ZCZC
BCN-06
US-STOCKS-MARKET
Stocks tumble after strong Q2 US growth data, Nasdaq -1.5%
NEW YORK, July 28, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Wall Street stocks finished decisively
lower on Friday after a blowout second-quarter US growth report on worries
the economy has peaked.
The tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index suffered the most of the major
indices, shedding 1.5 percent to close the week at 7,737.42.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 0.3 percent to end at 25,451.06,
while the broad-based S&P 500 dropped 0.7 percent to 2,818.82.
Friday’s losses also were prompted by a largely disappointing round of
earnings, with Exxon Mobil, Intel and Twitter all falling significantly.
US growth expanded by an annual rate of 4.1 percent, matching analyst
expectations, due in part to strong consumer spending, according to Commerce
Department data.
The growth rate was the strongest it has been since the third quarter of
2014.
Stocks opened in a muted fashion following the report but began veering
into negative territory soon thereafter.
“There’s a general sense that maybe we’re hitting peak growth,” said Jack
Ablin of Cresset Wealth Advisors.
Ablin said the tech sector was vulnerable because it is tied more closely
to growth than some sectors and because of worries that rising political and
social scrutiny of Facebook and others that could crimp growth.
Beyond that, technology has been a leader in the overall bull market over
the last few years and weakness in that segment are likely seen as a
harbinger of broader problems.
One day after Facebook dived on a weak outlook, fellow social media
company Twitter plummeted 20.5 percent as it reported a lower number of
active users and warned of additional declines amid a purge of fake accounts.
Intel was another big loser among tech companies, shedding 8.6 percent on
worries over flattening profit margins and a slower-than-expected timeframe
to launch new chip technology.
Others to fall included Microsoft, down 1.8 percent, and Google parent
Alphabet, which shed 2.4 percent.
But Amazon climbed 0.5 percent on surging profits and Expedia jumped 9.5
percent after results.
In non-earnings news, CBS dropped 6.1 percent as the company announced it
would investigate allegations of misconduct, reportedly to be published by
The New Yorker magazine, against chairman and chief executive Leslie Moonves.
BSS/AFP/HR/0935