Stock Market Update

[BRIEFING.COM] A strong opening to today's session following some encouraging economic data and earnings reports has the major averages sporting modest gains in the early going.

Nine sectors currently trade in the green, with the industrials sector (+1.0%) leading the way as GE Aerospace (GE 268.74, +2.56, +1.0%) displays strength after beating Q2 expectations and raising EPS guidance for FY 2025.

The health care sector (-1.1%) is at the bottom this morning after a strong earnings report and upside guidance from Johnson & Johnson (JNJ 162.59, -2.19, -1.3%) saw the sector finish as yesterday's top performer. 

Just released, May Business Inventories were unchanged month-over-month (0.1% Briefing.com consensus) from a prior unchanged level in April.

The July NAHB Housing Market Index hit  33 (Briefing.com consensus 32), from a prior level of 32 in June.