US equity markets booked modest gains as trading activity remained subdued during the Christmas period - Dow up +28-points or +0.11% and the broader S&P500 +0.08% (with 7 of the 11 sectors closing in positive territory, led by real estate and utility names as US 10-year Treasury yields retreated). The technology-centric NASDAQ inched +0.04% higher. Apple edged +0.03% higher despite reports the company is being sued for slowing down older iPhone models without warning to compensate for poor battery performance.
