US equity markets soared a day after the Federal Reserve cut key lending rates by -50-basis points, with some solid quarterly results and upbeat economic data also driving the rally - Dow surged +1,173-points or +4.53%, reclaiming the 27,000 point level. UnitedHealth Group (up +10.72%) was the best performing Dow constituent. The broader S&P500 +4.22%, with Health Care (up +5.81%) and Utilities (+5.69%) leading all eleven primary sectors higher. Energy was the laggard albeit still posting a 2.22% advance. General Electric Company recovered from an earlier fall to close +0.64% higher after providing a 2020 outlook presentation to investors said it estimates that the coronavirus outbreak will negatively impact first-quarter industrial free cash flow (FCF) by US$300M to US$500M and operating income by US $200M to US $300M – setting the company up to undershoot current analysts’ consensus forecasts. GE had 18K employees in China, or ~9% of the total workforce of 200K, with 2K workers in the Hubei province, where the novel coronavirus was first detected in December. GE’s Chief Executive , Larry Culp, said most of the employees went back to work in February, but the sites there are operating at reduced capacity. The NASDAQ gained +3.79% to move back in the black for the year (up +0.46%). All three major indices climbed out of official correction territory, meaning they are now less than 10% down from their 52-week highs.
