US close: Markets finish higher as investors cheer vaccine roll-out

Wall Street's main market gauges closed in the green on Tuesday, as investors cheered positive news regarding the roll-out of Covid-19 vaccines in the US, and in growing anticipation of further economic stimulus.

At the close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.19% at 31,068.69, while the S&P 500 gained 0.04% to 3,801.19 and the Nasdaq Composite was 0.28% firmer at 13,072.43.

“Vaccine rollouts have been messy, but as more vaccines get regional approval, risk appetite is thriving as we get closer to the other side of Covid-19," said Edward Moya at Oanda.

According to Pantheon Macroeconomics, the pace of daily vaccinations in the States had climbed past 400,000, although a clip nearer 1.5 million to two million per day was needed to reach so-called 'herd immunity' by the spring.

Mergers and acquisitions activity was still making the headlines as medical supplies outfit Steris unveiled a takeover bid for rival Cantel Medical for $4.6bn, including debt.

There were also reports that online video conference software provider Zoom was looking to raise $1.5bn via a share sale.

Moderna stock was up 1% after the biotech outfit's boss told a JP Morgan conference on Monday that its vaccine should offer at least a year's worth of protection.

Banks were finding a bid after Citi upgraded its recommendation on shares of Bank of New York Mellon and PNC Financial to 'neutral' as well as thanks to the steeper Treasury curve.

Back on the health front, concerned with what some were labelling as too slow a roll-out of vaccine, the outgoing Trump administration was set to encourage was reportedly set to encourage state officials to broaden access to vaccines to all Americans over 65 years of age, Axios reported.

The National Federation of Independent Business' index of small business confidence fell to 95.9 in December from 101.4 for the month before, well below the consensus, 100.3.

Ian Shepherdson at Pantheon Macroeconomics put the drop down chiefly to Donald Trump's election defeat.

Dow Jones - Risers

Intel Corp. (INTC) $53.24 3.30%
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) $302.21 2.85%
Raytheon Technologies Corporation (RTX) $71.52 2.46%
Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) $47.88 2.22%
Travelers Company Inc. (TRV) $140.42 2.18%
Chevron Corp. (CVX) $93.34 1.90%
Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) $197.54 1.90%
Home Depot Inc. (HD) $276.33 1.88%
JP Morgan Chase & Co. (JPM) $140.22 1.57%
Walmart Inc. (WMT) $148.97 1.14%

Dow Jones - Fallers

Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK) $83.09 -2.25%
Visa Inc. (V) $208.86 -1.89%
Walt Disney Co. (DIS) $175.99 -1.73%
Pfizer Inc. (PFE) $37.18 -1.56%
Nike Inc. (NKE) $145.05 -1.36%
McDonald's Corp. (MCD) $211.60 -1.23%
Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) $214.93 -1.18%
Unitedhealth Group Inc. (UNH) $357.37 -0.94%
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) $158.13 -0.78%
Procter & Gamble Co. (PG) $137.05 -0.58%

S&P 500 - Risers

Occidental Petroleum Corp. (OXY) $22.62 12.65%
Apache Corp. (APA) $18.53 11.22%
Fluor Corp. (FLR) $19.40 9.85%
Marathon Oil Corp. (MRO) $8.39 9.82%
Diamondback Energy Inc. (FANG) $62.87 7.84%
Halliburton Co. (HAL) $22.13 7.58%
Devon Energy Corp. (DVN) $19.71 7.53%
Cimarex Energy Co (XEC) $48.27 7.24%
Nordstrom Inc. (JWN) $37.25 7.13%
FMC Technologies Inc. (FTI) $12.83 7.10%

S&P 500 - Fallers

PerkinElmer Inc. (PKI) $151.98 -4.57%
Southern Co. (SO) $58.82 -3.90%
Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) $178.80 -3.84%
Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. (TTWO) $199.15 -3.58%
Fiserv Inc. (FISV) $111.20 -3.35%
TripAdvisor Inc. (TRIP) $34.60 -3.24%
Western Digital Corp. (WDC) $49.90 -3.22%
Intuitive Surgical Inc. (ISRG) $788.43 -3.10%
Charter Communications Inc. (CHTR) $621.49 -3.06%
Boston Scientific Corp. (BSX) $35.33 -3.05%

Nasdaq 100 - Risers

Baidu Inc. (BIDU) $239.45 9.06%
Tesla Inc (TSLA) $849.44 4.72%
Qurate Retail Inc. (QRTEA) $11.82 4.42%
eBay Inc. (EBAY) $56.04 3.91%
Lam Research Corp. (LRCX) $536.44 3.86%
Intel Corp. (INTC) $53.24 3.30%
Mercadolibre Inc. (MELI) $1,810.09 2.76%
Citrix Systems Inc. (CTXS) $133.14 2.69%
American Airlines Group (AAL) $15.38 2.53%
DENTSPLY Sirona Inc. (XRAY) $59.95 2.48%

Nasdaq 100 - Fallers

Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. (TTWO) $199.15 -3.58%
Fiserv Inc. (FISV) $111.20 -3.35%
Western Digital Corp. (WDC) $49.90 -3.22%
T-Mobile Us, Inc. (TMUS) $128.69 -3.19%
Intuitive Surgical Inc. (ISRG) $788.43 -3.10%
Charter Communications Inc. (CHTR) $621.49 -3.06%
Illumina Inc. (ILMN) $361.28 -3.01%
Comcast Corp. (CMCSA) $50.01 -2.93%
Xilinx Inc. (XLNX) $146.67 -2.92%
Skyworks Solutions Inc. (SWKS) $158.18 -2.39%