American Express Company (AXP), JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM): These Stocks Bucked the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI)’s Trend Today

After gaining nearly 100 points yesterday the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:^DJI) is up only 0.13% as of 2:45 P.M EDT, taking a breather before tomorrow’s closely watched payroll and unemployment rate report. Today didn’t lack news: Initial unemployment claims fell 9,000 to 323,000 last week, which was better than the expected figure of 330,000. That brought the four-week moving average down to 328,500, the lowest level since October 2007. Further, the ISM Non-Manufacturing Index rose to 58.6 in August, beating both analyst expectations and July’s reading of 56. The news failed to impress the market, and most Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:^DJI) components are trading flat today, but a few companies have managed to buck the trend.

Regardless of the day-to-day headlines, American Express has an affluent base of cardholders who spend more annually on their AmEx cards than its competitors’ customers. This makes it popular with merchants and creates a virtuous cycle for its network effect, making the company more valuable as more consumers use American Express.

Outside the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:^DJI), Universal Display Corporation (NASDAQ:OLED) is up 5.4% today as investors grow more confident that the market for organic light-emitting diodes, or OLEDs, is finally coming around.