US Stock Market Overview – Stocks Close Mixed; US Yields Continue to Fall

US stocks were mixed on Tuesday with the Dow Industrials and the S&P 500 index rising and the Nasdaq bucking the trend. The Dollar moved lower as US yields tumbled to all-time lows. The 10-year yield closed at the lowest level on record at 51-basis points, which puts real US yields in negative territory. The decline in yields weighed on the US dollar paving the way for higher gold prices. Sectors in the S&P 500 index were mixed, led higher by Energy, financials bucked the trend. US factor orders were stronger than expected while US home prices rose at the fastest pace in 7-years. The SEC reported that it is investigating the government load to make drugs which led to the rally in the share price.

US Factory Orders Rise

The Labor Department reported on Tuesday that U.S. factory orders rose 6.2% in June rising for the second consecutive month. Expectations were for Factory Orders to rise by 4.6%. Orders for durable goods rose a revised 7.6% in July, a bit higher than the initially reported 7.3% increase.

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[fx-article-ad]Home Prices Rose at the Fastest Pace Since 2013

Nationally, home prices increased by 4.9% annually in June, increasing from the 4.1% annual rise in May, according to CoreLogic. Prices climbed 1% month to month, which is the fastest monthly gain for June since 2013. Prices got a boost from record-low mortgage rates. With the US 10-year yield hitting an all-time low Housing should continue to gain traction.

The SEC is Investigation the Kodak Loan

The Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating the circumstances around Eastman Kodak Co. announcement of a $765 million government loan to make drugs at its U.S. factories. News of the loan last week caused Kodaks shares to rise as high as $60. The price spike briefly produced a potential windfall for company executives who owned stock-option grants, some of which were granted on July 27, the day before the loan was officially announced.