NYSE Dow Jones finished today at:

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 28.74 points or ▲ 0.17% on Friday, 11 July 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,943.81 ▲ 28.74 ▲ 0.17%
Nasdaq____ 4,415.49 ▲ 19.29 ▲ 0.44%
S&P_500___ 1,967.57 ▲ 2.89 ▲ 0.15%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.34 ▼ -0.02 ▼ -0.62%

NYSE Volume 2,676,301,750
Nasdaq Volume 1,480,360,620

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,690.17 ▲ 17.80 ▲ 0.27%
DAX_____ 9,666.34 ▲ 7.21 ▲ 0.07%
CAC_40__ 4,316.50 ▲ 15.24 ▲ 0.35%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,474.60 ▲ 20.30 ▲ 0.37%
Shanghai_Comp 2,046.96 ▲ 8.62 ▲ 0.42%
Taiwan_Weight 9,495.84 ▼ -69.28 ▼ -0.72%
Nikkei_225___ 15,164.04 ▼ -52.43 ▼ -0.34%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,233.45 ▼ -5.54 ▼ -0.02%
Strait_Times.__ 3,293.73 ▲ 24.23 ▲ 0.74%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,100.59 ▼ -27.42 ▼ -0.53%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-stabilize-end-down-week-210610850.html

Stocks stabilize, but end down for the week

Stocks stabilize, but end with biggest weekly loss since April as investors grow cautious
Associated Press
By Steve Rothwell, AP Markets Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- U.S. stocks stabilized and ended with a small gain Friday, but it wasn't enough to prevent the market's biggest weekly drop since April.

Investors became more cautious this week as corporate earnings for the April-June period began trickling in. Worrisome news about a Portuguese bank also revived fears about the European debt crisis. That weighed on stocks, which had closed out the previous week at record highs.

Investors are now mulling whether the stock's market valuations are justified by the outlook for company earnings, or whether they have risen too far, too fast.

As investors try to make sense of the market, "we could be in a holding pattern," said Kristina Hooper, US Investment Strategist at Allianz Global Investors.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 2.89 points, or 0.2 percent, to 1,967.57 on Friday. Its weekly decline of 0.9 percent was the biggest since April 11.

The Dow Jones industrial average climbed 28.74 points, or 0.2 percent, to 16,943.81. The Nasdaq composite rose 19.29 points, or 0.4 percent, to 4,415.49.

On Friday, investors absorbed corporate news and earnings.

Lorillard, whose cigarette brands include Newport, Old Gold and Kent, rose $2.92, or 4.6 percent, to $66.01. Lorillard and rival Reynolds American confirmed they are in talks to combine — a deal that would create a formidable rival to Altria Group Inc., owner of Philip Morris USA.

Investors also pored over company earnings.

Fastenal, a maker of industrial fasteners, fell the most in the S&P 500. Its stock dropped $2.01, or 4.2 percent, to $46.15 after reporting sales that missed analysts' expectations.

As U.S. companies start to report second-quarter results, investors expect more growth in profits. Earnings for S&P 500 companies are forecast to climb by 6.4 percent. That rise would be bigger than the 3.4 percent increase in the first quarter and the 4.9 percent in the same period a year earlier, according to data from S&P Capital IQ.

While earnings are rising, stock valuations have also climbed.

The price-earnings ratio for S&P 500 companies, which measures a company's stock price compared to next year's forecast earnings, has edged higher to 15.7 from 15.1 at the start of this year and 12.6 at the start of 2013.

"With valuations where they are ... we are pleasantly surprised at the resilience of the market," said Colleen Supran, a principal at Bingham, Osborn & Scarborough, an investment management company. "Investors still seem to be able to find reasons not to panic."

That was evident Friday, and even Thursday, when the U.S. stock market opened with a plunge as investors worried about the financial health of a holding company linked to Portugal's biggest bank.

The market regained much of its early loss Thursday afternoon. On Friday, it held steady.

In government bond trading Friday, prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which moves in the opposite direction to its price, dropped to 2.52 percent from 2.54 percent.

Oil had its biggest one-day drop since April, as Libyan oil appears poised to return to the market while global demand looks to be muted. Oil fell $2.23, or 2.2 percent, to $100.70.

8663

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 111.61 points or ▲ 0.66% on Monday, 14 July 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,055.42 ▲ 111.61 ▲ 0.66%
Nasdaq____ 4,440.42 ▲ 24.93 ▲ 0.56%
S&P_500___ 1,977.10 ▲ 9.53 ▲ 0.48%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.37 ▲ 0.03 ▲ 0.75%

NYSE Volume 2,733,695,500
Nasdaq Volume 1,565,977,120

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,746.14 ▲ 55.97 ▲ 0.84%
DAX_____ 9,783.01 ▲ 116.67 ▲ 1.21%
CAC_40__ 4,350.04 ▲ 33.54 ▲ 0.78%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,495.80 ▲ 21.20 ▲ 0.39%
Shanghai_Comp 2,066.65 ▲ 19.69 ▲ 0.96%
Taiwan_Weight 9,520.30 ▲ 24.46 ▲ 0.26%
Nikkei_225___ 15,296.82 ▲ 132.78 ▲ 0.88%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,346.67 ▲ 113.22 ▲ 0.49%
Strait_Times.__ 3,290.98 ▼ -2.75 ▼ -0.08%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,127.87 ▲ 27.27 ▲ 0.53%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-move-higher-earnings-acquisition-172432051.html

Stocks move higher on earnings, acquisition news

US stocks march higher on acquisition and earnings news; Citigroup gains
Associated Press
By Alex Veiga, AP Business Writer

Stocks shook off last week's doldrums and finished sharply higher Monday, driven by a round of corporate deal news and strong earnings from Citigroup.

Investors cheered AECOM Technology's $4 billion acquisition of engineering and construction services company URS Corp., sending URS' stock up 11.6 percent and AECOM 8.6 percent.

Citigroup rose 3 percent after the bank turned in better-than-expected results and disclosed it has agreed to pay $7 billion to settle a federal probe into its mortgage securities business. JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Goldman Sachs, due to report earnings Tuesday, also got a lift.

All told, the three major stock indexes notched their second gain in two days. That's a turnaround from last week, when the Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 0.9 percent, its worst showing since April.

Concern about Portugal's Espirito Santo International, which reportedly missed a debt payment last week, harked back to issues that spawned Europe's debt crisis.

On Monday, investors appeared to be reassured any problems would be contained.

"Investors are saying if this Portugal thing really isn't significant from an impact standpoint, and the earnings are coming in good ... stocks ought to be going higher," said Phil Orlando, chief equity strategist at Federated Investments.

The major indexes rose in premarket trading as investors digested Citigroup's earnings. They opened in the green and held steady through the entire session.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 9.53 points, or 0.5 percent, to 1,977.10. The index is down 0.4 percent from its most recent all-time high of 1,985.44 set July 3.

Nine of the 10 sectors in the S&P 500 rose, led by energy stocks. Utilities fell the most.

The Dow Jones industrial average added 111.61 points, or 0.7 percent, to 17,055.42. The Dow is down slightly from its July 3 record of 17,068.65.

The Nasdaq composite gained 24.93 points, or 0.6 percent, to 4,440.42.

The three stock indexes are all up for the year.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.54 percent from 2.52 percent late Friday.

With the market trading near all-time highs, investors will be focused this week on a large number of corporate earnings, including quarterly reports from General Electric, Google, Bank of America and Johnson & Johnson.

So far investors like what they see.

"We got started off with a very good report out of Citibank this morning," Orlando said. "And economic news this week ”” retail sales, capacity utilization, housing data, confidence data ”” is all supposed to be pretty good."

Citigroup rose $1.42, or 3 percent, to $48.42.

Several other big investment banks also rose. Morgan Stanley added 40 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $31.81, while Goldman Sachs rose $2.20, or 1.3 percent, to $167. JPMorgan Chase climbed 49 cents, or 0.9 percent, to $56.29.

Recent data point to an improving U.S. economy after a slow start this year.

Employers added 288,000 jobs last month, the fifth straight month of gains above 200,000. And the national unemployment rate slid to 6.1 percent, a 5 1/2-year low.

More people with jobs means more paychecks, which could boost consumer spending and growth.

"You're starting to stack up some fairly impressive jobs numbers," said Liz Ann Sonders, chief investment strategist at Charles Schwab & Co. "There's a lot of momentum to this market."

That momentum is helping drive corporate deals. On Monday, generic drugmaker Mylan said it agreed to buy Abbott Laboratories' generic-drug business in developed markets for $5.3 billion. Mylan's stock added $1.04, or 2.1 percent, to $51.24, while shares of Abbott gained 52 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $41.82.

Meanwhile, Kindred Healthcare said it would pay $16 per share to buy up to a 14.9 percent stake in Gentiva Health Services. That's just short of the 15 percent limit imposed by a shareholder rights plan that Gentiva's board adopted earlier this year. Kindred climbed 36 cents, or 1.5 percent, to $24.74, while Gentiva gained 39 cents, or 2.5 percent, to $16.21.

In other deal news, Kodiak Oil & Gas agreed to sell itself to Whiting Petroleum in an all-stock deal. Kodiak rose 68 cents, or 4.8 percent, to $14.91. Whiting jumped $6.04, or 7.7 percent, to $84.58.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 5.26 points or ▲ 0.03% on Tuesday, 15 July 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,060.68 ▲ 5.26 ▲ 0.03%
Nasdaq____ 4,416.39 ▼ -24.03 ▼ -0.54%
S&P_500___ 1,973.28 ▼ -3.82 ▼ -0.19%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.37 ▲ 0.00 ▼ -0.06%

NYSE Volume 3,315,985,750
Nasdaq Volume 1,751,174,000

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,710.45 ▼ -35.69 ▼ -0.53%
DAX_____ 9,719.41 ▼ -63.60 ▼ -0.65%
CAC_40__ 4,305.31 ▼ -44.73 ▼ -1.03%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,495.70 ▼ -0.10 ▲ 0.00%
Shanghai_Comp 2,070.36 ▲ 3.71 ▲ 0.18%
Taiwan_Weight 9,569.17 ▲ 48.87 ▲ 0.51%
Nikkei_225___ 15,395.16 ▲ 98.34 ▲ 0.64%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,459.96 ▲ 113.29 ▲ 0.49%
Strait_Times.__ 3,290.90 ▼ -0.08 ▲ 0.00%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,115.40 ▼ -12.47 ▼ -0.24%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-mostly-down-investors-172830914.html

US stocks mostly down as investors digest earnings

US stocks mostly lower as investors assess earnings, Yellen remarks; Goldman, JPMorgan higher
Associated Press
By Alex Veiga, AP Business Writer

The Federal Reserve's latest take on the U.S. economy put many investors into sell mode Tuesday, sending stocks mostly lower after a brief upward turn early in the day.

Fed Chair Janet Yellen, speaking before Congress, said the U.S. economy has yet to recover fully, but raised the possibility the central bank could raise its key short-term interest rate sooner than currently projected.

The Fed also issued a report noting that valuations for stocks in some sectors, such as social media and biotech firms, appear to be stretched, sending shares in Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn lower.

By suggesting some stocks could be overvalued, the Fed is adding to a growing belief among some market watchers that stocks are due for a pullback, said Drew Wilson, an equity analyst at Fenimore Asset Management.

"In this type of environment when you have a lot of uncertainty, essentially you have this equilibrium that's looking to be broken one way or another, and the Fed chair saying 'financial bubble' could do that," Wilson said.

Investors had plenty more to consider, including a mostly encouraging batch of corporate earnings and economic data.

The major U.S. financial market indexes were up slightly in premarket trading as JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs and Johnson & Johnson released quarterly results that exceeded Wall Street's expectations.

Separate reports on U.S. retail sales and manufacturing growth also gave the market an early lift.

But stock indexes diverged shortly after the market opened and then fully veered into the red about an hour into regular trading as investors began to tune into Yellen delivering the central bank's semi-annual economic report to Congress.

Stocks finished the day mixed, with the Dow Jones industrial average eking out a tiny gain on the day.

The Dow added 5.26 points, or 0.03 percent, to 17,060.68. The index is down slightly from its July 3 record of 17,068.65.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 3.82 points, or 0.2 percent, to 1,973.28. The index is down 0.6 percent from its most recent all-time high of 1,985.44 set July 3.

The Nasdaq composite shed 24.03 points, or 0.5 percent, to 4,416.39.

The three stock indexes are all up for the year.

Bond prices barely budged. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note held steady at 2.55 percent.

Several tech stocks surged in after-market trading Tuesday.

Intel jumped $1.37, or 4.3 percent, to $33.08 after reporting strong second-quarter earnings and an increase to its stock buyback program. Apple and IBM rose after the former rivals announced they are teaming up to work on mobile applications in a bid to sell more iPhones and iPads to corporate customers. Apple rose $1.74, or 1.8 percent, to $97.06 in extended trading. IBM added $4.06, or 2.2 percent, to $192.55.

Meanwhile, Facebook fell 73 cents, or 1.1 percent, to $67.17, while Twitter slipped 43 cents, also 1.1 percent, to $37.88. LinkedIn fell $1.19, or 0.7 percent, to $158.51.

Yellen told Congress that the Fed intends to keep providing significant support to the U.S. economy to boost growth and improve labor market conditions, noting that the economic recovery is not yet complete.

Employers added 288,000 jobs last month, the fifth straight month of gains above 200,000. The national unemployment rate has slid to 6.1 percent, a 5 1/2-year low.

Yellen noted that if labor market conditions continue to improve more quickly than anticipated, the Fed could raise its key short-term interest rate sooner than currently projected.

"In light of corporate earnings being good, retail sales being good, manufacturing being good, even a data-driven Fed chairman is going to have to raise rates earlier than the market really wants," said Doug Cote, chief market strategist at Voya Investment Management. "So all the good fundamental data that should be good for the markets is also hawkish for rates."

Beyond the Fed, investors are mostly focused on company earnings this week, including quarterly reports from Bank of America, eBay and Yum Brands on Wednesday.

Bank earnings on Tuesday set a good tone for the latest earnings season.

JPMorgan, the nation's largest bank by assets, said its second-quarter earnings fell 9 percent as revenue at its investment banking and mortgage businesses dropped. The stock gained $1.98, or 3.5 percent, to $58.27. Goldman's profit rose 5 percent, helped by record results from investment banking. Goldman gained $2.17, or 1.3 percent, to $169.17.

Investors hammered companies whose quarterly results were less positive.

Shares in rent-to-own retailer Aaron's tumbled 9.5 percent after the company cut its profit and revenue outlook for the second quarter, partly citing performance of its core business. The stock shed $3.19 to $30.34.

Among other stocks in the news Tuesday:

”” Cigarette maker Reynolds American said it plans to buy rival Lorillard for about $25 billion in a deal to combine two of the nation's oldest and biggest tobacco companies. Reynolds fell $4.34, or 6.9 percent, to $58.84, while Lorillard sank $7.05, or 10.5 percent, to $60.17. Other tobacco stocks also declined: Altria Group slipped $1.59, or 3.7 percent, to $41.76, while Philip Morris International fell $1.36, or 1.6 percent, to $84.59.

”” Luxury goods retailer Michael Kors fell $6.23, or 7.3 percent, to $79.44 as some financial analysts cut their price target on the stock. Slowing sales growth even as the retailer cuts prices has worried some analysts.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 77.52 points or ▲ 0.45% on Wednesday, 16 July 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,138.20 ▲ 77.52 ▲ 0.45%
Nasdaq____ 4,425.97 ▲ 9.58 ▲ 0.22%
S&P_500___ 1,981.57 ▲ 8.29 ▲ 0.42%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.35 ▼ -0.02 ▼ -0.53%

NYSE Volume 3,371,228,000
Nasdaq Volume 2,058,345,250

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,784.67 ▲ 74.22 ▲ 1.11%
DAX_____ 9,859.27 ▲ 139.86 ▲ 1.44%
CAC_40__ 4,369.06 ▲ 63.75 ▲ 1.48%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,504.50 ▲ 8.80 ▲ 0.16%
Shanghai_Comp 2,067.28 ▼ -3.08 ▼ -0.15%
Taiwan_Weight 9,484.73 ▼ -84.44 ▼ -0.88%
Nikkei_225___ 15,379.30 ▼ -15.86 ▼ -0.10%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,523.28 ▲ 63.32 ▲ 0.27%
Strait_Times.__ 3,304.43 ▲ 13.01 ▲ 0.40%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,114.24 ▼ -1.15 ▼ -0.02%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-close-higher-time-201321819.html

US stocks close higher; Time Warner soars

Dow reaches another record following earnings, deal news; Time Warner soars on Murdoch bid
Associated Press
By Alex Veiga, AP Business Writer

Major stock indexes rebounded Wednesday, finishing higher for the third time in four days and lifting the Dow Jones industrial average to its second record close this month.

Investors had lots of market-moving news to consider, including encouraging corporate earnings from Intel, a higher profit forecast from hospital operator HCA Holdings and a pickup in U.S. homebuilders' confidence.

Trading appeared to get the biggest jolt from the latest batch of corporate deal news.

Investors drove Time Warner's stock up 17 percent on news that Twenty-First Century Fox made a takeover bid for the media giant. Other deals involving Apple and IBM as well as slot machine maker International Game Technology also helped lift the market.

"It's a continuation of what we've really been seeing this year, and it's almost a record amount of (mergers and acquisitions) going on," said David Chalupnik, head of equities at Nuveen Asset Management.

Momentum from Intel's strong second-quarter earnings late Tuesday and news that Apple and IBM are teaming up to sell more iPhones and iPads to corporate customers helped lift major stock indexes in premarket trading.

The disclosure by Rupert Murdoch's Twenty-First Century Fox that it had made a bid for Time Warner last month added to the modest rally.

Investors also got a dose of good news about housing. A key index of U.S. homebuilders' confidence in the housing market surged to its highest level since January and indicated that builders are more optimistic about selling homes in the second half of the year.

The major stock indexes opened slightly higher, led by the tech-heavy Nasdaq, and remained in positive territory the rest of the day.

All told, the Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 8.29 points, or 0.4 percent, to 1,981.57. The index remains near its most recent all-time high of 1,985.44 set July 3.

The Dow added 77.52 points, or 0.5 percent, to 17,138.20. That's up 0.4 percent from its previous record high of 17,068.65 set July 3.

The Nasdaq composite rose 9.58 points, or 0.2 percent, to 4,425.97.

The three stock indexes are all up for the year.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note dipped to 2.53 percent from 2.55 percent late Tuesday.

Cheap financing and a tough global economy have made acquisitions an attractive option for companies to expand their business.

The value of U.S. corporate deals has surged 80 percent to $1.02 trillion so far this year from $563 billion in the same period a year ago, according to Dealogic.

Fox's bid for Time Warner aims to counter consolidation among TV distributors.

While Time Warner rejected Fox's roughly $76 billion cash-and-stock offer, some financial analysts anticipate Fox will try again. Investors appeared to agree, sending Time Warner's stock up $12.12 to $83.13 on Wednesday. Twenty-First Century Fox fell $2.19, or 6.2 percent, to $33.

Meanwhile, International Game Technology vaulted 9.2 percent on news the slot machine maker has agreed to be sold to Italian lottery operator Gtech for $4.7 billion in cash and stock. International Game Technology added $1.42 to $16.92.

"Historically a lot of M&A doesn't work out, so it will be interesting to see how a lot of these deals play out three years from now," Chalupnik said.

Apart from corporate deals, investors had their eye on earnings.

"We've seen some pretty good earnings reports across different sectors," said Dave Roda, regional chief investment officer for Wells Fargo Private Bank in the Southeast.

Intel rose $2.94, or 9.3 percent, to $34.65. The chipmaker reported late Tuesday that earnings jumped 40 percent in the latest quarter, beating expectations, as companies picked up the pace of office PC replacement.

HCA Holdings jumped 10.5 percent after the hospital operator said its second-quarter financial results will be better than expected. It also raised its full-year outlook. The stock rose $5.78 to $60.99.

Among other stocks making news Wednesday:

”” Bank of America fell 30 cents, or 1.9 percent, to $15.51 after reporting second quarter earnings that were hit by higher litigation expenses. The Charlotte, North Carolina-based bank earned 19 cents per share compared with 32 cents a year ago.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -161.39 points or ▼ -0.94% on Thursday, 17 July 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,976.81 ▼ -161.39 ▼ -0.94%
Nasdaq____ 4,363.45 ▼ -62.52 ▼ -1.41%
S&P_500___ 1,958.12 ▼ -23.45 ▼ -1.18%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.29 ▼ -0.06 ▼ -1.73%

NYSE Volume 3,363,492,000
Nasdaq Volume 2,053,811,120

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,738.32 ▼ -46.35 ▼ -0.68%
DAX_____ 9,753.88 ▼ -105.39 ▼ -1.07%
CAC_40__ 4,316.12 ▼ -52.94 ▼ -1.21%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,509.90 ▲ 5.40 ▲ 0.10%
Shanghai_Comp 2,055.59 ▼ -11.68 ▼ -0.57%
Taiwan_Weight 9,408.24 ▼ -76.49 ▼ -0.81%
Nikkei_225___ 15,370.26 ▼ -9.04 ▼ -0.06%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,520.87 ▼ -2.41 ▼ -0.01%
Strait_Times.__ 3,306.89 ▲ 2.46 ▲ 0.07%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,112.39 ▼ -1.86 ▼ -0.04%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/jet-downing-weak-earnings-rattle-202136115.html

Jet downing, weak earnings rattle stock market

US stocks swoon on news of jet downing in Ukraine and disappointing corporate earnings
Associated Press
By Alex Veiga, AP Business Writer

The downing of a passenger plane flying over Ukraine rattled U.S. financial markets Thursday, deepening a slide set off by a batch of disappointing company earnings and a weak home construction report.

All three major stock indexes ended lower for the first time in a week, but remained near record highs and positive for the year.

Ukrainian officials said a Malaysia Airlines passenger plane carrying 295 people was shot down, although both the government and pro-Russia separatists fighting in the region denied responsibility. The situation raised concerns of wider geopolitical instability in the region and an escalation of tensions between Russia and the West.

Investors responded by seeking refuge in U.S. government bonds. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.46 percent, the lowest level since May. Gold and oil prices rose.

SanDisk, AutoNation, Yum Brands and Mattel were among the biggest decliners after reporting earnings or profit forecasts that disappointed investors. Airline and homebuilder stocks also fell sharply.

"What happened with the plane today and things swirling around with what may have actually happened with the plane caused a bit of a sell-off," said JJ Kinahan, chief strategist at TD Ameritrade. "The geopolitical risk is always the first one that people look for because it's the one that changes the fastest. The market always hates uncertainty."

The major stock indexes were down in premarket trading as investors pored through the latest company earnings and other news.

A pair of government reports pointed to an uneven U.S. recovery. The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment benefits fell last week, but home construction fell in June to the slowest pace in nine months, clouding the outlook for the housing recovery.

Homebuilders slumped on the news. M/I Homes led the decline, tumbling $1.38, or 5.8 percent, to $22.37.

"The housing starts numbers were weak, but housing has been incredibly volatile," said Randy Frederick, managing director of trading and derivatives at the Schwab Center for Financial Research. "They were definitely disappointing."

Stocks opened lower, but then drifted between small gains and losses, with the Dow inching briefly into positive territory.

That budding comeback stalled at midmorning when news broke of the downed plane.

The CBOE Volatility Index, also known as the "VIX," jumped 33 percent Thursday, reflecting investors' uneasiness. The index reflects investors' expectations of future volatility in the stock market.

All told, the Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 23.45 points, or 1.2 percent, to 1,958.12. The index remains near its most recent all-time high of 1,985.44 set July 3.

The Dow slid 161.39 points, or 0.9 percent, to 16,976.81.

The Nasdaq composite sank 62.52 points, or 1.4 percent, to 4,363.45.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.46 percent from 2.53 percent late Wednesday. Benchmark U.S. crude oil for August delivery jumped $1.99 to $103.19 in New York. Gold surged $17.10 to $1,316.90 an ounce.

All 10 sectors in the S&P 500 declined, led by energy stocks.

SanDisk fell the most of the 500 stocks in the index, losing 13.6 percent after the flash memory maker issued a disappointing outlook. The stock fell $14.62 to $93.21.

Sherwin-Williams bucked the trend, ending up as the biggest gainer in the index. It rose $9.22, or 4.6 percent, to $210.95.

Despite Thursday's decline, stocks remain near record territory.

The Dow set a record high close on Wednesday, its second this month, and the S&P 500 is hovering near its all-time high. That may have encouraged investors to sell some of their stock holdings Thursday, said Darrell Cronk, deputy chief investment officer for Wells Fargo Private Bank.

"It's more of some position-squaring and a little bit of profit-taking over the next couple of days as we continue to set new highs," Cronk said.

Even with growing geopolitical uncertainty, the market remained focused on company earnings, which have been mostly favorable so far.

On Thursday, however, many companies fell short.

AutoNation's second-quarter earnings rose 12 percent, but fell short of Wall Street's expectations. The stock of the nation's largest auto dealership chain fell $5.01, or 8 percent, to $55.82.

Mattel fell $2.57, or 7 percent, to $36.46 after the toy maker reported that its income plunged 61 percent in the second quarter, weighed down by costs tied to its acquisition of Mega Brands.

Yum Brands shares slid $5.70, or 7 percent, to $77.01 after the operator of Taco Bell, Pizza hut and KFC reported higher second-quarter earnings but also sluggish sales in the U.S. at Pizza Hut and KFC chains.

Among other stocks making news:

”” Microsoft rose 45 cents, or 1 percent, to $44.53 after announcing early Thursday that it will eliminate up to 18,000 jobs over the next year as it works to integrate the Nokia business it bought in April. The company has about 127,000 employees now.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 123.37 points or ▲ 0.73% on Friday, 18 July 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,100.18 ▲ 123.37 ▲ 0.73%
Nasdaq____ 4,432.15 ▲ 68.70 ▲ 1.57%
S&P_500___ 1,978.22 ▲ 20.10 ▲ 1.03%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.29 ▲ 0.00 ▲ 0.06%

NYSE Volume 3,087,313,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,824,232,250

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,749.45 ▲ 11.13 ▲ 0.17%
DAX_____ 9,720.02 ▼ -33.86 ▼ -0.35%
CAC_40__ 4,335.31 ▲ 19.19 ▲ 0.44%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,519.20 ▲ 9.30 ▲ 0.17%
Shanghai_Comp 2,059.07 ▲ 3.48 ▲ 0.17%
Taiwan_Weight 9,400.97 ▼ -7.27 ▼ -0.08%
Nikkei_225___ 15,215.71 ▼ -154.55 ▼ -1.01%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,454.79 ▼ -66.08 ▼ -0.28%
Strait_Times.__ 3,310.53 ▲ 3.64 ▲ 0.11%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,108.93 ▼ -3.46 ▼ -0.07%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-mount-strong-rebound-205150052.html

US stocks mount strong rebound on company earnings

Investors look past geopolitical hot spots, send stocks higher on strong company earnings
Associated Press
By Alex Veiga, AP Business Writer

Investors jumped on a wave of strong corporate financial results Friday, propelling stocks higher for the third time in five days.

The gains wiped out much of the market's losses from the day before, when the downing of a Malaysian Airlines passenger jet in eastern Ukraine stirred concerns that tensions between Russia and the West could escalate. Israel's launch of a ground offensive into Gaza also stoked geopolitical uncertainty.

Those worries appeared to ease Friday, as world leaders called for an immediate cease-fire in the region and international attention turned toward the task of determining what led to the aircraft being shot down. Investors turned their attention to the latest encouraging company earnings.

"Typically when these events hit the news, it's kind of a sell-now, ask-questions-later moment, and then there is a reassessment, and that's exactly what we had," said Quincy Krosby, market strategist at Prudential Financial. "Today, the market focused again on earnings, which for the most part were good, surprising to the upside, and the markets just basically got back to their normal business."

Signs of a rebound appeared early. The major stock indexes edged higher in premarket trading and demand for bonds waned, sending the yield on the 10-year Treasury note lower. Gold and oil prices also declined.

Strong earnings from several companies kept the market in positive territory after it opened. Investors drove up shares in Google, Honeywell International, furniture company Knoll and Huntington Banchsares, among others.

The Conference Board's latest index of leading indicators, designed to predict the economy's trajectory, stoked the market further. The index climbed in June for the fifth consecutive month. At the same time, investors brushed off a preliminary report showing consumer confidence dipped slightly.

The market built steadily on its gains throughout the day, reversing nearly all of the prior day's losses and putting all three major U.S. indexes into the green for the week.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index added 20.10 points, or 1 percent, to 1,978.22. The Dow rose 123.37 points, or 0.7 percent, to 17,100.18. The Nasdaq composite gained 68.70 points, or 1.6 percent, to 4,432.15.

The three major indexes remain ahead for the year.

Bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.48 percent from 2.45 percent late Thursday.

All 10 sectors in the S&P 500 rose, led by health care. The sector is up 10.6 percent this year.

Gilead Sciences notched the biggest gain among the 500 companies in the index, rising $4.12 or 4.8 percent, to $89.19. NVIDIA fell the most, shedding 86 cents, or 4.5 percent, to $18.44.

Investors largely looked through the brewing geopolitical hot spots this week in part because company earnings have been favorable, said Terry Sandven, chief equity strategist at U.S. Bank Wealth Management.

"Clearly the equity market remains remarkably resilient," he said. "Despite heightened political issues on the horizon the path of least resistance for equities is still up."

Generally, early results this earnings season have been in line with investors' expectations, and in some cases, much better, noted Lawrence Creatura, portfolio manager at Federated Investors.

Late Thursday, Google reported higher earnings and revenue, even as advertising rates continued to drop. Its stock added $24.29, or 4.2 percent, to $605.11.

Honeywell International gained $1.65, or 1.7 percent, to $96.82 after reporting that its income rose sharply in the latest quarter and beat investors' forecasts.

Furniture and accessories company Knoll and semiconductor Skyworks Solutions also got a lift from quarterly results that exceeded Wall Street's expectations. Knoll jumped $1.18, or 7 percent, to $18.15, while Skyworks rose $6.53, or 14.1 percent, to $52.87.

Banks have mostly reported strong second-quarter results, including Citigroup and Goldman Sachs earlier this week. Huntington Bancshares was no exception, reporting stronger earnings and net interest income. Its shares added 45 cents, or 4.8 percent, to $9.75.

The second-quarter earnings season enters its busiest period next week, when the market will get financial results from companies including McDonald's, Apple, Boeing and AT&T.

Among other stocks in the news Friday:

— Advanced Micro Devices sank after the chipmaker issued a revenue outlook for the current quarter that fell short of Wall Street's expectations. The company reported a narrower loss in its second quarter late Thursday. The stock fell 74 cents, or 16.2 percent, to $3.83.

9123

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -48.45 points or ▼ -0.28% on Monday, 21 July 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,051.73 ▼ -48.45 ▼ -0.28%
Nasdaq____ 4,424.70 ▼ -7.44 ▼ -0.17%
S&P_500___ 1,973.63 ▼ -4.59 ▼ -0.23%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.26 ▼ -0.03 ▼ -0.85%

NYSE Volume 2,595,768,500
Nasdaq Volume 1,537,539,000

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,728.44 ▼ -21.01 ▼ -0.31%
DAX_____ 9,612.05 ▼ -107.97 ▼ -1.11%
CAC_40__ 4,304.74 ▼ -30.57 ▼ -0.71%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,528.70 ▲ 9.50 ▲ 0.17%
Shanghai_Comp 2,054.48 ▼ -4.59 ▼ -0.22%
Taiwan_Weight 9,440.97 ▲ 40.00 ▲ 0.43%
Nikkei_225___ 15,215.71 ▼ -154.55 ▼ -1.01%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,387.14 ▼ -67.65 ▼ -0.29%
Strait_Times.__ 3,314.27 ▲ 3.74 ▲ 0.11%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,126.90 ▲ 17.97 ▲ 0.35%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stock-slip-start-week-143459001.html

US stock slip to start the week; Six Flags sinks

US stocks are falling to start the week as big companies post mixed quarterly results
Associated Press
By Matthew Craft, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- The stock market started the week with a slight loss on Monday as investors weighed a mixed batch of corporate earnings against mounting political turmoil.

European leaders are considering tougher sanctions on Russia for its backing of separatists accused of shooting down a Malaysia Airways passenger plane in Ukraine last week. The European Union's foreign ministers will meet Tuesday to discuss their next steps.

In Washington, President Barack Obama demanded that international investigators get full access to the crash site and said the separatists had blocked investigators.

"It looks like we hit a speed bump," said Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at BMO Private Bank in Chicago. "Earnings are coming through quite nicely so far, but geopolitics trump earnings today."

The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 4.59 points, or 0.2 percent, to close at 1,973.63. Seven of the 10 industry groups fell, led by retailers and other consumer-discretionary companies.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 48.45 points, or 0.3 percent, to 17,051.73, while the Nasdaq composite lost 7.44 points, or 0.2 percent, to 4,424.70.

European markets ended lower. Germany's DAX dropped 1.1 percent while France's CAC-40 lost 0.7 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 slipped 0.3 percent.

A few well-known companies turned in results that fell short of estimates on Monday. The toy maker Hasbro reported second-quarter earnings and revenue that came in below analysts' targets. Rising sales of My Little Pony, Transformers and other toys weren't enough to stem a decline in sales of games such as Twister. Hasbro's stock sank $1.43, or 2.7 percent, to $51.78.

Six Flags Entertainment posted higher profits and sales in the second quarter, but the theme-park operator's revenue came up short of what analysts had expected, partially a result of sluggish attendance. Six Flags slumped $1.69, or 4.1 percent, to $39.31.

Despite the dour news, the second-quarter earnings season is off to a strong start: Of the 88 companies that have reported results so far, 58 have beaten analysts' estimates.

Nearly a third of the companies in the S&P 500 index will hand in their quarterly results this week, including such heavyweights as Apple on Tuesday, Boeing on Wednesday and Amazon on Thursday.

In other trading on Monday, benchmark U.S. crude oil rose $1.46 to $104.59 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. In the market for U.S. government bonds, the yield on the 10-year Treasury note slipped to 2.47 percent from 2.48 percent late Friday.

Among other companies in the news, Yum Brands fell $3.29, or 4.3 percent, to $74.13 amid a new food-safety scare in China. The operator of KFC and Pizza Hut restaurants said its stores in China stopped buying products from a Shanghai supplier, while local officials investigate allegations that the supplier repackaged old beef and chicken and stamped new expiration dates on them.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 61.81 points or ▲ 0.36% on Tuesday, 22 July 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,113.54 ▲ 61.81 ▲ 0.36%
Nasdaq____ 4,456.02 ▲ 31.31 ▲ 0.71%
S&P_500___ 1,983.53 ▲ 9.90 ▲ 0.50%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.25 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.37%

NYSE Volume 2,870,294,750
Nasdaq Volume 1,711,080,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,795.34 ▲ 66.90 ▲ 0.99%
DAX_____ 9,734.33 ▲ 122.28 ▲ 1.27%
CAC_40__ 4,369.52 ▲ 64.78 ▲ 1.50%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,534.00 ▲ 5.30 ▲ 0.10%
Shanghai_Comp 2,075.48 ▲ 21.00 ▲ 1.02%
Taiwan_Weight 9,499.36 ▲ 58.39 ▲ 0.62%
Nikkei_225___ 15,343.28 ▲ 127.57 ▲ 0.84%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,782.11 ▲ 394.97 ▲ 1.69%
Strait_Times.__ 3,316.91 ▲ 2.64 ▲ 0.08%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,133.87 ▲ 6.97 ▲ 0.14%

http://news.yahoo.com/us-stocks-climb-earnings-reports-roll-141128174--finance.html

US stocks climb as earnings reports roll in

NEW YORK (AP) ”” Solid earnings for a range of big companies helped nudge the stock market higher on Tuesday.

The restaurant chain Chipotle Mexican Grill and the cable giant Comcast surged after reporting better results than Wall Street expected.

"The news today is pretty good," said JJ Kinahan, chief strategist at TD Ameritrade. Kinahan pointed to a report out Tuesday that showed little sign of inflation and an overall stronger outlook for earnings. During conference calls to discuss quarterly results, more CEOs are taking an optimistic tone, he said, instead of warning about possible dangers.

"In the past, they all spent their time tempering expectations," Kinahan said. "This earnings season we're not seeing that at all. I think people are taking comfort in it."

The Standard & Poor's 500 index added 9.90 points, or 0.5 percent, to 1,983.53. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 61.81 points, or 0.4 percent, to 17,113.54. The Nasdaq composite advanced 31.31 points, or 0.7 percent, to 4,456.02.

Chipotle surged $69.84, or 12 percent, to $659.77, the biggest gain in the S&P 500 index. The burrito chain reported that stronger sales drove its quarterly profit up 26 percent. The restaurant chain's results beat analysts' expectations, even as it raised prices on a range of menu items.

Comcast, the country's largest cable company, reported quarterly profits that topped Wall Street's targets as more people signed up for Internet service. Comcast gained 81 cents, or 1.5 percent, to $54.63.

Wall Street is in the middle of corporate earnings season, when companies release their quarterly results. Investors pore over those reports to gauge the financial health of Corporate America, and in turn, the U.S. economy. Roughly 150 companies in the S&P 500 will report their results this week, including AT&T and Boeing on Wednesday. Visa and Amazon will report on Thursday.

Not all the results released Tuesday were positive. Weak sales of Diet Coke and fruit juice weighed down Coca-Cola's second-quarter results, leading the company to post weaker revenue than Wall Street expected. Overall profit fell slightly. Coca-Cola's stock sank $1.21, or 3 percent, to $41.19.

Even though companies continue to post higher profits, the market still looks expensive compared to its historical average. The S&P 500 currently trades for 17.4 times earnings over the previous 12 months. The long-run average is closer to 15.

"In the short term, I expect the market to continue higher," said Brad McMillan, the chief investment officer at Commonwealth Financial. "But I am concerned about the market's valuation."

On the economic front, investors got another tame report on inflation. U.S. consumer prices inched up 0.3 percent in June, with most of the increase coming from higher gasoline prices, according to the Labor Department. Core prices, which exclude the volatile food and energy sectors, were up just 0.1 percent. Over the past year, core prices are up 1.9 percent, close to the Federal Reserve's target rate for inflation.

U.S. government bond prices rose, pushing the yield on the 10-year Treasury note down to 2.46 percent. Benchmark U.S. crude oil fell 17 cents to $104.42 a barrel.

In other company news:

Herbalife jumped $13.75, or 26 percent, to $67.77. Activist investor Bill Ackman, who has a $1 billion bet against the company, vollied his latest attack against the nutritional supplement and weight-loss company, but investors appeared to dismiss it.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -26.91 points or ▼ -0.16% on Wednesday, 23 July 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,086.63 ▼ -26.91 ▼ -0.16%
Nasdaq____ 4,473.70 ▲ 17.68 ▲ 0.40%
S&P_500___ 1,987.01 ▲ 3.48 ▲ 0.18%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.26 ▲ 0.01 ▲ 0.18%

NYSE Volume 2,846,261,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,888,349,120

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,798.15 ▲ 2.81 ▲ 0.04%
DAX_____ 9,753.56 ▲ 19.23 ▲ 0.20%
CAC_40__ 4,376.32 ▲ 6.80 ▲ 0.16%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,567.00 ▲ 33.00 ▲ 0.60%
Shanghai_Comp 2,078.49 ▲ 3.01 ▲ 0.14%
Taiwan_Weight 9,499.36 ▲ 58.39 ▲ 0.62%
Nikkei_225___ 15,328.56 ▼ -14.72 ▼ -0.10%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,971.87 ▲ 189.76 ▲ 0.80%
Strait_Times.__ 3,340.70 ▲ 23.79 ▲ 0.72%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,146.53 ▲ 12.66 ▲ 0.25%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/p-500-ekes-record-high-211022125.html

S&P 500 ekes out record high as earnings roll in

Standard & Poor's 500 index ekes out all-time high after Apple and Boeing report earnings
Associated Press
By Ken Sweet, AP Markets Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- The stock market eked out a record high Wednesday, as investors weighed positive earnings from the technology industry against disappointing news from Boeing and other companies.

Biotechnology stocks were among the largest gainers. Among big tech names, Apple's earnings topped Wall Street expectations, helped by rising shipments of iPhones. Microsoft also announced results that beat forecasts.

So far, with less than a fourth of U.S.-listed companies reporting their quarterly financial performance, results have been coming in better than expected.

About 72 percent of Standard & Poor's 500 companies that have reported earnings have beaten expectations, and 73 percent have beaten sales forecasts.

"It's a little early, but things seem to be coming in OK," said Sahak Manuelian, managing director of equity trading at Wedbush Securities.

Investors have become increasingly optimistic about the latest quarter. On June 30, they expected earnings to rise 4.9 percent from a year earlier. They now expect earnings to increase 5.5 percent.

The S&P 500 rose 3.48 points, or 0.2 percent, to close at 1,987.01, beating its previous record from July 3 by less than two points.

The Nasdaq composite rose 17.68 points, or 0.4 percent, to end at 4,473.70.

The Dow Jones industrial average bucked the trend. It fell 26.91 points, or 0.2 percent, to 17,086.63, and was dragged down by Boeing.

The aircraft maker slipped $3.03, or 2 percent, to $126.71, the biggest fall in the Dow, after reporting revenue Wednesday that missed analysts' expectations.

The Dow is a price-weighted index that has 30 stocks, so the movement of just one company can carry extra weight. Because Boeing is one of the Dow's most expensive stocks, it has an outsized impact.

Biotechnology stocks, meanwhile, helped lift the other major indexes.

Puma Biotechnology, a drug development company, soared after the company disclosed positive trial results for an experimental breast cancer drug. Puma rose $174.40, or 295 percent, to $233.43. Biogen Idec rose $33.93, or 11 percent, to $337.60 after its quarterly results came in above investors' expectations.

Unlike last week, investors were less focused on turmoil in Israel and Ukraine. However, market strategists say that with markets trading at all-time highs, any bad news could weigh on U.S. stocks.

"Geopolitical flare-ups, European bank-related market jitters, today's stretched valuations and relatively low market volatility leave (the market) vulnerable," Russ Koesterich, chief investment strategist at Blackrock, wrote in a note to investors.

In other markets, the yield on the 10-year Treasury note was unchanged at 2.47 percent from Tuesday. Benchmark U.S. crude oil fell 17 cents to $104.42 a barrel.

Among significant stock moves:

”” Apple rose $2.47, or 2.6 percent, to $97.19 after reporting late Tuesday that its profit rose by 12 percent in its latest quarter.

”” Microsoft also reported its results late Tuesday. The software company reported an adjusted profit of 66 cents a share, better than then 60 cents analysts were looking for. Its stock edged up 0.1 percent.

”” Facebook rose 4 percent in aftermarket trading to 74.05 after the company reported a profit that more than doubled in the second quarter and topped expectations.

”” Electronic Arts fell $2.38, or 6.2 percent, to $36.04. The video game publisher reported a 51 percent rise in earnings late Tuesday, but said it will delay the release of the latest version of its popular "Battlefield" title until 2015, missing the crucial holiday season.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -2.83 points or ▼ -0.02% on Thursday, 24 July 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,083.80 ▼ -2.83 ▼ -0.02%
Nasdaq____ 4,472.11 ▼ -1.59 ▼ -0.04%
S&P_500___ 1,987.98 ▲ 0.97 ▲ 0.05%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.30 ▲ 0.04 ▲ 1.29%

NYSE Volume 3,077,995,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,907,722,880

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,821.46 ▲ 23.31 ▲ 0.34%
DAX_____ 9,794.06 ▲ 40.50 ▲ 0.42%
CAC_40__ 4,410.65 ▲ 34.33 ▲ 0.78%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,576.80 ▲ 9.80 ▲ 0.18%
Shanghai_Comp 2,105.06 ▲ 26.57 ▲ 1.28%
Taiwan_Weight 9,527.54 ▲ 28.18 ▲ 0.30%
Nikkei_225___ 15,284.42 ▼ -44.14 ▼ -0.29%
Hang_Seng.__ 24,141.50 ▲ 169.63 ▲ 0.71%
Strait_Times.__ 3,353.89 ▲ 13.19 ▲ 0.39%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,174.71 ▲ 28.18 ▲ 0.55%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/much-movement-stocks-end-where-210034764.html

After much movement, stocks end where they began

Stocks end little changed as investors work through earnings and economic reports
Associated Press
By Ken Sweet, AP Markets Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Only Wall Street could make the buying and selling of more than 3 billion shares look like nothing happened.

Major U.S. stock indexes ended roughly where they began Thursday, despite investors having to work through a busy day of corporate earnings and two economic reports.

Underneath the flat surface, there was a lot of movement in individual companies. "It's a stock-specific market right now," said Ryan Larson, head of equity trading at RBC Global Asset Management.

Facebook's stock rose 5 percent while Caterpillar's fell 3 percent after the companies each reported quarterly results.

The Dow Jones industrial average edged down 2.83 points, or 0.02 percent, to close at 17,083.80. It was the fourth-smallest point move in the blue chips this year. The Nasdaq fell 1.59 points, or 0.4 percent, to 4,472.11.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index managed to rise 0.97 of a point, or 0.05 percent, to 1,987.98 ”” a record, though barely. The day before, the S&P 500 closed at 1,987.01.

Three billion shares changed hands on the New York Stock Exchange Thursday, a quieter-than-average day.

Facebook rose $3.69 to $74.98 after announcing a profit that trounced investors' expectations. The company reported an adjusted profit of 42 cents per share versus the 33 cents analysts were looking for, according to a poll by Zacks Investment Research. Mobile advertising, a crucial business for the world's largest social media company, saw major growth.

"It was a very impressive quarter on top of what we believe were very high Street expectations," said Paul Vogel, an analyst with Barclays Capital, in a note to investors.

Dow member Caterpillar fell $3.34 to $105.04, making it the biggest decliner among the 30 companies that make up the average. The equipment maker's quarterly revenue fell short of forecasts.

Homebuilder stocks slid after the government reported that new home sales sagged 8.1 percent last month. The report also revised down the May sales rate. Shares of Pulte Homes and KB Home fell 3 percent while Toll Brothers fell 4 percent. D.R. Horton quarterly results also dragged down homebuilders. Its profit dropped, and the stock price fell $2.86, or 12 percent, to $21.94.

Another industry that got a lot of attention was autos. Ford rose 6 cents, or 0.3 percent, to $17.84 after reporting a 6 percent increase in second-quarter profit. The automaker was helped by increased sales in Europe. General Motors fell $1.67, or 4.5 percent, to $35.74 after announcing an 85-percent drop in quarterly earnings. The company is in the midst of the worst recall crisis in its history.

Investors got some good news about jobs. The Labor Department reported weekly applications for unemployment aid dropped 19,000 to a seasonally adjusted 284,000 claims. That's the lowest reading since February 2006, nearly two years before the Great Recession began.

In other markets, the yield on the 10-year Treasury note nudged up to 2.51 percent from 2.47 percent late Wednesday. Bond yields rise when prices fall. U.S. crude oil fell $1.05, or 1 percent, to $102.07 a barrel in New York.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -123.23 points or ▼ -0.72% on Friday, 25 July 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,960.57 ▼ -123.23 ▼ -0.72%
Nasdaq____ 4,449.56 ▼ -22.54 ▼ -0.50%
S&P_500___ 1,978.34 ▼ -9.64 ▼ -0.48%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.24 ▼ -0.06 ▼ -1.70%

NYSE Volume 2,617,781,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,697,309,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,791.55 ▼ -29.91 ▼ -0.44%
DAX_____ 9,644.01 ▼ -150.05 ▼ -1.53%
CAC_40__ 4,330.55 ▼ -80.10 ▼ -1.82%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,574.20 ▼ -2.60 ▼ -0.05%
Shanghai_Comp 2,126.61 ▲ 21.55 ▲ 1.02%
Taiwan_Weight 9,439.29 ▼ -88.25 ▼ -0.93%
Nikkei_225___ 15,457.87 ▲ 173.45 ▲ 1.13%
Hang_Seng.__ 24,216.01 ▲ 74.51 ▲ 0.31%
Strait_Times.__ 3,350.17 ▼ -3.72 ▼ -0.11%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,194.27 ▲ 19.56 ▲ 0.38%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/worries-us-consumers-drag-stocks-205755378.html

Worries about US consumers drag stocks lower

Stocks fall as results at Amazon, Visa raise worries about consumers; Dow ends below 17,000
Associated Press
By Ken Sweet, AP Markets Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Investors got some bad news about the American shopper on Friday, driving down stocks and sending the Dow Jones industrial average to a loss for the week.

Two major U.S. companies — the retail giant Amazon and the credit card processor Visa — both said that the second half of the year was looking more troubled than originally expected. The cautious outlook from two companies so heavily exposed to consumer spending spooked investors, causing the stock market to fall at the open and remain lower throughout the day.

"Visa put a lot of caution into the market this morning," said Quincy Krosby, a market strategist at Prudential Financial.

The Dow dropped 123.23 points, or 0.7 percent, to 16,960.57. It's the first time the Dow has closed below the psychologically notable 17,000-point mark since July 9.

The Standard & Poor's 500 fell 9.64 points, or 0.5 percent, to 1,978.34 and the Nasdaq composite fell 22.54 points, or 0.5 percent, to 4,449.56.

With Friday's selling, the Dow fell 0.8 percent this week. The S&P 500 closed basically unchanged and the Nasdaq rose 0.4 percent this week.

Visa was the biggest decliner among the blue chips, falling $7.97, or 3.6 percent, to $214.77. The credit card processor reported an 11 percent rise in quarterly profit but cut its full-year forecast on concerns about growth overseas.

Because the Dow is a price-weighted index, and Visa is the most expensive stock in the Dow, Visa was having an outsized impact on it. Roughly 60 points of the Dow's decline can be attributed to Visa.

Investors have closely watched Visa ever since the company went public in 2008. Credit cards that use Visa's payment system are in nearly person's pocket, and each time a consumer buys a product with a Visa card the company takes a small percentage.

To see Visa give a cautious outlook is worrisome, Krosby said.

"Visa represents the consumer and the consumer is one of the most important pieces for the future of this economic recovery," she said.

Amazon's quarterly results didn't help boost investor sentiment either.

Amazon's stock slumped 10 percent after the online retail giant late Thursday posted a much wider loss than analysts had forecast, hit by expenses. The Seattle-based company is focused on spending the money it makes to expand into new areas and products, including a smartphone, the Fire, which starts selling Friday.

Amazon fell $36.60 to close at $324.01, the biggest decliner in the S&P 500 index.

Investors retreated from riskier stocks and moved into traditional havens at times of uncertainty: bonds and gold. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note eased to 2.47 percent from 2.50 percent late Thursday as demand for the government bond rose. Gold climbed $12.50, or 1 percent, to $1,303.30 an ounce

Despite the disappointing news from those consumer-focused companies, corporate earnings from the latest quarter have been solid. Of the 230 companies that have reported so far, 76 percent have beaten profit expectations and 67 percent have beaten sales expectations, according to FactSet. So far the S&P 500 is averaging a 6.7 percent earnings growth this quarter compared to a year ago. Investors had expected earnings to be up 4.9 percent when the results started to roll in at the beginning of July.

Even with Friday's declines, the stock market remains near all-time highs, and the S&P 500 closed at a record Thursday..

That made some investors cautious.

"I continue to see the level of complacency in the (stock) market to be unnerving," Scott Clemons, chief investment strategist at Brown Brothers Harriman, which manages $25 billion in assets for private investors. "All of this geopolitical tension, the market trading near all-time highs, I think the market is at a critical state right now."

Clemons said he doesn't believe the market is poised for a major sell-off, but instead thinks investors should brace for more volatility and more heavy-handed reaction to disappointing earnings or data, like Friday's Amazon and Visa results.

In other company news:

— Starbucks fell $1.71, or 2 percent, to $78.74, despite the company reporting a profit that came in above analysts' expectations. The company also raised its full-year profit forecast.

— El Pollo Loco surged $9.03, or 60 percent, to $24.03 on its first day of trading in the public market. The grilled chicken restaurant chain priced its shares at $15 per share late Thursday.

9615

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 22.02 points or ▲ 0.13% on Monday, 28 July 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,982.59 ▲ 22.02 ▲ 0.13%
Nasdaq____ 4,444.91 ▼ -4.65 ▼ -0.10%
S&P_500___ 1,978.91 ▲ 0.57 ▲ 0.03%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.26 ▲ 0.02 ▲ 0.55%

NYSE Volume 2,773,161,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,765,685,000

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,788.07 ▼ -3.48 ▼ -0.05%
DAX_____ 9,598.17 ▼ -45.84 ▼ -0.48%
CAC_40__ 4,344.77 ▲ 14.22 ▲ 0.33%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,569.90 ▼ -4.30 ▼ -0.08%
Shanghai_Comp 2,177.95 ▲ 51.33 ▲ 2.41%
Taiwan_Weight 9,420.18 ▼ -19.11 ▼ -0.20%
Nikkei_225___ 15,529.40 ▲ 71.53 ▲ 0.46%
Hang_Seng.__ 24,428.63 ▲ 212.62 ▲ 0.88%
Strait_Times.__ 3,350.17 ▼ -3.72 ▼ -0.11%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,187.14 ▼ -7.13 ▼ -0.14%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-pause-traders-await-key-204314977.html

Stocks pause as traders await key economic news

US stocks end little changed as traders wait for key economic reports and more earnings
Associated Press
By Matthew Craft, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- After dawdling between small gains and losses in a slow day of summer trading, the stock market ended little changed on Monday.

Instead of worrying about the conflict between Russia and Ukraine or trouble in the world's other hot spots, investors appeared to sit tight.

The main reason, said Robert Pavlik, chief market strategist at Banyan Partners, a wealth management firm, is that the news that's most likely to move the market comes out later in the week.

On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve wraps up a two-day meeting then issues a statement that investors will study for any hints about the Fed's next interest-rate move. On Friday, the government releases its closely watched monthly jobs report.

"If you're a professional investor," Pavlik said, "the big things you focus on this week are what the Federal Reserve says Wednesday and Friday's monthly employment report."

A scattering of merger announcements drove some trading on Monday. Family Dollar rose the most in the Standard & Poor's 500 index ”” with a 25 percent gain ”” after Dollar Tree announced plans to buy the rival discount store for roughly $8.5 billion. Family Dollar's stock surged $15.08 to $75.74.

Trulia jumped on news that Zillow, a rival real-estate listing service, was buying it for $3.5 billion. Trulia advanced $8.69, or 15 percent, to $65.04. Zillow picked up $1.46, or 1 percent, to $160.32.

The S&P 500 index edged up 0.57 of a point, or 0.03 percent, to close at 1,978.91.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 22.02 points, 0.1 percent, to 16,982.59, while the Nasdaq composite slipped 4.65 points, or 0.1 percent, to 4,444.91.

Wall Street is in the middle of second-quarter earnings season, when big companies turn in their springtime results and tell investors how they think the rest of the year will shape up. This week, ExxonMobil and MasterCard are among the heavyweights posting earnings. American Express and Merck report Tuesday.

So far, the news has been better than many expected. Of the 229 companies that have posted results, nearly seven out of 10 have turned in higher profits than analysts projected, according to S&P Capital IQ.

Among the handful of companies reporting Monday, Tyson Foods announced higher quarterly profits as well as a plan to sell its chicken business in Mexico and Brazil for $575 million in cash. Tyson Foods climbed $1.02, or 3 percent, to $40.56.

Tensions between Western powers and Russia remained a concern for investors. On Monday, an international court ordered Russia to pay over $50 billion to a group of investors for the expropriation of now-defunct oil company Yukos. The ruling comes as European countries consider imposing sanctions on trade in defense, technology and other goods and restricting access to European capital markets for Russia's state-owned companies.

Pavlik said most U.S. investors have managed to set aside their worries over world politics and focus on the improving economy, though the conflicts could still rattle markets

"I think the market is doing what it should be doing," he said. "It's not getting sucked into all the bad news out there. Russia is lobbing bombs into Ukraine, and that appears like it could spiral out of control. The Middle East looks out of control. But the stock market is trading near an all-time high."

In other trading on Monday, France's CAC 40 rose 0.3 percent while Germany's DAX shed 0.5 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 slipped 0.1 percent.

News that profits at China's industrial enterprises soared 17.9 percent in June over a year earlier suggested that the world's No. 2 economy has stabilized and gave Asian markets a boost. China's benchmark Shanghai Composite Index surged 2.4 percent.

The price of oil fell as traders awaited this week's economic reports. Benchmark U.S. crude oil fell 42 cents to $101.67 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils, fell 82 cents to $107.57 on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

BONDS: In U.S. government bonds, the yield on the 10-year Treasury note inched up to 2.48 percent from 2.47 percent late Friday. Bond yields rise when prices fall.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -70.48 points or ▼ -0.42% on Tuesday, 29 July 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,912.11 ▼ -70.48 ▼ -0.42%
Nasdaq____ 4,442.70 ▼ -2.21 ▼ -0.05%
S&P_500___ 1,969.95 ▼ -8.96 ▼ -0.45%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.22 ▼ -0.04 ▼ -1.23%

NYSE Volume 3,143,071,750
Nasdaq Volume 2,072,515,000

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,807.75 ▲ 19.68 ▲ 0.29%
DAX_____ 9,653.63 ▲ 55.46 ▲ 0.58%
CAC_40__ 4,365.58 ▲ 20.81 ▲ 0.48%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,580.60 ▲ 10.70 ▲ 0.19%
Shanghai_Comp 2,183.19 ▲ 5.24 ▲ 0.24%
Taiwan_Weight 9,391.88 ▼ -28.30 ▼ -0.30%
Nikkei_225___ 15,618.07 ▲ 88.67 ▲ 0.57%
Hang_Seng.__ 24,640.53 ▲ 211.90 ▲ 0.87%
Strait_Times.__ 3,357.63 ▲ 7.46 ▲ 0.22%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,165.56 ▼ -21.59 ▼ -0.42%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-end-lower-ahead-economic-210043948.html

Stocks end lower ahead of economic data

Stock market ends modestly lower ahead of key economic reports later this week
Associated Press
By Matthew Craft, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- The stock market fell modestly on Tuesday as investors focused on a batch of big economic reports ahead.

On Wednesday, the government releases its look at economic growth in the spring quarter and the Federal Reserve finishes a two-day meeting. The next day, a report on China's manufacturing industry will give investors an update on the health of the world's factory floor.

For U.S. investors, the key news comes Friday, when the Labor Department releases its monthly report on the jobs market.

With traders cautious ahead of these reports, the market has drifted.

"So far, it seems like this week is about waiting for later this week," said Bill Stone, chief investment strategist at PNC Asset Management Group.

Stocks spent most of Tuesday wandering around the start line. Major indexes crept higher in the morning, following news that a gauge of consumer confidence hit its highest level in nearly seven years. Major indexes turned flat by midday then slid to a loss in the last hours of trading.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 8.96 points, or 0.5 percent, to close at 1,969.95.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 70.48 points, or 0.4 percent, to 16,912.11, while the Nasdaq composite slipped 2.21 points, less than 0.1 percent, to 4,442.70.

Telecoms were the only one of the 10 industry groups in the S&P 500 to rise as traders plowed into a range of telephone and cable stocks, including AT&T and Verizon. The moves came after Windstream Holdings announced plans to move some of its network into a trust that won't pay income tax. Windstream's stock jumped $1.30, or 12 percent, to $11.83.

This week marks the half-way point for second-quarter earnings, and the overall results look solid. Earnings are on track to climb 8.8 percent over the year. At the start of the earnings season, analysts predicted an increase of 6 percent.

Among the heavyweights turning in results Tuesday, Merck reported a large sale and a tax benefit that helped it more than double second-quarter earnings, easily topping Wall Street's expectations. The drugmaker also raised its profit forecast for 2014. Its stock climbed 61 cents, or 1 percent, to $58.58.

A warning of lower profits from United Parcel Service knocked its stock down. UPS said spending on technology to improve its service during the upcoming holiday season will take a cut out of its full-year earnings. The shipping company also said its second-quarter earnings fell 58 percent, though shipments and sales picked up. UPS sank $3.80, or 4 percent, to $98.86.

Even with earnings coming in, traders are mostly biding their time until the economic news hits.

"In the next three days we're going to get so much information on the state of the economy," said Jim Paulsen, chief investment strategist at Wells Capital Management. "It could change the landscape under our feet."

In other markets:

The price of oil fell on concerns about the strength of demand for oil and gasoline in the U.S., ahead of the weekly report on supplies from the Energy Department. Benchmark U.S. crude slipped 70 cents to $100.97 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -31.75 points or ▼ -0.19% on Wednesday, 30 July 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,880.36 ▼ -31.75 ▼ -0.19%
Nasdaq____ 4,462.90 ▲ 20.20 ▲ 0.45%
S&P_500___ 1,970.07 ▲ 0.12 ▲ 0.01%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.31 ▲ 0.09 ▲ 2.73%

NYSE Volume 3,442,766,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,838,817,380

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,773.44 ▼ -34.31 ▼ -0.50%
DAX_____ 9,593.68 ▼ -59.95 ▼ -0.62%
CAC_40__ 4,312.30 ▼ -53.28 ▼ -1.22%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,615.10 ▲ 34.50 ▲ 0.62%
Shanghai_Comp 2,181.24 ▼ -1.95 ▼ -0.09%
Taiwan_Weight 9,447.02 ▲ 55.14 ▲ 0.59%
Nikkei_225___ 15,646.23 ▲ 28.16 ▲ 0.18%
Hang_Seng.__ 24,732.21 ▲ 91.68 ▲ 0.37%
Strait_Times.__ 3,353.65 ▼ -2.43 ▼ -0.07%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,158.55 ▼ -7.00 ▼ -0.14%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-flatten-fed-delivers-no-204018530.html

Stocks flatten out after Fed delivers no surprises

Stock market ends flat after Federal Reserve delivers no surprises with latest stimulus cut
Associated Press
By Matthew Craft, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- A cheerful report on the U.S. economy, rising profits and no surprises from the Federal Reserve left the stock market nearly where it started on Wednesday.

The news was nearly all good. The government said that the economy grew at a robust 4 percent annual rate this spring. Later in the day, the Federal Reserve did exactly what investors expected. It scaled back its support for the economy, while pledging to keep short term interest rates low "for a considerable time" after it stops buying bonds.

Traders sold U.S. government bonds, pushing the 2-year Treasury note to 0.56 percent, the highest level this year. It's a clear sign bond traders think an improving economy will force the Fed to raise interest rates sooner rather than later. Meanwhile, stock investors were mainly sitting on their hands.

"Good news is getting to be bad news again," said Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at BMO Private Bank, referring to the lack of enthusiasm among investors in the stock market. "The G.D.P. report is obviously good news, so why are stocks off? Because people are wondering when the party will come to an end."

The Standard & Poor's 500 index ended with a gain of 0.12 of a point, or 0.01 percent, at 1,970.07.

The Dow Jones industrial average slipped 31.75 points, or 0.2 percent, to close at 16,880.36. The Nasdaq composite rose 20.20 points, or 0.5 percent, to 4,462.90.

The Fed announced plans to make further cuts to its monthly bond purchases, a program launched after the financial crisis to encourage borrowing and spending. At the current pace of cutbacks, the Fed's bond purchases will end in October.

Most economists expect that the Fed could start raising rates next year as the economy improves.

A strong report on the economy is always good news for the stock market over the long haul, said Darrell Cronk, Deputy Chief Investment Officer for Wells Fargo Wealth Management. In the near term, though, investors are bound weigh any good news against a possible interest-rate move from the Federal Reserve.

"I'd love to get back to where what matters most for the market is the economy not what the latest read is on the Fed," Cronk said.

Investors were also following the parade of big companies turning in their second-quarter results. The reports out Wednesday presented a mixed picture. Sliding sales for Goodyear Tire & Rubber knocked its stock down $2.14, or 8 percent, to $25.45.

Twitter's stronger revenue sent its stock up 20 percent Wednesday. The company reported a quarterly loss late Tuesday but its revenue more than doubled over the year, thanks to new advertising tools and a surge in traffic from soccer fans following the World Cup. Twitter's stock surged $7.71 to $46.30.

Amgen said Tuesday that it plans to lay off up to 15 percent of its worldwide workforce and close four sites, even as it reported second-quarter results that trounced Wall Street expectations. The drugmaker also raised its forecasts for its 2014 profit and sales. Amgen's stock climbed $6.70, or 5 percent, to $130.01.

Overall, earnings at U.S. companies have been better than many expected. More than half of the companies in the S&P 500 have reported results for the second quarter, and seven out of 10 have posted higher profits than analysts projected, according to S&P Capital IQ.

News of stronger U.S. economic growth sent prices for U.S. government bonds lower. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note jumped to 2.55 percent from 2.46 percent late Tuesday, a huge move in the usually placid bond market.

In energy trading, the price of oil fell as inventories of gasoline and diesel continued to build. Benchmark U.S. crude fell 70 cents to close at $100.27 a barrel. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, fell $1.21 to close at $106.51 on the ICE Futures exchange in London. Wholesale gasoline fell 2.9 cents to close at $2.816 a gallon in New York.

Gold for August delivery fell $3.40 to $1,294.90 an ounce. September silver rose a penny to $20.60 an ounce.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -317.06 points or ▼ -1.88% on Thursday, 31 July 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,563.30 ▼ -317.06 ▼ -1.88%
Nasdaq____ 4,369.77 ▼ -93.13 ▼ -2.09%
S&P_500___ 1,930.67 ▼ -39.40 ▼ -2.00%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.31 ▲ 0.00 ▲ 0.03%

NYSE Volume 4,229,507,500
Nasdaq Volume 2,216,321,500

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,730.11 ▼ -43.33 ▼ -0.64%
DAX_____ 9,407.48 ▼ -186.20 ▼ -1.94%
CAC_40__ 4,246.14 ▼ -66.16 ▼ -1.53%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,623.10 ▲ 8.00 ▲ 0.14%
Shanghai_Comp 2,201.56 ▲ 20.32 ▲ 0.93%
Taiwan_Weight 9,315.85 ▼ -131.17 ▼ -1.39%
Nikkei_225___ 15,620.77 ▼ -25.46 ▼ -0.16%
Hang_Seng.__ 24,756.85 ▲ 24.64 ▲ 0.10%
Strait_Times.__ 3,374.06 ▲ 20.41 ▲ 0.61%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,167.99 ▲ 9.44 ▲ 0.18%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-plunge-wiping-julys-194718559.html

US stocks plunge, wiping out July's gains

Stocks plunge, wiping out July gains; Market logs first loss since January
Associated Press
By Steve Rothwell, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- For investors, there were few havens on Thursday.

The stock market had its worst one-day drop since February, driven down by a confluence of worries, from weak company earnings to the looming end of stimulus from the Federal Reserve.

But it wasn't just stocks that suffered; oil fell to its lowest level since March, gold dropped and even Treasury notes edged lower.

Stocks started the day lower after a dose of bad earnings news, and the losses accelerated throughout the day.

Whole Foods Market and Exxon Mobil were among companies that fell after reporting results or forecasts that disappointed investors.

The stock market has been on a bull run for more than five years, with the most recent leg of that surge pushing the Standard & Poor's 500 index to an all-time high a week ago. Investors are now getting concerned that stocks may have climbed too far and reflect too much optimism on the outlook for growth.

"We've been on a strong run," said Jerry Braakman, chief investment officer at First American Trust. "There's just more concern that stock valuations are rich compared to historical norms."

The S&P 500 dropped 39.40 points, or 2 percent, to 1,930.67, its biggest loss since April 10. The drop pushed the index to its first monthly loss since January.

The Dow Jones industrial average plunged 317.06 points, or 1.9 percent, to 16,563.30. The Nasdaq composite fell 93.13 points, or 2.1 percent, to 4,369.77. The Russell 2000, an index of small company stocks, plunged 26.50 points, or 2.3 percent, to 1,120.07

Exxon Mobil stock fell $4.31, or 4.2 percent, to $98.94 after the energy company said that oil and gas production slipped 6 percent, disappointing analysts. The decline was driven by the expiration of rights to a field in Abu Dhabi and natural field declines.

Investors are also concerned about the outlook for growth in Europe as tensions escalate between the European Union and Russia after the downing of a passenger plane over Ukraine. The European Union on Thursday revealed the details of broad economic sanctions against Russia.

The main driver behind Thursday's sell-off was a reassessment of the outlook for interest rates in the U.S. said Paul Zemsky, chief investment officer of Multi-Asset Strategies and Solutions at Voya Investment Management.

Fed policymakers said the central bank would make further cuts to its monthly bond purchases, a program that is intended to keep long-term interest rates low and encourage borrowing and spending. Policy makers are also becoming more optimistic about the outlook for the U.S. economy after growth expanded by a better-than-expected 4 percent in the second quarter.

"We're closer to the first move higher in interest rates," said Zemsky. "And there's definitely a camp that believes that the only reason that were at these levels is because the Fed has kept the rates at zero."

Despite Thursday's weak earnings reports, the overall outlook for company profits is still strong, said Zemsky.

Company earnings are still at record levels, and expected to grow by 8.6 percent in the second quarter, according to data from S&P Capital IQ. That compares to growth of 4.9 percent in the same period a year ago and 3.4 percent growth in the first three months of this year.

Gold fell $13.60, or 1.1 percent, to $1,281.30 an ounce. Silver fell 19 cents, or 0.9 percent, to $20.41 an ounce.

Benchmark U.S. crude fell $2.10 to close at $98.17 a barrel in New York, its lowest level since March 17. Oil's high for the year was $107.26, set on June 20; its low was $91.66, set on January 9.

Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, fell 49 cents Thursday to close at $106.02 in London.

Prices for U.S. government bonds were little changed. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note edged up to 2.57 percent from 2.56 percent on Wednesday.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -69.93 points or ▼ -0.42% on Friday, 1 August 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,493.37 ▼ -69.93 ▼ -0.42%
Nasdaq____ 4,352.64 ▼ -17.13 ▼ -0.39%
S&P_500___ 1,925.15 ▼ -5.52 ▼ -0.29%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.30 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.42%

NYSE Volume 3,849,729,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,977,293,250

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,679.18 ▼ -50.93 ▼ -0.76%
DAX_____ 9,210.08 ▼ -197.40 ▼ -2.10%
CAC_40__ 4,202.78 ▼ -43.36 ▼ -1.02%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,547.60 ▼ -75.50 ▼ -1.34%
Shanghai_Comp 2,185.30 ▼ -16.26 ▼ -0.74%
Taiwan_Weight 9,266.51 ▼ -49.34 ▼ -0.53%
Nikkei_225___ 15,523.11 ▼ -97.66 ▼ -0.63%
Hang_Seng.__ 24,532.43 ▼ -224.42 ▼ -0.91%
Strait_Times.__ 3,344.42 ▼ -29.64 ▼ -0.88%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,109.93 ▼ -58.06 ▼ -1.12%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/p-500...;_ylg=X3oDMTBhYWM1a2sxBGxhbmcDZW4tVVM-;_ylv=3

S&P 500 has its worst week in 2 years

S&P 500 has its worst week since 2012 as geopolitical, Europe concerns worry US investors
Associated Press
By Ken Sweet, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- U.S. stocks fell for a second day Friday, adding to the massive sell-off the day before and giving the market its worst week in two years.

Investors found little reason to move money into stocks, faced with the growing geopolitical concerns in Israel and Ukraine, as well as banking problems in Europe.

For the last two years investors have generally wanted to step in to buy any major fall in the stock market, traders said, causing any sell-off to be met the following day with modest buying. Traders said that the selling Friday, on top of what happened the day before, is not a good sign.

"The follow-through from yesterday's (market drop) is very telling," said Jonathan Corpina, a trader on the New York Stock Exchange with Meridian Equity Partners. "The end of this week could not come at a better time as the weekend might provide some stability."

On Friday the Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 5.52 points, or 0.3 percent, to 1,925.15. The index fell 2.7 percent this week, its worst weekly performance since June 2012.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 69.93 points, or 0.4 percent, to 16,493.37. That's on top of the 317-point drop the index had on Thursday. The Nasdaq composite fell 17.13 points, or 0.4 percent, to 4,352.64.

Energy and financial stocks were among the biggest decliners. Chevron, the nation's second-largest oil and gas company behind Exxon Mobil, fell $1.34, or 1 percent, to $127.90. While Chevron's earnings were better than analysts had predicted, the company's oil and gas production fell in the quarter. Exxon also reported lower production when it released its own results Thursday.

Banking stocks also fell. JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs all slid roughly 2 percent.

On Friday, the International Swaps and Derivatives Association ruled that Argentina had officially defaulted on its bonds for the second time in 13 years, in what the ISDA calls a "credit event." In a "credit event," investors who own credit-default swaps, a type of insurance that protects against a bond issuer defaulting, are activated and the companies which wrote the policies must pay the investors who own them.

In Portugal, the struggling bank Banco Espirito Santo plunged 40 percent. Espirito Santo reported Wednesday a 3.5 billion euro net loss for the second quarter, and there were concerns the bank is insolvent.

The concerns over the Argentinian default and as well as with European banks were the biggest driver of Friday's market decline, said Jonathan Golub, chief U.S. market strategist at RBC Capital Markets.

"The market doesn't like anything that could potentially disrupt the credit markets," Golub said, noting that indicators of market volatility jumped on Friday.

Adding to the uncertainty, investors had the violence in Israel and Gaza as well as Ukraine to worry about. A 72-hour ceasefire between Israel and Gaza collapsed early Friday. In Ukraine, violence between government and pro-Russian separatists escalated.

Ukraine's unrest as well as the concerns over Espirito Santo weighed heavily on European markets. Germany's DAX fell 2.1 percent, France's CAC 40 fell 1 percent, and the FTSE 100 index fell 0.8 percent.

As global stock prices declined, traders moved money into investments traditionally seen as having lower risk Friday, such as U.S. government bonds, gold and utility stocks.

Investors did get some good news about the U.S. economy. The Labor Department said that U.S. employers created 209,000 jobs in July, while the unemployment rate rose to 6.2 percent from 6.1 percent. July was the sixth-straight month that U.S. employers created more than 200,000 jobs, a sign that the U.S. economy continues to recover. Economists also pointed out that the rise in the unemployment rate was likely due to more out-of-work people actively looking for jobs.

"In a nutshell, it's a good report," said Dan Greenhaus, chief strategist at brokerage firm BTIG in New York. "Not too hot, not too cold."

The good news on the economy also means the Federal Reserve isn't going to be there to hold investors' hands for much longer. The central bank said Wednesday it would cut back its bond-buying program again, and investors now believe the Fed is looking to raise interest rates starting next year.

The Fed's stimulus efforts, combined with the growing U.S. economy, have helped pushed the stock market higher. The last time U.S. stocks had a correction, meaning a decline of 10 percent or more in a benchmark index like the S&P 500, is nearly three years ago. They typically happen every 18 months.

Proctor & Gamble was among the day's winners. The stock rose $2.33, or 3 percent, to $79.65. The consumer products giant said it earned an adjusted profit of 95 cents a share, four cents better what analysts had expected. P&G helped lift other consumer staples companies, making the industry the best performing industry in the S&P 500.

In other trading, the yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.49 percent and the price of gold rose $12.30 to $1,293.60 an ounce. Silver fell four cents to $20.37 an ounce.

The price of oil fell to the lowest level since Feb. 6. Benchmark U.S. crude oil dropped 29 cents to $97.88 a barrel, and ended the week with a loss of $4.21 a barrel, or 4 percent.

0194

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 75.91 points or ▲ 0.46% on Monday, 4 August 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,569.28 ▲ 75.91 ▲ 0.46%
Nasdaq____ 4,383.89 ▲ 31.25 ▲ 0.72%
S&P_500___ 1,938.99 ▲ 13.84 ▲ 0.72%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.30 ▲ 0.00 ▼ -0.06%

NYSE Volume 3,047,727,500
Nasdaq Volume 1,638,027,880

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,677.52 ▼ -1.66 ▼ -0.02%
DAX_____ 9,154.14 ▼ -55.94 ▼ -0.61%
CAC_40__ 4,217.22 ▲ 14.44 ▲ 0.34%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,533.30 ▼ -14.30 ▼ -0.26%
Shanghai_Comp 2,223.33 ▲ 38.03 ▲ 1.74%
Taiwan_Weight 9,330.19 ▲ 63.68 ▲ 0.69%
Nikkei_225___ 15,474.50 ▼ -48.61 ▼ -0.31%
Hang_Seng.__ 24,600.08 ▲ 67.65 ▲ 0.28%
Strait_Times.__ 3,318.40 ▼ -26.02 ▼ -0.78%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,090.69 ▼ -19.25 ▼ -0.38%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-stage-day-rally-utilities-202853487.html

Stocks stage late-day rally; Utilities lag

US stocks advance in late-day rally; investors reassess after last week's major losses
Associated Press
By Ken Sweet, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- The stock market staged a late-day rally Monday, helping push the Dow Jones industrial average higher for the first time in a week.

Investors had a couple pieces of positive news to get behind: a decent earnings report from Berkshire Hathaway and the announcement of a rescue package for a struggling Portuguese bank.

However, investors remain cautious after last week's sell-off, which gave the Standard & Poor's 500 index its worst five-day period in more than two years.

"Everyone is double-checking their own portfolio after what happened last week," said Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at BMO Private Bank in Chicago.

The Dow rose 75.91 points, or 0.5 percent, to 16,569.28. It's the first time the blue chip index has posted a gain since July 28.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 13.84 points, or 0.7 percent, to 1,938.99 and the Nasdaq composite added 31.25 points, or 0.7 percent, to 4,383.89.

Berkshire Hathaway, the company run by Warren Buffett, helped give the market an early boost Monday.

The Omaha, Nebraska-based company reported late Friday a profit of $6.4 billion last quarter, helped by its insurance division Geico, which performed well above Wall Street's expectations. Berkshire's investment portfolio was also a big driver of profits. The company's Class B stock rose $3.89, or 3 percent, to $129.70, one of the biggest gain in the S&P 500.

Michael Kors was the biggest decliner in the S&P 500, falling $4.82, or 6 percent, to $77.01. While the handbag and women's fashion company reported a rise in second quarter earnings, the company's profit margin shrank for the second consecutive quarter.

The news out of Portugal also helped the market.

Portugal's central bank said late Sunday it would shore up Banco Espirito Santo, one of the country's biggest financial institutions. Portugal's PSI 20 index rose 1 percent on the news.

Portugal's banking woes were one of many catalysts for last week's market sell-off. While Portugal's economy is small, strategists say that the eurozone's economy is fragile enough that Portugal's woes could spread. Europe just exited its latest recession a year ago, while the U.S. emerged from its last recession in 2009.

The tensions between Europe and Russia, the eurozone's biggest trading partner, over the ongoing conflict in Ukraine only added to the problems facing the continent.

"These types of things are going to hurt the European economy and it couldn't impact the region at a worse time," Ablin said.

Last week's market rout, where the S&P 500 fell nearly 3 percent in five days, remains front and center in investors' minds. It was the worst week for the index since June 2012. With Monday's gains, it was the Dow's third positive day in the last 10 sessions.

"There does appear to be a little caution in the markets," said Alpari analyst Craig Erlam. "Investors are a little concerned that the sell-off which started last week is not over and could lead to something much bigger."

Utility stocks were among the biggest decliners. Consolidated Edison, PG&E and Duke Energy fell roughly 1 percent. The Dow Jones utility index, which includes 15 utility stocks, fell 1 percent.

Currency markets were flat. The dollar was steady at 102.56 yen and the euro held at $1.3422.

In energy, oil rose for the first day in a week. Benchmark U.S. crude oil rose 41 cents to $98.29 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note was flat at 2.49 percent.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -139.81 points or ▼ -0.84% on Tuesday, 5 August 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,429.47 ▼ -139.81 ▼ -0.84%
Nasdaq____ 4,352.84 ▼ -31.05 ▼ -0.71%
S&P_500___ 1,920.21 ▼ -18.78 ▼ -0.97%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.28 ▼ -0.02 ▼ -0.49%

NYSE Volume 3,437,129,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,867,664,000

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,682.48 ▲ 4.96 ▲ 0.07%
DAX_____ 9,189.74 ▲ 35.60 ▲ 0.39%
CAC_40__ 4,232.88 ▲ 15.66 ▲ 0.37%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,511.50 ▼ -21.80 ▼ -0.39%
Shanghai_Comp 2,219.95 ▼ -3.39 ▼ -0.15%
Taiwan_Weight 9,141.44 ▼ -188.75 ▼ -2.02%
Nikkei_225___ 15,320.31 ▼ -154.19 ▼ -1.00%
Hang_Seng.__ 24,648.26 ▲ 48.18 ▲ 0.20%
Strait_Times.__ 3,327.67 ▲ 9.27 ▲ 0.28%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,104.16 ▲ 13.48 ▲ 0.26%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-sink-renewed-russia-202939650.html

US stocks sink on renewed Russia-Ukraine tensions

Stocks drop on concerns about increased Ukraine-Russia tensions; Energy stocks are hardest hit
Associated Press
By Ken Sweet, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Renewed concerns that tensions could flare up between Russian and Ukraine pushed U.S. stocks sharply lower Tuesday.

The market had been moderately lower all day, weighed down by a disappointing earnings forecast from retail giant Target and a report on China that showed the world's second-largest economy was slowing down.

The selling accelerated in afternoon trading. The Dow Jones industrial average fell nearly 200 points at one point, but recovered some of those losses in the last 30 minutes of trading.

Several traders pointed to news reports of a buildup in Russian troops on the Ukraine border and comments from a Polish politician that reportedly said Russia was poised to invade or pressure Ukraine's eastern border as catalysts for the selling.

The developments came after the most recent round of sanctions were imposed on Russia by the U.S. and Europe last week. Russia called Tuesday for a meeting of the U.N. Security Council to discuss the situation in Ukraine.

The Ukraine-Russia tensions were "outweighing any good economic data" that investors had to work with Tuesday, said Tom di Galoma, a bond trader at ED&F Mann Capital.

The Dow lost 139.81 points, or 0.8 percent, to 16,429.47, the lowest level for the index since mid-May. The Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 18.78 points, or 1 percent, to 1,920.21 and the Nasdaq composite fell 31.05 points, or 0.7 percent, to 4,352.84.

The tensions between Russia and Ukraine have been a headache for investors for months now. However the stakes are higher than before, investors say.

With winter a few months away, Europe's recovering economy remains dependent on Russian natural gas for heat and electricity. Germany imports nearly all its natural gas from Russia, and France also gets a significant amount of its energy needs from Russia.

"Europe's economy is far more exposed to Russia than the U.S.," said Randy Frederick, a managing director at Charles Schwab.

Tuesday's losses add to what has been a tough couple of weeks for U.S. markets. The S&P 500 fell 2.7 percent last week, its worst five-day performance since June 2012. While the market did recover some Monday, Tuesday's losses wiped out those gains, leaving the Dow and S&P 500 lower for the week.

International events have been in the forefront of investors' minds for the last two weeks, and have been a major reason stocks have fallen. There was the near-failure of a Portuguese bank, Argentina defaulting on its bonds, the Israeli-Gaza conflict on top of the tensions between the U.S., Europe and Russia over Ukraine. Strategists say investors are in a wait-and-see mode.

"Once these geopolitical issues calm down, we should move higher from here," Frederick said.

One sign of investor nervousness can be seen in the VIX, a financial instrument that gauges how much stock market volatility investors expect in the future. The VIX jumped 10 percent to 16.71 on Tuesday. The index is trading at levels not seen since April and was as low as 11 just two weeks ago. The higher the index goes, the more turbulence investors expect to see in the future.

Investors did get two positive reports on the U.S. economy, but it was not enough to move the market higher.

The Institute for Supply Management said the U.S. services sector expanded in July more than expected. The ISM survey came in at 58.7 versus the 56.5 economists had predicted. June factory orders also rose more than expected, rising 1.1 percent compared to the 0.6 percent increase economists were looking for.

Among individual stocks, Target dropped $2.67, or 4.4 percent, to $58.03 after the company lowered its second-quarter earnings forecast. Target said the massive data breach the company experienced last year was costing far more than previously expected. Shoppers remain cautious about shopping at the store, Target said.

Twenty-First Century Fox rose 7 percent in after-market trading after Rupert Murdoch's media company said it was pulling its bid to buy Time Warner. Shares of Time Warner dropped 11 percent in after-market trading following the news.

The dollar rose to 102.56 yen and the euro dipped to $1.3377.

In energy markets, crude oil fell 91 cents to close at $97.38 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, fell 80 cents to close at $104.61 on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

Gold fell $3.70 to $1,284.00 an ounce and silver fell 40 cents to $19.83 an ounce. Copper fell four cents to $3.20 a pound.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note was unchanged from the day before at 2.48 percent.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 13.87 points or ▲ 0.08% on Wednesday, 6 August 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,443.34 ▲ 13.87 ▲ 0.08%
Nasdaq____ 4,355.05 ▲ 2.22 ▲ 0.05%
S&P_500___ 1,920.24 ▲ 0.03 ▲ 0.00%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.28 ▲ 0.00 ▼ -0.06%

NYSE Volume 3,493,063,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,780,602,500

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,636.16 ▼ -46.32 ▼ -0.69%
DAX_____ 9,130.04 ▼ -59.70 ▼ -0.65%
CAC_40__ 4,207.14 ▼ -25.74 ▼ -0.61%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,504.00 ▼ -7.50 ▼ -0.14%
Shanghai_Comp 2,217.46 ▼ -2.48 ▼ -0.11%
Taiwan_Weight 9,143.97 ▲ 2.53 ▲ 0.03%
Nikkei_225___ 15,159.79 ▼ -160.52 ▼ -1.05%
Hang_Seng.__ 24,584.13 ▼ -64.13 ▼ -0.26%
Strait_Times.__ 3,320.23 ▼ -7.44 ▼ -0.22%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,092.23 ▼ -11.94 ▼ -0.23%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-stabilize-molson-coors-jumps-202955015.html

Stocks stabilize; Molson Coors jumps on earnings

Stocks stabilize; Molson Coors jumps on earnings while Sprint drops on merger news
Associated Press
By Steve Rothwell, AP Markets Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- U.S. stocks stabilized on Wednesday after energy stocks and earnings from a major beer brewer helped the market stem its recent declines.

The stock market ended the day little changed after a sizable drop a day earlier, when Russia massed troops near its border with Ukraine.

Molson Coors was the biggest gainer in the Standard & Poor's 500 index after the company reported better-than-forecast earnings. Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox rose after the company said it was dropping a bid to acquire Time Warner.

The stock market has become more volatile in recent weeks and last month slumped to its first monthly decline since January. Investors are weighing signs that the U.S. economy is strengthening against the threat of an escalating conflict in Ukraine, as well as the prospect of the Federal Reserve raising its benchmark interest rate.

"On the one hand the U.S. economy is really starting to look good, but on the other hand the markets are certainly jittery about what's going on in Ukraine and Russia," said Anastasia Amoroso, Global Markets Strategist at J.P. Morgan Funds.

The S&P 500 rose a fraction of a point, or less than 0.1 percent, to 1,920.24. The index lost 18 points, or 1 percent, on Tuesday. The index is still up on the year, but has dropped 3.5 percent from its record close set July 24.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 13.87 points, or 0.1 percent, to 16,443.34. The Nasdaq composite rose 2.2 points, or 0.1 percent, to 4,355.05.

Molson Coors rose $3.87, or 5.8 percent, to $71.08 after the company said its second-quarter profit rose 9 percent as better pricing offset a global decline in the volume of beer sales.

As well as watching earnings, investors were looking at two merger bids that unraveled.

Sprint plunged $1.38, or 19 percent, to $5.90 after the company said it was abandoning its pursuit of T-Mobile US. Sprint would have struggled to convince regulators to approve a merger of the No. 3 and No. 4 cellphone carriers in the nation, according to The Wall Street Journal. Sprint is also replacing its longtime CEO.

Time Warner fell $10.95, or 12.9 percent, to $74.24 after Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox said it was dropping its attempt to take over the company. The deal would have combined two of the world's biggest media conglomerates. 21st Century Fox rose $1.03, or 3.3 percent, to $32.33.

U.S. government bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note declined to 2.47 percent from 2.48 percent on Tuesday. In commodities trading, gold rose $22.90, or 1.8 percent, to $1,308.20 an ounce. Silver rose 19 cents, or 1 percent, to $20.02 an ounce.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -75.07 points or ▼ -0.46% on Thursday, 7 August 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,368.27 ▼ -75.07 ▼ -0.46%
Nasdaq____ 4,334.97 ▼ -20.08 ▼ -0.46%
S&P_500___ 1,909.57 ▼ -10.67 ▼ -0.56%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.23 ▼ -0.04 ▼ -1.31%

NYSE Volume 3,211,668,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,804,737,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,597.37 ▼ -38.79 ▼ -0.58%
DAX_____ 9,038.97 ▼ -91.07 ▼ -1.00%
CAC_40__ 4,149.83 ▼ -57.31 ▼ -1.36%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,500.70 ▼ -3.30 ▼ -0.06%
Shanghai_Comp 2,187.67 ▼ -29.80 ▼ -1.34%
Taiwan_Weight 9,131.44 ▼ -12.53 ▼ -0.14%
Nikkei_225___ 15,232.37 ▲ 72.58 ▲ 0.48%
Hang_Seng.__ 24,387.56 ▼ -196.57 ▼ -0.80%
Strait_Times.__ 3,314.22 ▼ -6.01 ▼ -0.18%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,097.51 ▲ 5.28 ▲ 0.10%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/asian-shares-lower-ahead-central-bank-meetings-031338429--finance.html

Stocks decline on concerns about global growth
Associated Press
By STEVE ROTHWELL

NEW YORK (AP) — Concerns about slowing global growth and the threat of rising tensions between Russia and the West pushed stocks lower on Thursday.

The stock market started the day higher as investors mulled the latest earnings reports and an encouraging report on jobs. By mid-morning, though, the market had given up its gains. While stocks slumped, government bond prices rose, pushing the yield on the 10-year Treasury note to its lowest level this year.

Stocks have slumped since the Standard & Poor's 500 index closed at a record last month amid worries that the rising tensions between Russia and the West will hurt global economic growth. European Central Bank head Mario Draghi cautioned Thursday that the crisis in Ukraine could crimp the fragile recovery in the region.

"You're getting some good earnings, but it's just not enough to overwhelm the geo-political issues," said Drew Wilson, an equity analyst with Fenimore Asset Management.

The S&P 500 index fell 10.67 points, or 0.6 percent, to 1,909.57. The index closed at a record 1,987.98 on July 24. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 75.07 points, or 0.5 percent, to 16,368.27. The Nasdaq composite fell 20 points, or 0.5 percent, to 4,334.97.

Phone and internet companies were among the day's biggest decliners. Windstream Holdings fell 39 cents, or 3.4 percent, to $11.16 after the company reported that its earnings fell by 64 percent in the second quarter. The results missed analysts' expectations.

Eight of the 100 industry sectors in the S&P 500 fell. Health care and phone company stocks dropped the most, 1.2 percent and 1 percent respectively. Utilities stocks rose 1.1 percent, making them the biggest gainers, as investors bought safer assets.

The market had started the day higher as investors assessed the latest encouraging news from the job market.

Fewer people applied for U.S. unemployment benefits last week. Claims remain at relatively low levels consistent with stronger economic growth. Weekly applications fell 14,000 to 289,000, the Labor Department said.

Some positive earnings reports helped lift stocks in early trading.

21st Century Fox rose $1.63, or 5 percent, to $33.96 after reporting better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings late Wednesday. The company got a boost from films including "X-Men," ''Rio 2," and "The Fault in Our Stars." The company was adding to gains from a day earlier after dropping its bid for Time Warner and announcing a stock buyback.
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Specialist Charles Boeddinghaus works at his post on …
Specialist Charles Boeddinghaus works at his post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Thursd …

The gains for stocks were short-lived Thursday. The market started to head lower by lunchtime, and as stocks slumped, bond prices rose.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which falls when prices rise, dropped to 2.41 percent from 2.48 percent on Wednesday. The yield on the note is at its lowest level in more than a year.

At the start of this year, many investors and analysts had expected 10-year Treasurys to fall as the economy continued its recovery and the Federal Reserve wound down its economic stimulus program. Instead, the opposite has happened. Bonds have rallied as inflation has remained low and doubts have arisen about the prospects for long-term growth.

U.S. Treasury securities also offer a higher yield than bonds issued by other governments. The yield on the 10-year German government bond is 1.06 percent, and French government bonds with the same maturity offer a yield of 1.5 percent.

Investors are also buying Treasuries as geopolitical tensions rise around the world.

"The Treasury market is going to continue to confound the bears," said Bill O'Donnell, chief Treasury strategist at RBS.

In commodities trading, the price of oil rose Thursday for only the second day in the past nine. There are concerns about intensifying violence in Iraq as the White House weighs air strikes to counter recent advances by insurgents.

Benchmark U.S. crude oil rose 42 cents to close at $97.34 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, rose 85 cents to close at $105.44 on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

In metals trading, gold rose $4.30 to $1,312.50 an ounce and silver fell three cents to $19.99 an ounce. Copper rose a penny to $3.18 a pound. In currencies, the dollar fell to 102.03 yen and the euro fell to $1.3364.