US stocks rally as US Treasury yields fall
Wall Street stocks ended the day higher on Tuesday, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq rising while Treasury yields pulled back. The Nasdaq Composite Index climbed 0.9 percent to end at 13,639.86, as the broad-based S&P 500 advanced 0.3 percent to 4,378.38. The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 0.2 percent to finish at 34,152.60. This comes as the yield on the 10-year US Treasury note slipped to around 4.6 percent. Yields are seen as an important proxy for interest rates. "The fact that yields are a little bit lower has been supporting today's market," said Peter Cardillo of Spartan Capital. Among tech companies making gains were Microsoft, whose shares ended 1.1 percent up, and Apple, which closed 1.5 percent higher. Amazon shares rose 2.1 percent. But Cardillo said "not all sectors are participating," with energy under pressure alongside the banking sector. This is in part due to oil prices, which fell around four percent, he said. Looking ahead, markets are likely keeping an eye on further commentary by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, who is due to speak later in the week. (AFP)