Page 25 - ARUBA TODAY

BUSINESS Wednesday 18 april 2018
A25

U.S. stocks add to gains as company earnings reports impress

By ALEX VEIGA While the market has been Meanwhile, the Commerce
AP Business Writer preoccupied lately with Department said that
Technology companies concern over geopolitical housing starts rose in March
led U.S. stocks solidly higher and trade tensions, Wall to a seasonally adjusted
Tuesday, giving the market Street has something else annual rate of 1.32
its second straight gain. to focus on over the next million. That helped send
C o n s u m e r - s e r v i c e s few weeks: company homebuilder stocks higher.
companies, retailers earnings. Hovnanian Enterprises led
and health care stocks Financial analysts are the pack, climbing 4.7
accounted for a big slice forecasting the strongest percent to $2.02.
of the broad rally. Banks growth in seven years for Bond prices rose. The yield
declined, and oil prices S&P 500 companies, partly on the 10-year Treasury
recovered from an early because of a resurgent slipped to 2.82 percent
slide. global economy, but also from 2.83 percent late
Strong company earnings because of expectations Monday. The decline
and outlooks, as well that last year’s corporate in bond yields, which
as some encouraging tax cut will have on influence interest rates
economic data, helped corporate balance sheets. on mortgages and other
put investors in a buying Investors also got some loans, weighed on some
mood. encouraging economic bank shares. Comerica FILE- In this April 5, 2018, file photo, the facade of the New York
The S&P 500 index rose data Tuesday. The fell 3.5 percent to $92.74 Stock Exchange is shown.
28.55 points, or 1.1 percent, International Monetary and SunTrust Banks fell 2.2 Associated Press
to 2,706.39. The Dow Fund upgraded its percent to $65.95. Brent crude, used to price France’s CAC 40 rose 0.8
Jones industrial average economic outlook for The dollar fell to 107.02 international oils, gained percent. Britain’s FTSE 100
gained 213.59 points, or 0.9 the United States in 2018, yen from 107.10 yen late 16 cents to close at $71.58 added 0.4 percent.
percent, to 24,786.63. The forecasting that the U.S. Monday. The euro fell to per barrel. In other energy In Asia, Japan’s benchmark
latest gain nudged the blue economy will grow 2.9 $1.2367 from $1.2381. futures trading, heating oil Nikkei 225 edged 0.1
chip average into positive percent this year, up Gold fell $1.20 to $1,349.50 dropped 1 cent to $2.06 a percent higher, while
territory for the year. from the 2.7 percent it an ounce. Silver added 11 gallon. Wholesale gasoline Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was
The Nasdaq composite had forecast in January cents to $16.79 an ounce. was little changed at $2.04 unchanged. South Korea’s
climbed 124.81 points, or and from the 2.3 percent Copper slipped 2 cents to a gallon. Natural gas fell Kospi lost 0.2 percent. Hong
1.7 percent, to 7,281.10. growth the economy $3.08 a pound. 1 cent to $2.74 per 1,000 Kong’s Hang Seng shed 0.9
The Russell 2000 index of achieved last year. And Benchmark U.S. crude rose cubic feet. percent after new data
smaller-company stocks the Federal Reserve said 30 cents to settle at $66.52 Major indexes in Europe showed China’s economic
picked up 16.77 points, or that U.S. factory output a barrel on the New York also rose. Germany’s DAX growth held steady in the
1.1 percent, to 1,579.80. rose slightly last month. Mercantile Exchange. climbed 1.6 percent, while first quarter.q

IRS payment site fails on tax

day, extensions to be granted

By SARAH SKIDMORE SELL sure they can use it and it
AP Personal Finance Writer in no way impacts people
Americans who waited un- paying their taxes,” he told
til the last day to pay their reporters in New Hamp-
taxes online got an unwel- shire. q
come surprise: The IRS web-
site to make payments and
access other key services is
down. The IRS still expects
Americans to pay their
taxes but U.S. Treasury Sec-
retary Steve Mnuchin says
extensions will be granted
to those impacted when In this photo March 22, 2013
the site is up again. file photo, the exterior of the
The IRS said in a statement Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
that “certain IRS systems building in Washington.
are experiencing technical Associated Press
difficulties.” It also said that fered no immediate solu-
at this point, the problem tion but said the returns will
appears to be a hardware be processed when fea-
issue.The agency advised sible. However, Mnuchin
taxpayers to “continue fil- who oversees the IRS, said
ing their tax returns as they that they expect the direct
normally would.” pay system to go up shortly.
The problem is, electronic “We’ll make sure taxpayers
filing is the most popular have extensions once the
way to file. And the IRS of- system comes up to make