For now, global fund managers are tilting their portfolios toward stocks at the highest level in seven months, according to the latest survey by Bank of America. That’s even though a record 58 per cent of them are also saying that stocks look too expensive at the moment.
On Wall Street, Dave & Buster’s fell 16.2 per cent after the entertainment chain reported a weaker profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected.
Ralph Lauren slipped 0.5 per cent and got a tepid reception to the unveiling of its long-term financial plan, which it titled “Next Great Chapter: Drive.” As part of it, the company said it expects compounded annual growth over the next three years to be in the mid-single digit percentages for revenue.
New York Times Co. fell 1.8 per cent after Trump filed a $US15 billion ($22.5 billion) defamation lawsuit against the newspaper and four of its journalists on Monday. The lawsuit points to several articles and a book written by Times journalists and published in the lead up to the 2024 election as “part of a decades-long pattern by the New York Times of intentional and malicious defamation against President Trump.”
On the winning end of Wall Street was Steel Dynamics, which climbed 6.9 per cent after it said it’s seeing improved earnings across its three business units. It credited strong demand for steel from the non-residential construction and auto industries, among other things.
Oracle rose 0.9 per cent on speculation that it could be part of a deal that would keep TikTok operating in the United States.
Chipotle Mexican Grill added 1.7 per cent after its board said the company could buy back an additional $US500 million of its stock. Such a move can send cash directly to investors and boost per-share results.
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In stock markets abroad, indexes fell in Europe following a mixed showing in Asia.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 added 0.3 per cent to finish at another record. The rally comes despite political uncertainty after Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said he is stepping down. An election within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to pick a new leader is expected October 4.