Stocks Waver on Mixed Earnings Reports
24 Luglio 2019 - 5:59PM
Dow Jones News
By Caitlin Ostroff and Michael Wursthorn
The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped Wednesday after
lackluster earnings from Caterpillar and Boeing pulled the
blue-chip index lower.
Both companies reported earnings that fell short of analysts'
expectations, sending shares of Caterpillar and Boeing lower and
dashing the run of strong profit reports that had supported major
indexes' gains earlier in the week.
The losses pulled the price-weighted Dow industrials into the
red, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite bounced around the
flat line. Broader indexes got support from more upbeat earnings
reports from companies like United Parcel Service and Discover
Financial Services.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 134 points, or 0.5%, to
27216, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite were mostly
flat.
Most companies that have reported quarterly earnings have beaten
analysts' expectations. Of the 138 S&P 500 companies to release
results, 78% have exceeded analysts' projections, according to
FactSet.
But Wednesday's disappointing reports reminded investors that
many companies, especially multinationals, are coping with a
challenging economic environment.
Earnings are in a "slight recession" for the next two quarters,
said Sebastien Galy, macro strategist at Nordea Asset Management.
Earnings will likely rebound next year, he added, leaving markets
vulnerable to some volatility in the meantime.
Shares of Caterpillar fell 4.1% after it reported lower sales in
China and higher costs due to tariffs and labor. The Deerfield,
Ill., company said the tough economic climate isn't expected to
abate, guiding its full-year profit to the lower end of its
forecast.
Boeing fell about 2% after it said it lost $2.94 billion in the
June quarter, its biggest loss ever, due to the grounding and
slowed production of the 737 MAX jetliner.
Some big technology companies also struggled following the
Justice Department's announcement that it is probing for antitrust
violations. Shares of Facebook, Apple, Amazon.com and Google parent
Alphabet were all lower in recent trading, although all four had
recovered some of their losses from earlier in the session.
Broader stock indexes fared better due to upbeat earnings from a
handful of other companies. UPS jumped 8.4%, helping to pull the
S&P 500 higher, after r eporting earnings and revenue that
topped analysts' expectations.
Discover Financial Services added 7.3% after it beat quarterly
revenue targets, while Edward Lifesciences soared 10% after
reporting-better-than-expected second-quarter results late
Tuesday.
In Europe, stocks edged slightly higher. The Stoxx Europe 600
added less than 0.1%, as tech and auto makers in the region posted
gains. Shares in Asia mostly rose, with the Shanghai Composite and
Japan's Nikkei adding 0.8% and 0.4%, respectively.
Write to Michael Wursthorn at Michael.Wursthorn@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
July 24, 2019 11:44 ET (15:44 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2019 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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