Analytics, News, and Forecasts for CFD Markets: stock news — 31-07-2017.

The main US stock indexes ended the trading mixed, as the decline in the shares of the technology sector was offset by the growth of the conglomerate sector.

In addition, in the focus of attention of market participants were statistical data on the United States. As it became known, the index of purchasing managers Chicago fell to 58.9 in July from 65.7 in June, the lowest level in three months. Noting the 17 reading above 50, the July fall interrupted the sequence of five direct monthly increases in business optimism. Each of the five components of the index decreased compared to June, but all of them remained above their respective average for 12 months.

At the same time, according to the National Association of Realtors, in June the monthly index of signed contracts for the purchase of houses in the secondary market increased by 1.5% compared to May, and the May figure was slightly higher. The index was 0.5% higher than in June 2016, which is the first annual increase since March. Unfinished transactions for the sale of housing are a direct indicator of closed sales in two to three months.

Data provided by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, showed that in July, business activity of Texas producers grew moderately, despite the projected decline. According to the report, the production index rose to 16.8 points from 15.0 points in June. Analysts had expected a decrease to 13.0 points.

Most components of the DOW index recorded a rise (23 out of 30). The leader of growth were shares of Chevron Corporation (CVX, + 1.37%). The outsider was E.I du Pont de Nemours and Company (DD, -1.96%).

Most sectors of the S & P index ended the session in positive territory. The conglomerate sector grew most (+ 0.7%). The greatest decrease was shown by the technological sector (-0.3%).

At closing:

DJIA + 0.28% 21,891.40 +61.09

Nasdaq -0.42% 6.348.12 -26.56

S & P -0.07% 2,470.39 -1.71

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) announced Monday its seasonally adjusted pending home sales index (PHSI) climbed 1.5 percent to 110.2 in June from an upwardly revised 108.6 in May. Economists had expected pending home sales to rise 1 percent m-o-m last month.

According to the report, the pending home sales rose in the South (+2.1 percent m-o-m as measured by PHSI), the Northeast (+0.7 percent m-o-m), and the West (+2.9 percent m-o-m), but decreased in the Midwest (-0.5 percent m-o-m).

In y-o-y terms, pending home sales rose 0.5 percent, recording the first annual increase in three months.

The chief economist for the NAR, Lawrence Yun, said the bounce back in pending sales in most of the country in June is a welcoming sign. "The first half of 2017 ended with a nearly identical number of contract signings as one year ago, even as the economy added 2.2 million net new jobs," he said. "Market conditions in many areas continue to be fast paced, with few properties to choose from, which is forcing buyers to act almost immediately on an available home that fits their criteria."

MNI Indicators' report showed that business activity in Chicago contracted in July. The MNI Chicago Business Barometer, also known as Chicago purchasing manager's index (PMI) came in at 58.9 this month, down from an unrevised 65.7 in June and below economists' forecast for 61.3. That was the lowest level since April. A reading above 50 indicates improving conditions, while a reading below this level shows worsening of the situation.

According to the report, all five components of the Barometer, namely Supplier Deliveries (-1.3 points, to 61.5), New Orders (-11.6 points, to 60.3), Production (-6.9 points, to 60.8), Order Backlogs (-4.9 points, to 57.9) and Employment (-4 points, to 52.6) fell in July.

U.S. stock-index futures rose slightly with investors assessing corporate earnings while awaiting a slew of economic data.

Global Stocks:

Nikkei 19,925.18 -34.66 -0.17%

Hang Seng 27,323.99 +344.60 +1.28%

Shanghai 3,274.13 +20.89 +0.64%

S&P/ASX 5,720.59 +17.77 +0.31%

FTSE 7,399.21 +30.84 +0.42%

CAC 5,132.54 +1.15 +0.02%

DAX 12,193.20 +30.50 +0.25%

Crude $49.50 (-0.42%)

Gold $1,268.00 (-0.03%)

(company / ticker / price / change ($/%) / volume)

Verizon (VZ) target raised to $50 from $48 at RBC Capital Mkts

Altria (MO) target lowered to $72 at Stifel

Facebook (FB) downgraded to Sell at Pivotal Research Group; target $140

Citigroup (C) downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform at BMO Capital Markets

Altria (MO) upgraded to Sector Perform at RBC Capital Mkts; target $62

August 1

Before the Open:

Pfizer (PFE). Consensus EPS $0.66, Consensus Revenues $13074.05 mln.

After the Close:

Apple (AAPL). Consensus EPS $1.57, Consensus Revenues $44964.47 mln.

August 2

After the Close:

American Intl (AIG). Consensus EPS $1.20, Consensus Revenues $12609.00 mln.

Tesla (TSLA). Consensus EPS -$1.92, Consensus Revenues $2542.24 mln.

August 4

After the Close:

Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B). Consensus EPS $2800.98, Consensus Revenues $57619.80 mln.

Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union (EU), reported an unemployment rate in the Eurozone fell to 9.1 percent in June from a downwardly revised 9.2 percent in May (originally 9.3 percent). That was the lowest rate recorded in the Eurozone since February 2009.

At the same time, the EU28 unemployment rate was 7.7 percent in June, stable compared to May.

Among the Member States, the lowest unemployment rates in June were recorded in the Czech Republic (2.9%), Germany (3.8%) and Malta (4.1%), while the highest unemployment rates were observed in Greece (21.7%) and Spain (17.1%).

Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union (EU) reported its preliminary estimates showed the Euro area annual inflation stood at 1.3 percent in July, the same rate as seen in June and in-line with economists' forecast.

According to the report, energy prices rose the most in July (+2.2 percent y-o-y), followed by services costs (+1.5 percent y-o-y), food, alcohol & tobacco prices (+1.4 percent y-o-y) and prices of non-energy industrial goods (+0.5 percent y-o-y).

The core inflation, which excludes energy, food, alcohol & tobacco, accelerated to 1.2 percent in July from 1.1 percent in June.

The Bank of England (BoE) reported that the number mortgage approvals in the UK fell to 64,684 in June from upwardly revised 65,109 in May. That was the lowest number of new approvals since September 2016. Economists had forecast that mortgage approvals would drop to 65,000.

Meanwhile, consumer credit growth, which has caused concern among the BoE's officials in recent months, slowed slightly. Consumer consumers borrowed GBP 1.458 billion in June in personal loans after borrowing GBP 1.769 billion in May. The monthly increase was only marginally below economists forecast of GBP 1.500 billion.

Lending to individuals grew GBP 5.6 billion in June compared to a revised GBP 5.68 billion in the previous month.

The Federal Statistical Office's (Destatis) report revealed that German retail sales rose more than expected m-o-m in June but unexpectedly decelerated in y-o-y terms. According to the report, retail sales rose by 1.1 percent m-o-m in real terms in June, following a 0.5 percent m-o-m rise in May. That beat economists' forecast of just 0.2 percent m-o-m advance and was the strongest increase since October 2016, when retail turnover advanced 1.5 percent m-o-m.

However, in y-o-y terms, retail sales grew by 1.5 percent in June, decelerating sharply from an upwardly revised 4.9 percent gain in May (originally a 4.8 percent rise). Economists expected to see a 2.7 percent growth. June's gain was the second consecutive increase in sales.

The Australian and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) revealed its business confidence index in New Zealand fell to 19.4 in July from 24.8 in June. According to the report, a net 19 percent of respondents assessed their own businesses would grow in 12 months' time. That was down 5 points on last month and reflected "nothing more than seasonal chill". In seasonally adjusted terms, business confidence actually lifted 2 points to 28, the report said.

Expectations eased for profits (to 24.9 from 29.9), pricing (to 27.6 from 31.1), investments (to 23 from 27.4), residential construction (to 10.5 from 18.2) and commercial construction (to 5.6 from 28.5). Meanwhile, employment intentions rose from 24.3 to 25.7, the highest reading since May 2014, while export intentions increased from 27 to 32.7.

European stocks on Friday logged their lowest close in three months, flattened partially by a decline in shares of UBS following the Swiss bank's earnings. The Stoxx Europe 600 SXXP, -1.04% dropped 1% to end at 378.34, the weakest close since April 21, FactSet data showed, and only the oil-and-gas sector SXEP, +0.24% finished higher.

Asian shares generally started Monday with slight declines as investors took profits on the last day of a largely positive month for stocks in the region that benefited from robust earnings and higher commodity prices. Traders want to hold cash as the possibility of tax and infrastructure overhauls in the U.S. fades, said Hao Hong, head of research at BOCOM International in Hong Kong.

The U.S. stock market has been on such a parabolic march higher that Wall Street investors may have forgotten what a typical, sharp downturn feels like. Indeed, much has been made about the lack of volatility. The CBOE Volatility Index VIX, +1.78% otherwise known as the "fear gauge," had been flirting with its lowest close on record, implying that market expectations for a sharp, sudden fall are near rock bottom, as the Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, +0.15% S&P 500 index SPX, -0.13% and the Nasdaq Composite Index COMP, -0.12% scale new heights.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported Monday the Chinese manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI), which mainly tracks large state-owned companies, came in at 51.4 in July, down from 51.7 in the prior month. Economists had expected a number to slip to 51.6. A reading above the 50-level indicates expansion, while one below 50 suggests contraction. The NBS attributed the slowdown in manufacturing activity to adverse weather conditions and flooding in parts of the country and routine maintenance in some enterprises. A sub-index of manufacturing production dropped 0.9 points to 53.5 in this month, while a sub-index of new orders fell 0.3 points to 52.8, the report showed. Meanwhile, China's official non-manufacturing PMI, also released Monday, dropped to 54.5 in July from 54.9 in June.

The preliminary estimates by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) revealed that the industrial production in Japan boosted 4.9 percent y-o-y in June, exceeding economists' forecast for a gain of 4.8 percent following a 6.5 percent surge in May. In m-o-m terms, Japan's industrial output rose 1.6 percent last month, missing economists forecast for an increase of 1.7 percent following a 3.6 percent decline in May. The main contributors to the June gain were higher production in such industries as transport equipment, chemicals and electrical machinery. On the contrary, electronic parts and devices, iron and steel as well as other manufacturing had a negative impact on the reading. The METI also said that shipments rose 2.3 percent m-o-m and 5.1 percent y-o-y in June, while inventories reduced 2.2 percent m-o-m and 3.1 y-o-y. According to The Survey of Production Forecast, industrial production is projected to increase 0.8 percent in July and 3.6 percent in August.