S&P closes at more than two-month high on retail, energy lift

NEW YORK, Nov 22 (Reuters) – U.S. stocks rose on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 closing at its highest level in two and a half months, as a Best Buy sales forecast eased concerns that high inflation would lead to to some depressing Christmas shopping. while a rebound in oil prices helped boost energy stocks.

Best Buy Co. Inc. (BBY.N) soared 12.78% as the best-performing stock in the S&P 500 (.SPX) index, after the retailer forecast a smaller drop in annual sales than previously announced and expressed confidence that an increase in sales and discounts will attract more customers.

Gains at Best Buy helped boost the retail S&P 500 (.SPXRT) rate 1.21%.

By contrast, Dollar Tree Inc. (DLTR.O) It fell 7.79% as the worst-performing component of the S&P 500, also capping gains for the retail index, as the discount retailer cut its full-year earnings forecast for the second time.

“If you take the revenue and consumer continuum, the top half is relatively inelastic for some costs to rise by one measure or another, where the bottom half will be more sensitive,” said Shawn Cruz, chief operating strategist. at TD Ameritrade in Chicago.

“So the Dollar Trees of the world don’t really have a lot of ability to pass through those costs, so they’re going to be hit hard.”

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) The S&P 500 rose 397.82 points, or 1.18%, to 34,098.1. (.SPX) gained 53.64 points, or 1.36%, to 4,003.58 and the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) added 149.90 points, or 1.36%, to 11,174.41.

The S&P 500 closed at its highest level since September 12.

Also providing support was the energy sector, which rose 3.18% after two sessions of declines, as Saudi Arabia said OPEC+ would stick to production cuts, shooting down a report on Monday that the alliance was considering raising production, which caused crude oil prices to fall considerably.

As investors continue to try to gauge the path of the Federal Reserve’s rate hikes, Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester reiterated Tuesday that lowering inflation remains critical for the central bank, a day later. to back a smaller rate increase in December. Kansas City President Esther George said the central bank may need to raise interest rates higher and keep them there longer to dampen consumer demand and cool inflation.

Investors were also awaiting comments from St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank President James Bullard on Tuesday ahead of the minutes of the Fed’s November meeting scheduled for Wednesday.

Volume was light during the session and is likely to ease ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday, with the US stock market open for half a session on Friday.

Volume on US exchanges was 9.45 billion shares, compared with an average of 11.75 billion for the full session over the past 20 trading days.

Dow component Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (AMB.O) rose 2.96% after Cowen & Co upgraded shares in drug distributors, citing its health care services business push.

manchester united (MANU.N) shares rose late in the session after Sky News reported that the Glazer family, which owns the football club, were exploring financial options that could include a full sale and closed up 14.66%.

Agilent Technologies Inc. (A) rose 8.08% after the application-centric solutions company posted upbeat fourth-quarter revenue.

Falls in dollar and US Treasury yields also helped support risk appetite.

Advancing issuances outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by a ratio of 3.40 to 1; on Nasdaq, a 1.56-to-1 ratio favored advancers.

The S&P 500 posted 24 new 52-week highs and 3 new lows; the Nasdaq Composite posted 108 new highs and 224 new lows.

Reporting by Chuck Mikolajczak; edited by Grant McCool

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