07%. Spain’s IBEX 35 Index faced a 0.67% downturn. Simultaneously, the German DAX registered a 0.44% uptick, and French CAC 40 experienced a 0.34% fall. Italy’s FTSE MIB Index also noted a decline of 0.11%.
Unemployment in Germany stood steady at 5.9% in February, while retail sales witnessed a 0.4% decline month-over-month in January. Spain’s annual consumer price inflation rate hit a six-month low at 2.8% in February.
The French economy expanded by 0.1% in the fourth quarter. Annual inflation in France eased to 2.9% in February, with producer prices dropping by 1.3% month-over-month in January.
Asia-Pacific Market Roundup
Asian markets closed with mixed sentiment on Thursday. Japan’s Nikkei 225 slipped by 0.11%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index dropped by 0.15%, China’s Shanghai Composite Index surged by 1.94%, and India’s S&P BSE Sensex climbed by 0.27%.
India’s fiscal deficit reduced to INR 11.03 trillion from INR 11.91 trillion in the previous year. Japanese housing starts witnessed a 7.5% year-over-year decline in January after a 4.0% decline in the prior month. Retail sales in Japan showed a 2.3% year-over-year increase in January.
Economic Indicators
The annual PCE inflation rate marginally eased from 2.6% in December 2023 to 2.4% in January 2024. Excluding energy and food, the core PCE index displayed a year-on-year surge of 2.8%, aligning with the expected decrease to 2.8% from the prior 2.9% in December.
Personal spending inched up by 0.2% from the previous month, while personal income surged by 1%.
Initial jobless claims in the U.S. rose by 13,000 to 215,000 for the week ending on Feb. 24.
The Chicago PMI saw a decline to 44 in February from 46 in the preceding month.
Pending home sales in the U.S. plummeted by 4.9% from the prior month in January.
U.S. natural-gas supplies dropped by 96 billion cubic feet in the week ending on Feb. 23, 2024.
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