US equity markets fell late in Thursday's session albeit the benchmark indices logged their second consecutive monthly gains - Dow lost -69-points or -0.27% The broader S&P500 slipped -0.28% and the technology-centric NASDAQ -0.28%. Tesla Inc announced after the markets' close that it will deliver on a longstanding promise to offer a cheaper Model 3 (for US$35,000). Tesla also said it was shifting all its sales to online. In commentary around the latest US-China trade negotiations, White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow told CNBC that both countries are making "fantastic" progress in their negotiations thinks they are "headed for a remarkable, historic deal". Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a separate CNBC interview: "We have made a lot of progress," but added that a deal "is not yet done." Elsewhere on the geopolitical front, US and North Korean officials failed to agree on steps toward North Korea taking down its nuclear armament after a disagreement over the lifting of sanctions on the communist country. For the month, the Dow rose +3.67%, S&P500 +3.26% and Nasdaq +3.75%.
