MarketWatch Live: U.S. stock-market futures reverse course to post gains
After briefly treading water in the wake of Friday's PCE data, U.S. stock futures have moved higher,...
After briefly treading water in the wake of Friday's PCE data, U.S. stock futures have moved higher, with the S&P 500 turning green on the day. The move comes as traders digest inflation data showing core prices rose in December at the slowest pace since the spring of 2021.
Here is where the main index futures were trading:
Benchmark U.S. crude oil for March delivery rose $2.27 to $77.36 per barrel Thursday. Brent crudefor March delivery rose $2.39 to $82.43 per barrel.
Wholesale gasoline for February delivery rose 5 centsto $2.26 a gallon. February heating oilrose 12 centsto $2.80 a gallon. February natural gasfell 7 centsto $2.57 per 1,000 cubic feet.
S&P 500 climbs for sixth straight day, logs fifth consecutive record close
(Thursday market close) The...
(Thursday market close) TheS&P 500® index (SPX) extended its record winning streak to five days Thursday as a stronger-than-expected Gross Domestic Product (GDP) report fueled investor optimism over the economy, helping offset a 12% tumble in Tesla (TSLA) shares that weighed on the Nasdaq Composite® (COMP).
Early Thursday, the government reported U.S. GDPexpanded at a 3.3% annual rate in the fourth quarter of 2023. While that was slower than 4.9% growth in the third quarter, it still blew past analysts' expectations for a number closer to 2%. The GDP report also included further indications of easing inflation. Here's where the major benchmarks ended:
TheS&P 500 index rose 25.61 points (0.5%) to 4,894.16, a record high close; the Dow Jones Industrial Average® (DJI) gained 242.74 points (0.6%) to 38,049.13, also a record high; theNasdaq Composite rose 28.58 points (0.2%) to 15,510.50.
The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) fell about 5 basis points to 4.13%.
The Cboe Volatility Index® (VIX) rose 0.31 to 13.45.
US oil production growth fueled by denser crude in 2023
Increased production of denser crude oil, primarily in Texas, but also in New Mexico and North Dakota,...
Increased production of denser crude oil, primarily in Texas, but also in New Mexico and North Dakota, drove the majority of US oil production growth in 2023, according to the Energy Information Administration. Lower 48 production of higher-density crude, characterized by an API gravity between 30.1 and 40.0 degrees, climbed by 19% in the first 10 months of 2023, hitting a record 4.75 million barrels per day in September.
Billionaire Joe Lewis pleads guilty to insider trading
Lewis, an investor who owns the Tottenham Hotspur football club and looks like a Bond villain, ...
Lewis, an investor who owns the Tottenham Hotspur football club and looks like a Bond villain, copped to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and two counts of securities fraud. “I knew at the time what I was doing was wrong, and I am so embarrassed,” he told the judge. Prosecutors claim he tipped off girlfriends and staff, including his pilots, to nonpublic info about companies he had invested in. The 86-year-old, who was out on bail with a 322-foot yacht and private plane as collateral, faces up to 45 years in prison but is likely to be sentenced to less.