Dow Jones Industrial Average climbs as consumer sentiment improves

• Dow Jones tapped 44,000 for the first time ever on Friday.
• Equities are extending a near-term bullish push to wrap up the trading week.
• UoM sentiment survey results came in much better than expected.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) rose into fresh all-time highs on Friday, clipping into 44,000 as stocks lean firmly bullish to close out a record week. The Dow had its best week since October of 2023, rising nearly 5% and piercing record bids three days in a row.

The University of Michigan (UoM) Consumer Sentiment Index rose to 73.0 in November, overshooting the expected print of 71.0 and climbing further above October’s 70.5 as polled consumers tilt cautiously optimistic regarding the everall state of the US economy. On the downside, 5-year Consumer Inflation Expectations also ticked higher once again, rising to 3.1% compared to the previous print of 3.0%.

A decisive election win for former President Donald Trump helped to send stocks soaring this week, and a follow-up 25 bps interest rate trim from the Federal Reserve (Fed) kept the gas pedal pinned to the floor. Friday's uptick in consumer outlook survey results only keeps stock traders leaning into the buy button.

Dow Jones news

Over two-thirds of the Dow Jones index found room on the high end on Friday, with most equities ending the week higher than they started. McDonald’s (MCD), Unitedhealth (UNH), and Procter & Gamble (PG) all ended Friday up around 2%, with MCD breaking above $300 per share for the first time in several weeks.

On the low end, Caterpillar (CAT) backslide around 3.5%, falling below $395 per share and extending its earnings miss decline after the company’s revenue fell 4% YoY. According to a statement from Caterpillar, the decline was a result of “lower sales of equipment to end users”, adding on that “changes in dealer inventories had an unfavourable impact to sales volume.”

Dow Jones price forecast

With the Dow Jones holding stubbornly in record high territory, a technical case for short momentum appears frustratingly impossible. By all measures, the DJIA is pinned far too deep into overbought territory to consider a fresh bid, but continued topside momentum has left the chart entirely absent any technical short entry points. 

“Winners keep winning” is the approach to a long-run Dow Jones bullish trend. The major equity index has entirely outpaced its own 200-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) for an entire year. Despite a brief reprieve in October, the Dow Jones has continued its one-sided bullish tilt, closing in the green for all but two of the last 11 consecutive months and on pace to chalk in another gain month in November as long as bidders maintain their balance.

Dow Jones daily chart