The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) closed lower at 43,449.90 on 17 December 2024, falling by 267.58 points or 0.61%. However, some stocks show amazing gains and losses as investors watch the performing and non-performing companies within the index today.
Major Dow Jones Movers: Gainers
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)
Among the day’s best performers was Johnson & Johnson, whose stock rose 1.78% to close at $146.41. Its pharmaceutical and healthcare arms have much hope associated with them. It remains one of the major defensive stocks, mainly because of the steady demand for medical supplies.
Coca-Cola Co. (KO)
Shares of Coca-Cola climbed 1.36% to $63.40. The beverage giant performs steadily, translating into high consumer confidence in the brand, even against a volatile market. KO focuses on global reach and non-soda, keeping long-term investors interested.
Nike stock gained 1.04% to close at $78.00. Helped by a strong earnings report and higher sales everywhere in the world, investors were not disappointed. The digital growth strategies of Nike have only made it stronger in this extremely competitive retail market.
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Apple Inc. (AAPL)
Apple shares rose 0.97% to $253.48. The tech titan remains a darling undergirded by booming sales of iPhones and growth in demand for its services, among other factors. Investors remain upbeat about positive growth with its future product releases.
Walt Disney Co. (DIS)
Disney pushed up 0.81% and closed the session at $113.02. Renewed interest in the company’s streaming services and theme park revenue drove the stock up. Disney is optimistic regarding its restructuring moves to generate better profitability.
Visa Inc. (V)
Visa’s shares edged up 0.76% to $318.30. With higher consumer spending and international transactions, Visa still stands as one of the strong players in the financial space.
Microsoft Corp. (MSFT)
Microsoft rose 0.64%, to close at $454.46. Its leadership status in cloud computing and artificial intelligence remains among the most-followed DJIA stocks.
Top Dow Jones Decliners
UnitedHealth Group (UNH)
UnitedHealth held the largest decline of its DJIA peers. The stock fell 2.60%, to close at $485.52. Growing healthcare sector concerns and regulatory considerations weighed on investor sentiment
Goldman Sachs Group (GS)
Goldman Sachs shares declined 1.99% to $574.68. Weak performance in the financial sector coupled with the fear of slow investment banking revenues contributed to this decline.
Salesforce Inc. (CRM)
Salesforce declined 1.75%, closing at $350.97. Despite a strong demand for its software, pressure on the share is due to valuation and competition.
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Honeywell International (HON)
Shares of Honeywell declined by 1.22% to $233.13. Industrial performance was weak, and global economic uncertainty weighed upon investor confidence in the company.
NVIDIA Corp. (NVDA)
NVIDIA stock dipped 1.22% to close at $130.39. Even though NVIDIA is the leader of the AI chip market, its shares pulled back due to some profit-taking after a very strong rally.
Caterpillar Inc. (CAT)
Caterpillar was down 0.82% at $375.80. The fears of reduced construction demand worldwide dragged it down in the current session.
Chevron Corp. (CVX)
Chevron declined 0.84% at $148.11. In the energy sector, the volatility due to fluctuating oil prices dented CVX as well.
Market Movements and Sentiment
Today’s market reflected the positive gains in consumer staples, technology, and healthcare stocks; however, financial and industrials came under pressure. The Dow’s fall reflects the broader theme of apprehension over economic data, inflation, and global uncertainties.
Economic Factors at Play
Mixed signals have been received lately on the U.S. inflation trend. Analysts expect inflation to cool down but still worry about the potential of trade wars that might bother the markets. Greg Robb from MarketWatch stated that “economic stability is strictly predicated on trade and interest rate trends.”
Tech Stocks Show Resilience
Tech shares like Microsoft, Apple, and Visa also saw some strength. They will remain a good bet going ahead due to the prospect of AI, cloud computing, and digital payments.
Consumer Confidence Picks Up Staples
The consumer-oriented shares of the lot were Coca-Cola and Johnson & Johnson, both defensive. These kinds of stocks are more popular when investors need safe stocks whose revenues do not fluctuate during times of market volatility.
Conclusion
Continue to monitor the DJIA key gainers in the space: Apple, Johnson & Johnson, and Microsoft continue to drive upward momentum with their strong fundamentals. UnitedHealth, Goldman Sachs, and Salesforce underperform, providing buying opportunities if valuations correct further.
As markets continue to be volatile, defensive stocks and growth-driven tech giants remain the safest bets for investors navigating today’s trading landscape. The coming days will test the market’s ability to stabilize amid inflation concerns and global economic challenges.
