NYSE Dow Jones finished today at:

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -31.44 points or ▼ -0.18% on Wednesday, 29 October 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,974.31 ▼ -31.44 ▼ -0.18%
Nasdaq____ 4,549.23 ▼ -15.07 ▼ -0.33%
S&P_500___ 1,982.30 ▼ -2.75 ▼ -0.14%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.05 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.29%

NYSE Volume 3,761,590,250
Nasdaq Volume 2,076,175,500

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,453.87 ▲ 51.70 ▲ 0.81%
DAX_____ 9,082.81 ▲ 14.62 ▲ 0.16%
CAC_40__ 4,110.64 ▼ -2.03 ▼ -0.05%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,431.10 ▼ -2.90 ▼ -0.05%
Shanghai_Comp 2,373.03 ▲ 35.16 ▲ 1.50%
Taiwan_Weight 8,903.68 ▲ 130.13 ▲ 1.48%
Nikkei_225___ 15,553.91 ▲ 224.00 ▲ 1.46%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,819.87 ▲ 299.51 ▲ 1.27%
Strait_Times.__ 3,224.03 ▲ 12.38 ▲ 0.39%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,355.88 ▲ 17.54 ▲ 0.33%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/world-stocks-gain-focus-shifts-fed-meeting-085843076--finance.html

Stocks slip after Fed statement; Dollar gains
Associated Press
By MATTHEW CRAFT

NEW YORK (AP) ”” An optimistic statement from the Federal Reserve sent the dollar up and gold prices down Wednesday as traders prepared for rising interest rates.

Major U.S. stock indexes ended with a slight loss after the Fed confirmed that it was shutting down a bond-buying program because the economy no longer needs as much help.

At the end of a two-day meeting, the Fed said that it had ended its $4 trillion bond-buying program, known as quantitative easing, or QE for short, as a result of "underlying strength in the broader economy."

"I was pleasantly surprised," said Brad Sorenson, director of market and sector analysis at Charles Schwab. Sorenson liked the statement's optimistic tone and was happy the Fed didn't extend its stimulus effort. Launching another round of bond purchases would have raised worries about the economy and backfired, he said.

"They don't have a lot of bullets left to shoot at any problems," he said. "The effectiveness of quantitative easing diminishes each time it's done."

The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 2.75 points, or 0.1 percent, to 1,982.30. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 31.44 points, or 0.2 percent, to 16,974.31. The Nasdaq composite fell 15.07 points, or 0.3 percent, to 4,549.23.

The S&P 500 index, the benchmark for most investment funds, is now up half a percent for the month of October. It had slumped as much as 6 percent on Oct. 15 as a host of concerns sent markets tumbling.

Marty Leclerc, chief investment officer at Barrack Yard Advisors, said the market should be able to handle an interest rate increase from near zero to something slightly higher. The Fed has made clear that it plans to move carefully. "The fact is, easy money is still here," he said. "They're not taking away the punch bowl, they're just dialing down the amount of booze in the punch."

The Fed restated a pledge to keep its benchmark short-term rate near zero, but it also pointed to signs of strength in the job market. Most economists think the Fed won't raise that rate until the middle of next year.

"Today's statement shows the Fed believes the economy is nearing the final stages of full recovery," said Chris Rupkey, chief financial economist at the Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi, in a note to clients. "They halted the QE purchases today, and tomorrow, rate hikes are coming. Bet on it."

Gold dropped and the dollar jumped after the statement came out Wednesday afternoon. Gold fell $17.70, or 1.4 percent, to $1,211.70 an ounce. Silver fell 14 cents to $17.09 an ounce. Copper lost a penny to $3.08 a pound.

A widely used gauge of the dollar's strength against other currencies, the ICE dollar index, rose 0.6 percent to 85.96.

U.S. government bond prices dipped, nudging the yield on the 10-year Treasury note up to 2.32 percent.

Solid earnings from Caterpillar, Microsoft and other big companies have helped the stock market recover from its slide earlier this month. Nearly half of the big companies in the S&P 500 index have turned in third-quarter results, and more than seven out of 10 have cleared analysts' targets, according to S&P Capital IQ. Earnings are on track to rise 6 percent for the third quarter.

Videogame maker Electronic Arts turned in earnings that topped analysts' estimates and raised its profit projections for the year. Sales of "FIFA 14," a soccer game, and "Titanfall," a first-person shooter game, helped lift revenue. EA's stock rose $1.43, or 4 percent, to $38.91.

Facebook lost 6 percent after its chief financial officer said that expenses for the social networking giant could increase by as much as 75 percent next year as it ramps up spending on investments. Its stock dropped $4.91 to $75.86.

Orbital Sciences Corporation sank following news that its Antares rocket exploded moments after lifting off from its launch pad on Tuesday. The rocket was carrying a supply ship for astronauts on the International Space Station, part of Orbital's contract with NASA. Orbital's stock plunged $5.10, or 17 percent, to $25.27.

In the commodity markets, benchmark U.S. crude oil rose 78 cents to $82.20 a barrel. Brent crude, the global benchmark, gained $1.09 to $87.12 a barrel in London. The U.S. Energy Department said U.S. crude oil supplies rose by 2.1 million barrels last week, about 700,000 barrels below the expectations of analysts surveyed by Platts.

In other trading:

”” Wholesale gasoline rose 2.5 cents to $2.221 a gallon

”” Heating oil added 4.2 cents to $2.535 a gallon

”” Natural gas jumped 7.9 cents to $3.728 per 1,000 cubic feet

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 221.11 points or ▲ 1.30% on Thursday, 30 October 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,195.42 ▲ 221.11 ▲ 1.30%
Nasdaq____ 4,566.14 ▲ 16.91 ▲ 0.37%
S&P_500___ 1,994.65 ▲ 12.35 ▲ 0.62%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.04 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.39%

NYSE Volume 3,569,891,500
Nasdaq Volume 1,936,917,000

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,463.55 ▲ 9.68 ▲ 0.15%
DAX_____ 9,114.84 ▲ 32.03 ▲ 0.35%
CAC_40__ 4,141.24 ▲ 30.60 ▲ 0.74%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,457.10 ▲ 26.00 ▲ 0.48%
Shanghai_Comp 2,391.08 ▲ 18.05 ▲ 0.76%
Taiwan_Weight 8,888.07 ▼ -15.61 ▼ -0.18%
Nikkei_225___ 15,553.91 ▲ 224.00 ▲ 1.46%
Hang_Seng.__ 15,658.20 ▲ 104.29 ▲ 0.67%
Strait_Times.__ 23,702.04 ▼ -117.83 ▼ -0.49%
NZX_50_Index_ 3,234.31 ▲ 10.28 ▲ 0.32%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-mostly-gain-fed-ends-stimulus-092151926.html

Big gain in Visa drives Dow average higher

US stock indexes rise; Big gain in Visa drives Dow Jones industrial average higher
Associated Press
By Matthew Craft, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Solid quarterly results from a range of big companies helped send the stock market slightly higher Thursday. The standout was Visa, whose 10 percent jump helped tug the Dow Jones industrial average up nearly 200 points.

Visa, the world's largest payment-processing company, turned in quarterly earnings late Wednesday that topped Wall Street's forecasts and announced plans to spend as much as $5 billion on buying its own shares. Visa's stock gained $21.99 to $236.65.

For investors, there was plenty of encouraging news. Before the market opened, the government said that the U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of 3.5 percent in the three months ending in September, powered by more business investment, sales abroad and the biggest jump in military spending in five years.

"It's another report that indicates the economy can stand on its own two feet," said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Rockwell Global Capital Management, referring to the government's estimate of economic growth.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 12.35 points, or 0.6 percent, to close at 1,994.65. The Nasdaq composite rose 16.91 points, or 0.4 percent, to 4,566.14.

The Dow Jones industrial average surged 221.11 points, or 1.3 percent, to 17,195.42. Unlike other market measures, the Dow weighs its roster of 30 large corporations by their stock prices rather than by their market size. That means companies with the most expensive stocks, such as Visa and Goldman Sachs, have more power to drive the average up or down.

The world's second-largest card-payment company, MasterCard, said its third-quarter profit surged as Americans appeared less hesitant to use their debit and credit cards. The results beat Wall Street's expectations, propelling MasterCard's stock up $7.14, or 9 percent, to $83.13.

Sam Stovall, chief equity strategist at S&P Capital IQ, saw a number of optimistic signs for the market. Reports that Visa and MasterCard are handling more transactions could mean that Americans will be more likely to open their wallets during the holiday shopping season. What's more, the market is approaching a stretch that nearly always rewards investors.

"We're entering the best six months of the year, November through April," Stovall said. Since World War II, the market has climbed 94 percent of the time, for an average gain of 15 percent.

Rising corporate earnings have helped turn the market higher in recent weeks. More than half of the S&P 500's members have released their third-quarter results, and roughly seven out of 10 have beaten Wall Street's targets, according to S&P Capital IQ. Third-quarter earnings are now on track to increase nearly 7 percent, with health-care companies reporting the largest profit gains.

BorgWarner, a maker of car parts, said a slide in the value of foreign currencies against the dollar will hamper its results this year. The company, which operates in 19 countries, cut its forecast for full-year profits and sales. BorgWarner slumped $2.49, or 4 percent, to $54.37.

In Europe, France's CAC 40 gained 0.7 percent and Germany's DAX edged up 0.4 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 rose 0.1 percent.

Back in the U.S., the price of the 10-year Treasury note edged up, and its yield, which moves in the opposite direction, slipped to 2.31 percent from 2.32 percent late Wednesday.

Gold lost $26.30 to settle at $1,198.60 an ounce, silver fell 84 cents to $16.42 an ounce and copper fell four cents to $3.06 a pound.

In other commodity trading, the price of oil fell as the dollar strengthened, making oil priced in dollars less attractive to overseas buyers. Benchmark U.S. crude fell $1.08 to close at $81.12 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, fell 88 cents to close at $86.24 on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

In other energy futures trading on the NYMEX:

”” Wholesale gasoline fell 2.5 cents to close at $2.196 a gallon.

”” Heating oil fell 2.2 cents to close at $2.513 a gallon.

”” Natural gas rose 3.9 cents to close at $3.827 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 195.1 points or ▲ 1.13% on Friday, 31 October 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,390.52 ▲ 195.10 ▲ 1.13%
Nasdaq____ 4,630.74 ▲ 64.60 ▲ 1.41%
S&P_500___ 2,018.05 ▲ 23.40 ▲ 1.17%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.06 ▲ 0.02 ▲ 0.79%

NYSE Volume 4,224,411,000
Nasdaq Volume 2,317,524,500

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,546.47 ▲ 82.92 ▲ 1.28%
DAX_____ 9,326.87 ▲ 212.03 ▲ 2.33%
CAC_40__ 4,233.09 ▲ 91.85 ▲ 2.22%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,505.00 ▲ 47.90 ▲ 0.88%
Shanghai_Comp 2,420.18 ▲ 29.10 ▲ 1.22%
Taiwan_Weight 8,974.76 ▲ 86.69 ▲ 0.98%
Nikkei_225___ 16,413.76 ▲ 755.56 ▲ 4.83%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,998.06 ▲ 296.02 ▲ 1.25%
Strait_Times.__ 3,274.25 ▲ 39.94 ▲ 1.23%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,387.83 ▲ 17.65 ▲ 0.33%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/japan-stocks-soar-5-percent-yen-falls-stimulus-054139125--finance.html

Wall Street caps a wild month with a rally

From swoon to surge: US stocks reach record levels after Japan's surprise economic stimulus
Associated Press
By Ken Sweet, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- For stock investors, there was no shortage of drama in October.

Stocks started the month modestly below a record high, only to cascade to their worst slump in two years. But after flirting with a correction, or a 10 percent drop, the U.S. market rebounded and closed at all-time highs on the last day of the month.

All told, U.S. stocks ended October solidly higher, up 2.3 percent. The Dow Jones industrial average capped the rally by rising 195.10 points, or 1.1 percent, to end at 17,390.52 on Friday. The Standard & Poor's 500 rose 23.40 points, or 1.2 percent, to 2,018.05 and the Nasdaq composite added 64.60 points, or 1.4 percent, to 4,630.74.

Both the Dow and the S&P 500 closed at record highs.

It's a remarkable turn given the month's volatility, which at times approached levels from the 2008 financial crisis. Then again, the month has an unfortunate history for unsettling moves, with the stock market crashes of 1929 and 1987 both happening in October.

This October, the market's seesaw path was driven by fears that Europe's economy was slipping back into a recession, worries about plunging oil prices and concerns of possible weakness in the U.S. economy. Oh, and don't forget Ebola. Those anxieties sent the market, for the most part, straight down for two weeks.

The nadir came on Oct. 15, when the S&P 500 came with a hair's breadth of going into a correction. Investors had suspected such a drop. The last one occurred in late 2011, and historically corrections happen every 18 months or so.

But just after the market came close to going into a correction, it bounced right back. Strong U.S. corporate earnings were the primary driver of the rebound as well as signs that central banks in Japan and Europe were going to do all they could to stop their economies from dragging everyone else down with them.

"I don't think it's a surprise that we came close to a correction. We've been expecting one for a while. I think the bigger surprise has been how we rip-roared all the way back up," said Bob Doll, chief equity strategist at Nuveen Asset Management. "When you hit someone over their head with a hammer, you don't expect them to get up immediately."

U.S. companies have been, for the most part, reporting strong quarterly results the last two weeks. Corporate profits are up 7.3 percent from a year ago, according to FactSet, compared with the 4.5 percent investors had expected at the beginning of the month. And any worries about the U.S. economy earlier in the month evaporated as the data rolled in, mostly recently Thursday's data showing the U.S. economy grew at a 3.5 percent pace last quarter.

Friday's gains were driven by the Bank of Japan, which surprised investors by announcing it would increase its bond and asset purchases by 10 trillion yen to 20 trillion yen ($90.7 billion to $181.3 billion) to about 80 trillion yen ($725 billion) annually. The announcement came after data showed that the world's third-largest economy remains in the doldrums, with household spending dropping and unemployment ticking up.

Japan's move comes only two days after the U.S. Federal Reserve brought an end to its own bond-buying program. Investors have been hopeful that the European Central Bank might also start buying bonds to stimulate that region's economy by keeping interest rates low and injecting cash into the financial system. That form of stimulus is called quantitative easing, also known among investors as "QE."

"The Japanese central bank has taken the QE baton from the Fed, and equity traders couldn't be happier," said David Madden, market analyst at IG.

Japan's stock market rose 4.8 percent to the highest level since 2007.

The Japanese currency weakened dramatically following the Bank of Japan's announcement. The yen slumped 2.6 percent against the dollar to 112 yen. The yen is trading at the lowest level in more than five years. Japanese companies typically like a weak Japanese yen because it makes their exported goods cheaper abroad.

European stock markets rose broadly following the Bank of Japan's announcement on hopes that the ECB could be tempted to follow Japan's lead in stepping up stimulus measures. However, few think anything will be announced at the ECB's next policy meeting next Thursday.

"The willingness of the Bank of Japan to ease further in the fight against deflation will encourage those who think the ECB should be doing the same," said Julian Jessop, chief global economist at Capital Economics.

Britain's FTSE 100 rose 1.3 percent. France's CAC 40 jumped 2.2 percent and Germany's DAX climbed 2.3 percent.

In other markets, the price of U.S. benchmark crude oil fell 58 cents to $80.54 a barrel in New York as increasing production from OPEC members added to already high global supplies of oil.

Brent crude, used to price oil in international markets, dipped 38 cents to $85.86 in London. In other energy futures trading on the NYMEX, wholesale gasoline fell 2.6 cents to close at $2.169 a gallon, heating oil fell was flat at $2.515 a gallon and natural gas rose 4.6 cents to close at $3.873 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Bond prices fell. The yield on the U.S. 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.34 percent from 2.31 percent Thursday.

In metals trading, the price of gold fell $27 to $1,171.60 an ounce. Silver fell 31 cents to $16.11 an ounce and copper fell 2 cents to $3.05 a pound.

6590

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -24.28 points or ▼ -0.14% on Monday, 3 November 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,366.24 ▼ -24.28 ▼ -0.14%
Nasdaq____ 4,638.91 ▲ 8.17 ▲ 0.18%
S&P_500___ 2,017.81 ▼ -0.24 ▼ -0.01%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.07 ▲ 0.01 ▲ 0.20%

NYSE Volume 3,526,849,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,984,453,620

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,487.97 ▼ -58.50 ▼ -0.89%
DAX_____ 9,251.70 ▼ -75.17 ▼ -0.81%
CAC_40__ 4,194.03 ▼ -39.06 ▼ -0.92%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,485.00 ▼ -20.00 ▼ -0.36%
Shanghai_Comp 2,430.03 ▲ 9.85 ▲ 0.41%
Taiwan_Weight 9,004.86 ▲ 30.10 ▲ 0.34%
Nikkei_225___ 16,413.76 ▲ 755.56 ▲ 4.83%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,915.97 ▼ -82.09 ▼ -0.34%
Strait_Times.__ 3,288.48 ▲ 14.23 ▲ 0.43%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,418.22 ▲ 30.39 ▲ 0.56%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stock-markets-recovery-led-drugmakers-175019286.html

Stock market's recovery is led by drugmakers

Healthy recovery: Health care stocks lead market's rebound to record levels
Associated Press
By Steve Rothwell, AP Markets Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- For stocks, it's just what the doctor ordered.

Health care companies are leading the market's rebound from a sharp sell-off two weeks ago, helping push the Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor's 500 index back to record levels.

The industry, which is made up of a range of companies, from global drugmakers like Pfizer to insurers like UnitedHealth, has risen 11.2 percent since October 15, when the stock market's recent slump hit bottom. That is a bigger rise than the 8.4 percent gain for the broader market.

The sector's surge has been driven by its strong third-quarter earnings.

About two-thirds of companies in the S&P 500 have now turned in results, and the health care industry is on track to have the best earnings growth, according to data from Estimize, a company that gathers forecasts from a range of financial professionals.

Average earnings growth for the sector is forecast to come in at 14 percent for the period, higher than growth of 11.7 percent for all companies in the index. Sales are also booming, with sector revenue expected to rise 12 percent for the quarter, above the 4.5 percent growth overall.

Celgene has been one of the best-performing health care stocks in the S&P 500 since the market slump ended Oct. 15. Shares of the biotechnology company have surged 24 percent since the bottom, helped by a strong earnings report last month that showed double-digit sales growth. The company is also confident about its drugs in development.

Health care stocks, which also include medical device makers and hospital owners, have been an investor favorite for some time. The sector is up 21 percent in 2014, and is on track to outperform the broader market for the fourth straight year.

What's driving the streak? Aging populations in the developed world mean more money is being spent on medicines and treatments.

Health care spending is forecast to grow at an average of 5.7 percent in the 10 years from 2013 to 2023, 1.1 percentage points faster than the overall growth rate for the economy, according to estimates from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The U.S. now spends close to 20 percent of its gross domestic product on health care, compared with 14 percent twenty years ago, according to World Bank figures.

Within the sector, some big drug companies are attractive to investors because they pay a large dividend relative to the average S&P 500 company.

AbbVie, for example, has a healthy yield of 3.1 percent compared with 2 percent for the broader market. The yield shows how much a company pays out in dividends each year relative to the price of its stock.

The company is also benefiting from a strong business. The stock surged Friday after it reported third-quarter earnings that were better than analysts forecast. The maker of Crohn's disease treatment Humira also raised its earnings outlook for the second time this year.

The company has seen its stock price jump 16 percent since the end of the slump.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 17.6 points or ▲ 0.10% on Tuesday, 4 November 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,383.84 ▲ 17.60 ▲ 0.10%
Nasdaq____ 4,623.64 ▼ -15.27 ▼ -0.33%
S&P_500___ 2,012.10 ▼ -5.71 ▼ -0.28%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.05 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.42%

NYSE Volume 3,912,931,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,876,855,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,453.97 ▼ -34.00 ▼ -0.52%
DAX_____ 9,166.47 ▼ -85.23 ▼ -0.92%
CAC_40__ 4,130.19 ▼ -63.84 ▼ -1.52%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,498.20 ▲ 13.20 ▲ 0.24%
Shanghai_Comp 2,430.68 ▲ 0.65 ▲ 0.03%
Taiwan_Weight 8,989.18 ▼ -15.68 ▼ -0.17%
Nikkei_225___ 16,862.47 ▲ 448.71 ▲ 2.73%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,845.66 ▼ -70.31 ▼ -0.29%
Strait_Times.__ 3,281.57 ▼ -9.27 ▼ -0.28%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,423.26 ▲ 5.04 ▲ 0.09%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-muted-china-factory-growth-090956116.html

US stocks slip as oil slump hits energy companies
Associated Press
By STEVE ROTHWELL

NEW YORK (AP) ”” The ongoing slump in oil prices weighed on stocks again on Tuesday, pushing energy companies to another day of big losses. Disappointing earnings outlooks from a range of companies, including Priceline and Michael Kors also weighed on the market.

Oil has fallen sharply in recent weeks as global supplies rise while demand for fuel trails expectations. The latest decline was prompted by reports that Saudi Arabia is cutting the price of oil that it supplies to the U.S. as it attempts to maintain its market share as U.S. production booms.

The drop in oil prices has hit energy stocks hard, driving them into negative territory for the year. It has also helped push the stock market back from the record levels that it reached last week.

"It's a case of sell first, ask questions later, for anything oil-related," said Quincy Krosby, a market strategist at Prudential Financial.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 5.71 points, or 0.3 percent, to 2,012.10. The Nasdaq composite dropped 15.27 points, or 0.3 percent, to 4,623.64. The Dow Jones industrial average bucked the trend, edging up 17.60 points, or 0.1 percent, to 17,383.84.

While energy stocks are suffering, many analysts and investors predict that the U.S. economy will benefit in the long run from lower energy prices. Lower gas prices will put more money in consumers' pockets, giving them more spending power.

Airline stocks were among the winners Tuesday as energy prices fell. Fuel is their single largest operating cost and lower prices should mean higher profits if demand for air travel stays strong. Delta Airlines surged $1.71, or 4.2 percent, to $42.32. United Continental, Jet Blue and Southwest Airlines also logged big gains.

Investors were also keeping an eye on third quarter earnings reports.

Michael Kors fell the most in the S&P 500 index.

The maker of luxury handbags, shoes and other accessories gave an outlook for the fourth quarter that disappointed investors. The stock fell $6.57, or 8.4 percent, to $71.42.

Priceline also slumped. The online travel booking company dropped $100.82, or 8.4 percent, to $1,097.70 after the company hinted that the weak economic backdrop in Europe would hurt its earnings in the current quarter. The booking company reported that its earnings rose 28 percent in the third quarter, but its outlook for the current quarter fell short of analysts' projections.

Investors will also be following the outcome of the midterm elections. Polling across the board gives Republicans well over a 50 percent chance of turning out at least six incumbent Senate Democrats or capturing seats left vacant by Democrat retirements, an outcome that would put the opposition in charge of both houses of Congress in the final two years of Obama's second White House term.

Some strategists say that even if Republicans win both houses, it will likely have little impact on the direction of the stock market in coming months.

"The reality is that you're still going to have a Democratic president, and very little is going to get done in the last two years of his term," said David Lafferty, chief market strategist at Natixis Global Asset Management. "When elections really begin to matter is probably going to be in the next cycle."

The news from overseas may also have discouraged buyers.

The European Union cut its already low economic growth forecasts further on Tuesday, indicating the recovery will remain sluggish amid problems for the biggest economies, particularly France and Germany. The official forecast for growth this year in the 18-country eurozone was cut to 0.8 percent from a prediction of 1.2 percent made in the spring. The institution also cut its forecast for next year.

Germany's DAX dropped 0.9 percent to 9,169 while France's CAC-40 fell 1.5 percent to 4,129. The FTSE 100 of leading British shares fell 0.5 percent to 6,453.

The dollar's surge against the yen abated Tuesday, a day after the U.S. currency rose to its highest point in almost seven years. The dollar was flat at 113.51 yen. It fell against the euro, trading at $1.2550. U.S. government bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.32 percent.

In currency trading, the dollar's surge against the yen abated after the U.S. currency rose to its highest point in almost seven years on Monday. The dollar traded flat at 113.51 yen. It fell against the euro, trading at $1.2550. U.S. government bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.32 percent.

In metals trading, silver for December delivery slumped 25 cents, or 1.5 percent, to 15.95 an ounce. Gold for the same month dropped $2.10, or 0.2 percent, to $1,167.70 an ounce. Gold is now trading at a four-year low.

Copper for December slipped 4.7 cents, or 1.5 percent, to $3.02 per pound.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 100.69 points or ▲ 0.58% on Wednesday, 5 November 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,484.53 ▲ 100.69 ▲ 0.58%
Nasdaq____ 4,620.72 ▼ -2.91 ▼ -0.06%
S&P_500___ 2,023.57 ▲ 11.47 ▲ 0.57%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.07 ▲ 0.01 ▲ 0.39%

NYSE Volume 3,758,487,500
Nasdaq Volume 1,910,342,120

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,539.14 ▲ 85.17 ▲ 1.32%
DAX_____ 9,315.48 ▲ 149.01 ▲ 1.63%
CAC_40__ 4,208.42 ▲ 78.23 ▲ 1.89%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,492.80 ▼ -5.40 ▼ -0.10%
Shanghai_Comp 2,419.25 ▼ -11.42 ▼ -0.47%
Taiwan_Weight 8,962.60 ▼ -26.58 ▼ -0.30%
Nikkei_225___ 16,937.32 ▲ 74.85 ▲ 0.44%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,695.62 ▼ -150.04 ▼ -0.63%
Strait_Times.__ 3,287.54 ▲ 5.97 ▲ 0.18%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,402.15 ▼ -21.10 ▼ -0.39%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/asia-stocks-lower-europe-growth-070223229.html

US stocks gain as the price of crude oil rebounds
Associated Press
By STEVE ROTHWELL

NEW YORK (AP) ”” Stocks returned to record levels on Wednesday as a rebound in oil prices boosted energy stocks. The stock market also gained after the completion of midterm elections that saw Republicans take control of the Senate.

The direction of the stock market has been dictated by swings in the price of oil this week. Energy stocks plunged on Monday and Tuesday on reports that Saudi Arabia was cutting prices for U.S.-bound crude. On Wednesday, oil rebounded on a smaller-than-expected increase in overall U.S. supplies.

Devon Energy was the biggest gainer in the Standard & Poor's 500 index after it reported record oil production late Tuesday and said that its third-quarter earnings more than doubled to $1.02 billion. The results were better than Wall Street analysts had forecast.

The stock market has returned to record levels after a sharp slump last month. The rebound has been fueled by a combination of rising corporate earnings and evidence that the economy is maintaining its gradual recovery.

"We're within the midst of a secular bull market right now, and I do believe the general trend right now in the U.S. stock market is going to be upward," said Kevin Mahn, President and Chief Investment Officer at Hennion & Walsh Asset Management.

The S&P 500 rose 11.47 points, or 0.6 percent, to 2,023.57. That surpassed the previous record of 2,018.05 set on Friday. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 100.69 points, or 0.6 percent, to 17,484.53. The index is also at an all-time high. The Nasdaq composite fell two points, or less than 0.1 percent, to 4,620.72.

Investors also assessed the impact of the midterm elections.

America awoke Wednesday to sharper dividing lines in an already divided government. Republicans gained control of the Senate and strengthened their hold on the House in a wave of Election Day victories late Tuesday. Republicans racked up Senate victories in seven states, including GOP-leaning Arkansas, Montana, South Dakota and West Virginia.

Many analysts pointed out though that a divided government isn't necessarily negative for the stock market.

Evaluating data going back to 1946, analysts at S&P Capital IQ found that the stock market had its best returns when a Democratic President was opposed by a unified Republican Congress. In the eight years when that combination was in place the S&P 500 index gained an average of 15.1 percent.

The worst returns occurred when a Republican president was working with a split Congress. In that scenario, stocks rose an average of just 3.5 percent a year.

Despite this week's events in Washington, what matters more for investors when evaluating companies is the strength of their balance sheets and their earnings potential, said W. Janet Dougherty, a global investment specialist based in Chicago with J.P. Morgan Private Bank.

"In the near-term what happens in Washington shouldn't deter you, or impact how you're investing," Dougherty said. "It's really does come down to fundamentals."

Investors also got some encouraging news on hiring on Wednesday.

U.S. companies added 230,000 jobs in October, payroll processer ADP said Wednesday. That's the most in four months and a sign that businesses are still willing to hire despite signs of slowing growth overseas. The report could indicate a healthy gain in the government's monthly report on jobs due out Friday.

In oil trading, Benchmark U.S. crude rose for the first time in five days, climbing $1.49 to $78.68 a barrel on a smaller-than-expected increase in overall U.S. oil supplies and a surprise decline in oil supplies at the main U.S. trading hub in Cushing, Oklahoma. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, rose 13 cents to close at $82.95 on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

Devon energy surged $5.60, or 10 percent, to $61.62 after reporting record oil production late Tuesday and saying that its third-quarter earnings more than double to $1.02 billion.

Other winning stocks included a pair of big media companies.

Time Warner jumped after raising its earnings forecast for the year. The company's stock gained $3.02, or 4 percent, to $77.99.

Twenty-First Century Fox said late Tuesday that it earned $1.04 billion in its fiscal first quarter on strong results from its cable networks and movies including "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" and "The Fault in Our Stars." Its stock rose $1.51, or 4.5 percent, to $34.84.

TripAdvisor was the day's biggest loser. Its stock plunged after the company posted weak quarterly results late Tuesday. The travel website company's shares dropped $11.84, or 14.1 percent, to $71.95.

In currency trading, the dollar rose to 114.74 yen from 113.69 yen late Tuesday. The euro fell to $1.2472 from $1.2548. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose was unchanged from Tuesday at 2.34 percent.

The price of gold continued to slide. Gold fell $22, or 1.9 percent, to $1,145.70 an ounce. Silver slid 51 cents, or 3.2 percent, to $15.43 an ounce and copper dropped 1.1 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $3.01 a pound.

In other energy futures trading, wholesale gasoline rose 0.9 cent to close at $2.087 a gallon and heating oil fell 0.4 cent to close at $2.439 a gallon. Natural gas rose for the seventh straight trading day on forecasts for colder weather. Natural gas futures rose 6.5 cents to close at $4.194 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 69.94 points or ▲ 0.40% on Thursday, 6 November 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,554.47 ▲ 69.94 ▲ 0.40%
Nasdaq____ 4,638.47 ▲ 17.75 ▲ 0.38%
S&P_500___ 2,031.21 ▲ 7.64 ▲ 0.38%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.09 ▲ 0.03 ▲ 0.91%

NYSE Volume 3,601,652,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,941,815,500

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,551.15 ▲ 12.01 ▲ 0.18%
DAX_____ 9,377.41 ▲ 61.93 ▲ 0.66%
CAC_40__ 4,227.68 ▲ 19.26 ▲ 0.46%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,479.20 ▼ -13.60 ▼ -0.25%
Shanghai_Comp 2,425.86 ▲ 6.61 ▲ 0.27%
Taiwan_Weight 8,891.02 ▼ -71.58 ▼ -0.80%
Nikkei_225___ 16,792.48 ▼ -144.84 ▼ -0.86%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,649.31 ▼ -46.31 ▼ -0.20%
Strait_Times.__ 3,290.96 ▲ 3.30 ▲ 0.10%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,403.61 ▲ 1.46 ▲ 0.03%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/asia-stocks-waver-ahead-us-jobs-report-081026771.html

Dow, S&P 500 step further into record territory
Associated Press
By MATTHEW CRAFT

NEW YORK (AP) ”” Solid profits for big companies and optimistic economic news helped nudge the stock market to another record high Thursday.

In European markets, losses turned to gains when the head of the European Central Bank said he was ready to take more steps to revive the region's struggling economy. The news knocked the euro to a two-year low against the dollar.

Whole Foods Market jumped 12 percent, the biggest gain in the Standard & Poor's 500 index, after reporting higher quarterly earnings than analysts had expected. Whole Foods climbed $4.33 to end the day at $44.34.

"The news is encouraging today," said David Joy, chief market strategist at Ameriprise Financial. "It's especially nice to see the European Central Bank saying the right things."

The S&P 500 edged up 7.64 points, or 0.4 percent, to close at 2,031.21. That put the benchmark index for most mutual funds up 0.7 percent for the week.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 69.94 points, or 0.4 percent, to 17,554.47, while the Nasdaq composite gained 17.75 points, also 0.4 percent, to 4,638.47.

Stronger earnings results from Caterpillar, Microsoft and other corporate giants have helped push the market higher over recent weeks. Third-quarter earnings for S&P 500 companies are on track to rise nearly 9 percent, according to S&P Capital IQ. Before results began to roll in, analysts had estimated earnings would increase 6 percent.

"What's really important about this earnings season is that CEOs are no longer saying, 'We can survive.' They're saying, 'We're expanding our business,'" said JJ Kinahan, TD Ameritrade's chief strategist. "There's a note of optimism we haven't heard in a long time."

After the close of regular trading on Wednesday, Tesla Motors posted results that beat Wall Street's estimates and also reported record deliveries of its flagship sedan, the Model S. Tesla's stock gained $10.25, or 4 percent, to $241.22.

In Europe, Mario Draghi, the head of the European Central Bank, said he would consider more unconventional measures, such as large-scale bond purchases, to pump money into the economy, "if needed." The ECB has come under increasing pressure to provide more support for Europe's recovery and prevent prices from falling. Draghi spoke following the ECB's decision to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 0.05 percent, a record low.

"Draghi has a tendency to cause hysteria in the markets even when he potentially doesn't mean to," said Craig Erlam, market analyst at Alpari. "It only takes the slightest suggestion that further easing is likely, or that (bond-buying) is a possibility, and the markets go wild."

European stock markets turned higher after Draghi's talk. Germany's DAX closed with a gain of 0.7 percent, while the CAC-40 in France gained 0.5 percent. The FTSE 100 index of leading British shares picked up 0.2 percent.

Draghi's comments also helped push the euro lower. The currency fell from $1.252 before he began talking to $1.239, its lowest level since August 2010.

Back in the U.S., government bond prices fell, nudging the yield on the 10-year Treasury note up to 2.37 percent.

In metals trading, gold continued its slump, losing $3.10, or 0.3 percent, to settle at $1,142.60 an ounce. Silver slid 3 cents, or 0.2 percent, to $15.41 an ounce, and copper rose a penny, or 0.3 percent, to $3.02 per pound.

Benchmark U.S. crude oil dipped 77 cents to close at $77.91 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, fell 9 cents to close at $82.86 in London.

In other trading on the NYMEX, wholesale gasoline rose 4.3 cents to close at $2.130 a gallon, heating oil rose 2 cents to close at $2.459 a gallon and natural gas rose 21 cents to close at $4.404 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 19.46 points or ▲ 0.11% on Friday, 7 November 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,573.93 ▲ 19.46 ▲ 0.11%
Nasdaq____ 4,632.53 ▼ -5.94 ▼ -0.13%
S&P_500___ 2,031.92 ▲ 0.71 ▲ 0.03%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.05 ▼ -0.05 ▼ -1.52%

NYSE Volume 3,453,985,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,930,457,500

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,567.24 ▲ 16.09 ▲ 0.25%
DAX_____ 9,291.83 ▼ -85.58 ▼ -0.91%
CAC_40__ 4,189.89 ▼ -37.79 ▼ -0.89%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,522.10 ▲ 42.90 ▲ 0.78%
Shanghai_Comp 2,418.17 ▼ -7.69 ▼ -0.32%
Taiwan_Weight 8,912.62 ▲ 21.60 ▲ 0.24%
Nikkei_225___ 16,880.38 ▲ 87.90 ▲ 0.52%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,550.24 ▼ -99.07 ▼ -0.42%
Strait_Times.__ 3,286.39 ▼ -4.57 ▼ -0.14%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,418.99 ▲ 15.38 ▲ 0.28%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/asia-stocks-rise-ecb-stimulus-075440506.html

Dow, S&P 500 eke out gains, set record highs
Associated Press
By MATTHEW CRAFT

NEW YORK (AP) — An encouraging report on hiring barely fazed the stock market Friday, leaving indexes with the slightest of gains. For investors, good is no longer good enough.

The Labor Department said that U.S. employers added 214,000 jobs to their payrolls in October. That knocked the unemployment rate down to 5.8 percent, the lowest rate since July 2008. But Wall Street wanted more.

"This isn't a bad report by any means," Dan Greenhaus, chief strategist at the brokerage BTIG in New York, wrote in a note to clients. Nine months of employers hiring more than 200,000 workers is obviously an encouraging trend. But he described the 214,000 figure as "certainly disappointing."

The Standard & Poor's 500 index eked out a gain of 0.71 point to end at 2,031.92. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 19.46 points, or 0.1 percent, to 17,573.93. Both indexes closed out the week at record highs.

The Nasdaq composite fell 5.94 points, or 0.1 percent, to 4,632.53.

"The market is priced for perfection right now," said Brad McMillan, chief investment officer for Commonwealth Financial in Waltham, Massachusetts. That's Wall Street slang for a market that's so high it appears investors think everything is going to keep getting better and better. "If it's not fantastic, it disappoints," he explained.

Similarly, bond traders were betting that the government's report would show even stronger hiring last month, said Tom di Galoma, head of rates and credit trading at ED&F Man Capital, a brokerage in New York. So the actual report rattled the normally staid Treasury market, pushing the 10-year yield down to 2.30 percent from 2.39 percent late Thursday. Comments from Janet Yellen, the Federal Reserve Chair, that implied the Fed was in no rush to raise interest rates helped press bond yields down.

In other trading, Humana dropped 7 percent after turning in quarterly results that fell short of forecasts. The health-insurer attributed the sharp drop in earnings to its spending on health care exchanges as well as higher costs for prescription drugs. Humana's stock fell $9.29 to $130.58.

First Solar also turned in third-quarter earnings and sales that missed analysts' targets. The maker of solar panels also pared its forecast for 2014 revenue, and its stock sank $6.12, or 11 percent, to $50.29.

Despite some misses, the third-quarter earnings season has turned out better than predicted. Profits are on course to rise nearly 9 percent for companies in the S&P 500, according to S&P Capital IQ. Before results began to roll in, analysts had forecast a 6 percent increase.

Among other companies in the news, Sears Holdings soared following the retailer's announcement that it may form a real estate investment trust. The plan entails Sears selling up to 300 buildings then leasing them back. The store's stock shot up $10.14, or 31 percent, to $42.81.

In commodities trading, gold rose $27.20 to settle at $1,169.80 an ounce, while silver picked up 3 cents to $15.71 an ounce. Copper added 2 cents to $3.04 per pound.

Oil rose as an improving job market in the U.S. raised expectations for energy demand. Benchmark U.S. crude added 74 cents to close at $78.65 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, a benchmark for oil used by many U.S. refineries, rose 53 cents to close at $83.39 a barrel in London.

Other oil and gas contracts traded higher:

— Wholesale gasoline rose 0.5 cent to close at $2.135 a gallon.

— Heating oil rose 4.1 cents to close at $2.500 a gallon.

— Natural gas rose 0.8 cent to close at $4.412 per 1,000 cubic feet.

7042

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 39.81 points or ▲ 0.23% on Monday, 10 November 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,613.74 ▲ 39.81 ▲ 0.23%
Nasdaq____ 4,651.62 ▲ 19.08 ▲ 0.41%
S&P_500___ 2,038.26 ▲ 6.34 ▲ 0.31%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.09 ▲ 0.04 ▲ 1.38%

NYSE Volume 3,242,784,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,778,196,250

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,611.25 ▲ 44.01 ▲ 0.67%
DAX_____ 9,351.87 ▲ 60.04 ▲ 0.65%
CAC_40__ 4,222.82 ▲ 32.93 ▲ 0.79%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,501.40 ▼ -20.70 ▼ -0.37%
Shanghai_Comp 2,473.67 ▲ 55.50 ▲ 2.30%
Taiwan_Weight 9,049.98 ▲ 137.36 ▲ 1.54%
Nikkei_225___ 16,780.53 ▼ -99.85 ▼ -0.59%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,744.70 ▲ 194.46 ▲ 0.83%
Strait_Times.__ 3,301.00 ▲ 14.61 ▲ 0.44%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,470.34 ▲ 51.35 ▲ 0.95%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/asian-shares-higher-china-us-data-japan-falls-033542062--finance.html

US stocks climb to new highs; home builders gain
Associated Press
By STEVE ROTHWELL

NEW YORK (AP) ”” For stocks on Monday, the path of least resistance was up.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index and the Dow Jones industrial average both edged up to all-time highs on a day that was light on economic news and company releases.

Toll Brothers, a builder of luxury homes, rose after saying its revenue surged in the most recent reporting period. Dean Foods jumped after the dairy company reported a much smaller loss than expected for its third quarter and projected a profit for the current quarter.

Stocks are trading at record levels, having rebounded following a sharp slump at the beginning of October. Improving company earnings and signs that the U.S. economy remains solid, despite growth lagging overseas, are encouraging stock investors.

"What is there to not like?" said Karyn Cavanaugh, a senior market strategist at Voya Investment Management. "As we head into the end of the year, earnings projections for 2015 are looking strong."

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 6.34 points, or 0.3 percent, to 2,038.26. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 39.81 points, or 0.2 percent, to 17,613.74. The Nasdaq composite climbed 19.08 points, or 0.4 percent, to 4,651.62.

About 90 percent of companies in the S&P 500 have reported their third-quarter results, and their earnings are projected to rise at an average rate of 8.9 percent for the period, according to S&P Capital IQ data. That compares with growth of 4.9 percent in the same period a year ago, and 10.4 percent in the second quarter.

Earnings are also forecast to keep growing at a broadly similar pace in coming quarters.

The economy is also providing companies with a sound base. Reports last week showed that U.S. manufacturing continued to expand and hiring remained healthy.

On Monday, health care stocks rose the most of the ten sectors in the index. They climbed almost 1 percent, extending their gains for the year to 22 percent.

Home builders rose after Toll Brothers said that its revenue rose 29 percent in the most recent quarter and average sales prices rose. Toll Brother's stock climbed 73 cents, or 2.3 percent, to $32.95.

Other companies in the industry, including Lennar Corp., PulteGroup and D.R. Horton also rose.

Cable companies were among the day's losers after President Barack Obama said regulators should reclassify the Internet as a public utility.

The president also said that Internet providers shouldn't be allowed to cut deals with online services like Netflix, Amazon or YouTube to prioritize their content. In a statement released by the White House Monday, the president called for an "explicit ban" on such deals.

Time Warner Cable fell $7.10, or 4.9 percent, to $136.50. Comcast fell $2.20, or 4 percent, to $52.95.

Energy companies also resumed their slide as the price of oil dropped again.

The price of oil fell Monday on expectations of continued high OPEC output after the Kuwaiti oil minister predicted no production cut this month and an important field in Libya appeared to be coming back online.

Benchmark U.S. crude fell $1.25 to close at $77.40 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, fell $1.05 to close at $82.34 on the ICE Futures exchange in London. That's the lowest close for Brent since October 2010.

Stocks, though no longer cheap, are still attractive because of lower returns elsewhere, said Bill Stone, the chief investment strategist for PNC Wealth Management. Bond yields have fallen this year, and rates on cash deposits remain close to zero.

"My baseline is that stocks will continue to chug along," Stone said.

On Monday, bond prices fell, pushing yields higher, though they remain lower than they were at the start of the year.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury edged up to 2.35 percent from 2.30 percent. The yield was at 3 percent at the start of the year.

Later in the week investors will be taking stock of retail company earnings to gain insight into how much American shoppers are spending ahead of the holiday season. Macy's, Nordstrom and Wal-Mart will report their earnings. The government will also release its retail sales data for October on Friday.

The dollar edged higher against the Japanese yen, climbing 0.3 percent to 114.89 yen. Against the euro, the U.S. currency was little changed at $1.2424.

In metals trading, gold fell for the eighth time in nine days, sliding $10, or 0.9 percent, to $1,159.80 an ounce. Silver dropped 4.3 cents, or 0.3 percent, to $15.67 an ounce. Copper fell 1.9 cents, or 0.6 percent, to $3.02 a pound.

In other energy futures trading on the NYMEX:

”” Wholesale gasoline fell 3.4 cents to close at $2.109 a gallon.

”” Heating oil fell 3.1 cents to close at $2.469 a gallon.

”” Natural gas fell 15.7 cents to close at $4.255 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 1.16 points or ▲ 0.01% on Tuesday, 11 November 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,614.90 ▲ 1.16 ▲ 0.01%
Nasdaq____ 4,660.56 ▲ 8.94 ▲ 0.19%
S&P_500___ 2,039.68 ▲ 1.42 ▲ 0.07%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.09 ▲ 0.00 ▲ 0.13%

NYSE Volume 2,932,126,750
Nasdaq Volume 1,628,401,250

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,627.40 ▲ 16.15 ▲ 0.24%
DAX_____ 9,369.03 ▲ 17.16 ▲ 0.18%
CAC_40__ 4,244.10 ▲ 21.28 ▲ 0.50%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,494.00 ▼ -7.40 ▼ -0.13%
Shanghai_Comp 2,469.67 ▼ -4.00 ▼ -0.16%
Taiwan_Weight 9,034.14 ▼ -15.84 ▼ -0.18%
Nikkei_225___ 17,124.11 ▲ 343.58 ▲ 2.05%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,808.28 ▲ 63.58 ▲ 0.27%
Strait_Times.__ 3,289.74 ▼ -11.26 ▼ -0.34%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,490.79 ▲ 20.45 ▲ 0.37%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-eke-small-gain-close-214021106.html

Stocks eke out small gain to close at record

Stocks log small gain to end at record; Homebuilders gain after D.R. Horton's orders jump
Associated Press
By Steve Rothwell, AP Markets Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- The stock market eked out another all-time high on Tuesday, but the gains were slight as investors awaited more news to give them an indication about the strength of the economy.

Homebuilders got a lift after D.R. Horton reported a surge in net orders for the fourth quarter, the second encouraging report from the sector in as many days after Toll Brother reported strong revenue growth Monday. Juniper Networks slumped after the sudden departure of its CEO.

The stock market's climb to record levels is being underpinned by record corporate earnings. As the reporting period for the third quarter winds down, companies have again managed to post strong earnings, allaying investors' concern that slowing growth elsewhere in the world would crimp profits.

"The strengthening economy is definitely there in the earnings," said Jerry Braakman, chief investment officer of First American Trust.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 1.42 points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,039.68. The Dow Jones industrial average climbed 1.16 points, or less than 0.1 percent, to 17,614.90. The Nasdaq composite climbed 8.94, or 0.2 percent, to 4,660.56.

Ninety percent of companies in the S&P 500 have reported their results for the third quarter. Average earnings for companies in the index are now projected to have risen 8.9 percent in the period, according to analysts at S&P Capital IQ. At the start of last month earnings were forecast to grow only 6.7 percent.

Stocks will likely move "sideways to up" for the remainder of the year, said James Liu, Global Market Strategist at J.P. Morgan Funds. Earnings "continue to look good," he said.

While earnings remain strong, the market could face volatility as investors fret about the potential timing of the Federal Reserve's first increase in interest rates since 2006. "That's my largest area of concern," Liu said.

Fed policy makers have ended their most recent bond-buying stimulus program in October and have said that they will keep interest rates low until they are more certain about the economic recovery.

On Tuesday, D.R. Horton was among the day's gainers after the company said that net orders surged 48 percent in its fourth fiscal quarter. The company's stock climbed 52 cents, or 2.2 percent, to $23.95. Other home builders including PulteGroup and Lennar also rose.

Home builders also gained Monday after luxury home builder Toll Brothers said its revenue rose 29 percent in the most recent quarter and average sales prices climbed.

Zoetis, a maker of animal health medicines, surged after reports that activist investor William Ackman had taken a $2 billion stake in the company. The Wall Street Journal reported that Ackman's Pershing Square Capital Management had built the stake together with fellow hedge fund Sachem Head Capital Management. Zoetis rose $3.56, or 9 percent, to $43.72.

Juniper Networks slumped $1.22, or 5.7 percent, to 20.28 after announcing that CEO Shaygan Kheradpir had left the company after less than a year. The company said in a press release that his resignation "follows a review by the board of directors of his leadership and his conduct in connection with a particular negotiation with a customer."

In energy trading, the price of U.S. oil rose Tuesday on expectations of lower domestic supplies but global oil fell to a 4-year low as Libyan production and exports appear closer to reaching the market.

Benchmark U.S. crude rose 54 cents to close at $77.94 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, fell 67 cents to close at $81.67 on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

The dollar rose 0.5 percent to 115.47 yen. The U.S currency weakened against the euro, declining to $1.2476. U.S. government bond trading was closed for Veterans Day.

The price of gold edged up $3.20 to $1,163 an ounce. Silver rose less than a penny to $15.68 an ounce and copper rose a penny to $3.03 a pound.

In other energy futures trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange:

”” Wholesale gasoline rose 0.3 cent to close at $2.104 a gallon.

”” Heating oil closed unchanged at $2.469 a gallon.

”” Natural gas fell 0.8 cent to close at $4.247 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -2.7 points or ▼ -0.02% on Wednesday, 12 November 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,612.20 ▼ -2.70 ▼ -0.02%
Nasdaq____ 4,675.14 ▲ 14.58 ▲ 0.31%
S&P_500___ 2,038.25 ▼ -1.43 ▼ -0.07%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.08 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.39%

NYSE Volume 3,244,640,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,733,627,000

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,611.04 ▼ -16.36 ▼ -0.25%
DAX_____ 9,210.96 ▼ -158.07 ▼ -1.69%
CAC_40__ 4,179.88 ▼ -64.22 ▼ -1.51%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,443.00 ▼ -51.00 ▼ -0.93%
Shanghai_Comp 2,494.48 ▲ 24.80 ▲ 1.00%
Taiwan_Weight 8,918.95 ▼ -115.19 ▼ -1.28%
Nikkei_225___ 17,197.05 ▲ 72.94 ▲ 0.43%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,938.18 ▲ 129.90 ▲ 0.55%
Strait_Times.__ 3,283.71 ▼ -8.44 ▼ -0.26%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,487.89 ▼ -2.90 ▼ -0.05%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-edge-lower-5-165755082.html

US stocks edge lower after 5 record highs

US stocks drift lower following 5 days of record highs; Smucker down on weak sales
Associated Press
By Matthew Craft, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Big banks weighed on the stock market Wednesday, tugging major indexes back from record highs.

Regulators from the U.S., Switzerland and the U.K. fined five major banks a total of $3.4 billion for conspiring to manipulate foreign-currency trading. The news drove down bank stocks in Europe and U.S. JPMorgan Chase fell more than 1 percent, the biggest drop in the Dow Jones industrial average.

"The fines from the watchdogs took some of the wind out of the market," said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Rockwell Global Capital Management. But a slight dip following five days of record highs "is actually healthy," he said. "That's the sign of a good bull market. Going straight up every day would be reckless."

The Standard & Poor's 500 index slipped 1.43 point, a sliver of a percent, to end at 2,038.25.

The Dow lost 2.70 points to 17,612.20, while the Nasdaq composite rose 14.58 points, or 0.3 percent, to 4,675.13.

On Tuesday, the S&P 500 closed at a record high for the fifth straight day.

Major markets in Europe closed with bigger losses. France's CAC 40 dropped 1.5 percent, while Germany's DAX lost 1.7 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 sank 0.2 percent.

Back in the U.S., J.M. Smucker dropped 4 percent, the worst loss in the S&P 500. The maker of Jif peanut butter, fruit jams, and other products trimmed its full-year profit forecast, saying higher prices for Folgers coffee have hurt sales. J.M. Smucker's stock fell $3.70 to $100.38.

Susquehanna Bancshares soared 33 percent on news that the commercial bank BB&T agreed to buy Susquehanna for roughly $2.5 billion. The deal, which still needs approval from shareholders and regulators, would give BB&T a wide reach across Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic states. Susquehanna Bancshares jumped $3.22 to $13.12. BB&T fell 66 cents, or 2 percent, to $37.67.

In a week light on major economic reports, investors were looking ahead to the government's monthly look on retail sales, due out Friday. Wall Street's economists expect the Commerce Department to say sales inched up 0.2 percent last month. Sales fell in September.

Sam Stovall, chief equity strategist at S&P Capital IQ, said that the upcoming report could reveal some of the benefits from lower gasoline prices. Over the past month, the national average has dropped 29 cents to $2.92 a gallon, the lowest price in four years, according to the American Automobile Association. As a result, money that would have been spent on filling up the gas tank can be used to fill up shopping bags, right in time for the holiday shopping season.

China's Shanghai Composite Index gained 1 percent after Hong Kong scrapped a daily limit on how much yuan residents can buy. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 touched a seven-year high and closed with a gain of 0.4 percent.

Prices for U.S. government bonds barely budged, with the yield on the 10-year Treasury note holding tight at 2.36 percent. The bond market was closed Tuesday for Veterans Day.

In the commodity markets, the price of gold lost $3.90 to settle at $1,159.10 an ounce. Silver slid 6 cents to $15.62 an ounce while copper ended unchanged at $3.03 a pound.

The price of crude oil hit a four-year low on more signs of rising supplies. Benchmark U.S. crude lost 76 cents to close at $77.18 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, an international benchmark used by many U.S. refineries, fell $1.29 cents to close at $80.38 a barrel, also a 4-year low, in London.

In other trading on the NYMEX:

”” Wholesale gasoline rose 0.3 cent to close at $2.107 a gallon.

”” Heating oil fell 2.2 cents to close at $2.447 a gallon.

”” Natural gas fell 6.2 cents to close at $4.185 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 40.59 points or ▲ 0.23% on Thursday, 13 November 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,652.79 ▲ 40.59 ▲ 0.23%
Nasdaq____ 4,680.14 ▲ 5.01 ▲ 0.11%
S&P_500___ 2,039.33 ▲ 1.08 ▲ 0.05%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.08 ▲ 0.00 ▼ -0.13%

NYSE Volume 3,443,428,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,809,753,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,635.45 ▲ 24.41 ▲ 0.37%
DAX_____ 9,248.51 ▲ 37.55 ▲ 0.41%
CAC_40__ 4,187.95 ▲ 8.07 ▲ 0.19%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,423.50 ▼ -19.50 ▼ -0.36%
Shanghai_Comp 2,485.61 ▼ -8.87 ▼ -0.36%
Taiwan_Weight 8,980.67 ▲ 61.72 ▲ 0.69%
Nikkei_225___ 17,392.79 ▲ 195.74 ▲ 1.14%
Hang_Seng.__ 24,019.94 ▲ 81.76 ▲ 0.34%
Strait_Times.__ 3,304.93 ▲ 21.22 ▲ 0.65%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,462.74 ▼ -25.14 ▼ -0.46%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-close-higher-dow-215751682.html

US stocks close higher as Dow Jones hits record

Stocks close higher after flitting between gains and losses for most of day; DreamWorks soars
Associated Press
By Bernard Condon, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks wavered between small gains and losses on Thursday to close little changed as traders weighed generally strong earnings reports against the falling fortunes of energy companies.

Indexes rose from the opening of trading following encouraging quarterly results from Wal-Mart Stores and the media giant Viacom, then flitted up and down most of the day. After four weeks of healthy gains for stocks and a series of record daily closes, the tepid trading was not unexpected.

"After a move higher so far, so fast, the market needs a pause," said Quincy Krosby, a market strategist at Prudential Financial. "We need another catalyst to move higher."

All three major U.S. indexes closed higher after a late-afternoon rally. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 40.59 points, or 0.2 percent, to 17,652.79, a record. It was the seventh record close for the blue-chip index in eight trading days.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 1.08 points, or less than a tenth of a percentage point, to 2,039.33. The Nasdaq composite rose 5.01 points, or 0.1 percent, to 4,680.14.

A slump in the energy sector held back the overall market as oil prices continued to slump over fears that supplies will outstrip demand. Benchmark U.S. crude lost 4 percent and is trading at a four-year low.

Energy stocks closed down 1.4 percent, after being off more 2 percent earlier in the day.

Energy company shares trimmed their losses after a late-day report from the Wall Street Journal that Halliburton is in talks to buy rival oil-field service company, Baker Hughes, citing unnamed sources. Baker Hughes soared $7.77, or 15 percent, to $58.75.

In other deal news, DreamWorks jumped 14 percent on a New York Times report that the toy maker Hasbro is trying to buy the movie studio. And Berkshire Hathaway, run by billionaire Warren Buffett, said it was buying the Duracell battery business from Procter & Gamble in a deal valued at about $3 billion.

Jim Russell, a portfolio manager at Bahl & Gaynor, an investment firm, said the deal making helped keep stocks positive for the day.

"It's another source of demand for stocks, and presumably from smart buyers," he said. "It's lent some optimism to the market."

Among other stocks making big moves:

— Wal-Mart jumped $3.74 to $82.94 after reporting earnings and revenue that were higher than financial analysts had expected. The 4.7 percent gain was the biggest in the Dow.

— Viacom, which owns the Paramount studio, MTV and VH1, rose $1.95, or 2.8 percent, to $71.20 after its results topped forecasts.

— Amazon rose 1.6 percent following news that it had resolved a bitter, long-running dispute with the book publisher Hachette. Amazon stock gained $4.97 to $316.48.

Benchmark U.S. crude fell $2.97 to close at $74.21 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, fell $2.46 to close at $77.92 a barrel, also a 4-year low, on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

In other energy futures trading on the NYMEX:

— Wholesale gasoline fell 10.5 cents to close at $2.002 a gallon.

— Heating oil fell 8.5 cents to close at $2.362 a gallon.

— Natural gas fell 20.8 cents to close at $3.977 per 1,000 cubic feet.

In metals trading, the price of gold edged up $2.40 to $1,161.50 an ounce. Silver was flat at $15.62 an ounce and copper fell three cents to $2.99 a pound.

U.S. government bond prices rose slightly. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note slipped to 2.34 percent from 2.36 percent on Wednesday.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -18.05 points or ▼ -0.10% on Friday, 14 November 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,634.74 ▼ -18.05 ▼ -0.10%
Nasdaq____ 4,688.54 ▲ 8.40 ▲ 0.18%
S&P_500___ 2,039.82 ▲ 0.49 ▲ 0.02%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.04 ▼ -0.03 ▼ -1.11%

NYSE Volume 3,201,993,500
Nasdaq Volume 1,733,632,000

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,654.37 ▲ 18.92 ▲ 0.29%
DAX_____ 9,252.94 ▲ 4.43 ▲ 0.05%
CAC_40__ 4,202.46 ▲ 14.51 ▲ 0.35%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,433.80 ▲ 10.30 ▲ 0.19%
Shanghai_Comp 2,478.82 ▼ -6.78 ▼ -0.27%
Taiwan_Weight 8,982.88 ▲ 2.21 ▲ 0.02%
Nikkei_225___ 17,490.83 ▲ 98.04 ▲ 0.56%
Hang_Seng.__ 24,087.38 ▲ 67.44 ▲ 0.28%
Strait_Times.__ 3,315.67 ▲ 10.74 ▲ 0.32%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,484.00 ▲ 21.25 ▲ 0.39%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-end-mostly-gains-extend-214705483.html

Stocks end mostly up as gains extend into 4th week

US stocks end mostly higher as gains extend into 4th week; Virgin America soars in debut
Associated Press
By Bernard Condon, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks ended mostly higher on Friday as major indexes extended gains for a fourth week in a row, a rare stretch for this year.

After flitting between tiny gains and losses for most of the day, the Standard and Poor's 500 index rose just two-hundredths of one percent to close at a record high. The Dow Jones industrial average ended slightly lower, but the losses were limited by a gain in energy shares, which have been falling sharply in recent months as oil prices drop.

As of Friday, the S&P 500 is up 10 percent so far this year.

"The market has continued to surprise me with its strength," said Uri Landesman, president of Platinum Partners, an investment fund in New York. "It's been almost a six-year party ... and it takes a lot to upset that momentum."

The S&P 500 rose 0.49 points to 2,039.82. The Dow slipped 18.05 points, or 0.1 percent, to 17,634.74. The Nasdaq composite rose 8.4 points, or 0.2 percent, to 4,688.54.

Stocks have been mostly rising since Oct. 15, when the S&P 500 nearly fell into a "correction," a trading term for a drop of 10 percent or more from a recent peak. Generally strong corporate earnings results and solid U.S. economic data have lifted shares sharply since then.

On Friday, investors got more good economic news. The Commerce Department reported that retail sales rose 0.3 percent in October after a drop in September. The reversal, though modest, was interpreted by some market experts as evidence that recent job gains and lower gas prices are lifting spirits as the holiday shopping season begins.

"American consumers are starting to spend again," said John Manley, chief stock strategist at Wells Fargo Funds, which manages $250 billion. "More people are working ... and that makes us a little freer at the cash registers."

Six of the S&P 500 index's 10 industry sectors rose for day, led by an 0.8 percent gain in energy shares. Energy stocks had fallen 10 percent in three months as the price of crude plummeted to a four-year low.

Among the highlights of the day, Virgin America, an airline backed by billionaire Richard Branson, soared 30 percent in its initial public offering.

For the week, the S&P 500 and the Dow closed up about a third of percentage point, their fourth week of gains. The only better performance this year was a five-week run started in early August.

Among stocks making moves:

— Nordstrom rose 92 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $74.17 after the high-end retailer reporting earnings that topped financial analysts' expectations.

— Hertz Global Holdings sank 5 percent after announcing it needs to restate its financial results for 2012 and 2013. The car-rental company fell $1.404 to $21.69.

The price of oil posted its biggest gain in two months on concerns over Libyan output and strong retail sales in the U.S. that raised expectations for demand. Benchmark U.S. crude rose $1.61 to close at $75.82 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, rose $1.92 to $79.41 on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

In other energy futures trading on the NYMEX:

— Wholesale gasoline rose 4.1 cents to close at $2.043 a gallon.

— Heating oil rose 5.4 cents to close at $2.416 a gallon.

— Natural gas rose 4.3 cents to close at $4.022 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The price of U.S. government bonds rose slightly. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note slipped to 2.32 percent from 2.34 percent on Thursday. The yield was at 3 percent at the start of the year. Yields move in the opposite direction to the price.

The price of gold rose $24.10, or 2.1 percent, to $1,185.60 an ounce. Silver rose 69 cents, or 4.4 percent, to $16.31 an ounce and copper rose five cents, or 1.7 percent, to $3.05 a pound.

7511

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 13.01 points or ▲ 0.07% on Monday, 17 November 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,647.75 ▲ 13.01 ▲ 0.07%
Nasdaq____ 4,671.00 ▼ -17.54 ▼ -0.37%
S&P_500___ 2,041.32 ▲ 1.50 ▲ 0.07%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.06 ▲ 0.02 ▲ 0.56%

NYSE Volume 3,119,697,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,652,274,880

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,671.97 ▲ 17.60 ▲ 0.26%
DAX_____ 9,306.35 ▲ 53.41 ▲ 0.58%
CAC_40__ 4,226.10 ▲ 23.64 ▲ 0.56%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,396.60 ▼ -37.20 ▼ -0.68%
Shanghai_Comp 2,474.01 ▼ -4.82 ▼ -0.19%
Taiwan_Weight 8,884.39 ▼ -98.49 ▼ -1.10%
Nikkei_225___ 16,973.80 ▼ -517.03 ▼ -2.96%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,797.08 ▼ -290.30 ▼ -1.21%
Strait_Times.__ 3,287.85 ▼ -27.82 ▼ -0.84%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,484.00 ▲ 21.25 ▲ 0.39%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/p-500-ekes-record-dreamworks-215419022.html

S&P 500 ekes out record; DreamWorks sinks

S&P 500 index manages a tiny gain, enough to set a record high; DreamWorks Animation sinks
Associated Press
By Alex Veiga, AP Business Writer

Despite a day of mostly listless trading, the Standard & Poor's 500 index managed to notch another all-time high.

The index on Monday inched past its most recent record-high close set on Friday, extending its gain for the year to 10.4 percent. The Dow Jones industrial average also ended higher after briefly eclipsing its most recent high. The Nasdaq composite ended lower.

The latest milestone for the S&P 500 came on a day when the major U.S. stock indexes mostly hovered between small gains and losses as investors weighed the implications of an economic slowdown in Japan that worsened in the third quarter into a recession. Energy stocks fell as the price of crude oil resumed its slide.

"Japan definitely started us on a bit of a negative tone with the economy back into recession," said Chris Gaffney, senior market strategist at EverBank Wealth Management.

The major stock indexes started off in negative territory early Monday as the markets reacted to data showing the world's third-largest economy unexpectedly shrank at a 1.6 percent annual pace in the third quarter after contracting 7.1 percent the previous quarter.

Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei stock index lost 3 percent.

U.S. markets veered lower much of the morning. By afternoon, though, stocks began to pare some their losses as traders cheered several pieces of corporate deal news.

Shares in Botox-maker Allergan and oilfield services company Baker Hughes were among the biggest gainers.

In the end, the S&P rose 1.50 points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,041.32. That's just ahead of its previous all-time high close of 2,039.82 on Friday.

The Dow gained 13.01 points, or 0.1 percent, to 17,647.75. The Nasdaq composite fell 17.54 points, or 0.4 percent, to 4,671.

The three major stock indexes are up for the year.

Stocks have been mostly rising since Oct. 15, when the S&P 500 nearly fell into a "correction," a trading term for a drop of 10 percent or more from a recent peak.

Generally strong corporate earnings results and solid U.S. economic data have helped blunt the impact of global economic uncertainty.

News that Japan is in a recession stoked those fears once again, but the impact on the market was tempered, given the day's narrow trading range, noted Sean Lynch, managing director of global equity research and strategy for Wells Fargo Private Bank.

"The U.S. economy is a consumption-driven economy," Lynch said. "The U.S. is in pretty good footing here as we head into the last month of the year."

Six of the 10 sectors in the S&P 500 ended lower, with energy stocks falling most. The sector is down 3.8 percent this year, and is the only one in the red for 2014. Utilities rose the most.

Concerns over the global economy were dominant in the oil markets. Benchmark U.S. crude fell 18 cents to $75.64 a barrel in New York.

The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note rose to 2.34 percent from 2.32 percent late Friday.

In commodities trading, the price of gold slipped $2.10 to $1,183.50 an ounce, silver fell 26 cents to $16.06 an ounce and copper edged down a penny to $3.04 a pound.

Among stocks making big moves Monday:

”” Pharmaceutical giant Actavis agreed to buy Allergan for $66 billion. Allergan shares surged 5.3 percent, gaining $10.55 to $209.20. Actavis added $4.17, or 1.7 percent, to $247.94.

”” Baker Hughes jumped 8.9 percent on news it has agreed to be acquired by rival Halliburton in a deal worth $34.6 billion in cash and stock. Baker Hughes rose $5.34 to $65.23. Halliburton fell $5.85, or 10.6 percent, to $49.23.

”” DreamWorks Animation slid 14.3 percent following a media report over the weekend that talks between the animation studio and toy maker Hasbro have faded, dimming the likelihood that Hasbro will buy the studio known for movies such as "Shrek" and "Kung Fu Panda." DreamWorks fell $3.71 to $22.31. Shares in Hasbro rose $2.35, or 4.4 percent, to $56.37.

In other energy trading, Brent crude, the international benchmark, fell 10 cents to $79.31. Oil fell initially following news that Japan's economy had unexpectedly slipped back into recession.

Meanwhile, natural gas soared on forecasts of below-normal temperatures in the Midwest and the eastern U.S. Natural gas rose 32 cents, or 8 percent, to $4.341 per 1,000 cubic feet. Wholesale gasoline lost 1.6 cents to $2.026 a gallon and heating oil dropped 1.2 cents to $2.404 a gallon

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 40.07 points or ▲ 0.23% on Tuesday, 18 November 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,687.82 ▲ 40.07 ▲ 0.23%
Nasdaq____ 4,702.44 ▲ 31.44 ▲ 0.67%
S&P_500___ 2,051.80 ▲ 10.48 ▲ 0.51%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.04 ▼ -0.02 ▼ -0.52%

NYSE Volume 3,393,198,500
Nasdaq Volume 1,623,263,250

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,709.13 ▲ 37.16 ▲ 0.56%
DAX_____ 9,456.53 ▲ 150.18 ▲ 1.61%
CAC_40__ 4,262.38 ▲ 36.28 ▲ 0.86%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,383.10 ▼ -13.50 ▼ -0.25%
Shanghai_Comp 2,456.37 ▼ -17.64 ▼ -0.71%
Taiwan_Weight 8,859.07 ▼ -25.32 ▼ -0.28%
Nikkei_225___ 17,344.06 ▲ 370.26 ▲ 2.18%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,529.17 ▼ -267.91 ▼ -1.13%
Strait_Times.__ 3,313.73 ▲ 25.06 ▲ 0.76%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,505.03 ▲ 14.80 ▲ 0.27%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-index-notch-latest-records-211434995.html

US index notch latest records; Relief over Japan

Dow, S&P 500 mark latest record highs; Relief over better news from Japan and Germany
Associated Press
By Alex Veiga, AP Business Writer

Investors remained in a record-setting mood Tuesday, edging the Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor's 500 index to their latest all-time highs.

Pharmaceutical and medical equipment companies led the broad pickup in stocks, extending gains for the S&P 500 and Dow. The Nasdaq notched its first gain this week.

A positive outlook from homebuilders and encouraging news from Japan and Germany also helped lift markets.

The rally builds on a market rebound in recent weeks powered by strong corporate earnings and easing concerns among investors about the spread of Ebola and economic growth overseas.

"We've gotten good news on all of the worries since mid-October and we had much better-than-expected earnings," said Kate Warne, an investment strategist at Edward Jones. "As a result, it's not surprising we're seeing a series of record highs."

The major stock indexes opened flat on Monday, but quickly began to rise.

Germany's ZEW measure of investor sentiment showed an improvement in November after 10 months of declines, allaying worries about a slowing economy and lifting European markets.

Developments in Japan, whose economy slipped into recession in the third quarter, provided some relief.

Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei index rose 2.2 percent amid expectations, later confirmed, that Japan's government will delay a sales tax hike that was planned for next year.

U.S. stocks also got a boost from an increase in a measure of U.S. homebuilders' confidence, which rebounded in November as both sales expectations and buyer traffic improved.

The indexes continued to build on their gains throughout the day as investors piled into health care stocks. Pharmaceutical giant Actavis led all stocks in the S&P 500, vaulting 8.7 percent. Medical device maker Medtronic climbed 3.3 percent.

The energy sector lagged the rest of the market as the price of oil resumed its slide.

All told, the S&P 500 index added 10.48 points, or 0.5 percent, to 2,051.80. Its previous closing high was set Monday.

The Dow rose 40.07 points, or 0.2 percent, to 17,687.82. That's just 0.2 percent higher than its most recent record close last Thursday.

The Nasdaq composite gained 31.44 points, or 0.7 percent, to 4,702.44.

Nine of the 10 sectors in the S&P 500 notched gains, led by health care stocks. The sector is up 23.5 percent this year. Telecommunications stocks declined.

On Oct. 15 the S&P 500 nearly fell into a "correction," a trading term for a drop of 10 percent or more from a recent peak. The market has mostly risen since then.

The rise in Actavis came a day after the company agreed to buy Botox-maker Allergan for $66 billion. Actavis rose $21.66 to $269.60.

"Actavis is up strong, so that suggests it's a better take on the merger deal, as people get more into the details of it," said Warne.

Medtronic shares ended up $3.28 at $72.47.

Investors kept rewarding strong company earnings.

Solar power products company JA Solar jumped 8.8 percent after it reported better-than-expected quarterly financial results. The stock added 69 cents to $8.49.

Some companies' quarterly report cards failed to impress investors.

Urban Outfitters fell 6.6 percent a day after the retailer reported third-quarter results that fell short of Wall Street's expectations. The stock shed $2.04 to $28.79.

Home Depot's third-quarter profit rose 14 percent, but the company said it could not account for all possible losses from a huge data breach it revealed in September. Shares in the nation's largest home improvement retailer fell $2.05, or 2.1 percent, to $95.98.

With the bulk of earnings season over, investors are looking ahead to how companies will fare this holiday season.

"The broad equity market is in holiday mode," said Terry Sandven, chief equity strategist at U.S. Bank Wealth Management. "I don't see the market moving meaningfully higher or lower in the near term until we get greater visibility on what consumers are going to do in the holiday season."

Market watchers anticipate the slide in gas prices will prompt consumers to spend more in coming weeks. The average price of gasoline in the U.S fell to $2.89 this week, 33 cents below prior-year levels.

"That's a meaningful dip," Sandven said.

The price of oil fell on mounting evidence of a slower global economy and doubts that OPEC will decide to cut output when it meets next week.

Benchmark U.S. crude fell $1.03 to close at $74.61 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, fell 84 cents to close at $78.47 on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

In other energy futures trading on the NYMEX:

”” Wholesale gasoline rose 1.7 cents to close at $2.043 a gallon

”” Heating oil fell 2.3 cents to close at $2.381 a gallon.

”” Natural gas fell 9.7 cents to close at $4.244 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold rose $13.60 to $1,197.10 an ounce, silver rose 12 cents to $16.17 an ounce and copper fell four cents to $3 a pound.

The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note slipped to 2.32 percent from 2.34 percent late Monday.

Among stocks making big moves Tuesday:

”” Nokia rose 26 cents, or 3.4 percent, to $7.93 on news that the company plans to launch a tablet computer next year that will run on the Android operating system.

”” SunEdison surged 29.3 percent after the solar energy company agreed to buy wind energy company First Wind for more than $1.9 billion. SunEdison gained $4.87 to $21.48.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -2.09 points or ▼ -0.01% on Wednesday, 19 November 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,685.73 ▼ -2.09 ▼ -0.01%
Nasdaq____ 4,675.71 ▼ -26.73 ▼ -0.57%
S&P_500___ 2,048.72 ▼ -3.08 ▼ -0.15%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.07 ▲ 0.02 ▲ 0.79%

NYSE Volume 3,393,917,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,601,537,500

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,696.60 ▼ -12.53 ▼ -0.19%
DAX_____ 9,472.80 ▲ 16.27 ▲ 0.17%
CAC_40__ 4,266.19 ▲ 3.81 ▲ 0.09%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,352.50 ▼ -30.60 ▼ -0.57%
Shanghai_Comp 2,450.99 ▼ -5.38 ▼ -0.22%
Taiwan_Weight 8,963.24 ▲ 104.17 ▲ 1.18%
Nikkei_225___ 17,288.75 ▼ -55.31 ▼ -0.32%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,373.31 ▼ -155.86 ▼ -0.66%
Strait_Times.__ 3,334.56 ▲ 20.83 ▲ 0.63%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,522.06 ▲ 17.03 ▲ 0.31%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/asia-stocks-down-china-property-japan-weighed-072524897--finance.html

US stocks drift lower after release of Fed minutes
Associated Press
By ALEX VEIGA

U.S. financial markets pulled back slightly from their most recent record highs Wednesday, ending lower for the first time this week.

The Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor's 500 index mostly hovered slightly below the all-time high closes set a day earlier.

Investors sifted through a batch of favorable corporate earnings as they waited for the Federal Reserve to publish the minutes from its late-October policy meeting.

Traders hoped to glean fresh insight into when the central bank will raise a benchmark interest rate that affects many consumer and business loans.

In the end, the deeper look at the Fed's deliberation didn't sway trading meaningfully.

"This does not move the needle a whole bunch," said John Canally, Chief Economic Strategist for LPL Financial. "The minutes confirm that the Fed remains on track to hike rates about a year from now based on the economy tracking to their forecasts."

The slide in oil prices continued, despite pivoting upward at times during the day. U.S. government bond prices fell.

All told, the S&P 500 index slipped 3.08 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,048.72.

The Dow fell 2.09 points, or 0.01 percent, to 17,685.73.

The Nasdaq composite shed 26.73 points, or 0.6 percent, to 4,675.71.

Seven of the 10 sectors in the S&P 500 declined, with telecommunications stocks dropping the most. Energy stocks managed the biggest gain.

Avon Products led the index's decliners, sliding 47 cents, or 4.7 percent, to $9.43.

Interest rates tend to increase when the economy is growing and adding jobs, trends that are good for corporate profits. When rates remain low, however, they tend to make stocks more attractive in comparison with bonds.

During its Oct. 28-29 policy meeting, the Fed reaffirmed that it expected to keep a key short-term interest rate low for a "considerable time."

The minutes released Wednesday showed that the Fed decided not to alter its wording on the timing of any interest rate increases. Fed officials worried that a change could be misinterpreted by financial markets.

Most economists predict that the Fed won't raise rates before June.

"The market's reaction is a reasonable one; no bombshells here," said Erik Davidson, deputy chief investment officer of Wells Fargo Private Bank. "The free short-term money that's out there will continue to be positive for the stock market."

Apart from the Fed action, investors had their eye on quarterly earnings from several retailers.

Lowe's reported better-than-expected third-quarter earnings, helped by a nascent recovery in the housing market. The home improvement retailer also raised its full-year forecast. The stock rose $3.73, or 6.4 percent, to $62.26.

Target also reported third-quarter earnings that exceeded Wall Street's expectations, rebounding from a massive data breach just before Christmas last year. Its shares gained $4.99, or 7.4 percent, to $72.50.

Investors also bid up shares in Staples, which reported higher fiscal third-quarter earnings late Wednesday. The office supply chain surged $1.16, or 9.1 percent, to $13.92.

The price of oil finished nearly unchanged as hopes for an OPEC production cut offset an Energy Department report showing that crude inventories increased far more than expected last week.

Benchmark U.S. crude fell 3 cents to close at $74.58 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, fell 37 cents to close at $78.10 on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

In other energy futures trading on the NYMEX:

”” Wholesale gasoline rose 0.1 cent to close at $2.044 a gallon

”” Heating oil fell 2.2 cents to close at $2.359 a gallon.

”” Natural gas rose 12.7 cents to close at $4.371 per 1,000 cubic feet.

In metals trading, the price of gold fell $3.20 to $1,193.90 an ounce, silver rose 12 cents to $16.29 an ounce and copper rose four cents to $3.05 a pound.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.35 percent from 2.32 percent late Tuesday.

Among the stocks making big moves Wednesday:

”” Cliffs Natural Resources sank 20 percent on news that the mining company is seeking to exit its Eastern Canadian iron ore operations, including the Bloom Lake mine. The stock fell $2.04 to $8.17.

”” Oplink Communications jumped 13.8 percent after the optical networking equipment company said it will be acquired by Koch Industries in an all-cash deal worth $445 million. Oplink shares rose $2.93 to $24.18.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 33.27 points or ▲ 0.19% on Thursday, 20 November 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,719.00 ▲ 33.27 ▲ 0.19%
Nasdaq____ 4,701.87 ▲ 26.16 ▲ 0.56%
S&P_500___ 2,052.75 ▲ 4.03 ▲ 0.20%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.05 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.46%

NYSE Volume 3,106,287,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,633,390,620

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,678.90 ▼ -17.70 ▼ -0.26%
DAX_____ 9,483.97 ▲ 11.17 ▲ 0.12%
CAC_40__ 4,234.21 ▼ -31.98 ▼ -0.75%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,302.50 ▼ -50.00 ▼ -0.93%
Shanghai_Comp 2,452.66 ▲ 1.67 ▲ 0.07%
Taiwan_Weight 9,078.87 ▲ 115.63 ▲ 1.29%
Nikkei_225___ 17,300.86 ▲ 12.11 ▲ 0.07%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,349.64 ▼ -23.67 ▼ -0.10%
Strait_Times.__ 3,315.60 ▼ -18.96 ▼ -0.57%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,526.95 ▲ 4.89 ▲ 0.09%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/asia-stocks-dragged-down-weak-manufacturing-052132177--finance.html

Dow, S&P 500 edge back up to record highs
Associated Press
By ALEX VEIGA

U.S. stocks rebounded Thursday, sending the Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor's 500 index back into record territory.

It was the second record-high close for the Dow this week and the third for the S&P 500. The modest gains erased losses from the day before, pushing the three major stock indexes further ahead for the week.

Good news on housing, the job market and another dash of strong corporate earnings helped drive stocks higher, reversing a decline earlier in the day. Energy stocks led the gainers in the S&P 500 as oil prices rose.

Discouraging economic data out of Europe and China stoked worries of a global economic slowdown and sent stocks lower in early trading. But investors shrugged off those concerns, reassured by a batch of positive U.S. economic reports.

"Housing was good, leading indicators were good, manufacturing was good," said Doug Cote, chief market strategist at Voya Investment Management.

Traders also drew encouragement from retailers including Best Buy, Dollar Tree and Kirkland's, which reported better-than-expected earnings. Third-quarter earnings for companies in the S&P 500 are at an all-time high.

"That's a signal for investors that the fundamentals are solid behind this market," Cote said.

In the end, the S&P 500 index rose 4.03 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,052.75. That's just above the index's previous record-high close on Tuesday at 2,051.80. The S&P 500 is up 11.1 percent this year.

The Dow gained 33.27 points, or 0.2 percent, to 17,719. That's up from its last record-high close of 17,687.82 on Tuesday. The Dow is up 6.9 percent this year.

The Nasdaq composite added 26.16 points, or 0.6 percent, to 4,701.87. The tech-heavy index is up 12.6 percent this year.

The major stock indexes were moving lower early Thursday, then spent much of the morning drifting between tiny gains and losses. They turned higher around midmorning, as the market digested the news on housing.

Sales of previously occupied homes increased in October on an annual basis for the first time this year, according to the National Association of Realtors. The report helped lift the stock prices of many homebuilders. William Lyon Homes led the gainers, adding 97 cents, or 5 percent, to $20.23.

Meanwhile, the Labor Department said applications for unemployment benefits fell slightly last week to a seasonally adjusted 291,000. The applications, which are a proxy for layoffs, have fallen 16 percent in the past 12 months.

Also on Thursday, the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia said its regional manufacturing index rose to the highest level since 1993, adding to other recent evidence that U.S. manufacturing is expanding modestly and helping boost economic growth.

That data offset worries over the 18-country eurozone, where a broad gauge of business activity fell this month to a 16-month low. In China, a preliminary survey showed manufacturing in the world's second-largest economy slid to a six-month low this month.

While a concern, the global economic picture has taken a back seat to corporate earnings and the improving job market and economy in the U.S. and emerging markets.

"We're coming off an earnings season that has been very strong, with 80 percent of companies beating on the top line and around 55 percent beating on the bottom line," noted Tony Roth, chief investment officer at Wilmington Trust.

Investors bid up several retailers that reported strong earnings Thursday.

Best Buy jumped $2.48, or 7 percent, to $38.02, while discounter Dollar Tree gained $3.24, or 5.2 percent, to $65.87. Home decorations chain Kirkland's climbed $4.44, or 24.5 percent, to $22.53.

Six of the 10 sectors in the S&P 500 index ended higher, led by energy stocks. The telecommunications sector fell the most. Among individual stocks, Keurig Green Mountain fell the most, declining $11.45, or 7.4 percent, to $142.50.

Benchmark U.S. crude rose $1 to $75.58 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, rose $1.23 to $79.33 on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

In other energy futures trading on the NYMEX, wholesale gasoline fell 1.6 cents to close at $2.028 a gallon, heating oil rose 2.1 cents to close at $2.38 a gallon and natural gas rose 11.8 cents to close at $4.489 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold fell $3 to $1,190.90 an ounce, silver fell 16 cents to $16.14 an ounce and copper fell three cents to $3.02 a pound.

U.S. government bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.34 percent from 2.36 percent late Wednesday.

Among other stocks making big moves:

”” Activision Blizzard vaulted 7.9 percent on news that the videogame maker reached a settlement with Vivendi and others in a shareholder lawsuit and will receive $275 million. Activision rose $1.54 to $21.11.

”” Caesars Entertainment is considering a plan to turn its most debt-heavy division into a real estate investment trust. Shares in the casino and resort operator rose 77 cents, or 5.4 percent, to $15.14.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 91.06 points or ▲ 0.51% on Friday, 21 November 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,810.06 ▲ 91.06 ▲ 0.51%
Nasdaq____ 4,712.97 ▲ 11.10 ▲ 0.24%
S&P_500___ 2,063.50 ▲ 10.75 ▲ 0.52%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.02 ▼ -0.03 ▼ -1.05%

NYSE Volume 3,870,290,500
Nasdaq Volume 1,814,758,120

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,750.76 ▲ 71.86 ▲ 1.08%
DAX_____ 9,732.55 ▲ 248.58 ▲ 2.62%
CAC_40__ 4,347.23 ▲ 113.02 ▲ 2.67%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,292.10 ▼ -10.40 ▼ -0.20%
Shanghai_Comp 2,486.79 ▲ 34.13 ▲ 1.39%
Taiwan_Weight 9,091.53 ▲ 12.66 ▲ 0.14%
Nikkei_225___ 17,357.51 ▲ 56.65 ▲ 0.33%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,437.12 ▲ 87.48 ▲ 0.37%
Strait_Times.__ 3,345.32 ▲ 29.72 ▲ 0.90%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,495.81 ▼ -31.14 ▼ -0.56%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/asian-stock-markets-turn-higher-yen-rises-063516010.html

Dow, S&P 500 push further into record territory
Associated Press
By ALEX VEIGA

U.S. stocks capped a week that already had several record highs by delivering a couple more.

The Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor's 500 index carved out all-time highs on Friday, extending the market's gains for the week. It was the third record close for the Dow in the week and the fourth for the S&P 500.

The latest records extended a comeback in the S&P 500, which has increased 11 percent since plunging in mid-October.

Investors on Friday cheered news of an interest rate cut in China and the possibility that Europe's central bank will step up stimulus efforts in the region.

"What it suggests is that these central banks are prepared to do even more to stimulate growth, to stimulate demand, and that always equates to better stock markets," said Quincy Krosby, a market strategist at Prudential Financial.

All 10 sectors in the S&P 500 index rose, with materials stocks climbing the most. The sector is up 9 percent this year.

Energy stocks were among the big gainers, getting a boost from a rebound in oil prices. Some traders anticipated that OPEC will decide to cut production at a conference next week.

Ross Stores led the gains in the S&P 500, adding $6.09, or 7.3 percent, to $89.30.

All told, the S&P 500 index rose 10.75 points, or 0.5 percent, to 2,063.50. That's just above the index's previous high close a day before at 2,052.75. The S&P 500 is up 11.6 percent this year.

The Dow gained 91.06 points, or 0.5 percent, to 17,810.06. That's up from its last record close of 17,719 on Thursday. The Dow as gained 7.4 percent this year.

The Nasdaq composite added 11.10 points, or 0.2 percent, to 4,712.97. The index is up 12.8 percent for the year.

A strong third-quarter earnings season, on top of a recent string of positive U.S. economic data on housing, jobs and manufacturing, have helped put investors in a buying mood.

The prospect of central banks outside the U.S. ramping up their own stimulus efforts is seen as another positive for stock investors, particularly with the Federal Reserve winding down its massive bond-buying program this year.

"Central bank intervention is the No. 1 thing investors worldwide are looking at right now," said Mike Serio, regional chief investment officer at Wells Fargo Private Bank. "In the short run, that looks pretty good for stocks."

On Friday, China's central bank lowered the interest rate on its one-year loans to financial institutions by 0.4 percentage points to 5.6 percent. The surprise cut came in the wake of recent figures showing that the country's annual growth rate slowed to a five-year low of 7.3 percent last quarter.

European Central Bank President Mario Draghi also caused a stir in markets when he told a conference in Frankfurt, Germany, that the bank is willing to "step up the pressure" and increase its efforts to stimulate Europe's struggling economy.

If current efforts do not achieve the desired effect, Draghi said the ECB could "broaden even more the channels through which we intervene."

For many in the markets, that was a clear hint that the bank could soon starting buying government bonds.

Beyond the talk of central bank stimulus, investors had their eye on the latest batch of corporate earnings Friday.

Traders bid up shares in several companies that reported better-than-expected earnings, including software maker Splunk and sporting goods retailer Hibbett Sports. Splunk rose $1.99, or 3.1 percent, to $66.93. Hibbett gained $1.82, or 4 percent, to $47.75.

Video game retailer GameStop and clothing chain operator Gap slumped after delivering disappointing results. GameStop slid $5.68, or 13 percent, to $37.86. Gap fell $1.68, or 4.2 percent, to $38.46.

Wireless communications company Aruba Networks sank 13.7 percent after its outlook fell short of financial analysts' expectations. The stock shed $2.98 to $18.82.

China's interest rate cut raised hopes for increased economic activity and oil demand. That helped lift oil prices.

Benchmark U.S. crude gained 66 cents to settle at $76.51 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, rose $1.03 to close at $80.36 on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

In other energy futures trading on the NYMEX, wholesale gasoline rose 2.9 cents to close at $2.057 a gallon, heating oil rose 2.5 cents to close at $2.405 a gallon and natural gas fell 22.3 cents to close at $4.266 per 1,000 cubic feet.

In metals trading, gold rose $6.80 to $1,197.70 an ounce, silver rose 26 cents to $16.40 an ounce and copper rose a penny to $3.03 a pound.

U.S. government bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.31 percent from 2.34 percent late Thursday.

8108

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 7.84 points or ▲ 0.04% on Monday, 24 November 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,817.90 ▲ 7.84 ▲ 0.04%
Nasdaq____ 4,754.89 ▲ 41.92 ▲ 0.89%
S&P_500___ 2,069.41 ▲ 5.91 ▲ 0.29%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.02 ▼ 0.00 ▼ -0.07%

NYSE Volume 3,120,874,750
Nasdaq Volume 1,545,421,250

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,729.79 ▼ -20.97 ▼ -0.31%
DAX_____ 9,785.54 ▲ 52.99 ▲ 0.54%
CAC_40__ 4,368.44 ▲ 21.21 ▲ 0.49%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,349.00 ▲ 56.90 ▲ 1.08%
Shanghai_Comp 2,532.88 ▲ 46.09 ▲ 1.85%
Taiwan_Weight 9,122.33 ▲ 30.80 ▲ 0.34%
Nikkei_225___ 17,357.51 ▲ 56.65 ▲ 0.33%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,893.14 ▲ 456.02 ▲ 1.95%
Strait_Times.__ 3,340.53 ▼ -4.79 ▼ -0.14%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,471.68 ▼ -24.13 ▼ -0.44%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-inch-further-record-161235681.html

US stocks inch further into record territory

Stocks end slightly higher at record levels, extending fall rally; Retail stocks climb
Associated Press
By Steve Rothwell, AP Markets Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- The stock market eked out another record close Monday as investors remained confident that stimulus from central banks would revive global growth. Retail stocks rose ahead of the crucial holiday season.

Stocks have surged following a slump that lasted from mid-September to mid-October. The rally has been driven by optimism that central banks in Europe, China and Japan will invigorate economic growth outside the U.S.

"You clearly have momentum favoring stocks right now," said Russ Koesterich, chief investment strategist at Blackrock.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 5.91 points, or 0.3 percent, to 2,069.41. The index has climbed for seven of the last eight days and is at an all-time high, having gained almost 12 percent this year.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 7.84 points, less than 0.1 percent, to 17,817.90. The Nasdaq composite gained 41.92 points, or 0.9 percent, to 4,754.89.

On Monday, the gains were led by the so-called consumer discretionary sector, which includes retailers such as Coach, Urban Outfitters and Gap. These stocks should benefit most if the consumers go on a spending spree this holiday season.

Coach rose 95 cents, or 2.6 percent, to $37.41 as analysts at Stifel reiterated their belief that the maker of luxury clothing and accessories is "doing the right things to reinvigorate the brand." The analysts believe that the stock's price could climb as high as $47. The stock is down 32 percent for the year.

Telecommunications stocks were among the day's biggest losers. Verizon and AT&T slumped after analysts at Citigroup published a gloomy review of the sector and predicted a tough year ahead for the two phone giants.

Verizon fell 71 cents, or 1.4 percent, to $49.50. Citigroup cut its outlook on the stock to "neutral," predicting that the company's earnings will come in lower than most Wall Street analysts expect. Revenue growth at the big telecommunication companies could crimped by more intense competition and higher prices for wireless spectrum. AT&T dropped 58 cents, or 1.6 percent, to $34.70.

Stocks were still riding momentum from Friday, when China's central bank lowered a key interest rate and European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said he was willing to step up the bank's efforts to stimulate the region's struggling economy.

Oil fell ahead of a crucial meeting in Vienna on Thursday of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. Traders will be looking for a possible agreement to cut production to shore up prices. The price of crude has tumbled 26 percent since June as producers kept output stable while demand in Europe and other markets weakened.

Benchmark U.S. crude fell 73 cents, or 1 percent, to $75.78 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, fell 68 cents to close at $79.68 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

In other energy futures trading on the NYMEX, wholesale gasoline fell 2.3 cents to $2.033 a gallon, heating oil fell a penny to $2.395 a gallon and natural gas fell 11.5 cents to $4.151 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The slump in energy prices bodes well for the upcoming holiday shopping season, said Jennifer Ellison, a principal of San Francisco-based Bingham, Osborn & Scarborough. She predicts that any money that consumers save at the gas pump is likely to be spent, rather than saved.

The falling price of oil "affects consumers in a lot of different ways, but most importantly you've got more money in your pocket," said Ellison. "That has a big impact especially at a time like holiday season when people are spending anyway."

In U.S. government bond trading, prices edged up. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.30 percent from 2.31 percent on Friday. The dollar resumed its climb against the Japanese yen. The U.S. currency rose to 118.26 yen from 117.79 yen Friday. The euro rose to $1.2439 from $1.2360.

In metals trading, the price of gold fell $2, or 0.2 percent, to $1,195.70 an ounce. Silver dropped 1.9 cents, or 0.1 percent, to $16.38 an ounce. Copper declined 3.2 cents, or 1 percent, to $3 per pound.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -2.96 points or ▼ -0.02% on Tuesday, 25 November 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,814.94 ▼ -2.96 ▼ -0.02%
Nasdaq____ 4,758.25 ▲ 3.36 ▲ 0.07%
S&P_500___ 2,067.03 ▼ -2.38 ▼ -0.12%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.97 ▼ -0.05 ▼ -1.76%

NYSE Volume 3,329,636,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,687,717,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,731.14 ▲ 1.35 ▲ 0.02%
DAX_____ 9,861.21 ▲ 75.67 ▲ 0.77%
CAC_40__ 4,382.31 ▲ 13.87 ▲ 0.32%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,320.90 ▼ -28.10 ▼ -0.53%
Shanghai_Comp 2,567.60 ▲ 34.72 ▲ 1.37%
Taiwan_Weight 9,116.24 ▼ -6.09 ▼ -0.07%
Nikkei_225___ 17,407.62 ▲ 50.11 ▲ 0.29%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,843.91 ▼ -49.23 ▼ -0.21%
Strait_Times.__ 3,344.99 ▲ 4.46 ▲ 0.13%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,442.68 ▼ -29.00 ▼ -0.53%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/asia-stocks-fall-china-rate-cut-effect-fades-080939659--finance.html

US stocks dip as oil pushes energy sector lower

US stocks fall back from record levels as oil slumps again, pushing energy sector lower
Associated Press
By Steve Rothwell, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- A slump in energy prices pushed the stock market back from record levels on Tuesday.

Energy stocks slid as the price of oil resumed its descent. Traders speculated that member nations of the oil-producing group OPEC would fail to agree on production cuts at an upcoming meeting in Vienna on Thursday. Oil has now dropped almost a third from a peak in June.

While lower oil prices are a long-term boon to consumers and industrial companies, they are a drag on stocks in the near term because energy companies account for about 10 percent of the overall market's profits.

Despite the losses, the major indexes remain close to all-time highs.

Stocks have been drifting gradually higher this month, having rebounded sharply from a slump in October, as investors have grown more confident that actions from central banks around the world will help bolster the global economy. The gains are likely to continue for now, said Jim McDonald, chief investment strategist at Northern Trust.

"People's sentiment is still pretty conservative," McDonald said. "That means that the slow-and-steady market can continue longer than people anticipate."

The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 2.38 points, or less than 0.1 percent, to 2,067.03. The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 2.96 points, or less than 0.1 percent, to 17,814.94. The Nasdaq composite gained 3.36 points, or 0.1 percent, to 4,758.25.

Stocks started the day with small gains after a report showed that the U.S. economy grew at a solid 3.9 percent annual rate in the July-September period, faster than the 3.5 percent that was initially reported. The upward revision was due to higher estimates of spending by consumers and businesses, the Commerce Department said.

That positive report was tempered by news that U.S. consumer confidence fell in November. The Conference Board says its consumer confidence index fell to 88.7, down from a seven-year high of 94.5 in October. The decline primarily reflected less optimism in the short-term outlook as consumers expressed less confidence in current business conditions.

Among individual stocks, Pall, a company that makes filters for the food and health care industries, was the leading gainer in the S&P 500. The company's stock jumped $3.31, or 3.5 percent, to $98 after its earnings beat the expectations of Wall Street analysts.

Energy stocks slid along with oil prices following reports that the world's biggest producers are unwilling to cut production to help stop a slump in the price of crude. The sector dropped 1.6 percent and is now down 3.2 percent for the year. It's the only one of the 10 industry sectors in the S&P 500 that is down for the year.

Representatives from Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Russian state oil giant OAO Rosneft met Tuesday ahead of a meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries in Vienna and didn't announce any immediate plans to cut output, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Benchmark U.S. crude fell $1.69 to close at $74.09 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, fell $1.35 to close at $78.33 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

In metals trading, the price of gold rose $1.40 to $1,197.10 an ounce. Silver rose 18 cents to $16.55 an ounce and copper fell four cents to $2.96 a pound.

U.S. government bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.26 percent from 2.31 percent Monday. The dollar fell to 117.94 yen from 118.28 yen late Monday. The euro rose to $1.2472.

In other energy futures trading on the NYMEX:

”” Wholesale gasoline fell 0.1 cent to close at $2.032 a gallon

”” Heating oil fell 0.1 cent to close at $2.395 a gallon.

”” Natural gas rose 13.1 cents to close at $4.282 per 1,000 cubic feet