US equity markets mostly weaker on Friday (17 February) as robust economic data and hawkish commentary from Federal Reserve officials continued to fan investor fears that the Federal Reserve will need to apply a brake to the US economy for longer than anticipated just last month - Dow rose +130-points or +0.39%, with biotechnology company Amgen Inc (up +2.69%) and diversified health care company UnitedHealth Group Inc (+2.41%) among the leading index performers. The broader S&P500 eased -0.28%, with Energy (down -3.65%) the major drag. The more defensive Consumer Staples (+up +1.29%) and Utilities (+1.00%) outperformed. Tesla Inc rose +3.10%, with Bloomberg reporting after the close that the electric vehicle manufacturer is considering buying Canadian miner Sigma Lithium Corp (down -2.64%). Tesla has been talking with advisers about a potential bid, and Sigma Lithium is one of “multiple mining options” being explored, the report said. The Nasdaq fell -0.58%. Meta Platforms Inc (up +0.26%) announced a new paid verification subscription service called Meta Verified over the weekend. For US$11.99 per month on the web and US$14.99 per month on iOS, users on Meta’s Instagram and Facebook platforms will be able to submit their government ID and get a blue verification badge. The service will be introduced in Australia and New Zealand this week, and more countries will follow, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 added +0.21%.
