Major US stock indexes finished trading above the zero mark

Major US stock indexes rose slightly, as a strong increase in the conglomerate sector leveled the collapse in the core materials segment.

Investors shifted the focus from company reporting, the day after the Trump administration announced a tax reform plan.

As it became known today, the number of Americans who recently lost their jobs and applied for unemployment benefits rose last week to a one-month high, although this growth appears to have mainly concentrated in the state of New York. Initial claims for unemployment benefits rose by 14,000 to 257,000 people, the Ministry of Labor said. Economists had expected that initial applications would amount to 245,000 within seven days from April 16 to April 22.

At the same time, new orders for capital goods produced in the US grew less than expected in March, but the second monthly growth in shipments showed an acceleration of investments in business in the first quarter. The Ministry of Commerce said that non-military orders for goods, with the exception of aircraft that are closely monitored as planned business expenses, increased by 0.2% after rising 0.1% in February. Economists forecast an increase of 0.5%.

It also became known that unfinished transactions for the sale of housing fell in March, as stocks continued to decline. The index of unfinished transactions for the sale of housing from the National Association of Realtors fell by 0.8% to 111.4, NAR reported on Thursday. Economists forecast a decrease of 1.0%.

Most components of the DOW index showed an increase (16 out of 30). The growth leader was the shares of The Home Depot, Inc. (HD, + 1.22%). Caterpillar Inc. shares fell more than others. (CAT, -1.88%).

The S & P sector finished the session mostly in positive territory. The growth leader was the conglomerate sector (+ 1.2%). Most of all fell the sector of basic materials (-1.2%).

At closing:

DJIA + 0.03% 20.981.39 +6.30

Nasdaq + 0.39% 6,048.94 +23.71

S & P + 0.06% 2.388.77 +1.32