On Friday, January 19th, U.S. stock markets closed with the S&P 500 index touching a historic peak, influenced by expectations of lower interest rates and stable growth.
Most sectors in the S&P 500 ended positively, led by significant gains in information technology, financials, and communication services, while utilities and consumer staples sectors closed lower.
In economic data, U.S. existing-home sales dropped 1.0% to a decade-low of 3.78 million units in December, below expectations of 3.82 million. Meanwhile, the University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment rose to an 18-month high of 78.8 in January, surpassing expectations of 70.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained ...