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US-STOCKS-MARKETS
US stocks decline on reports of tax cut opposition
NEW YORK, Dec 15, 2017 (BSS/AFP) – Wall Street stocks retreated Thursday
as reports of congressional opposition to the tax cut plan and worries about
lofty equity valuations ended the Dow’s run of records.
Reports that Senator Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican, could vote against
the final tax cut package revived worries about the long-anticipated plan.
The Senate approved its version of the measure by just two votes including
Rubio’s, leaving President Donald Trump’s party little margin to lose
support.
“The market is nervous because of the disorganized political situation,”
said Phil Davis of PSW Investments.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished down 0.3 percent at 24,508.66,
ending a four-day streak of records.
The broad-based S&P 500 shed 0.4 percent to end at 2,652.01, while the
tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index lost 0.1 percent at 6,856.53.
Analysts also have questioned the ability of the market to keep pushing
higher after already achieving a series of records.
Those concerns offset a solid 0.8 percent rise in US retail sales in
November over October, reflecting the early part of the holiday shopping
season. Data also showed further tightening in the US labor market.
Twenty-First Century Fox jumped 6.5 percent after announcing it reached a
deal to sell most of its key film and television assets to Disney for $52.4
billion. Dow member Disney also gained, winning 2.7 percent.
Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries surged 10.1 percent after announcing it
plans to cut 14,000 jobs globally in a massive restructuring amid lower
prices for generic drugs and debt problems.
Delta Air Lines gained 3.0 percent as it projected an operating profit
margin of 11 percent for the fourth quarter. The airline also announced it
ordered 100 Airbus planes with an option to buy 100 more.
BSS/AFP/HR/1015