Dow stocks at 52 week highs include UnitedHealth (UNH).There are no Dow stock 52 week lows.

The Market

Premarket today, the Dow was indicated to open down -31 points.

Wednesday the Dow was up +40.68 (+0.22%) at 18,202.62.

Year-to-date the Dow is up +4.46%.

There were 20 Dow stocks up Wednesday.

The Dow stock winners Wednesday were led by American Express (AXP) +1.95% and Visa (V) +1.51%.

The Dow stock losers Wednesday were led by Intel (INTC) -5.93% and Procter & Gamble (PG) -1.43%.

American Express (AXP +1.95%) jumped over 5% in premarket trading after it reported Q3 EPS of $1.24, well above consensus of 96 cents.

Filings for U.S. unemployment benefits rose last week by the most since July, after spending several weeks at or near a four-decade low. Jobless claims increased by 13,000 to 260,000 in the period ended Oct. 15. The median forecast called for 250,000. Continuing claims also rose, though the four-week average was the lowest since 2000.

European stocks are lower and Asian markets ended mostly higher.

The national average price of gasoline is down three-tenths of a cent at $2.232 per gallon.

Earnings Reports.

Nike (NKE) reported earnings on 9/27/2016 after the market close of $0.73, beating consensus of $0.556 per share.

JPMorgan (JPM) reported earnings on 10/17/2016 before the market open of $1.58, beating estimates calling for $1.401 per share..

IBM (IBM) reports earnings on 10/17/2016 after the market close.

Goldman Sachs (GS) reported earnings on 10/18/2016 before the market open of $4.88, crushing estimates calling for $3.855 per share.

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) reported earnings on 10/18/2016 before the market open of $1.68, beating estimates for $1.646 per share.

Intel (INTC) reports earnings on 10/18/2016 before the market open.

UnitedHealth (UNH) reported earnings on 10/18/2016 before the market open of $2.17, beating estimates of $2.077 per share.

American Express (AXP) reports earnings on 10/19/2016 after the market close.

Microsoft (MSFT) reports earnings on 10/20/2016 after the market close.

Verizon (VZ) reports earnings on 10/20/2016 before the market open.

Travelers (TRV) reports earnings on 10/20/2016 before the market open.

General Electric (GE) reports earnings on 10/21/2016 before the market open.

McDonald’s (MCD) reports earnings on 10/21/2016 before the market open.

Visa (V) reports earnings on 10/24/2016 before the market open.

Apple (AAPL) reports earnings on 10/25/2016 after the market close.

Procter & Gamble (PG) reports earnings on 10/25/2016 before the market open.

Merck (MRK) reports earnings on 10/25/2016 before the market open.

3M (MMM) reports earnings on 10/25/2016 before the market open.

United Technologies (UTX) reports earnings on 10/25/2016 before the market open.

Dupont (DD) reports earnings on 10/25/2016 before the market open.

Caterpillar (CAT) reports earnings on 10/25/2016 before the market open.

Coca Cola (KO) reports earnings on 10/26/2016 before the market open.

Boeing (BA) reports earnings on 10/26/2016 before the market open.

Chevron (CVX) reports earnings on 10/28/2016 before the market open.

Exxon Mobil (XOM) reports earnings on 10/28/2016 before the market open.

Today’s Featured Dow Stock

Caterpillar (CAT)

Caterpillar (CAT) is up +29.49% year-to-date.

Financial Calendar

0830 ET Weekly initial unemployment claims expected +4,000 to 250,000, previous unch at 246,000. Weekly continuing claims expected +7,000 to 2.053 million, previous -16,000 to 2.046 million.

0830 ET Oct Philadelphia Fed business outlook survey expected -7.5 to 5.3, Sep +10.8 to 12.8.

0830 ET USDA weekly Export Sales.

1000 ET Sep existing home sales expected +0.4% to 5.35 million, Aug -0.9% to 5.33 million.

1000 ET Sep leading indicators expected +0.2%, Aug -0.2%.

1100 ET Treasury announces amount of 2-year T-notes (previous $26 billion), 2-year floating-rate notes (previous $14 billion), 5-year T-notes (previous $34 billion) & 7-year T-notes (previous $28 billion) to be auctioned Oct 25-27.

1300 ET Treasury auctions $5 billion 30-year TIPS.