Consumer companies rose after generally strong data.

Home prices in the 20 biggest U.S. metros hit a new high, ticking up 0.1% in January, as the housing market deals with an ongoing lack of homes for sale.

A drop in mortgage rates has also spurred home prices.

The consumer confidence index slipped to 104.7 this month from a downwardly revised 104.8 (originally, it had been 106.7) in February, the Conference Board said.

McCormick shares rose after the spicemaker recorded higher sales and earnings in its fiscal first quarter as costs came down and higher prices offset a downtick in volumes.

Shares of Krispy Kreme surged after the doughnut seller announced an expanded partnership with McDonald's, in which its doughnuts will start becoming available at the fast-food giant's restaurants across the U.S. so far in 2024.

Bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX has struck $884 million in deals with two dozen buyers, including an Abu Dhabi investor, to sell most of its shares in

Anthropic, an artificial-intelligence startup that counts Amazon.com and Google among its backers.

Consumer lender CURO Group Holdings filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as part of a restructuring agreement reached with its lenders and noteholders.


Write to Rob Curran at rob.curran@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

03-26-24 1743ET