S&P 500 FINANCIALS INDEX
| Value 198.83 | Change -2.38 | % Change -1.2% |
High yields were sliding. The MLP index was off pennies still in the 259s & the Dow Jones REIT Index fell 1. Junk bond finds were flattish near their 2009 highs. The yield on the 10 year Treasury bond was off 1 basis point to 3.46%. Not a lot happening here.
Alerian MLP Index --- 2 weeks
Dow Jones REIT Index --- 2 weeks
Oil is lower ahead of the weekly inventory report (delayed one day because of the holiday). Gold is not showing a new price, still at 1114.
| CLZ09.NYM | ...Crude Oil Dec 09 | ...77.68 | ... 1.60 .......(2.0%) |
Claims for unemployment insurance fell more than expected last week. First-time claims for jobless benefits dropped to 502K from an upwardly revised 514K in the prior week, the fewest claims since Jan 3 & below estimates. The 4-week average dropped to 519K, the lowest in almost a year & has fallen by more than 20% since its spring peak. The number continuing to claim benefits dropped by 139K to 5.6M, also below estimates.
•Initial Jobless Claims in U.S. Fall More Than Estimated to a 10-Month Low
Weekly Jobless claims - 52 weeks
Number Receiving Benefits - 52 weeks
Jobless Rate (%) - 1 year
Wal-Mart (WMT), Dow stock & Dividend Aristocrat, reported profits in the last qtr rose 3% due to cost cutting & the outlook for Q4 was little changed. Same store sales fell 0.4% in the qtr as tougher times are reaching WMT. The report was viewed as a mixed bag but the stock was up 43¢.
Walmart Profit Rises 3.2%, Sales to Be Little Changed
Wal-Mart --- 1 year
This is turning out to be a quiet day as may be the case tomorrow. Favorable unemployment news drew little response, probably because the dreary unemployment rate over 10% overhangs the markets. Also a mixed & unclear message from WMT was not encouraging.
Dow Jones Industrials --- 2 weeks
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