US markets little changed ahead a key address from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to the Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium tonight AEST - Dow settled +50-points or +0.19% higher following a choppy session that saw the 30-stock index trade in a 290-point range. Aeronautics and defense contractor Boeing Co rose +4.2% after an analyst suggested the Federal Aviation Administration certification flight for the embattled 737 MAX plane could be four or six weeks away. The broader S&P500 dipped -0.05%, with gains for Financials (up +0.62%) and Consumer Staples (+0.43%) offset by declines for the Materials (down -0.70%), Health Care (0.49%) and Energy (-0.48%) sectors. The technology-centric NASDAQ -0.36%. In merger and acquisition (M&A) news, Hasbro Inc dropped ~5% after announcing an all-cash deal to acquire entertainment and media company Entertainment One (up +1.19%) for ~US$4B. The deal would add family brands like Peppa Pig and PJ Masks to the toymaker’s portfolio. Looking ahead to the weekend and President Trump and other leaders of the world’s most industrialised nations will open their annual Group of 7 (G-7) summit by discussing the global economy in what is reportedly a late scheduling change.
