Major US stock indexes finished trading in negative territory

The main US stock indexes have moderately decreased, weighed down by the fall of Amazon shares (AMZN) after the US Supreme Court authorized states to force Internet traders to pay sales taxes.

In addition, investors were acting out data on the United States. As the report presented by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia showed, the index of business activity in the production sector fell sharply in June, reaching a level of 19.9 points compared to 34.4 points in May. Economists had expected the decline of this indicator to the level of 29.0 points.

However, the number of Americans applying for new unemployment benefits fell for the fourth week in a row in mid-June, signaling the stable strength of the labor market. Initial applications for unemployment benefits, a gauge of layoffs across the US, declined by 3,000 to 218,000, seasonally adjusted for the week to June 16. Economists were expecting 220,000 applications. Primary treatment decreases every week from the end of May.

In addition, it became known that the index of leading indicators (LEI) from the Conference Board for the US increased by 0.2 percent in May to 109.5 (2016 = 100), after an increase of 0.4 percent in April and 0.4 percent in March. Analysts had expected an increase of 0.4 percent. "Although the LEI growth in the US in May was slower than in recent months, improvements in most of its components offset the decline in the leading indicators of labor and housing markets," said Ataman Ozildirim, director of business cycles and growth research at the Conference Board. "LEI in the US still indicates solid growth, but the current trend, which is softening, indicates that economic activity is unlikely to accelerate."

Most of the components of DOW finished trading in the red (24 out of 30). Outsider were shares of Caterpillar Inc. (CAT, -2.38%). Leader of growth were shares of Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ, + 1.15%).

Almost all S & P sectors recorded a decline. The largest decrease was shown by the sector of industrial goods (-1.5%). Only the utilities sector grew (+ 0.1%).

At closing:

Index

Dow 24,461.70 -196.10 -0.80%

S&P 500 2,749.76 -17.56 -0.63%

Nasdaq 100 7,712.95 -68.56 -0.88%