Major US stock indices closed in positive territory

U.S. major stock indexes rose significantly, as the published solid quarterly results of UnitedHealth (UNH), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and JPMorgan Chase (JPM) eased concerns about the negative impact of the protracted US-China trade war on US companies.

UnitedHealth announced that it received a adjusted quarterly profit of $ 3.88 per share, which was higher than the average forecast of analysts at $ 3.76. The company's revenue also exceeded market expectations and it raised its profit forecast for the whole of 2019. UNH shares soared 8.31%.

Johnson & Johnson reported quarterly earnings of $ 2.12 per share, compared with analysts' average forecast of $ 2.01. The quarterly revenue of the manufacturer of medical equipment and consumer goods also exceeded the average market estimate, which was mainly facilitated by the growth in sales of medicines and medical devices. JNJ shares jumped 1.62%.

JPMorgan Chase reported quarterly earnings of $ 2.68 per share, which was $ 0.22 higher than analysts' average forecast. The financial institution’s revenues also exceeded Wall Street’s forecasts, driven by growth in mortgages, car loans and credit cards. JPM shares rose 3.17%.

According to CNBC, of ​​the 34 companies in the S&P 500 index that have already posted third-quarter results, 29 have exceeded expectations. However, it is worth noting that, in general, expectations for the reporting season are quite pessimistic: analysts polled by FactSet predict that the profit of the S&P 500 index will show a decrease of 4.6% compared to the same period last year.

Most DOW components completed trading in positive territory (25 out of 30). The biggest gainers were UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH .; + 8.31%). Outsider were the shares of The Procter & Gamble Co. (PG; -2.34%).

Most S&P sectors recorded an increase. The health sector grew the most (+ 1.8%). The conglomerate sector showed the largest decrease (-0.2%).

At the time of closing:

Dow 27,025.00 +237.64 +0.89%

S&P 500 2,995.64 +29.49 +0.99%

Nasdaq 100 8,148.71 +100.06 +1.24%