Stock Market News for November 25, 2014 – Zacks Investment …

Benchmarks settled in the green as investors continued to be encouraged by efforts from China and Europe to boost their economies. Retail stocks surged as investors believe lower gasoline prices will boost retail sales this holiday season. The S&P 500 and the Dow yet again closed at record highs. Separately, a rally among bio-tech stocks and tech-giant Apple boosted the Nasdaq.

For a look at the issues currently facing the markets, make sure to read today’s Ahead of Wall Street article

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) gained a meager 0.04% to close at 17,817.90. The Standard & Poor 500 (S&P 500) rose 0.3% to close at 2,069.41. The tech-laden Nasdaq Composite Index closed at 4,754.89; increasing 0.9%. The fear-gauge CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) declined 2.2% to settle at 12.62. A total of about 5.6 billion shares were traded on Monday, lower than month-to-date average of 6.4 billion. Advancers outpaced declining stocks on the NYSE. For 59% stocks that advanced, 37% declined.

Benchmarks started the holiday-shortened week on an upbeat note as investors continued to be enthused by China’s central bank and European Central Bank’s (ECB) stimulus measures to boost their economies. Equities in China and Hong Kong went up after People’s Bank of China lowered its key interest rates last Friday. European markets were also boosted after ECB’s declaration last Friday that it has started purchasing asset-backed securities in order to revive the economy.

The S&P 500 ended at a record level for the 46th time this year. Six out of 10 sectors of the S&P 500 ended in the green zone. The SPDR S&P Homebuilders (XHB) gained almost 1%, the biggest gainer among the S&P 500 sectors. Key stocks from this sector including DR Horton Inc. (DHI – Analyst Report), Toll Brothers Inc. (TOL – Analyst Report), KB Home (KBH – Analyst Report), Beazer Homes USA Inc. (BZH – Snapshot Report) and Lennar Corp. (LEN – Analyst Report) gained 0.4%, 0.8%, 0.9%, 0.2% and 0.5%, respectively.

The Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR (XLY) increased 0.9%, the second-highest among the S&P 500 sectors. Retailers including Urban Outfitters Inc. (URBN – Analyst Report) gained 5.4% as investors bet lower gasoline prices will lead to a rise in retail sales. Other retailers such as The Gap, Inc. (GPS – Analyst Report), Best Buy Co., Inc. (BBY – Analyst Report) and Macy’s, Inc. (M – Analyst Report) increased 4.6%, 2.3% and 1.6%, respectively.

The Dow swung between small gains and losses before ending marginally higher. This was more than enough for the blue-chip index to finish at a record level for the 29th time this year.

Energy shares weighed on the Dow. Energy stocks fell due to drop in oil prices. Oil prices fell ahead of Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries’ meeting on Thursday. Prices of both WTI crude oil and Brent crude oil decreased 0.9% to $75.78 per barrel and $79.68 per barrel, respectively.

The Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE) dropped 0.8%, emerging as the biggest loser among the S&P 500 sectors. Shares of key energy stocks including Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM – Analyst Report), Chevron Corporation (CVX – Analyst Report), ConocoPhillips (COP – Analyst Report) and EOG Resources, Inc. (EOG) decreased 1.1%, 0.8%, 0.4% and 2.1%, respectively.

Telecom shares also weighed on the Dow. Shares of Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) and AT&T, Inc. (T) dropped 1.4% and 1.6%, respectively. A drop in share price of United Technologies Corporation (UTX) too had a negative impact on the blue-chip index. Shares of the diversified industrial conglomerate declined 1.4% after the company’s Chief Executive Officer retired and was replaced by the finance head.

The Nasdaq was boosted by a rally in tech-bellwether, Apple Inc. (AAPL). Shares of Apple went up 1.9%. The company at one point was within 1% from touching $700 billion market capitalization. Gains among bio-tech stocks also had a positive impact on the Nasdaq. Shares of bio-tech companies such as Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX), Amgen Inc. (AMGN), Biogen Idec Inc. (BIIB), Celgene Corporation (CELG) and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (REGN) increased 2.2%, 0.8%, 1.1%, 2.6% and 1.1%, respectively.

Meanwhile, investors remained focused on new deals. RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. (RNR) confirmed that it agreed to buy Platinum Underwriters Holdings Ltd. (PTP) in a cash and stock transaction valued at more than $1.9 billion. In another deal, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (BMRN) agreed to pay a maximum $840 million to acquire Prosensa Holding N.V. (RNA). While shares of Platinum Underwriters, Prosensa Holding and BioMarin Pharmaceutical soared 62.6%, 21.1% and 2.5%, respectively, shares of RenaissanceRe Holdings fell 2.7%.

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Stock Market News for November 25, 2014 – Zacks Investment …