The major US stock indexes finished trading in positive territory, with the Dow Jones industrial index for the first time exceeding 25,000, while other indices updated highs after strong US employment data added optimistic sentiments for sustainable growth worldwide.

Thus, data from Automatic Data Processing (ADP) showed that the growth rate of employment in the private sector of the US accelerated in December, and was stronger than forecast. According to the report, in December the number of employed grew by 250 thousand people compared to the figure for November at 190 thousand. Analysts had expected that the number of employed will increase by 190 thousand.

However, the number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose for the third week in a row last week, but this probably does not imply a significant change in labor market conditions, as data for several states, including California, was evaluated. Primary appeals for unemployment benefits in the US increased by 3,000 to 250 thousand people for the week ending December 30, the Ministry of Labor said on Thursday. Economists predicted that in the last week, orders will fall to 240 thousand.

Meanwhile, December data from Markit signaled a strong, but milder expansion of business activity in the US services sector. Seasonally adjusted final index of business activity in the US services sector from IHS Markit fell to 53.7 in December, from 54.5 in November. The last index was higher than the preliminary estimate (52.4). In accordance with the production trend, the growth rate of the volume of new orders slightly softened. At the price front, both purchase prices and inflation of vacation costs, were slightly weakened. In line with the softer business growth, the level of optimism in the sector fell to a 15-month low.

Most components of the DOW index recorded a rise (22 out of 30). The leader of growth was shares of General Electric Company (GE, + 2.01%). Outsider were shares of Intel Corporation (INTC, -1.61%).

Almost all sectors of the S & P index finished trading in positive territory. The conglomerate sector grew most (+ 1.6%). The decrease was shown only by the utilities sector (-0.6%).

At closing:

DJIA + 0.61% 25,075.13 +152.45

Nasdaq + 0.18% 7,077.92 +12.38

S & P + 0.40% 2.723.99 +10.93

U.S. stock-index futures advanced on Thursday as upbeat economic data from around the world boosted sentiment.

Global Stocks:

Nikkei 23,506.33 +741.39 +3.26%

Hang Seng 30,736.48 +175.53 +0.57%

Shanghai 3,386.50 +17.40 +0.52%

S&P/ASX 6,077.10 +6.70 +0.11%

FTSE 7,688.07 +16.96 +0.22%

CAC 5,410.93 +79.65 +1.49%

DAX 13,161.41 +183.20 +1.41%

Crude $61.77 (+0.23%)

Gold $1,317.10 (-0.11%)

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

Chevron (CVX) downgraded to Neutral from Buy at BofA/Merrill

European stocks moved broadly higher on Wednesday, with retailers among biggest gainers in the region after an upbeat trading update from U.K. fashion and home chain Next PLC. Chip makers were also scoring solid advances, taking a cue from their U.S. counterparts that rallied both Tuesday and Wednesday.

U.S. stock-market indexes pushed further into record territory, with the main benchmarks closing at fresh all-time highs Wednesday. The main benchmarks held on to earlier gains after the minutes from the latest Federal Reserve meeting showed a distinct lack of unity over the central bank's projection of three rate hikes in 2018.

Asian stocks headed toward fresh historic highs, with Japan's markets coming back from New Year holidays to see solid gains in the wake of U.S. records. Oil rose, while gold slipped. With Japanese benchmarks heading for the biggest one-day advance since May, the MSCI Asia Pacific Index is headed for a record close.

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

Nikkei -19.04 22764.94 -0.08%

TOPIX -1.47 1817.56 -0.08%

Hang Seng +45.64 30560.95 +0.15%

CSI 300 +23.99 4111.39 +0.59%

Euro Stoxx 50 +19.69 3509.88 +0.56%

FTSE 100 +23.01 7671.11 +0.30%

DAX +106.82 12978.21 +0.83%

CAC 40 +42.68 5331.28 +0.81%

DJIA +98.67 24922.68 +0.40%

S&P 500 +17.25 2713.06 +0.64%

NASDAQ +58.63 7065.53 +0.84%

S&P/TSX +61.56 16371.55 +0.38%