Major stock markets in the US recorded a slight decline, as the fall in the shares of the utilities sector and basic resources halted the rally, which had previously led to the Dow Jones index's maximum increase of 1000 points.

Investors also acted out ambiguous data for the United States. The US Department of Commerce said that the growth rate of housing construction in the US weakened more than expected in December, recording the biggest recession slightly more than a year, amid a sharp decline in the construction of single-family housing units after a two-month growth. The laying of new homes fell 8.2% to a seasonally adjusted level of 1.192 million units. The November sales were revised to 1,299 million units from previously announced 1,297 million units. The December percentage decline was the largest since November 2016. Economists predicted that the bookmarks will drop to 1.275 million units. The construction permit decreased by 0.1% to 1.302 million units in December. Construction permits increased by 4.7% to 1.263 million units in 2017, which is also the highest level since 2007.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Labor reported that the number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week, to the lowest level in 45 years, but the decline was likely to overstate the health of the labor market, as the data in the several states. Initial applications for state unemployment benefits fell by 41,000 to 220,000, seasonally adjusted for the week ending January 13, the lowest level since February 1973. The appeals for the previous week were not revised. Economists predicted that bids would fall to 250,000.

Most components of the DOW index finished trading in positive territory (16 out of 30). The leader of growth was UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH, + 2.07%). Outsider were shares of General Electric Company (GE, -3.00%).

Most S & P sectors recorded a decline. The largest drop was shown by the utilities sector (-0.7%). The technological sector grew most (+ 0.2%).

At closing:

DJIA -0.37% 26.017.81 -97.84

Nasdaq -0.03% 7.296.05 -2.23

S & P -0.16% 2,798.03 -4.53

Nikkei 225 on 4-hour time frame chart we can see that the price is forming an upside trend line.

Therefore, we can consider two scenarios either to enter short or long, the breakout or the bounce of this trend line.

U.S. stock-index futures fell slightly on Thursday, as investors were cautious after Wall Street rocketed to new records the day before. The focus was on quarterly results of Morgan Stanley (MS) as well as a batch of economic data.

Global Stocks:

Nikkei 23,763.37 -104.97 -0.44%

Hang Seng 32,121.94 +138.53 +0.43%

Shanghai 3,475.91 +31.24 +0.91%

S&P/ASX 6,014.60 -1.20 -0.02%

FTSE 7,695.57 -29.86 -0.39%

CAC 5,490.02 -3.97 -0.07%

DAX 13,241.16 +57.20 +0.43%

Crude $63.78 (-0.30%)

Gold $1,330.40 (-0.66%)

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

Caterpillar (CAT) initiated with a Buy at Berenberg; target $200

Freeport-McMoRan (FCX) target raised to $18 from $16 at B. Riley FBR

Chevron (CVX) downgraded to Hold from Buy at HSBC Securities

Wal-Mart (WMT) added to Conviction Buy List at Goldman

Morgan Stanley (MS) reported Q4 FY 2017 earnings of $0.84 per share (versus $0.81 in Q4 FY 2016), beating analysts' consensus estimate of $0.78. (! Q4 results excluded a net discrete tax provision of $0.990 bln or a loss of $0.55 per share).

The company's quarterly revenues amounted to $9.500 bln (+5.3% y/y), beating analysts' consensus estimate of $9.249 bln.

MS rose to $56.25 (+1.63%) in pre-market trading.

Alcoa (AA) reported Q4 FY 2017 earnings of $1.04 per share (versus $0.14 in Q4 FY 2016), missing analysts' consensus estimate of $1.23.

The company's quarterly revenues amounted to $3.174 bln (+25.1% y/y), missing analysts' consensus estimate of $3.285 bln.

AA fell to $53.20 (-6.65%) in pre-market trading.

European stocks finished in the red Wednesday, as a round of corporate financial updates failed to lift an investing mood dimmed by losses on U.S. stock markets. A disappointing sales report from fashion house Burberry Group PLC and a warning of layoffs at Swedish construction company Skanska AB dragged on shares of those companies.

The Dow industrials on Wednesday staged a late rally to end above 26,000 for the first time ever, knocking out another round-number milestone at a history-setting pace for blue chips, with all the main equity indexes finishing at all-time highs. An upbeat gauge of conditions at the Federal Reserve's business districts contributed to the buying sentiment.

Asia-Pacific stocks were higher Thursday, aided by strength in Chinese banks and regional tech companies, after equities hit fresh record highs on Wall Street overnight. Hong Kong stocks HSI, +0.12% were 0.4% higher and benchmarks on the mainland logged similar gains. Bank stocks in China rose after data showed housing prices rose last month in 57 of 70 cities measured by the National Bureau of Statistics.

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

Nikkei -83.47 23868.34 -0.35%

TOPIX -3.43 1890.82 -0.18%

Hang Seng +78.66 31983.41 +0.25%

CSI 300 -10.35 4248.12 -0.24%

Euro Stoxx 50 -9.23 3612.78 -0.25%

FTSE 100 -30.50 7725.43 -0.39%

DAX -62.37 13183.96 -0.47%

CAC 40 -19.83 5493.99 -0.36%

DJIA +322.79 26115.65 +1.25%

S&P 500 +26.14 2802.56 +0.94%

NASDAQ +74.60 7298.28 +1.03%

S&P/TSX +27.82 16326.70 +0.17%