(For a Reuters live blog on U.S., UK and European stock
markets, click LIVE/ or type LIVE/ in a news window.)
* FedEx jumps as profit soars on pandemic-fueled demand
* Banks drop as Fed to let leverage exemption expire
* Nike falls after sales miss estimates
(Updates with close, adds graphic)
By Noel Randewich
March 19 (Reuters) - The Nasdaq ended higher on Friday,
lifted by Facebook and energy shares as U.S. Treasury yields
took a break from a recent surge.
Reversing a recent trend, so-called growth stocks mostly
outperformed value stocks viewed as likely to benefit most as
the economy recovers from the coronavirus pandemic.
The yield on U.S. 10-year notes US10YT=RR , which has risen
sharply in the past seven weeks on growth expectations, hovered
near a 14-month peak at $1.742%. US/
"What we see today is a more stable rate environment across
the curve after multiple weeks of rising interest rates, and we
are seeing some degree of reversal of leadership in the equity
market," said Bill Northey, senior investment director at U.S.
Bank Wealth Management in Minneapolis.
Facebook Inc FB.O rallied and provided the biggest boost
to the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 after Chief Executive Mark
Zuckerberg said Apple Inc's AAPL.O imminent privacy policy
changes on ad sales would leave the social network in a
"stronger position."
The S&P 500 energy index .SPNY followed the price of oil
higher as it rebounded from a sell-off earlier in the week
related to a new wave of coronavirus infections across Europe.
The S&P 500 banks index .SPXBK dropped after the U.S.
Federal Reserve said it would not extend a temporary capital
buffer relief put in place to ease a pandemic-driven stress in
the funding market. "Banks have had such a significant up move this year and
this news has only acted as a catalyst for profit taking," said
Art Hogan, chief market strategist at National Securities in New
York.
Optimism about a $1.9 trillion fiscal package and the Fed's
promise to maintain its ultra-loose policy stance for years has
accelerated a shift into economy-linked stocks, powering the S&P
500 and the Dow to record levels this week.
However, the Nasdaq is still about 6% below its Feb. 12
all-time closing high as technology and high-growth stocks have
lost favor in recent months, with their valuations looking less
attractive as Treasury yields rise.
The S&P 500 growth index rose, outperforming the value
index.
Several bond managers believe the recent pace of the rise in
yields has been unsettling and also worry the market could be
viewed as disorderly if the momentum continues. Unofficially, the Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI fell
234.79 points, or 0.71%, to 32,627.51, the S&P 500 .SPX lost
2.71 points, or 0.07%, to 3,912.75 and the Nasdaq Composite
.IXIC added 99.07 points, or 0.76%, to 13,215.24
FedEx Corp FDX.N rallied after the U.S. delivery firm said
quarterly profit jumped more than expected on higher prices and
Maysurging volume from pandemic-fueled e-commerce deliveries
during the holiday shipping season. Nike Inc NKE.N fell after the sports apparel maker missed
quarterly sales estimates due to shipping issues and a
pandemic-related slump at brick-and-mortar stores. <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Graphic-Nasdaq performance vs 10-year Treasury yield https://tmsnrt.rs/3tAfr48
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