The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 22.33 points to close at 12,734,63 Thursday following a pair of somewhat discouraging economic reports on jobs and new homes.
Tech stocks finally cooled off a bit as the Nasdaq lopped off 13 points to end at 2,805.28 while the S&P 500 shed 7.62 points to finish at 1,318.43.
The Labor Department reported that weekly jobless claims jumped 21,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted total of 377,000 – a tad higher than the 370,000 most economists expected but still under the key 400,000-claim mark.
More discouraging, new home sales posted a surprising decline of 2.2% last month – the first drop in four months – to a seasonally adjusted 307,000.
Durable goods orders increased 3% in December, the second straight monthly gain, according to the Commerce Department.
Here are some more details from Thursday’s trading session:
Dow Jones Industrial Average:
- Down three of the last four trading days.
- An intraday high of 12841.95 occurred at 09:58:59 today, representing an increase of 84.99 points, or 0.67%.
- Today’s intraday high was it highest since May 2, 2011.
- An intraday low of 12695.16 occurred at 15:29:40 today, representing a decrease of 61.80 points, or 0.48%.
- Six of the 30 component stocks rose, 23 fell, one was unchanged.
- Today's top five contributors to The Dow's movement and their point contribution: CAT (17.10), MMM (8.33), JNJ (3.63), DD (2.65), KFT (1.74).
- Today's bottom five laggards: CVX (-8.63), T (-5.75), IBM (-5.68), BA (-3.86), WMT (-3.78).
- Down 1429.90 points, or 10.09% from its record close of 14164.53 on October 9, 2007.
- Up 6.21% from 52 weeks ago.
- Up 94.51% from its 12-year closing low of 6547.05 on March 9, 2009.
- Down 0.59% from its 52-week closing high of 12810.54 on April 29, 2011.
- Up 19.51% from its 52-week closing low of 10655.30 on October 3, 2011.
- Month-to-date: up 4.23%.
- Year-to-date: up 4.23%.
- DJIA crossed zero 13 times during today's trading session.
Dow Jones U.S. Total Stock Market Index:
- Dow Jones U.S. Total Stock Market Index, 13712.90 (prelim)*, down 76.93 points, or 0.56%, or approximately $88.8 billion in market capitalization.
- Today’s drop snaps a seven day winning streak.
- Biggest points and percentage drop since December 28, 2011.
- Down 2032.49 points, or 12.91% (approximately $3.2 trillion in market cap), from its record close of 15745.39 on October 9, 2007.
- Up 101.66% (approximately $8.0 trillion in market cap), from the 12-½ year closing low of 6800.08 on March 9, 2009.
- Up 1.15% over the past 52 weeks.
- Down 4.16% from its 52-week closing high of 14308.37 on April 29, 2011.
- Up 21.36% from its 52-week closing low of 11299.07 on October 3, 2011.
- Month-to-date: up 5.33%.
- Year-to-date: up 5.33%, or approximately $822 billion. in market cap
Data courtesy of Dow Jones Indexes.
