US Stocks Rise Slightly as Bond Yields Fall; Moderna Jumps
Listen to the story
US stock markets went up a little. This happened because bond yields went down.
When yields go down, people want to take more risk. This is called risk appetite. It means people buy more stocks.
The Dow Jones is a group of big US stocks. It went up at the start of the day. At one point, it was up 300 dollars.
People liked news about the US Treasury. The Treasury is buying government bonds. This made investors feel good.
One company, Moderna, saw its stock price jump a lot. Moderna makes medicine.
Some experts think it is a good time to buy stocks. Other experts do not agree. US stocks are near their all-time high. This means the highest price ever.
People who think prices will go up are called bulls. People who think prices will go down are called bears. Both groups have different reasons for their opinion.
Vocabulary15 words
- stock
- a small part of a company that people can buy
- bond
- a paper that shows a government or company owes money
- yield
- the money you earn from a bond
- risk
- the chance of losing money
- risk appetite
- how much people want to take risk
- Dow Jones
- a list of 30 big US companies used to show the market
- Treasury
- the US government office that manages money
- Moderna
- a US company that makes medicine
- all-time high
- the highest point ever reached
- bulls
- people who think prices will go up
- bears
- people who think prices will go down
- investor
- a person who puts money into stocks or bonds
- market
- a place where people buy and sell stocks
- surge
- a fast, big rise
- price
- how much something costs
Quiz
Answer key
1. Because bond yields fell 2. 300 dollars 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
US _____ markets went up a little. This happened because _____ yields went down.
When yields go down, people want to take more _____. This is called risk appetite.
The _____ is a group of big US stocks. It went up at the start of the day.
People liked news about the US _____. The Treasury is buying government bonds.
One company, _____, saw its stock price jump a lot.
US stocks are near their _____. This means the highest price ever.
People who think prices will go up are called _____.
People who think prices will go down are called _____.