US Stocks Look for Direction After Midterm Elections
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Stock prices in New York went up and down on November 3.
People were watching the results of the US midterm elections.
Many investors did not buy or sell much. They wanted to wait.
Because of this, the market had no clear direction.
Tonight, people will also look at new US economic numbers.
They will also look at company earnings reports.
These things can help the market find a clear direction.
There is also news about a group called the S&P 493.
This group is 493 large US companies.
It does not include the seven biggest tech companies.
The S&P 493 companies grew profits faster than the big tech companies.
This happened for the first time in four years.
This means more companies are doing well, not just a few big ones.
This is good news for the whole stock market.
Vocabulary15 words
- midterm elections
- US elections held in the middle of a president's four years
- direction
- the way something is moving, up or down
- earnings
- money a company makes as profit
- S&P 493
- a group of 493 large US companies, not counting the 7 biggest tech firms
- tech
- short for technology; companies that make computers or software
- investor
- a person who buys stocks to make money
- stock
- a small part of a company that people can buy
- market
- the place where people buy and sell stocks
- profit
- money left after costs are paid
- economic
- about money and business in a country
- clear
- easy to understand or see
- results
- what happens at the end of something, like a vote
- wait
- to not do something yet
- report
- information given about something, like money
- grew
- became bigger
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Quiz
Answer key
1. They went up and down with no clear direction 2. — 3. True
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Stock prices in New York went up and down on November _____.
People were watching the results of the US _____ elections.
Many investors did not buy or sell much. They wanted to _____.
Because of this, the market had no clear _____.
Tonight, people will also look at new US economic _____.
They will also look at company _____ reports.
There is also news about a group called the _____ 493.
This group is 493 large US _____.
The S&P 493 companies grew profits faster than the big _____ companies.
This happened for the first time in four _____.
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