US Stock Market Overview – Stock Rally Driven by Healthcare and Robust Bank Earnings

Stock prices moved higher on Tuesday as riskier assets gained traction. As stock prices move higher, US yields move in tandem. The higher yields reflect the market’s belief that a trade agreement could occur. Better than expected earnings were released on Tuesday in the banking sector which buoys the US stock market, raising yields and pushing gold lower. Most sectors were higher, driven by healthcare, and technology shares, consumer staples, and utilities bucked the trend. Financials were also a robust performer following stronger than expected earnings.

Banks Beat the Street

In the banking sector, shares of JPMorgan Chase, rose 3.25% after the bank reported better than expected financial results. The company continued to see strength in both its consumer and investment-bank businesses. JPMorgan reported a profit of $9.08 billion, or $2.68 a share. Expectations had been for earnings of $2.45 a share. A year earlier, the bank reported a profit of $8.38 billion, or $2.34 per share. Revenue from non-lending operations at the bank jumped 13% to $15.11 billion. In the bank’s consumer unit, revenue rose 7% to $14.26 billion and in the corporate and investment bank it rose 6% to $9.34 billion.

Citi also beat on the top and bottom line. Citi reported earnings of $1.97 per share versus expectations that the company would earn $1.95 per share. Revenue came in at $18.6 billion versus expectations that the firm would post revenue of $18.545 billion. Fixed-income trading posted revenue of  $3.211 billion versus expectations of $3.09 billion. Net interest margin came in at 2.56% versus 2.66% forecast.

Not all the banks beat. Goldman Sachs disappointed. The company said that profit slumped 26% to $1.88 billion, or $4.79 a share, below the $4.81 expected. Revenue fell 6% to $8.32 billion, slightly above the $8.31 billion expected, on lower results in the firm’s investing and lending and investment banking divisions.

Healthcare Rallies on J&J Earnings

Healthcare was the best performing sector in the S&P 500 index following robust financial results from Johnson & Johnson. The company reported earnings per share $2.12 versus $2.01 expected. Revenue came in at $20.73 versus $20.07 billion expected. J&J also raised its full-year guidance and now sees earnings of $8.62 to $8.67 per share, with revenue in the range of $81.8 billion to $82.3 billion. Prior to the report, analysts were expecting full-year earnings guidance of $8.53 to $8.63 a share on revenue of $82.4 billion to $83.2 billion.