Overnight: US stock indexes traded near unchanged Monday, making up losses in the wake of a stronger-than expected reading on November manufacturing activity...
Overnight: US stock indexes traded near unchanged Monday, making up losses in the wake of a stronger-than expected reading on November manufacturing activity that reinforced expectations the Federal Reserve will move sooner rather than later to trim its bond-buying program. Energy stocks rose, boosted by a gauge of US manufacturing activity that hit its highest level in more than two years. The closely tracked Institute for Supply Management's manufacturing index rose to 57.3% from 56.4% in October, its highest since April 2011. The data helped treasury prices to drop. Gold futures dropped more than $20 an ounce. After three straight months of gains, European stock markets mostly dropped, with investors digesting a mixed round of purchasing managers' indexes from China and major euro-zone economies. London BHP -1.99%. Rio -0.94%. New York BHP -1.17%. Rio -1.13% LME Base metals prices continued to drift lower during Monday LME premarket trading