All major stock indices hit new highs today on good news on corporate earnings, the housing and employment fronts, and benign news from Europe.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) closed at a record high, up 21 points to 14,839 points. The S&P 500 S&P 500 ends April at a record high of 1597 points and the Nasdaq is at its highest level since Nov. 2000, at 3,328 points.
The S&P/Case-Schiller index of housing values in 20 cities showed residential real-estate prices increasing in February by the most since May 2006, indicating an improving U.S. housing market.
U.S. consumer confidence also climbed to a five-month high in April as Americans’ outlook for the economy and their incomes improved, according to the Conference Board.
The Bureau of Economic Analysis also reported that personal income increased $30.9 billion, or 0.2% in March, with disposable personal income (DPI) growing by $20.7 billion, or 0.2%. Consumers spent more, to the tune of $21.0 billion, or 0.2% more than February.
Gary Flam, who helps oversee $7 billion for Bel Air Investment Advisors LLC in Los Angeles, was quoted as saying; “The market is at a high here and a lot of that seems to be driven by the faith in central bankers. Later this week, You have central banker meetings, the Fed as well as the ECB.”
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