Markets mixed as investors wait for catalyst

Markets were mixed on Thursday.

The S&P 500 rose 0.2 percent and the STOXX Euroipe 600 rose 0.2 percent but the Nikkei 225 fell 0.8 percent.

“A lot of good news has already been priced in to the market, and investors are still in search of the next catalyst to drive stocks higher,” said Michael Arone, chief investment strategist at State Street Global Advisors.

As investors wait for the catalyst, trading volumes in the US have been falling.

Dow Jones Market Data showed that total composite trading volume on Monday was the lowest for a full-day session since 10 September.