(AOF) – The American stock markets ended the penultimate session of the week on a positive note after a host of statistics. Home sales promises in May declined. Also, durable goods orders came out better than expected, unlike weekly unemployment claims. On the investor side, caution remains the order of the day as data on inflation across the Atlantic are expected this Friday. The Dow Jones rose 0.09% to 39,164 points while the Nasdaq gained 0.30% to 17,858 points.
Walgreens Boots Alliance
(-22.16% to $12.19) posted the biggest drop in the S&P500 after the presentation of its third quarter results. At this occupancy, the American pharmacy chain lowered its earnings per share objective for 2024 to a range of 2.80 to 2.95 dollars against 3.20 to 3.35 dollars previously, “reflecting the difficult context of the pharmaceutical sector and a worse-than-expected decline in U.S. consumption.” The group says it is “in the recovery phase” in the face of “headwinds”.
Today’s economic figures
The United States recorded growth of 1.4% in the first quarter after 3.4% in the previous quarter. The consensus was 1.3%.
The number of unemployment claims stood at 233,000 last week in the United States against a consensus of 236,000 after 239,000 the previous week.
Home sales promises fell by 2.1% in May, while they were expected to increase by 0.6% after a decline of 7.7% the previous month.
In the United States, the trade balance deficit stood at $100.62 billion in May compared to an expected $96 billion. It was $99.41 billion in April.
Durable goods orders rose 0.1% in May in the United States, while they were expected to fall 0.5%. They had increased 0.2% in April. Excluding defense and aeronautics, they fell 0.6% after increasing 0.3% in April.
Values to watch today
Amazon
Amazon crossed the $2,000 billion capitalization threshold yesterday. Microsoft, Apple, Nvidia and Alphabet, Google’s parent company, are the only other companies worth more than $2 trillion on the stock market. Microsoft, Apple and Nvidia each exceed $3 trillion.
Levi Strauss
Levi Strauss collapsed by more than 15% in pre-market trading after reporting second-quarter sales lower than analysts’ expectations. The denim giant reported adjusted earnings per share of 16 cents, beating expectations by 11 cents, and gross margin increased 180 basis points. On the other hand, net revenue over the period of $1.44 billion was lower than estimates of $1.45 billion.
Micron Technology
Micron is expected to report a loss after disappointing revenue guidance. In the third quarter of its 2024 fiscal year, which ended in late May, the computer memory maker generated net income of $332 million, or 30 cents per share, compared with a loss of $1.9 billion, or $1.73 per share, a year earlier. Adjusted earnings per share came in at 62 cents, compared with expectations of 50 cents.
Walgreens Boots Alliance
Walgreens Boots Alliance is expected to be down 18% pre-market after reporting its third quarter results. The American pharmacy chain lowers its earnings per share target for 2024 to a range of $2.80 to $2.95 from $3.20 to $3.35 previously, “reflecting the difficult context in the pharmaceutical sector and a decline in US consumption worse than expected. Earnings per share for the third quarter came to $0.63, down 36% year-on-year against a consensus of $0.71, despite turnover up 2.6%.
