Strong economic signs lift U.S. stocks, but bond prices drop

NEW YORK» Encouraging reports on hiring and growth in the service sector sent small companies and banks higher Wednesday and knocked bond prices into a tailspin. The yield on the benchmark 10year Treasury note spiked to its highest level in more than seven years.

Both reports were stronger than analysts expected and suggest the economy is in good shape in spite of rising interest rates and oil prices, and the ongoing trade dispute between the U.S. and China.

“This is evidence of strong economic growth and the likelihood earnings will continue to be good,” said Ameriprise chief market strategist David Joy. While some experts think the economy will slow somewhat in the third and fourth quarter, Joy’s view is that “we’re not going to get much of a slowdown.”

The S&P 500 index added 2.08 points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,925.51. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 54.45 points, or 0.2 percent, to 26,828.39, another alltime high. It was up as much as 177 points earlier. The Nasdaq composite picked up 25.54 points, or 0.3 percent, to 8,025.09.

The Russell 2000 index of smallcompany stocks climbed 15.25 points, or 0.9 percent, to 1,671.29. Those companies, which tend to be more focused on the U.S. market than large multinationals, stand to benefit more from strong economic growth at home. The Russell has fallen since the end of August as investors have grown less worried about trade tensions between the U.S. and other countries.

The survey on private company hiring by ADP raised expectations for the government’s broader jobs report due out on Friday, which tends to have an even bigger effect on markets. The Institute for Supply Management, the trade group, said its index measuring the service sector reached the highest level in a decade.

The solid reports helped companies that do better when businesses and consumers spend more money, like technology and industrial stocks. Apple rose 1.2 percent to $232.07 and Caterpillar rose 2.2 percent to $158.22.

Investors were willing to bet on continued economic growth, and that meant bond prices dropped sharply, sending yields soaring. The yield on the 10year Treasury note rose to 3.18 percent, its highest since July 2011 and up from 3.05 percent a day earlier.

That helped banks, which are able to charge higher interest rates on longterm loans when bond yields rise. Comerica rose 2.6 percent to $92.09 and Bank of America added 1.4 percent to $30.

Highdividend stocks like utilities and household goods makers took sharp losses. Procter & Gamble fell 1.6 percent to $83.03 and Walmart lost 1.1 percent to $94.07. Investors often treat those stocks as alternatives to bonds, and they tend to fall when bond yields rise.

General Motors rose 2.1 percent to $34 after Honda agreed to invest $2.75 billion in GM’s autonomous vehicle business over the next 12 years. Honda lost 3.6 percent to $29.37. Japanese technology firm SoftBank said in May that it would pay $2.25 billion for a 20 percent stake in the GM business, which is called Cruise. It’s been trying to catch up to Google’s autonomous car division, Waymo.

Century Aluminum tumbled after Norsk Hydro said it is shutting down its Alunorte plant in Brazil. Alunorte is the world’s largest alumina refinery, and that could leave Century Aluminum without enough of a critical material used in making aluminum. Century Aluminum fell 11.6 percent to $10.52, and shares of Norsk Hydro lost 11.8 percent in Norway.

Rival aluminum company Alcoa, which produces its own alumina, rose 3.2 percent to $42.89.

Stocks in Europe rose after Italy’s economy minister backed down on spending plans that would keep the country’s deficit at an elevated level for three years. That relieved investors who were worried about Italy’s debts and the possibility of tensions between the country and the European Union.

The FTSE MIB in Italy gained 0.8 percent after dropping 5 percent over the previous five days. Italian government bond prices climbed and the yield on the 10year bond fell sharply, to 3.30 percent from 3.44 percent. That followed sharp rises in the yield over the past three days.

The CAC 40 in France rose 0.4 percent while the FTSE 100 in Britain rose 0.5 percent. German markets were closed for a holiday.

Benchmark U.S. crude jumped 1.6 percent to settle at $76.41 a barrel in New York. U.S. crude has hit fouryear highs this week. Brent crude, used to price international oils, rose 1.8 percent at $86.29 a barrel in London.