Nasdaq, S&P 500 End At Fresh Records, Dow Also Gains

Wall Street stocks finished at fresh records on Tuesday, continuing the positive momentum for equities as data showed improving US manufacturing trends.

The Nasdaq jumped 1.4 percent to 11,939 to post a third straight record.

The S&P 500 also finished at a record, rising 0.8 percent to 3,526, while the Dow Jones also gained 0.8 percent to end at 28,645.

Analysts have said the current stock-buying boom is reflective of investors' "fear of missing out" on future gains as equities drift higher during a low-volume trading period.

Although US unemployment remains elevated and several sectors continue to experience great pain, analysts expect the recovery to lead to strong earnings growth soon in the wake of massive support from Washington.

The market expects record profits in the fourth quarter of 2021, said Howard Silverblatt, senior analyst at S&P Dow Jones Indices.

"If, for any reason, the market needs to change that belief, even if it is just a timing change, it will need to reprice, and given the profits are so concentrated, that could be ugly," Silverblatt said in a note.

In economic data, The Institute for Supply Management's manufacturing index rose more than expected in August, with key metrics continuing their expansion after business shutdowns caused by Covid-19 badly hit factories earlier this year.

Among individual companies, Walmart surged 6.4 percent after unveiling a long-discussed membership programme to provide free delivery and compete directly with Amazon's popular "Prime" service.

Tesla shares fell 4.7 percent after announcing it would raise up to US$5 billion with an offering of newly-issued shares. The pullback comes a day after a stock split following the electric car maker's surge this year.

Zoom Video Communications leaped 40.8 percent after reporting that quarterly profit shot up to US$186 million compared with US$5.5 million in the year-ago period. The Silicon Valley-based company has become a popular way to work, learn or socialise during the pandemic.

McDonald's fell 0.4 percent after the fast-food chain was sued by black former McDonald's franchisees, who claimed a "systematic" pattern of racial discrimination. McDonald's said it would fight the suit. (AFP)