October 31, 2018: Markets opened higher Wednesday and stayed well into the green all day. Perhaps its irrational exuberance at the end of a lousy month for equities. Only two defensive sectors–consumer staples and utilities–traded lower today. Tech and financial stocks were among the day’s leading gainers.
WTI crude oil for December delivery settled at $65.31 a barrel, down 1.3% for the day and a whopping 10.8% for the month following report on U.S. stockpiles that looked supportive but was not. December gold dropped about 0.8% to settle at $1,215.00 for the day, but up about 1.6% for the month. Equities were heading for a higher close about 15 minutes before the bell as the Dow traded up 1.22% for the day, the S&P 500 traded up 1.32%, and the Nasdaq Composite traded up 2.25%.
Bitcoin futures (XBTX8) for November delivery traded at $6,290, up 0.72% for the day on the Cboe after opening at $6,250 this morning. The trading range today was $6,175 to $6,345.
The Dow stock posting the largest daily percentage gain ahead of the close Wednesday was Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) which traded up 4.29% at $138.45. The 52-week range on the stock is $106.60 to $151.56. Volume was about 10% higher than the daily average of around 8.3 million.
Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) traded up 4.17% at $122.36. The stock’s 52-week range is $112.06 to $173.24. Volume was about 50% above the daily average of around 5.5 million.
The Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE: GS) traded up 3.84% at $227.61 in a 52-week range of $208.40 to $275.31. Volume was about 15% higher than the daily average of around 2.8 million shares.
Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) traded up 3.64% at $107.51. The stock’s 52-week range is $80.70 to $116.18. Volume was about 30% above the daily average of around 28.3 million shares.
Of the Dow stocks, 23 were set to close higher Wednesday and 7 were on track to close lower.
100 Million Americans Are Missing This Crucial Retirement Tool
The thought of burdening your family with a financial disaster is most Americans’ nightmare. However, recent studies show that over 100 million Americans still don’t have proper life insurance in the event they pass away.
Life insurance can bring peace of mind – ensuring your loved ones are safeguarded against unforeseen expenses and debts. With premiums often lower than expected and a variety of plans tailored to different life stages and health conditions, securing a policy is more accessible than ever.
A quick, no-obligation quote can provide valuable insight into what’s available and what might best suit your family’s needs. Life insurance is a simple step you can take today to help secure peace of mind for your loved ones tomorrow.
Click here to learn how to get a quote in just a few minutes.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Latest from 24/7
Our expert who first called NVIDIA in 2009 is predicting 2025 will see a historic AI breakthrough.
You can follow him investing $500,000 of his own money on our top AI stocks for free.