Major US stock indices slightly added, as the fall in prices for shares in the utilities sector was offset by growth in the financial sector.

Meanwhile, the dynamics of trading influenced by US data. As it became known, the number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell for the first time in a month, which confirmed the opinion of the Federal Reserve System that the labor market is strengthening. Initial applications for unemployment benefits, a measure of the number of workers laid off in the US, declined by 3,000 to 247,000, seasonally adjusted for the week ending July 8, the Ministry of Labor said. Economists had expected 245,000 initial hits.

In addition, wholesale prices in the US increased slightly in June, providing a little more evidence that inflationary pressures remain moderate. Last month, the producer price index rose by 0.1%, the government said in a statement. Economists had expected a 0.1% decrease in PPI.

The cost of oil jumped by more than 1%, as evidence of a stronger demand for oil from China compensated for the negative, contained in the report of the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Components of the DOW index finished trading mixed (14 in negative territory, 16 in positive territory). Leader of growth were shares of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (WMT, + 1.66%). The outsider was E.I du Pont de Nemours and Company (DD, -1.12%).

Most sectors of S & P showed an increase. The financial sector grew most (+ 0.4%). The utilities sector showed the greatest decrease (-0.3%).

At closing:

DJIA + 0.10% 21.553.09 +20.95

Nasdaq + 0.21% 6.274.44 +13.27

S & P + 0.19% 2,447.83 +4.58

U.S. stock-index futures were flat as investors hit pause following yesterday's rally.

Global Stocks:

Nikkei 20,099.81 +1.43 +0.01%

Hang Seng 26,346.17 +302.53 +1.16%

Shanghai 3,219.04 +21.49 +0.67%

S&P/ASX 5,736.80 +63.00 +1.11%

FTSE 7,414.11 -2.82 -0.04%

CAC 5,244.73 +22.60 +0.43%

DAX 12,626.66 +0.08 0.00%

Crude $45.44 (-0.11%)

Gold $1,220.00 (+0.07%)

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

AT&T (T) downgraded to Neutral from Buy at BofA/Merrill

Twitter (TWTR) upgraded to Mixed from Negative at OTR Global

Intl Paper (IP) upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Goldman

Arconic (ARNC) upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Seaport Global Securities

HP (HPQ) initiated with a Neutral at Susquehanna; target $20

European stocks finished with losses Tuesday, as investors took a cautious approach ahead of U.S. Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen's testimony to Congress. The pan-European index traded with a gain of as much as 0.3% just after the open, but the optimism quickly fizzled.

U.S. stocks closed higher on Wednesday with the Dow industrials setting its first closing record in nearly a month as Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen emphasized the central bank's gradual approach to normalizing monetary policy and expressed optimism about the economy in congressional testimony.

Global equities extended their rally in Asia on Thursday, as dovish comments from Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen improved risk-taking appetite. In her testimony on Capitol Hill, Yellen signaled that the Fed would take a cautious approach to tightening policy in the face of an uncertain inflation outlook. She said the Fed would continue to raise interest rates gradually, though it would change plans if inflation weakness persisted.

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

Nikkei -97.10 20098.38 -0.48%

TOPIX -7.80 1619.34 -0.48%

Hang Seng +166.00 26043.64 +0.64%

CSI 300 -11.99 3658.82 -0.33%

Euro Stoxx 50 +50.75 3515.23 +1.46%

FTSE 100 +87.17 7416.93 +1.19%

DAX +189.56 12626.58 +1.52%

CAC 40 +81.53 5222.13 +1.59%

DJIA +123.07 21532.14 +0.57%

S&P 500 +17.72 2443.25 +0.73%

NASDAQ +67.87 6261.17 +1.10%

S&P/TSX -5.15 15143.99 -0.03%