Big-cap earnings reactions created tailwinds for stocks
Stimulus buzz out of China and strong day for FAANG stocks boosted the broader equities market today. Positive earnings reactions for UnitedHealth (UNH) and JPMorgan Chase (JPM) only created bigger tailwinds -- and put Bank of America (BAC) options bears on notice ahead of the financial firm's quarterly results tomorrow morning. This helped offset a soft inflation reading and uncertainty surrounding a failed Brexit vote in the U.K., with the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all notching their highest closes in a month.
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The S&P 500 Index (SPX -2,610.30) added 27.7 points, or 1.1%, while the Nasdaq Composite (IXIC - 7,023.83) rose 117.9 points, or 1.7%.
The Cboe Volatility Index (VIX - 18.60) dipped below 18 in intraday trading for the first time since Dec. 4, but pared its loss to 0.5 point, or 2.5%.
Data courtesy of Trade-Alert
Oil prices got a lift on optimism surrounding China's stimulus chatter. February-dated oil added $1.46, or 2.9%, to close at $51.97 per barrel.
Gold closed lower as the U.S. dollar strengthened. Gold for February delivery settled down $2.90, or 0.2%, at $1,288.40 an ounce.