March 28, 2016: Markets opened higher on Monday after the three-day weekend and an early morning report on personal spending. The PCE index excluding food and energy rose 0.1% which was less than expected. The personal savings rate rose to 5.4% and the PCE index remained unchanged at 1.7%. This is the Fed’s preferred inflation indicator. WTI crude oil for May delivery settled at $39.39 a barrel, down about 0.2% for the day. June gold fell 0.1% to settle at $1,222.00 for the day. Equities were headed for a mixed close shortly before the closing bell as the DJIA traded up 0.10% for the day, the S&P 500 traded up 0.09%, and the Nasdaq Composite traded down 0.07%.
The DJIA stock posting the largest daily percentage gain ahead of the close Monday was General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) which traded up 1.41% at $31.55. The stock’s 52-week range is $19.37 to $31.70, and the high was posted Monday. Trading volume was about 35% below the daily average of around 45 million. The megacap had no specific news on Monday.
3M Company (NYSE: MMM) traded up 1.18% at $166.40. The stock’s 52-week range is $134.00 to $167.70. Volume was about 35% below the daily average of around 2.7 million shares traded. The index’s most heavily weight stock had no news Monday either.
The Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS) traded up 0.98% at $98.18. The stock’s 52-week range is $86.25 to $122.08. Trading volume was about half the daily average of around 9.5 million. The House of Mouse sold out its opening day tickets for the Shanghai Disneyland.
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The Home Depot Inc. (NYSE: HD) traded up 0.64% at $131.30. The stock’s 52-week range is $92.17 to $135.47. Volume reached more than 2 million shares, about 65% below the daily average of around 6.2 million shares. The home improvement giant had no specific news on Monday.
Of the Dow 30 stocks 16are set to close higher on Thursday and 14 are on track to close lower.
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