The major US stock indexes finished the session without a single dynamic, as investors waited for the results of the voting on the health care bill, which is seen as testing the ability of President Donald Trump to convey his legislative agenda through Congress.

The focus was also on the US. As it became known, new orders for basic goods produced in the US unexpectedly fell in February, but a sharp increase in supply volumes against the backdrop of demand for machinery and electrical equipment. The US Department of Commerce said on Friday that orders for the purchase of non-productive capital goods, with the exception of aircraft that are closely monitored for meeting business spending plans, were down 0.1% last month after rising 0.1% in January.

Oil has risen slightly in price during today's trading, but the week ends with losses, which is caused by concern over the preservation of surplus oil in the world market.

The components of the DOW index have mostly grown (17 out of 30). More shares fell The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS, -1.45%). Leader of the growth were shares of NIKE, Inc. (NKE, + 1.91%).

Most sectors of the S & P index finished trading in positive territory. The leader of growth was the utilities sector (+ 0.5%). The largest drop was shown by the sector of industrial goods (-0.3%).

At closing:

Dow -0.29% 20.596.72 -59.86

Nasdaq + 0.19% 5,828.74 + 11.05

S & P -0.08% 2,343.98 -1.98

Major U.S. stock-indexes slightly higher on Friday as investors awaited the outcome of a vote on a healthcare bill that is seen as a test of President Donald Trump's ability to pass his legislative agenda through Congress. Republican lawmakers struggled to overcome differences over the bill after Trump walked away from negotiations, telling them to pass the bill on Friday or keep Obamacare in place. The back-and-forth over the bill has led to some of the choppiest trading Wall Street has seen since Trump's election in November.

Most of Dow stocks in positive area (18 of 30). Top loser - The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS-1.10%). Top gainer - NIKE, Inc. (NKE, +1.68%).

All of S&P sectors in positive area. Top Gainer - Utilities (+0.7%).

At the moment:

Dow 20618.00 +30.00 +0.15%

S&P 500 2348.75 +8.75 +0.37%

Nasdaq 100 5389.25 +34.75 +0.65%

Oil 47.83 +0.13 +0.27%

Gold 1247.40 +0.20 +0.02%

U.S. 10yr 2.41 -0.01

• Economy at pretty good place right now

• Pretty close to employment, inflation objectives

• U.S trade, immigration policies could hit international tourism to New York city

The seasonally adjusted Markit Flash U.S. Composite PMI Output Index registered 53.2 in March, to remain above the 50.0 no-change value for the thirteenth consecutive month. However, the latest reading was down from 54.1 in February and signalled the slowest expansion of private sector output since September 2016. Softer business activity growth was driven by a loss of momentum in the service economy ('flash' index at 52.9, down from 53.8 in February).

Manufacturing production also expanded at a weaker pace in March ('flash' output index: 54.4, down from 55.6). March data also revealed a slowdown in staff hiring by private sector companies. The latest rise in payroll numbers was only marginal and the weakest for six months. The composite index is based on original survey data from the Markit U.S. Services PMI and the Markit U.S. Manufacturing PMI.

• Inflation has essentially returned to 2 pct, expected to remain there

• Unwise to forecast growth pickup in 2017

• Labor market improvements have been slowing

• Relatively low policy rate likely to remain appropriate

• Fed can wait to see how fiscal policy evolves

U.S. stock-index futures advanced, helped by higher oil prices, and ahead of a closely watched vote on a healthcare bill, considered as a test of President Donald Trump's ability to pass his legislative agenda through Congress.

Global Stocks:

Nikkei 19,262.53 +177.22 +0.93%

Hang Seng 24,358.27 +30.57 +0.13%

Shanghai 3,268.93 +20.38 +0.63%

FTSE 7,338.95 -1.76 -0.02%

CAC 5,011.11 -21.65 -0.43%

DAX 12,030.10 -9.58 -0.08%

Crude $48.02 (+0.67%)

Gold $1,244.70 (-0.20%)

EURUSD: 1.0650 (EUR 620m) 1.0740 (735m) 1.0750 (260m) 1.0785 (575m) 1.0800 (540m) 1.0850-55 (500m)

USDJPY: 110.00 (USD 1.6bln) 111.75 (910m) 111.90 (330m) 112.00 (1.5bln) 112.50 (365m) 112.90-113.00 (720m)

GBPUSD: 1.2370 (GBP 230m)

AUDUSD: 0.7525 (560m) 0.7675 (235m)

USDCAD 1.3200 (USD 400m) 1.3285 (400m) 133.00 (525m) 1.3340-50 (895m) 1.3400 (205m) 1.3430 (515m) 1.3490 (330m)

NZDUSD 0.6825 (NZD 590m) 0.7000 (225m) 0.7100 (250m)

EURJPY 121.00 (415m)

(company / ticker / price / change ($/%) / volume)

EUR/USD

Offers: 1.0820 1.0830 1.0850 1.0880 1.0900

Bids: 1.0780 1.0765 1.0750 1.0730 1.0700 1.0680 1.0650

GBP/USD

Offers: 1.2500 1.2530 1.2550-55 1.2580 1.2600 1.2630 1.2650

Bids: 1.2465 1.2450 1.2425-30 1.2400 1.2380 1.2360 1.2335-40 1.2320 1.2300

EUR/JPY

Offers: 120.30 120.50 120.85 121.00 121.50

Bids: 119.80 119.50 119.30 119.00 118.80 118.65 118.50

EUR/GBP

Offers: 0.8650-55 0.8685 0.8700 0.8725-30 0.8750 0.8780-85 0.8800

Bids: 0.8620 0.8600 0.8580-85 0.8550 0.8530 0.8500

USD/JPY

Offers: 111.50-55 111.65 111.80 112.00 112.25 112.50 112.80 113.00

Bids: 111.00 110.85 110.65 110.50 110.35 110.20 110.00

AUD/USD

Offers:0.7650 0.7665 0.7680-85 0.7700 0.7720 0.7735 0.7750

Bids: 0.7600 0.7580 0.7565 0.7550 0.7500

Upgrades:

Downgrades:

Apple (AAPL) downgraded to Buy from Strong Buy at Needham; target raised to $165 from $150

Other:

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 2.0% on a year-over-year basis in February, following a 2.1% gain in January.

Excluding gasoline, the CPI was up 1.3% year over year in February, following a 1.5% increase in January.

Prices were up in seven of the eight major components in the 12 months to February, with the transportation and shelter indexes contributing the most to the year-over-year rise in the CPI. The food index decreased for a fifth consecutive month.

Consumer prices increase in seven of the eight major components:

Transportation costs rose 6.6% over the 12-month period ending in February, after increasing 6.3% in January; this acceleration occurred despite a 0.8% monthly decline in February. On a year-over-year basis, consumers paid 23.1% more for gasoline and the purchase of passenger vehicles index was up 3.6%.

New orders for manufactured durable goods in February increased $3.9 billion or 1.7 percent to $235.4 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This increase, up two consecutive months, followed a 2.3 percent January increase. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.4 percent. Excluding defense, new orders increased 2.1 percent. Transportation equipment, also up two consecutive months, led the increase, $3.3 billion or 4.3 percent to $80.4 billion.

Shipments of manufactured durable goods in February, up three of the last four months, increased $0.6 billion or 0.3 percent to $239.2 billion. This followed a 0.1 percent January decrease. Machinery, also up three of the last four months, led the increase, $0.3 billion or 0.9 percent to $31.1 billion.

• This should speed cutting of key rate

• Steps to establish stable and predictable economic environment to anchor inflationary expectations

• Obvious that Central Bank next steps to be linked to mid-term inflationary expectations

The BBA's latest high street banking data shows that household borrowing of £13.4 billion in February was 4.6% higher than in the same month last year.

The BBA's latest high street banking data show that consumer credit is growing at an annual rate of 6.6%.

Gross mortgage borrowing of £13.4 billion in February was 4.6% higher than in the same month last year. After allowing for repayments, February's net mortgage borrowing was 2.5% higher than in February 2016.

Business borrowing continues to be subdued growing by 0.9% annually.

Eurozone economic growth gathered further momentum in March, according to PMI survey data, reaching a near six-year high. The survey also saw the best employment growth for almost a decade as both manufacturing and service sector firms responded to surging order books. Business optimism meanwhile hit a new peak, but price pressures also intensified to a near six-year high.

The Markit Eurozone PMI rose to 56.7 in March, according to the preliminary 'flash' estimate (based on approximately 85% of final replies). Up from 56.0 in February, the latest reading was the highest since April 2011. The first quarter average of 55.7 is the highest since the first quarter of 2011.

Germany posted the fastest rate of private sector output growth in nearly six years at the end of the first quarter of 2017. The March PMI survey data also signalled a near-record rate of employment growth and the strongest cost pressures for nearly six years.

The Markit Flash Germany Composite Output Index rose for the second month running from 56.1 in February to 57.0, the highest since May 2011 and signalling marked economic growth in the eurozone's largest economy. The current sequence of continuous expansion now stretches to 47 months.

The Markit Flash France Composite Output Index, based on around 85% of normal monthly survey replies, registered 57.6, compared to February's reading of 55.9.

The latest figure pointed to the sharpest rate of growth since May 2011. Service providers continued to raise their activity levels during March, thereby extending the latest sequence of growth to nine months. Moreover, the rate of expansion accelerated to a 70-month peak. Manufacturing output also continued to increase at a solid pace, albeit to a slightly weaker extent than in February.

EUR/USD

Resistance levels (open interest**, contracts)

$1.0966 (2334)

$1.0910 (990)

$1.0863 (47)

Price at time of writing this review: $1.0768

Support levels (open interest**, contracts):

$1.0723 (686)

$1.0680 (399)

$1.0626 (652)

Comments:

- Overall open interest on the CALL options with the expiration date June, 9 is 42148 contracts, with the maximum number of contracts with strike price $1,1450 (3934);

- Overall open interest on the PUT options with the expiration date June, 9 is 46160 contracts, with the maximum number of contracts with strike price $1,0350 (4017);

- The ratio of PUT/CALL was 1.10 versus 1.07 from the previous trading day according to data from March, 23

GBP/USD

Resistance levels (open interest**, contracts)

$1.2811 (1168)

$1.2714 (826)

$1.2618 (324)

Price at time of writing this review: $1.2478

Support levels (open interest**, contracts):

$1.2385 (574)

$1.2288 (251)

$1.2191 (478)

Comments:

- Overall open interest on the CALL options with the expiration date June, 9 is 15197 contracts, with the maximum number of contracts with strike price $1,3000 (1215);

- Overall open interest on the PUT options with the expiration date June, 9 is 17337 contracts, with the maximum number of contracts with strike price $1,1500 (3088);

- The ratio of PUT/CALL was 1.14 versus 1.14 from the previous trading day according to data from March, 23

* - The Chicago Mercantile Exchange bulletin (CME) is used for the calculation.

** - Open interest takes into account the total number of option contracts that are open at the moment.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch Research argues that there are highly asymmetric EUR implications into the French elections.

In that regard, BofAML believes the FX market is not pricing substantial risks for the elections in France.

In the most likely scenario in which Le Pen loses the second round, BofAML expects EUR/USD to strengthen towards 1.10.

"However, we see substantial EUR downside if Le Pen wins, believing that EUR/USD could weaken all the way to 0.90 within days," BofAML argues.

Source: Bank of America Merrill Lynch Rates and Currencies Research, efxnews.

• Flash Japan Manufacturing PMI slips to 3-month low of 52.6 in March (53.3 in February).

• Flash Manufacturing Output Index at 53.4 (54.1 in February). Growth eases but remains marked.

• Business confidence softens to four-month low.

Commenting on the Japanese Manufacturing PMI survey data, Paul Smith, Senior Economist at IHS Markit, which compiles the survey, said: "Although signalling a slower rate of expansion during March, the latest PMI data again point to a Japanese manufacturing economy expanding at a decent clip. Indeed, the data are consistent with manufacturing output expanding at an underlying trend rate of just below 2.0%. "New order books remain in solid growth territory, with gains seemingly supported by the weaker yen. However, this comes at the cost of ongoing marked rises in purchase costs: input price inflation remained close to a two-year high in March."

European stocks shook off early weakness to close firmly higher Thursday, getting a boost from an upbeat session in the U.S. ahead of a key vote on a health-care bill.

U.S. stocks closed slightly lower on Thursday, with the Dow edging into negative territory to extending its losing streak to six sessions as a delay in a closely watched health-care vote raised questions about the Trump administration's ability to win passage of its ambitious legislative agenda.

Investors in Asia-Pacific equities regained some risk appetite Friday, despite a delay in Donald Trump's attempt to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, as regional markets maintained cautious optimism ahead of a planned final vote.