US equity markets settled with modest gains, turning higher in the afternoon session following comments from New York Federal Reserve President John Williams - who is vice chairman of the Fed's rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) that the central bank should “act quickly” when the economy slows - Dow inched +3-points higher The broader S&P500 +0.36%, with Consumer Staples and Financials (both up +0.82%) leading seven of eleven primary sectors higher. The technology-centric NASDAQ rose +0.27%. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told CNBC that Huawei was not a sticking point in the negotiations, adding a call between US and China trade officials was scheduled for later on Thursday (18 July).
