Dow stocks at 52 week highs include Boeing (BA), Chevron (CVX), Goldman Sachs (GS), JPMorgan (JPM), UnitedHealth (UNH) and United Technologies (UTX).Dow stock 52 week lows include Coca Cola (KO).

The Market

Premarket today, the Dow was indicated to open up +35 points.

Wednesday the Dow was up +1.98 (+0.01%) at 19,123.58.

Year-to-date the Dow is up +9.75%.

There were 9 Dow stocks up Wednesday.

The Dow stock winners Wednesday were led by Goldman Sachs (GS) +3.56% and Dupont (DD) +3.38%.

The Dow stock losers Wednesday were led by Visa (V) -2.31% and Verizon (VZ) -2.08%.

The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week, hitting their highest level in five months. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 17,000 to a seasonally adjusted 268,000 for the week ended Nov. 26. That was the highest level since June and marked the second straight week of increases. Claims for the prior week were unrevised. Despite the increase, claims remained below the 300,000 threshold, which is associated with a healthy labor market, for the 91st straight week. That is the longest run since 1970, when the labor market was much smaller. Economists had forecast first-time applications for jobless benefits rising to 253,000 in the latest week.

European stocks are lower and Asian markets ended higher.

The national average price of gasoline is up five-tenths of a cent at $2.155 per gallon.

Earnings Reports.

There are no Dow stocks set to report earnings in the near term.

Today’s Featured Dow Stock

Visa (V)

Visa (V) is down -0.30% year-to-date.

Financial Calendar

0730 ET Nov Challenger job cuts, Oct -39.1% y/y.

0830 ET Weekly initial unemployment claims expected +2,000 to 253,000, previous +18,000 to 251,000. Weekly continuing claims expected -10,000 to 2.033 million, previous +60,000 to 2.043 million.

0830 ET USDA weekly Export Sales.

0900 ET Dallas Fed President Robert Kaplan (non-voter) speaks in a moderated Q&A at St. Marys University Forum on Entrepreneurship.

0945 ET Final-Nov Markit manufacturing PMI expected unch at 53.9, prelim-Nov +0.5 to 53.9.

1000 ET Oct construction spending expected +0.6%, Sep -0.4%.

1000 ET Nov ISM manufacturing index expected +0.4 to 52.3, Oct +0.4 to 51.9. Nov ISM new orders, Oct -3.0 to 52.1. Nov ISM employment, Oct +3.2 to 52.9. Nov ISM prices paid expected -0.5 to 54.0, Oct +1.5 to 54.5.

n/a Nov total vehicle sales expected 17.70 million, Oct 17.91 million. Nov domestic vehicle sales expected 14.00 million, Oct 14.05 million.