PARIS (Reuters) – American stock markets declined on Wall Street on Thursday, under pressure from disappointing results and a GDP figure up sharply over one year.
In early trading, the Dow Jones index lost 36.51 points, or 0.11% to 32,999.42 points and the broader Standard & Poor’s 500 fell 0.37% to 4,171.18 points. The Nasdaq Composite lost 0.41% or 52.47 points, to 12,768.749.
American GDP in the third quarter surprised on the upside, its growth over one year reaching 4.9% against 4.3% forecast by the consensus.
The indicator shows the resistance of the American economy to rate increases, which worries the markets: the Federal Reserve, which meets on November 1, could have to maintain its rates at a restrictive level for longer than anticipated, or even further tighten its rates.
Nevertheless, unemployment claims increased over a week.
Adding to the caution, PCE inflation is expected on Friday, while it is the indicator of price dynamics most followed by the US central bank.
The results of Meta Platforms were considered disappointing, after those of Alphabet published on Tuesday which were also lower than expectations, which weighs on technology stocks.
In terms of values, Meta Platforms dropped 1.85% after publishing on Wednesday a turnover for the July-September period higher than expectations, while warning of an acceleration in its expenses next year and additional regulatory pressures.
IBM advances 3.8% after publishing third-quarter revenue slightly above Wall Street expectations on Wednesday, supported by stable demand for its software solutions and stronger-than-expected activity in the computer sector.
(Written by Corentin Chappron, edited by Jean-Stéphane Brosse)
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