The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) Thursday closed up +0.13%, the Dow Jones Industrials Index ($DOWI) (DIA) closed down -1.33%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) closed unchanged.  June E-mini S&P futures (ESM25) are up +0.19%, and June E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQM25) are up +0.10%. 

Stock indexes on Thursday settled mixed.  Stocks found some support Thursday on positive signals from initial US-Japan trade talks that spurred hopes that trade agreements can be reached with US trading partners.  President Trump said late Wednesday that there was "big progress" in talks to strike a deal for Japan and expressed confidence that the US would reach a trade deal with the EU.  Strength in energy stocks led gains in the broader market on Thursday after WTI crude oil rallied more than +3% to a 1-1/2 week high.

Stocks also garnered support Thursday after US weekly jobless claims unexpectedly fell to a 2-month low.  Other US economic news was mixed as housing starts fell, but building... Read more