Dow stocks at 52 week highs include Visa (V). Dow stock 52 week lows include Procter & Gamble (PG).

The Market

Premarket today, the Dow was indicated to open down -98 points.

Wednesday the Dow was down -174.07 (-0.72%) at 23,924.98.

Year-to-date the Dow is down -3.21%.

There were 6 Dow stocks up Wednesday.

The Dow stock winners Wednesday were led by Apple (AAPL) +4.42% and General ELectric (GE) +0.93%.

The Dow stock losers Wednesday were led by Verizon (VZ) -2.19% and Cisco (CSCO) -2.16%.

New applications for U.S. jobless benefits increased less than expected last week and the number of Americans receiving unemployment aid fell to its lowest level since 1973, pointing to tightening labor market conditions. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose 2,000 to a seasonally adjusted 211,000 for the week ended April 28, the Labor Department said on Thursday. Claims dropped to 209,000 in the prior week, which was the lowest level since December 1969. Economists had forecast claims rising to 225,000 in the latest week.

European stocks are lower and Asian markets ended mostly lower.

The national average price of gasoline is up three-tenths of a cent at $2.817 per gallon.

Earnings Reports.

Nike (NKE) reported earnings on 3/22/2018 after the market close of $-0.57, missing estimates calling for $0.555 per share.

JPMorgan (JPM) reported earnings on 4/13/2018 before the market open of $2.37, missing estimates calling for $2.92 per share.

Goldman Sachs (GS) reported earnings on 4/17/2018 before the market open of $6.95, beating estimates of $5.75 per share.

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) reported earnings on 4/17/2018 before the market open of $2.06, beating estimates of $2.029 per share.

UnitedHealth (UNH) reports earnings on 4/17/2018 before the market open of $3.04, beating estimates of $2.968 per share.

IBM (IBM) reported earnings on 4/17/2018 after the market close of $2.45, beating estimates of 2.415 per share.

American Express (AXP) reported earnings on 4/18/2018 after the market close of $1.86, beating estimates of $1.747 per share.

General Electric (GE) reported earnings on 4/20/2018 before the market open of $0.16, beating estimates calling for $0.12 per share.

Procter & Gamble (PG) reported earnings on 4/20/2018 before the market open of $1.00 on expectations of $1.002 per share.

Caterpillar (CAT) reported earnings on 4/24/2018 before the market open of $2.82, beating estimates of $2.169 per share.

Coca Cola (KO) reported earnings on 4/24/2018 before the market open of $0.47, beating estimates of $0.464 per share.

3M (MMM) reported earnings on 4/24/2018 before the market open of $2.50, beating estimates of $2.525 per share.

United Technologies (UTX) reported earnings on 4/24/2018 before the market open of $1.77, beating estimates of $1.544 per share.

Verizon (VZ) reported earnings on 4/24/2018 before the market open of $1.17, beating estimates of $1.107 per share.

Boeing (BA) reported earnings on 4/25/2018 before the market open of $3.64, beating estimates calling for $2.637 per share.

Visa (V) reported earnings on 4/25/2018 after the market close of $1.11, beating estimates of $1.058 per share.

Intel (INTC) reported earnings on 4/26/2018 after the market close of $0.87, beating estimates of $0.765 per share.

Microsoft (MSFT) reported earnings on 4/26/2018 after the market close of $0.95, beating estimates of $0.892 per share.

Chevron (CVX) reported earnings on 4/27/2018 before the market open of $1.90, beating estimates of $1.423 per share.

Exxon Mobil (XOM) reported earnings on 4/27/2018 before the market open of $1.09, missing estimates calling for $1.179 per share.

McDonald’s (MCD) reported earnings on 4/30/2018 before the market open of $1.72, with estimates calling for $1.706 per share.

Merck (MRK) reported earnings on 5/1/2018 before the market open of $1.05, beating estimates calling for $1.004 per share.

Pfizer (PFE) reported earnings on 5/1/2018 before the market open of $0.77, beating estimates calling for $0.757 per share.

Apple (AAPL) reported earnings on 5/1/2018 after the market close of $2.73, barely beating estimates calling for $2.729 per share.

Dow DuPont (DWDP) reported earnings on 5/3/2018 before the market open of $1.12 per share.

Disney (DIS) reports earnings on 5/8/2018 after the market close.

Home Depot (HD) reports earnings on 5/15/2018 before the market open.

Today’s Featured Dow Stock

Caterpillar (CAT)

Caterpillar (CAT) is down -8.71% year-to-date.

Financial Calendar

12:30 Continuing Jobless Claims, 1,838K, 1,837K

12:30 Exports, 204.45B

12:30 Imports, 262.04B

12:30 Initial Jobless Claims, 225K, 209K

12:30 Jobless Claims 4-Week Avg., 229.25K

12:30 Nonfarm Productivity (QoQ) (Q1), 0.9%, 2.7%

12:30 Trade Balance (Mar), -50.00B, -57.60B

12:30 Unit Labor Costs (QoQ) (Q1), 2.9%, 2.5%

13:45 Bloomberg Consumer Confidence, 57.5

13:45 Markit Composite PMI (Apr), 54.8

13:45 Services PMI (Apr), 54.4, 54.4

14:00 Cap Goods Ship Non Defense Ex Air (MoM), -0.7%

14:00 Durable Goods Orders (MoM), 2.6%

14:00 Factory Orders (MoM) (Mar), 1.4%, 1.2%

14:00 Factory orders ex transportation (MoM) (Mar), 0.1%

14:00 Goods Orders Non Defense Ex Air (MoM), -0.1%

14:00 ISM Non-Manufacturing Business Activity (Apr), 60.0, 60.6

14:00 ISM Non-Manufacturing Employment (Apr), 56.6

14:00 ISM Non-Manufacturing New Orders (Apr), 59.5

14:00 ISM Non-Manufacturing PMI (Apr), 58.1, 58.8

14:00 ISM Non-Manufacturing Prices (Apr), 61.5

14:30 Natural Gas Storage, 52B, -18B