(index / closing price / change items /% change)

Nikkei +50.80 19434.64 +0.26%

TOPIX +3.93 1600.05 +0.25%

Hang Seng +246.99 27401.67 +0.91%

CSI 300 +3.79 3756.09 +0.10%

Euro Stoxx 50 -16.96 3438.63 -0.49%

FTSE 100 +0.91 7382.65 +0.01%

DAX -55.04 12174.30 -0.45%

CAC 40 -16.47 5115.39 -0.32%

DJIA -87.80 21812.09 -0.40%

S&P 500 -8.47 2444.04 -0.35%

NASDAQ -19.07 6278.41 -0.30%

S&P/TSX +78.20 15063.16 +0.52%

Major US stock indices fell slightly on Wednesday amid a statement by US President Donald Trump about a possible temporary halt to the work of the government if it does not agree on the construction of the border wall in Mexico, as well as his words about abandoning the trade agreement with Mexico and Canada.

Meanwhile, US private sector companies announced a sharp and accelerated increase in business activity in August. This was demonstrated by the preliminary composite PMI index from IHS Markit for the US, which increased seasonally from 54.6 to 56.0, indicating the fastest growth in total activity since May 2015. The growth of the composite index was caused by a sharp increase in business activity in the sphere Services in August (the preliminary activity index rose to 56.9 from 54.7 in July). This contrasts with the slowdown in the growth of the manufacturing sector (the preliminary production index fell to 52.2 in August from 54.1 in July).

Meanwhile, sales of new homes in the US unexpectedly fell in July, reaching the lowest level in 7 months, which may cause concern about slowing the recovery in the housing market. The Ministry of Trade reported that, taking into account seasonal fluctuations, sales of new buildings fell by 9.4%, reaching 571 thousand units (recalculated for annual rates). The last value is the lowest since December 2016. The percentage drop was the highest since August 2016.

Most components of the DOW index recorded a decline (22 out of 30). Outsider were shares of Johnson & Johnson (JNJ, -1.48%). The leader of growth was shares United Technologies Corporation (UTX, + 1.14%).

Most sectors of the S & P index showed an increase. The sector of basic materials grew most (+ 0.7%). The largest decline was in the services sector (-0.6%).

At closing:

DJIA -0.40% 21,811.62 -88.27

Nasdaq -0.30% 6,278.41 -19.07

S & P -0.35% 2,444.02 -8.49

U.S. stock-index futures rose on Wednesday following Tuesday's rally. Investors' sentiment was affected by the U.S. president Donald Trump's threats to shut down the government to build a Mexico border wall. and to terminate a trade agreement with Mexico and Canada.

Global Stocks:

Nikkei 19,434.64 +50.80 +0.26%

Hang Seng -

Shanghai 3,287.68 -2.55 -0.08%

S&P/ASX 5,737.16 -12.96 -0.23%

FTSE 7,373.17 -8.57 -0.12%

CAC 5,124.58 -7.28 -0.14%

DAX 12,189.32 -40.02 -0.33%

Crude $47.62 (-0.44%)

Gold $1,295.30 (+0.33%)

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

HP (HPQ) initiated with a Buy at Loop Capital; target $23

European stocks pushed higher Tuesday, with investor optimism returning ahead of the closely watched gathering of central bankers in Jackson Hole, Wyo., later this week. The Stoxx Europe 600 index SXXP, +0.83% jumped 0.8% to close at 375.80, halting a three-session losing skid. The pan-European benchmark fell 0.4% on Monday, in part on concerns about another flare-up in tensions between the U.S. and North Korea.

U.S. stocks closed higher Tuesday, with the Dow industrials and the Nasdaq turning in their best session in months, as a surge in appetite for technology shares and health-care stocks underlined a measure of bullishness returning to markets after a rough patch. Both the Dow and the S&P 500 logged their second straight daily gain, while the Nasdaq snapped a three-session skid.

Asia-Pacific stocks were widely higher early Wednesday, getting a lift from improved sentiment and a stronger U.S. dollar. But Chinese equities fell modestly on a 5% slide in metals futures and Australia's benchmark turned lower as Commonwealth Bank of Australia faced a potential shareholder lawsuit in the wake of a government money-laundering case.