Coming off a mixed jobs report from the previous Friday, the markets experienced directionless trading on Monday. By the closing bell, the major indices were firmly in the red. Reversing course, stocks closed Tuesday’s trading session with gains, as the Dow Jones Industrial Average hit a new record level. Consumer brands stepped up across all indices while a dip in Technology stocks put pressure on the NASDAQ. Midweek brought new record highs with Consumer Staples leading the advancers. Stocks stepped up following the release of the September Federal Open Market Committee meeting minutes, which suggested an 80% likelihood of a December rate hike. Indices reversed course on Thursday, closing in the red zone. Financial and Energy sectors traded lower on earnings details and a slide in crude oil. Department of Labor data showed initial jobless claims fell by 15,000 to 243,000 last week. Indices traded into green territory on Friday on a variety of economic news. The Consumer Price Index climbed 0.5% for September, which was shy of expectations, while the core CPI edged up just 0.1%. In other reports, retail sales ramped up in September, as overall sales climbed 1.6%, while core sales tacked on 0.5%. In a preliminary reading, the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index showed consumer sentiment increasing to 101.1 from 95.1 in September.
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