January 26, 2017: Markets opened higher Thursday but only the blue chips have spent the entire session in the green. The S&P 500 index and the Nasdaq Composite both posted new record highs before traded slightly in the red less than an hour before the closing bell. WTI crude oil for March delivery settled at $53.78 a barrel, up about 2% on the day. February gold dropped 0.7% on the day to settle at $1,189.80. Equities were headed for a mixed close close shortly before the bell as the DJIA traded up 0.11% for the day, the S&P 500 traded down 0.10%, and the Nasdaq Composite traded down 0.04%.
Stocks traded very near the break even line just minutes before the closing bell. The closing tally could differ from these results.
The DJIA stock posting the largest daily percentage gain ahead of the close Thursday was The Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) which traded up 1.32% at $169.57. The stock’s 52-week range is $102.10 to $170.00, and the high was posted this morning. Volume was about 25% higher than the daily average of around 3.5 million shares. The company reported an earnings beat Wednesday, and many analysts raised price targets this morning.
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Co. (NYSE: DD) traded up 1.38% at $77.73. The stock’s 52-week range is $50.71 to $78.36, a new high set this morning. Volume was less than 10% lower than the daily average of around 3 million shares. The company had no specific news, but merger partner Dow Chemical posted a big beat this morning.
Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) traded up 1.11% at $64.39. The stock’s 52-week range is $48.04 to $64.54, another new 52-week high posted Thursday. Volume was about 20% above the daily average of around 26 million shares. The company had no specific news Thursday.
UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE: UNH) traded up 0.87% at $162.64. The stock’s 52-week range is $108.83 to $164.00. Volume was 25% below the daily average of around 4 million shares. The company had no specific news Thursday.
Of the Dow 30 stocks, 17 are on track to close higher Thursday and 13 are set to close lower.
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