Morning Report 1 Dec 20: US sharemarkets retreated from record highs on Monday

Investors took profits. S&P 500 energy sector shares dipped 5.4% as crude oil prices fell. Shares of Chevron (-4.5%) and Dow (-4.3%) led the Dow Jones index lower. But Moderna shares rallied 20.2% after it unveiled plans to apply for US and European emergency authorisation for its Covid-19 vaccine. And IHS Markit shares rose 7.4% on a US$44 billion buyout deal from data giant S&P Global (+3.0%). The Dow Jones index closed 271 points or 0.9% lower. The S&P 500 index fell by 0.5%. And the Nasdaq index lost 7 points or 0.1%. In November, the Dow Jones index rose 11.8% -the most since January 1987. The S&P 500 index climbed 10.8% and the Nasdaq index was up 11.8% -both posting their best monthly gains since April.  

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