Major US stock indices closed in positive territory

Major US stock indexes showed a slight increase, as investors decided to take a break after the recent rally, triggered by reports of an agreement between the US and China on the first phase of the trade deal.

Market participants also focused on exceeding expectations for housing and industrial production. For example, a report by the Department of Commerce showed that in November US housing construction grew more than expected, and the number of permits for future housing construction rose to a 12.5-year high, as lower mortgage rates continue to stimulate the housing market and support the economy in whole. According to the report, housing construction volumes rose in November by 3.2% to an annual rate of 1.35 million compared with the revised October estimate of 1.332 million. Economists expected housing construction to begin to grow by 2.4% to 1.345 million from 1.314 million . originally reported in the previous month. Housing construction rose 13.6% year on year in November. Building permits, an indicator of future housing demand, also rose in November by 1.4% to an annual level of 1.482 million from 1.461 million in October. The continued increase came as a surprise to economists, who expected the number of building permits to fall by 3.5% to 1.410 million.

In turn, the Fed said industrial production also rose 1.1% in November after revising downward by 0.9% in October, as the end of an almost six-week strike at General Motors (GM) factories led to an increase in car production. Excluding automobiles and spare parts, the total industrial production in November grew by 0.5%. Economists predicted that the total industrial production will grow by 0.8%.

DOW components completed trading mixed (15 in the red, 15 in the red). The biggest gainers were The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS; + 1.48%). The outsider was Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA; -1.27%).

Almost all S&P sectors recorded an increase. The real estate sector grew the most (+ 0.9%). The largest decline was shown by the consumer goods sector (-0.5%).

At the time of closing:

Index

Dow 28,276.65 +40.76 + 0.14%

S&P 500 3,192.62 +1.17 + 0.04%

Nasdaq 100 8,820.56 +6.33 + 0.07%