Dow stocks hitting 52 week highs include Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and Travelers (TRV). There are no Dow stock 52 week lows.

The Market

Premarket today, the Dow was indicated to open up +8 points.

Wednesday the Dow was up +257.86 (+0.83%) at 31,188.38.

Year-to-date the Dow is up +1.90%.

There were 22 Dow stocks up Wednesday.

The Dow stock winners Wednesday were led by Microsoft (MSFT) 224.34 (+3.65%), Apple (AAPL) 132.03 (+3.29%) and Salesforce (CRM) 223.44 (+3.08%).

The Dow stock losers Wednesday were led by JPMorgan (JPM) 135.97 (-1.50%), Goldman Sachs (GS) 290.47 (-1.27%) and Procter & Gamble (PG) 131.93 (-1.25%).

Unemployment insurance weekly claims in the week ending January 16, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 900,000, a decrease of 26,000 from the previous week’s revised level. The previous week’s level was revised down by 39,000 from 965,000 to 926,000. The 4-week moving average was 848,000, an increase of 23,500 from the previous week’s revised average. The previous week’s average was revised down by 9,750 from 834,250 to 824,500. The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.6 percent for the week ending January 9, unchanged from the previous week’s revised rate. The previous week’s rate was revised down by 0.1 from 3.7 to 3.6 percent. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending January 9 was 5,054,000, a decrease of 127,000 from the previous week’s revised level. The previous week’s level was revised down by 90,000 from 5,271,000 to 5,181,000. The 4-week moving average was 5,126,250, a decrease of 67,000 from the previous week’s revised average. The previous week’s average was revised down by 22,500 from 5,215,750 to 5,193,250. The total number of continued weeks claimed for benefits in all programs for the week ending January 2 was 15,994,519, a decrease of 2,412,508 from the previous week. There were 2,278,239 weekly claims filed for benefits in all programs in the comparable week in 2020.

Dow stock Travelers (TRV) leads Thursday morning’s list of companies reporting earnings. The insurance company reported per-share profit of $4.91 in the fourth quarter, much higher than expectations. Net written premiums rose 3% to $7.27 billion.

Biden early Thursday released the details of his sweeping plan to combat the coronavirus, announcing 10 executive orders and directing agencies to use wartime powers to require U.S. companies to make N95 masks, swabs and other equipment to fight the pandemic. The Biden approach to Covid comes one year to the day of the first reported coronavirus case in the U.S. Since then, there have been more than 24.4 million infections and at least 406,147 fatalities. In fact, Wednesday’s death toll of over 4,370 was the second highest of the pandemic.

European stocks are mostly higher and Asian markets ended mostly higher.

The national average price of gasoline is up four-tenths of a cent at $2.393 per gallon.

Earnings Reports

Walgreens (WBA) reported earnings on 1/7/2021 before the market open of $1.22, beating estimates calling for $1.02 per share.

JPMorgan (JPM) reported earnings on 1/15/2021 before the market open of $3.79, beating estimates of $2.72 per share.

Goldman Sachs (GS) reports earnings on 1/19/2021 before the market open.

Procter & Gamble (PG) reported earnings on 1/20/2021 before the market open $1.64, beating estimates of $1.51 per share.

UnitedHealth (UNH) reported earnings on 1/20/2021 before the market open of $2.52, beating estimates of $2.394 per share.

Coca Cola (KO) reports earnings on 1/21/2021 before the market open.

Travelers (TRV) reported earnings on 1/21/2021 before the market open of $4.91, beating estimates of $3.004 per share.

Intel (INTC) reports earnings on 1/21/2021 after the market close.

IBM (IBM) reports earnings on 1/21/2021 after the market close.

3M (MMM) reports earnings on 1/26/2021 before the market open.

American Express (AXP) reports earnings on 1/26/2021 before the market open.

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) reports earnings on 1/26/2021 before the market open.

Verizon (VZ) reports earnings on 1/26/2021 before the market open.

Microsoft (MSFT) reports earnings on 1/26/2021 after the market close.

Boeing (BA) reports earnings on 1/27/2021 before the market open.

Apple (AAPL) reports earnings on 1/27/2021 after the market close.

McDonald’s (MCD) reports earnings on 1/28/2021 before the market open.

Visa (V) reports earnings on 1/28/2021 after the market close.

Caterpillar (CAT) reports earnings on 1/29/2021 before the market open.

Chevron (CVX) reports earnings on 1/29/2021 before the market open.

Honeywell (HON) reports earnings on 1/29/2021 before the market open.

Today’s Featured Dow Stock

Microsoft (MSFT)

Microsoft (MSFT) 224.34 (+3.653%) is up +0.86% in 2021.

Financial Calendar

8:30 AM ET Housing Starts and Permits

8:30 AM ET Jobless Claims

8:30 AM ET Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index

11:00 AM ET 3-Month Bill Announcement

11:00 AM ET 6-Month Bill Announcement

11:00 AM ET 52-Week Bill Announcement

11:00 AM ET 2-Yr FRN Note Announcement

11:00 AM ET 2-Yr Note Announcement

11:00 AM ET 5-Yr Note Announcement

11:00 AM ET 7-Yr Note Announcement

11:30 AM ET 4-Week Bill Auction

11:30 AM ET 8-Week Bill Auction

1:00 PM ET 10-Yr TIPS Auction

4:30 PM ET Fed Balance Sheet

4:30 PM ET Money Supply