US equity markets closed out a stellar month on the backfoot amid some profit taking and month-end rebalancing activity - Dow dropped -272-points or -0.91%, having been down more than >400-points earlier in the session. Travelers (down -3.6%)and Chevron Corp (-4.5%) were the worst performing stock in the Dow on the final trading day of the month. The broader S&P500 -0.46%, with Energy (down -5.37%) the worst performing primary sector overnight and logging its worst daily performance since 24 June. Exxon Mobil Corp was little changed in after hours trading (after a -5.13% fall in the regular session) after saying it will focus on a few of its near-term, oil-rich assets that show more promise, including developments in Texas's Permian Basin and in South America, as it looks to prioritise between US$16B and US$19B in capital and exploration investments next year and between US$20B and US$25B annually through 2025. The energy heavyweight said that it was writing down the value of its natural gas assets by US$17B to US$20B. Chief Executive Darren Woods sounded optimistic about the fourth quarter in a statement, saying that "the business environment" was showing "signs of improvement" despite the resurgence in COVID-19 cases and economic restrictions, adding that "Prices and margins for many of our businesses have improved from the third quarter and when coupled with continuing efforts to reduce spending and capture additional efficiencies, quarter-to-date cash flow has improved versus our plan assumptions." The Nasdaq dipped -0.06%. Advanced Micro Devices Inc (up +6.3% at US$92.66) closed at a record high after the company’s chief executive officer Lisa Su said she expects continued growth in the PC market after a pandemic boom and a better-than-seasonal first quarter in 2021 for the chip maker. Tesla Inc rallied over >4% in extended trading after S&P Dow Jones Indices confirmed it will add the electric vehicle maker to the S&P 500 at its full float-adjusted market capitalisation weight effective prior to the open of trading on Monday, December 21, 2020 rather than in tranches. S&P Dow Jones said it will announce which company will leave the S&P 500 to make room for Tesla on 11 December.