US stocks hovered around record highs on Friday, with the Nasdaq lagging behind as post-election euphoria faded and China’s latest stimulus plan fell apart.
The S&P 500 (^GSPC) rose 0.3%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) fell below the flatline. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) rose 0.6%.
Stocks drifted higher, ending a banner week of gains, driven by optimism that newly elected President Donald Trump’s policies will boost the economy. But the initial ‘Trump trade rush’ appears to be dissipating as Wall Street questions whether Trump will be able to follow through on his ambitious policies. For example, dollar yields (DX=F) and government bonds have given up a significant portion of their post-election gains.
Disappointment over China’s new fiscal stimulus also caught investors’ attention, putting pressure on oil prices, the yuan and local stocks. The $1.4 trillion plan to refinance local government debt left investors unconvinced of its potential to boost a flagging economy.
Still, Wall Street’s key indicators are still on track for strong weekly gains after hitting more records on Thursday as the Federal Reserve made its expected rate cut. The S&P 500 is approaching the 6,000 point mark for the first time.
On the corporate front, shares of Sony (SONY) soared in premarket trading after the PlayStation maker posted a 73% quarterly profit.
Meanwhile, Paramount Global (PARA) reported third-quarter earnings on Friday, showing further improvement in its streaming business that sets it up to combine with Skydance Media.
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