<ul><li><b>US equity markets advanced </b>for a third consecutive session to open the holiday-shortened week <b>- Dow rose +228-points </b>or <b>+0.47%</b>, with Merck &amp; Co (up +3.59%) the <b>leading performer in the 30-stock index</b>. <b>Honeywell International</b> fell -1.58% after the aerospace and industrial-automation company <b>lowered its full-year earnings outlook</b> and <b>updated investors on its expectations surrounding the Flexjet lawsuit</b>. Nike Inc -2.54%.</li><li>The broader <b>S&amp;P500 gained +0.64%</b>, with <b>Materials (up +1.35%)</b>, <b>Financials (+1.25%)</b>, <b>Industrials (+1.11%)</b> and <b>Energy (+1.08%)</b> all rising over &gt;1% to lead ten of the eleven primary sectors higher. <b>Consumer Staples (down -0.41%)</b> was the only primary sector to settle in the red.</li></ul>