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* Intel jumps 8% after strong forecast
* Energy, healthcare, financial stocks slide the most
* Officials confirm second U.S. case of coronavirus
* Indexes down: Dow 0.44%, S&P 0.65%, Nasdaq 0.52%
(Updates to early afternoon)
By Sruthi Shankar
Jan 24 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks fell on Friday, as investors
were cautious heading into the weekend amid renewed concerns
over the fallout of a coronavirus outbreak from China.
Intel Corp INTC.O stood out with an 8.4% gain after the
chipmaker forecast better-than-expected 2020 earnings, joining
many of its peers to signal a recovery in chip demand.
After a record open for the Nasdaq, Wall Street's main
indexes lost ground as U.S. health officials confirmed a second
U.S. case of the coronavirus in a Chicago woman and said as many
as 63 potential cases were being investigated. That added to nerves after the outbreak in China killed 26
people and infected more than 800 in the past week, raising
concerns about its fallout on the global economy. "It's been a headline risk for the market," said Quincy
Krosby, chief market strategist at Prudential Financial.
"The question becomes whether or not this continues to
spread quickly. The other issue is it's a Friday. Do investors
want to go long into the weekend or do they want to take some
profits? Because the virus is not going to recede."
Airlines and casino stocks fell again, with United Airlines
Holdings Inc UAL.O and American Airlines Group Inc AAL.O
shedding about 4%. Wynn Resorts Ltd WYNN.O and Melco Resorts &
Entertainment Ltd MLCO.O fell about 3%.
Big banks including JPMorgan Chase & Co JPM.N and Bank of
America Corp BAC.N fell more than 1.5%, tracking a drop in
U.S. Treasury yields. US/
At 12:56 p.m. ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI
was down 0.44% at 29,032.89. The S&P 500 .SPX fell 0.65% to
3,303.91 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC dropped 0.52% to
9,353.15.
All three indexes were on track for their worst weekly
declines since September, with quarterly earnings reports coming
largely in-line with expectations.
Analysts expect earnings at S&P 500 companies to drop 0.5%
in the fourth quarter, according to Refinitiv IBES data.
American Express Co AXP.N rose 2.7% after reporting a
better-than-expected quarterly profit as more people used its
credit cards. Healthcare stocks .SPXHC fell 1.5%, dragged down by
Bristol-Myers Squibb Co BMY.N and Amgen Inc AMGN.O .
Energy stocks .SPNY dropped 1.4%, hit by weaker oil prices
on concerns that the coronavirus outbreak would curb travel and
oil demand. O/R
Declining issues outnumbered advancers for a 2.21-to-1
ratio on the NYSE and a 2.60-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq.
The S&P index recorded 84 new 52-week highs and three new
lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 110 new highs and 44 new lows.