Dow stocks hitting 52-week highs include Travelers (TRV) 180.19 (+1.70%). There are no Dow stock 52-week lows.

The Market

Premarket today, the Dow was indicated to open down -189 points.

Thursday the Dow closed up +417.66 (+1.23%) at 34,480.76.

Year-to-date the Dow is down -5.11%.

There were 27 Dow stocks up Thursday.

The Dow stock winners Thursday were led by Dow (DOW) 62.84 (+5.37%), American Express (AXP) 186.97 (+3.52%) and Caterpillar (CAT) 221.70 (+2.60%).

The Dow stock losers Thursday were by McDonald’s (MCD) 237.47 (-0.28%), Verizon (VZ) 52.36 (-0.25%) and Walmart (WMT) 145.01 (-0.23%).

The 10 YR yield is currently at 2.156%.

St. Louis Fed President James Bullard said Friday he would like to see the equivalent of 12 rate hikes this year to fight soaring inflation.

U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday are scheduled to speak at 9 a.m. ET, marking first contact between the two leaders since Russia invaded Ukraine in late February. Much of Chinese state media coverage has focused on negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv, without describing the conflict as an invasion or war, while blaming the U.S. for “fueling” the tensions. State media announcements on the Xi-Biden call did not specifically mention Ukraine, while the White House announcement included it as a planned topic of discussion.

Russian forces pressed their assault on Ukrainian cities Friday, with new missile strikes and shelling of Kyiv and the outskirts of the western city of Lviv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy early Friday thanked Biden for additional military aid but declined to specify how the funds would be used. Both Ukraine and Russia this week reported some progress in negotiations. Zelenskyy said he would not reveal Ukraine’s negotiating tactics.

U.S. futures are lower, European stocks are lower and Asian markets ended mostly higher.

The national average price of gasoline is down 1.5 cents at $4.274 per gallon.

Earnings Reports

Nike (NKE) reports earnings on 3/21/2022 after the market close

Today’s Featured Dow Stock

Apple (AAPL)

Apple (AAPL) 160.62 (+0.65%) is down -9.55% in 2022.

Financial Calendar

10:00 AM ET Existing Home Sales (MoM) (Feb)
10:00 AM ET Existing Home Sales (Feb)
10:00 AM ET US Leading Index (MoM) (Feb)
12:30 PM ET FOMC Member Barkin Speaks
13:00 PM ET U.S. Baker Hughes Oil Rig Count
13:00 PM ET U.S. Baker Hughes Total Rig Count
14:00 PM ET Chicago Fed President Evans Speaks
15:00 PM ET FOMC Member Bowman Speaks
15:30 PM ET CFTC Aluminium speculative net positions
15:30 PM ET CFTC Copper speculative net positions
15:30 PM ET CFTC Corn speculative net positions
15:30 PM ET CFTC Crude Oil speculative net positions
15:30 PM ET CFTC Gold speculative net positions
15:30 PM ET CFTC Nasdaq 100 speculative net positions
15:30 PM ET CFTC Natural Gas speculative net positions
15:30 PM ET CFTC S&P 500 speculative net positions
15:30 PM ET CFTC Silver speculative net positions
15:30 PM ET CFTC Soybeans speculative net positions
15:30 PM ET CFTC Wheat speculative net positions