Wall Street shares tick higher
Yellen in focus
Banks reporting tomorrow
US shares were heading higher into the close.
The Dow Jones added over 25 to 21,557, while the Nasdaq gained almost 13 at 7,274.
The S&P 500 is up 5.17 at 2,488.
US crude gained 1.19% to $46.03 a barrel.
Friday earnings season starts: JPMorgan Chase ($JPM), Wells Fargo ($WFC), and Citigroup ($C)
— Paul Ebeling (@Redroadmaster) 13 July 2017
MID-SESSION...
US stocks were looking uninspired at mid-session, with the Dow Jones up around 20 at 21,553.
Earlier in the UK, FTSE 100 limped home to an uneventful close, almost unchanged from yesterday's level.
The main benchmarks in Germany and France however, are trading higher.
On Wall Street, the broader based S&P 500 is up just over three at 2,446, while the tech heavy Nasdaq was down 0.01 at 6,261.
US crude - West Texas Intermediate - is 1.06% ahead, at $45.96.
In Toronto, the TSX Composite Index is down over 18 points at 15,125.
On the macro front, last month it emerged, that the US had a budget deficit of $90bn, according to official data.
For the fiscal year to date, the deficit is $523bn, which is 31% wider, as outlays growth of 6% has outstripped revenue growth of 2%.
In companies, Delta Air Lines, Inc (NYSE: DAL) shed over 1.7% to $54.50 having been in record territory ahead of the release of its second-quarter results, which unveiled an earnings miss.
Tech giant Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) added 1.53% to $147.97. It appears in the Dow Jones index, S&P 500 and the Nasdaq.
OPEN...
US shares started higher Thursday as eyes were on Janet Yellen's second day of testimony and US inflation stats.
The latter showed US wholesale prices increased slightly last month, but are no longer rising rapidly, which has been an issue the Fed is faced with, when it comes to interest rate rises.
After rising in 2016 and early 2017, inflation has slowed now.
On Wall Street, the Dow Jones is up 19.13 at 21,551, the Nasdaq is ahead 14 points a 6,275.
In companies, Target Corp (NYSE:TGT) is a notable mover, up 3.56% to $52.66 as it gave an upbeat assessment o what lies ahead, saying it expects sales to increase for the first time in five quarters.
America's top central banker sees President Trump's agenda as a source of uncertainty for the U.S. economy https://t.co/nYAnpvCUXt
— CNN (@CNN) 12 July 2017