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

Nikkei +143.99 19506.54 +0.74%

TOPIX +9.89 1607.65 +0.62%

Hang Seng +329.60 28094.61 +1.19%

CSI 300 -0.24 3834.30 -0.01%

Euro Stoxx 50 +15.49 3403.71 +0.46%

FTSE 100 +27.83 7365.26 +0.38%

DAX +56.59 12002.47 +0.47%

CAC 40 +24.42 5056.34 +0.49%

DJIA +27.06 21892.43 +0.12%

S&P 500 +11.29 2457.59 +0.46%

NASDAQ +66.42 6368.31 +1.05%

S&P/TSX +50.43 15133.13 +0.33%

Major US stock indexes completed the session in positive territory, receiving support from US GDP data and the US labor market report.

Data from Automatic Data Processing (ADP) showed that the growth rate of employment in the private sector of the US accelerated in August stronger than expected. According to the report, the number of employees increased by 237 thousand in comparison with the revised upward indicator for July at the level of 201 thousand (originally reported growth of 178 thousand). Analysts had expected that the number of employed will increase by 185 thousand.

A second estimate by the Ministry of Trade showed that the recovery in the US economy in the second quarter was stronger than originally reported. According to the report, GDP grew by 3% from April to June, compared with the original rate of 2.6%. This was the fastest quarterly growth in the last two years. Compared with the previous revision, there were several more strong consumer spending and investments in business. Economists had expected a smaller upward revision in the second quarter of GDP to 2.7%. The economy climbed 1.2% in the first quarter. Economists say that the most recent data show that the US is on track to keep 3% growth in the third quarter. Consumer spending was the main engine in the second quarter, an increase of 3.3% in the second quarter. This was higher than the government's initial estimate of 1.9%. The cost of investment in the business rose by a revised 0.6% in the second quarter, compared with the previous estimate of 0.4%. The report also confirms that inflation is moving away from the Fed's 2% annual target in the second quarter. Inflation, measured by the preferred Fed by the PCE index, fell sharply to 0.3% in the second quarter compared to 2.2% in the first quarter. As a result, the PCE index fell to 1.6% per annum in the second quarter, compared to 2% in the first quarter.

Components of the DOW index finished trading in different directions (14 in positive territory, 16 in negative territory). The leader of growth were the shares of Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO, + 1.72%). Outsider were the shares of The Travelers Companies, Inc. (TRV, -1.02%).

Most sectors of the S & P index showed an increase. The services sector grew most (+ 0.8%). The utilities sector showed the greatest decrease (-0.4%).

At closing:

DJIA + 0.11% 21.889.93 +24.56

Nasdaq + 1.05% 6,368.31 +66.42

S & P + 0.46% 2,457.46 +11.16

U.S. stock-index futures were flat, as investors assessed ADP's monthly report on private-sector jobs and the second estimate of Q2 GDP.

Global Stocks:

Nikkei 19,506.54 +143.99 +0.74%

Hang Seng 28,094.61 +329.60 +1.19%

Shanghai 3,362.99 -2.23 -0.07%

S&P/ASX 5,669.72 +0.709 +0.01%

FTSE 7,371.34 +33.91 +0.46%

CAC 5,065.31 +33.39 +0.66%

DAX 12,039.37 +93.49 +0.78%

Crude $46.09 (-0.75%)

Gold $1,313.10 (-0.44%)

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

Germany's DAX stock index took a bruising as European equities fell to more-than-six-month lows after North Korea's missile launch over Japan jangled investors nerves and the euro rose. The Stoxx Europe 600 index SXXP, -1.04% dropped 1% to end at 368.42, its lowest close since mid-February, FactSet data showed.

U.S. stock benchmarks on Tuesday staged a recovery from heavy selling earlier in the session that came after a North Korean missile test over Japanese airspace rattled investors and sent Wall Street trawling for assets perceived as safe. The Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, +0.26% rose 56.97 points, or 0.3%, to close at 21,865.37. Blue chips had been off by as much as 135 points, or 0.6%, at its session low.

Asia-Pacific stocks rebounded Wednesday after selling off a day earlier following North Korea's latest missile launch, as equities in the U.S. recovered as well. The return to risk assets came despite a stern response from President Donald Trump. His insistence that all options are on table "should have escalated the risk-off" sentiment seen Tuesday, said Bart Wakabayashi, Tokyo branch manager at State Street.