NYSE Dow Jones finished today at:

[bigdog]

MERRY XMAS ALL

U.S. stock markets reopen on Friday.

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 6.04 points or ▲ 0.03% on Wednesday, 24 December 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,030.21 ▲ 6.04 ▲ 0.03%
Nasdaq____ 4,773.47 ▲ 8.05 ▲ 0.17%
S&P_500___ 2,081.88 ▼ -0.29 ▼ -0.01%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.83 ▼ -0.02 ▼ -0.63%

NYSE Volume 1,422,401,880
Nasdaq Volume 716,583,000

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,609.93 ▲ 11.75 ▲ 0.18%
DAX_____ 9,922.11 ▲ 56.35 ▲ 0.57%
CAC_40__ 4,295.85 ▼ -19.12 ▼ -0.44%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,369.50 ▲ 13.10 ▲ 0.24%
Shanghai_Comp 2,972.53 ▼ -60.08 ▼ -1.98%
Taiwan_Weight 9,186.18 ▲ 88.47 ▲ 0.97%
Nikkei_225___ 17,854.23 ▲ 219.09 ▲ 1.24%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,349.34 ▲ 15.65 ▲ 0.07%
Strait_Times.__ 3,345.91 ▲ 13.40 ▲ 0.40%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,557.42 ▲ 5.32 ▲ 0.10%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-eke-gains-abbreviated-180827613.html

US stocks eke out gains in abbreviated trading day

Slight gains for most US indexes a day after Dow industrials close above 18,000 for first time
Associated Press
By Alex Veiga, AP Business Writer

Major U.S. stock indexes ended mostly higher on Wednesday, with the Dow Jones industrial average adding modestly to its gains a day after closing above 18,000 for the first time.

It was the Dow's sixth straight gain, coming during a half-day trading session ahead of the Christmas holiday.

Investors welcomed Labor Department data showing that applications for unemployment benefits fell last week to the lowest level in seven weeks. The news came a day after the Commerce Department estimated that the economy grew in the July-September quarter at the fastest pace in 11 years.

The unemployment data show steady improvement in the labor market, which is positive news for the economy.

"We're still giddy after yesterday's GDP (report)," said Chris Gaffney, a senior market strategist at EverBank Wealth Management. "That's what's mainly driving this market."

The Dow gained 6.04 points Wednesday to close at 18,030.21. That's up 0.03 percent from a day earlier.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index slipped 0.29 points, or 0.01 percent, to 2,081.88. That's slightly below the S&P's most-recent all-time high recorded on Tuesday.

The Nasdaq composite added 8.05 points, or 0.2 percent, to 4,773.47.

U.S. government bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note dipped to 2.26 percent.

The Dow and S&P 500 have recovered the last of the ground they lost in an early-December slump.

The stock market got off to a positive start early Wednesday following the labor market report and held onto to its gains throughout much of the abbreviated trading session. Shortly before the stock market closed at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time, the S&P 500 turned lower.

The stock market has been mostly trending higher the last two weeks after hitting a recent low of 17,069 on Dec. 16 as traders worried about plunging oil prices and a sharp drop in Russia's currency.

Investors have been encouraged by corporate earnings growth and signs of a strengthening U.S. economy.

Consumer spending and personal income have been rising. The economy also has been creating more jobs. In the first 11 months of this year, employers have added 2.65 million jobs. That already makes 2014 the best year for hiring since 1999.

In addition, remarks last week by the Federal Reserve reassured investors that the central bank won't raise interest rates soon.

With just one week left until 2015, the S&P 500 is up 12.6 percent this year, not including dividends, while the Dow is up 8.8 percent. The Nasdaq is up 14.3 percent.

"We'll look for more volatility next year, but we still expect a buy-on-the-dips, grind-higher equity market," said Terry Sandven, chief equity strategist at U.S. Bank Wealth Management.

Utilities stocks were among the biggest gainers Wednesday. The sector is up 26.4 percent this year. Investors often turn to utilities as a safe haven during periods of market volatility.

"Possibly, people just want to get a bit more defensive in respect to their gains going into the end of the year," Gaffney said.

Seven of the 10 sectors in the S&P 500 fell, with energy stocks declining the most. The sector has fallen 8.9 percent this year as the slide in oil prices has deepened.

The price of benchmark U.S. crude oil fell $1.28 to close at $55.84 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, fell $1.45 to close at $60.24 a barrel in London.

Oil prices have been a major focus in markets over the past few weeks as they have fallen by about a half since the summer.

In other futures trading on the NYMEX:

”” Wholesale gasoline fell 5.8 cents to close at $1.513 a gallon.

”” Heating oil fell 6.7 cents to close at $1.924 a gallon.

”” Natural gas fell 14.1 cents to close at $3.030 per 1,000 cubic feet.

In metals trading, gold fell $4.50 to $1,173.50 an ounce, silver fell 6 cents to $15.71 an ounce and copper fell a penny to $2.85 a pound.

U.S. stock markets reopen on Friday.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 23.5 points or ▲ 0.13% on Friday, 26 December 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,053.71 ▲ 23.50 ▲ 0.13%
Nasdaq____ 4,806.86 ▲ 33.39 ▲ 0.70%
S&P_500___ 2,088.77 ▲ 6.89 ▲ 0.33%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.81 ▼ -0.02 ▼ -0.71%

NYSE Volume 1,704,743,880
Nasdaq Volume 897,046,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,609.93 ▲ 11.75 ▲ 0.18% closed Jan 26
DAX_____ 9,922.11 ▲ 56.35 ▲ 0.57% closed Jan 26
CAC_40__ 4,295.85 ▼ -19.12 ▼ -0.44% closed Jan 26

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,369.50 ▲ 13.10 ▲ 0.24% closed Jan 26
Shanghai_Comp 3,157.60 ▲ 85.07 ▲ 2.77%
Taiwan_Weight 9,214.07 ▲ 55.37 ▲ 0.60%
Nikkei_225___ 17,818.96 ▲ 10.21 ▲ 0.06%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,349.34 ▲ 15.65 ▲ 0.07% closed Jan 26
Strait_Times.__ 3,353.68 ▲ 7.77 ▲ 0.23%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,557.42 ▲ 5.32 ▲ 0.10% closed Jan 26

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-edge-higher-quiet-145936918.html

US stocks edge higher in quiet trading

US stocks edge higher in quiet, post-holiday trading; Asian markets gain
Associated Press
By Alex Veiga, AP Business Writer

Major U.S. stock indexes moved higher Friday afternoon, with the Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor's 500 index on track for new highs. Falling oil prices helped bolster expectations for stronger consumer spending heading into next year. Utilities stocks were among the biggest gainers in light trading a day after Christmas.

KEEPING SCORE: The Dow Jones industrial average rose 57 points, or 0.3 percent, to 18,087 as of 3:17 p.m. Eastern time. The Standard & Poor's 500 gained 10 points, or 0.5 percent, to 2,092. The Nasdaq composite added 41 points, or 0.9 percent, to 4,814.

ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude oil fell $1.11 to close at $54.73 a barrel. Oil prices have been a major focus in markets over the past few weeks. They have fallen by about a half since the summer as traders worry that there won't be enough global demand for the abundant supplies of oil being produced.

THE QUOTE: Investors are cheering the slide in oil prices, anticipating the trend should help boost consumer spending, which accounts for 70 percent of the U.S. economy, said Phil Blancato, CEO and president of Ladenburg Thalmann Asset Management.

Also giving the market a lift: Money managers typically put remaining cash back to work in their funds ahead of the end of the year.

"They realize they're in the strongest spending season of the year, so it's hard not to find good data," Blancato said. "There's lighter volume with people being out of the office, so there's a lot on your side that's going to drive the market."

SECTOR VIEW: The 10 sectors in the S&P 500 index moved higher, led by utilities stocks. The sector is up 27.9 percent this year. Celgene notched the biggest gain among individual stocks in the S&P 500, adding $4.14, or 3.8 percent, to $113.75. Newfield Exploration declined the most, shedding 74 cents, or 2.7 percent, to $27.12.

BUMPING UP BIOTECH: Shares in two biotech companies surged. Cytokinetics gained 5.3 percent on news the company will continue advancing development of a muscle-weakness treatment with its partner, Astellas Pharma. The stock rose 31 cents to $6.18. Juno Therapeutics climbed 17.3 percent. The company closed its initial public offering on Wednesday. The stock gained $6.93 to $46.97.

HIGH ON VIRGIN: Virgin America jumped 6.7 percent after several financial firms issued bullish recommendations for the airline company's stock. Its shares added $2.73 to $43.73.

MARKETS OVERSEAS: Major European markets were closed. In Asia, South Korea's Kospi gained 0.1 percent, while the Shanghai Composite Index rose 2.8 percent, led by gains transportation and property development shares. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 rose 0.1 percent amid expectations of further government stimulus.

"That's certainly a positive for global markets, hopefully global growth and a positive for our market as well," said David Chalupnik, head of equities at Nuveen Asset Management.

BONDS: U.S. government bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.25 percent.

COMMODITIES: Most metals prices rose. Gold gained $21.80 to $1,195.30 an ounce. Silver rose 44 cents to $16.15 an ounce, and copper fell four cents to $2.81 an ounce.

In other energy trading, Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, fell 79 cents to close at $59.45 a barrel in London.

On the NYMEX, wholesale gasoline fell 0.4 cent to close at $1.509 a gallon, heating oil fell 1.6 cents to close at $1.908 a gallon and natural gas fell 2.3 cents to close at $3.007 per 1,000 cubic feet.

1871

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -15.48 points or ▼ -0.09% on Monday, 29 December 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,038.23 ▼ -15.48 ▼ -0.09%
Nasdaq____ 4,806.91 ▲ 0.05 ▲ 0.00%
S&P_500___ 2,090.57 ▲ 1.80 ▲ 0.09%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.78 ▼ -0.04 ▼ -1.35%

NYSE Volume 2,426,284,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,198,325,250

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,633.51 ▲ 23.58 ▲ 0.36%
DAX_____ 9,927.13 ▲ 5.02 ▲ 0.05%
CAC_40__ 4,317.93 ▲ 22.08 ▲ 0.51%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,447.00 ▲ 77.50 ▲ 1.44%
Shanghai_Comp 3,168.02 ▲ 10.41 ▲ 0.33%
Taiwan_Weight 9,286.28 ▲ 67.78 ▲ 0.74%
Nikkei_225___ 17,729.84 ▼ -89.12 ▼ -0.50%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,773.18 ▲ 423.84 ▲ 1.82%
Strait_Times.__ 3,367.69 ▲ 14.01 ▲ 0.42%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,592.33 ▲ 34.91 ▲ 0.63%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-mostly-gain-despite-fears-215135717.html

Stocks mostly gain despite new fears over Greece

US stocks close mostly higher in light trading despite new fears over Greece's bailout
Associated Press
By Bernard Condon, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- U.S stocks inched mostly higher in light trading on Monday as investors shrugged off falling energy prices, a plunging Russian ruble and fears that Greece could renege on its bailout.

Stocks wavered throughout the day, with the Dow Jones industrial average moving between gains and losses several times. In the end the blue-chip index closed down slightly, but other major indexes recorded tiny gains.

"Most of the bad news came from overseas ... and that makes the U.S. market more attractive," said Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at BMO Private Bank. "Investors are shifting money from overseas."

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 1.80 points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,090.57. The Dow fell 15.48 points, or 0.1 percent, to 18,038.23. The Nasdaq composite rose 0.05 points to 4,806.91

With little economic or company developments in the U.S., investors focused on news that Greece will have to call snap elections next month that could bring more economic turmoil to the country. The opposition Syriza party, which is against terms of the international bailout of the country, is leading in the polls.

The Athens exchange closed with a loss of 4 percent after falling as much as 11 percent earlier. Several European markets also slumped, with Italy's benchmark index losing 1.1 percent.

In Russia, the ruble fell 8 percent against the U.S. dollar after a rally last week. Russian monetary officials have made stabilizing the currency a priority amid slumping oil revenues and unease about the country's economic outlook.

Despite the troubles abroad developing for several weeks now, U.S. stocks have been rising on optimism over the U.S. economy.

Employers are on track to hire nearly 3 million workers this year, the most since the dot-com boom year of 1999. The unemployment rate has dropped to 5.8 percent, down about a percentage point since the start of the year. And the U.S. economy grew at an annualized rate of 5 percent in the July-September quarter, the fastest in 11 years.

On Monday, six of 10 industry sectors in the S&P 500 rose, led by a 1.1 percent gain in utilities.

Trading was light ahead of the New Year's holiday later this week. Volume was about two-thirds of the recent average on the New York Stock Exchange

John Manley, chief equity strategist at Wells Fargo Fund Management, said he expects that stocks are being pushed higher in part from what he calls "sleepy heads," investors who tend to put off plowing money into IRAs until the closing days of each year.

"All of a sudden they wake up, and realize, 'I need to do this to get my tax deduction,'" he says.

The S&P 500 has hit record highs more than 50 times so far this year and has tripled from the 12-year low it reached in the depths of the financial crisis in 2009.

The index now trades at 17.8 times what companies in the index are expected to earn over the next 12 months, according to FactSet, a data provider. That is above the 10-year average of about 15 times.

In other developments overseas, China's official Xinhua News Agency reported Sunday that regulators will change accounting rules for bank deposits to free up more money for lending. That could help boost economic growth, which slumped to a five-year low in the latest quarter.

The news helped lift Asian markets. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index gained 1.8 percent.

Among stocks making news:

”” The Manitowoc Co. rose $1.87, or 9 percent, to $22.79 on news that activist investor Carl Icahn took a 7.8 percent stake in the crane maker and is pushing for the company to split into two.

”” Gilead Sciences rose $3.51 to $97.30 for a gain of 3.7 percent, one of the biggest in the S&P 500. The biotechnology company expanded an agreement with a Johnson & Johnson unit to develop and sell an HIV treatment.

Benchmark U.S. crude dropped $1.12 to $53.61 a barrel in New York. On Friday, the contract fell $1.11 to settle at $54.73.

In other futures trading on the NYMEX:

”” Wholesale gasoline fell 5.6 cents to close at $1.453 a gallon.

”” Heating oil fell 5.9 cents to close at $1.849 a gallon.

”” Natural gas rose 18.2 cents to close at $3.189 per 1,000 cubic feet.

In metals trading, gold lost $13.40 to $1,181.90 an ounce, silver fell 37 cents to $15.78 an ounce and copper edged up less than a penny to $2.82 a pound.

The dollar rose to 120.71 yen from 120.35 Friday. The euro edged down to $1.2153 from Friday's $1.2205.

The 10-year Treasury note rose. The yield fell to 2.21 percent from 2.25 percent on Friday

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

HAPPY NEW YEAR

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -55.16 points or ▼ -0.31% on Tuesday, 30 December 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,983.07 ▼ -55.16 ▼ -0.31%
Nasdaq____ 4,777.44 ▼ -29.47 ▼ -0.61%
S&P_500___ 2,080.35 ▼ -10.22 ▼ -0.49%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.76 ▼ -0.02 ▼ -0.65%

NYSE Volume 2,407,187,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,231,196,620

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,547.00 ▼ -86.51 ▼ -1.30%
DAX_____ 9,805.55 ▼ -121.58 ▼ -1.22%
CAC_40__ 4,245.54 ▼ -72.39 ▼ -1.68%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,392.30 ▼ -54.70 ▼ -1.00%
Shanghai_Comp 3,165.81 ▼ -2.20 ▼ -0.07%
Taiwan_Weight 9,268.43 ▼ -17.85 ▼ -0.19%
Nikkei_225___ 17,450.77 ▼ -279.07 ▼ -1.57%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,501.10 ▼ -272.08 ▼ -1.14%
Strait_Times.__ 3,366.11 ▼ -1.58 ▼ -0.05%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,577.20 ▼ -15.13 ▼ -0.27%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/global-markets-fall-holiday-nears-185501554.html

Global markets fall as New Year holiday nears

Global markets slip as investors prepare for New Year holiday and weigh uncertainty in Greece
Associated Press
By Ken Sweet, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Lingering concerns about the political future of Greece pushed U.S. and global stock markets modestly lower on Tuesday.

Trading was slow as most investors have closed their books for 2014. It was the eighth-slowest day of the year on the New York Stock Exchange.

As been the case several times this year, investors turned their eyes to Europe.

Greek stocks stabilized after a volatile day Monday, when the country's government was forced to call elections that could create more economic turmoil. Investors worry that the elections might be won by the left-wing opposition Syriza party, which opposes the austerity measures associated with Greece's international financial rescue deal. The Athens stock market plunged as much as 11 percent on Monday before recovering some of those losses to close down 4 percent that day.

"An election puts all sorts of doubt on the future of the bailout agreement," said Stan Shamu, a market strategist at IG Markets. "Potentially markets had already priced this in, but I would still remain cautious around Greece."

U.S. stocks opened lower and stayed down throughout the day. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 55.16 points, or 0.3 percent, to 17,983.07. The Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 10.22 points, or 0.5 percent, to 2,080.35 and the Nasdaq composite fell 29.47 points, or 0.6 percent, to 4,777.44.

European markets also fell. France's CAC 40 lost 1.7 percent, Germany's DAX declined 1.2 percent and Britain's FTSE 100 dropped 1.3 percent. Greece's stock market fell 0.4 percent.

At this point, most investors are done trading for the year. The market is also expected to be quiet Wednesday ahead of New Year's Day holiday, however oftentimes the last trading day of the year does see a modest burst of trading as some investors shift their portfolios around for tax purposes.

With one more trading day in 2014, the S&P 500 is up 12.6 percent for the year, or 15.4 percent including dividends. That gain is almost double what stock market strategists expected at the beginning of the year.

"There were some negative surprises along the way, including the Ebola scare and increasing social tensions around the globe," Gary Thayer, chief macro strategist at Wells Fargo Advisors, wrote in a note to investors. "However, U.S. markets were able to weather these problems as (the U.S. economy) improved."

In other markets, the dollar fell against the euro and yen. The yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note fell to 2.19 percent from 2.20 percent Monday.

Benchmark U.S. crude rose 51 cents to settle at $54.12 a barrel in New York. On Monday, the contract plunged $1.12 to settle at $53.61. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, edged up two cents to close at $57.90 a barrel in London.

In other energy commodities, wholesale gasoline was little changed at $1.454 a gallon, heating oil rose two cents to $1.869 a gallon and natural gas fell 10.5 cents to close at $3.094 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold rose $18.50 to $1,200.40 an ounce, silver rose 50 cents to $16.28 an ounce and copper rose three cents to $2.85 a pound.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -160 points or ▼ -0.89% on Wednesday, 31 December 2014
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,823.07 ▼ -160.00 ▼ -0.89%
Nasdaq____ 4,736.05 ▼ -41.39 ▼ -0.87%
S&P_500___ 2,058.90 ▼ -21.45 ▼ -1.03%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.75 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.33%

NYSE Volume 2,581,261,750
Nasdaq Volume 1,434,581,250

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,566.09 ▲ 19.09 ▲ 0.29%
DAX_____ 9,805.55 ▼ -121.58 ▼ -1.22%
CAC_40__ 4,272.75 ▲ 27.21 ▲ 0.64%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,388.60 ▼ -3.70 ▼ -0.07%
Shanghai_Comp 3,234.68 ▲ 68.86 ▲ 2.18%
Taiwan_Weight 9,307.26 ▲ 38.83 ▲ 0.42%
Nikkei_225___ 17,450.77 ▼ -279.07 ▼ -1.57%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,605.04 ▲ 103.94 ▲ 0.44%
Strait_Times.__ 3,365.15 ▼ -0.96 ▼ -0.03%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,568.28 ▼ -8.92 ▼ -0.16%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-post-sixth-straight-213754344.html

US stocks post sixth straight year of gains

Stocks fall on the last day of trading for 2014; S&P 500 ends the year up double digits
Associated Press
By Ken Sweet, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- U.S. stocks ended a strong 2014 with moderate declines Wednesday.

Even with the losses, the Standard & Poor's 500 index finished the year with an 11.4 percent increase, its sixth straight year of gains. Oil, by contrast, had its worst annual performance since 2008, ending down 45 percent for 2014 after a sharp slump in the second half of the year.

The 11.4 percent rise in the S&P 500 was double what strategists expected for the market at the beginning of the year.

"It turned out to be a great year for U.S. economic growth, which got us higher corporate profits as well," said Cameron Hinds, regional chief investment officer for Wells Fargo Private Bank.

Most strategists believe the stock market will also rise in 2015, but they expect more modest gains of between 4 percent and 6 percent.

There was no major catalyst for Wednesday's selling. Trading has been slow all week because of the holidays and most fund managers have closed their books for the year. However, some investors do reshuffle their portfolios in the last few days of the year for tax purposes.

Roughly 2.6 billion shares were traded on the New York Stock Exchange, compared with the 3.6 billion typically traded on an average day.

Energy stocks edged lower as the price of oil fell. Benchmark U.S. crude dropped 85 cents to $53.27 a barrel in New York. Oil has plunged since June amid abundant supplies and weak global demand. In total, the price fell 45 percent in 2014, the worst year for crude since the 2008 financial crisis.

Oil drillers fell the most Wednesday. Diamond Offshore was the biggest decliner in the S&P 500, declining 3.6 percent. The energy component of the S&P 500 is down 10 percent this year

"I think most of the selling you're seeing today is related to the fall in oil, as well as repositioning before the end of the year," Hinds said.

U.S. markets will be closed Thursday for New Year's Day and will reopen Friday.

On Wednesday, the Dow Jones industrial average fell 160 points, or 0.9 percent, to 17,823.07. It ended 2014 up 7.5 percent, lagging behind the S&P 500 and Nasdaq.

The Nasdaq lost 41.39 points, or 0.9 percent, to 4,736.05. The Nasdaq rose 13.4 percent in 2014.

The S&P 500 fell 21.45 points, or 1 percent, to 2,058.90.

Prices for U.S. government bonds rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note edged down to 2.17 percent. Bonds were an unexpected strong spot for the market in 2014. The 10-year note started 2014 at around 2.99 percent. Bond yields fall as prices rise.

Gold fell $16.30 to $1,184.10 an ounce. The precious metal barely budged in 2014, falling 0.2 percent, compared with its drop of 28.3 percent in 2013.

Silver fell 68 cents to $15.60 an ounce and copper fell three cents to $2.83 a pound.

In other futures trading on the NYMEX:

”” Wholesale gasoline fell 1.8 cents to $1.435 a gallon.

”” Heating oil fell 2.2 cents to close at $1.847 a gallon.

”” Natural gas fell 20.5 cents to close at $2.889 per 1,000 cubic feet

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 9.92 points or ▲ 0.06% on Friday, 2 January 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,832.99 ▲ 9.92 ▲ 0.06%
Nasdaq____ 4,726.81 ▼ -9.24 ▼ -0.20%
S&P_500___ 2,058.20 ▼ -0.70 ▼ -0.03%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.70 ▼ -0.05 ▼ -1.89%

NYSE Volume 2,708,660,750
Nasdaq Volume 1,348,423,250

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,547.80 ▼ -18.29 ▼ -0.28%
DAX_____ 9,764.73 ▼ -40.82 ▼ -0.42%
CAC_40__ 4,252.29 ▼ -20.46 ▼ -0.48%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,415.00 ▲ 26.40 ▲ 0.49%
Shanghai_Comp 3,234.68 ▲ 68.86 ▲ 2.18%
Taiwan_Weight 9,307.26 ▲ 38.83 ▲ 0.42%
Nikkei_225___ 17,450.77 ▼ -279.07 ▼ -1.57%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,857.82 ▲ 252.78 ▲ 1.07%
Strait_Times.__ 3,370.59 ▲ 5.44 ▲ 0.16%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,568.28 ▼ -8.92 ▼ -0.16%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/asia-stocks-higher-first-day-2015-trading-062601836--finance.html

US stocks end mixed as manufacturing growth slows
Associated Press
By STEVE ROTHWELL

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks got off to a sluggish start on the first day of trading in the New Year, ending the day mixed as a report showed that manufacturing growth slowed in December.

U.S. factory activity grew at the slowest pace in six months last month, weakened by declines in orders and production, according to the Institute for Supply Management. While the sector is still in good health, growth was slower than economists had forecast.

The stock market climbed to record levels at the end of 2014 and investors may now be reassessing the outlook for the market at the start of the year, said Brad McMillan, chief investment officer for Commonwealth Financial, an independent broker-dealer firm. While growth prospects in the U.S. look decent, in Europe and Asia they are less encouraging.

Investors are "stepping back and saying, 'now we're in the New Year, let's take a fresh look,' " said McMillan. "There's certainly some degree of, I wouldn't say pessimism, but readjustment, going on."

The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 0.70 points, or less than 0.1 percent, to 2,058.20. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 9.92 points, or less than 0.1 percent, to 17,832.99. The Nasdaq composite dropped 9.24 points, or 0.2 percent, to 4,726.81.

Stocks had another good year in 2014, but the rally faded in the final days of the year. The S&P 500 climbed 11.4 percent, after rising 29.6 percent in 2013. To justify those gains, company earnings will have to keep growing.

"We don't think the U.S. equity market is going to do anywhere near as well this year" as it has in recent years, said Dan Morris, global investment strategist at TIAA-CREF, an investment manager. "There's a lot more that could go wrong than could go right in the U.S."

Morris says stock investors should expect returns in the single digits this year, and should also brace themselves for higher levels of volatility as the Federal Reserve moves toward its first rate increase since 2006.

On Friday, stocks started out with solid gains, then fell back after the ISM published its manufacturing report. After drifting lower for much of the afternoon, the market recovered slightly and ended the day little changed.

U.S. crude fell after moving between losses and small gains. The price dropped 58 cents to $52.69 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the international standard, declined 91 cents to $56.42.

Declining in oil prices are a boon to consumers, who are paying less for gas, but they hurts energy companies by lowering their revenues. The energy industry accounts for about 10 percent of earnings of companies in the S&P 500 index.

The fall in prices will also mean that oil companies will rein in spending on plants and equipment, said Anastasia Amoroso, global market strategist for J.P. Morgan Funds.

"The benefit of lower oil prices is incremental to the damage that they inflict on other parts of the economy," Amoroso said.

In currency trading, the euro retreated against the dollar. The decline came after European Central Bank President Mario Draghi indicated that the bank could support a government bond-buying program to combat alarmingly low inflation in the eurozone. The currency fell to $1.2003, its lowest level against the dollar in 4-1/2 years.

Investors have a number of concerns about Europe as 2015 begins. Growth is anemic in the region and an election in Greece on Jan. 25 could re-ignite the country's debt crisis if an anti-austerity party wins.

In government bond trading, prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.11 percent from 2.17 percent on Wednesday. Markets were closed Thursday for the New Year's Day holiday. The dollar also rose against the Japanese yen, climbing 0.6 percent to 120.51.

In metals trading, gold edged up $2.10 to $1,186.20 an ounce, silver rose 17 cents to $15.77 an ounce and copper slipped less than a penny to $2.82 a pound.

In other energy futures trading:

— Wholesale gasoline dropped 3.9 cents to $1.433 per gallon.

— Heating oil fell 3.8 cents to $1.796 a gallon.

— Natural gas rose 11.4 cents to $3.003 per 1,000 cubic feet.

2722

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -331.34 points or ▼ -1.86% on Monday, 5 January 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,501.65 ▼ -331.34 ▼ -1.86%
Nasdaq____ 4,652.57 ▼ -74.24 ▼ -1.57%
S&P_500___ 2,020.58 ▼ -37.62 ▼ -1.83%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.61 ▼ -0.09 ▼ -3.41%

NYSE Volume 3,768,783,750
Nasdaq Volume 1,701,850,000

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,417.16 ▼ -130.64 ▼ -2.00%
DAX_____ 9,473.16 ▼ -291.57 ▼ -2.99%
CAC_40__ 4,111.36 ▼ -140.93 ▼ -3.31%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,429.50 ▲ 14.50 ▲ 0.27%
Shanghai_Comp 3,350.52 ▲ 115.84 ▲ 3.58%
Taiwan_Weight 9,274.11 ▼ -33.15 ▼ -0.36%
Nikkei_225___ 17,408.71 ▼ -42.06 ▼ -0.24%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,721.32 ▼ -136.50 ▼ -0.57%
Strait_Times.__ 3,328.28 ▼ -42.31 ▼ -1.26%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,602.60 ▲ 34.32 ▲ 0.62%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/markets-plunge-oil-dips-below-212910727.html

Markets plunge as oil dips below $50; Euro drops on Greece

US stocks plunge as oil falls below $50, raising growth worries; Euro sinks on Greece
Associated Press
By Steve Rothwell, AP Markets Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- The ongoing slump in the price of oil is starting to become a headache for the stock market.

On Monday, oil plunged, dipping below $50 for the first time in more than five years. The sharp drop prompted a big sell-off, not just in the energy sector, but across the entire stock market.

Stocks had already endured a weak open amid concerns that Greece could exit the euro, adding to worries about the poor outlook for growth in that region. As oil continued to slide, the losses deepened and the Standard & Poor's 500 index ended the day with its biggest loss in three months.

The price of oil has been falling since last summer amid mounting evidence that the world is oversupplied with the commodity after a surge in U.S. production. After six months of falling prices, investors are now getting jittery that the slump is attributable to more than just the supply glut; it could also be signaling a weakening global economy.

"The lower that oil prices go, the more it reinforces into the market's mind that perhaps this is more of a demand issue than a supply issue," said Burt White, Chief Investment Officer at LPL Financial. That raises questions "about the robustness of this recovery."

The S&P 500 index dropped 37.62 points, or 1.8 percent, to 2,020.58. That was the biggest one-day slump for the index since Oct. 9. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 331.34 points, or 1.9 percent, to 17,501.65. The Nasdaq composite fell 74.24 points, or 1.6 percent.

Energy stocks led the drop, plunging 4 percent, as the price of oil closed down $2.65 at $50.04 a barrel, after dipping below $50 during trading. But the declines were broad, and even airline stocks, usually a beneficiary of lower oil prices, ended the day lower.

Most analysts and economists say that, on balance, a decline in oil prices is a boon for the broader economy because it reduces energy costs for industrial companies. Lower gas prices also put more money in the pockets of consumers.

But there are downsides as well. As the price of oil slumps, some companies in the energy industry will go out of business. Not only will that cost jobs in the sector, but it will also cut spending on things like plants and equipment.

Transocean, a company that provides offshore drilling services to oil companies, was among the biggest decliners in the S&P 500 index on Monday. The company's stock slumped $1.28, or 7.1 percent, to $16.84.

Another area for concern is Europe.

Investors were already worried about the poor growth prospects in the euro region, and the impact that it would have on global growth. Now, they also have to contend with renewed speculation that Greece may exit the euro.

European stock markets slumped and the euro plunged against the dollar on reports that German Chancellor Angela Merkel no longer believes it would be too risky for the 19-member eurozone if Greece dropped out of the currency bloc. Elections in Greece this month could be won by the Syriza party, which wants to renegotiate the terms of the country's international bailout, threatening its place in the euro group.

The euro currency was already under pressure from expectations that the European Central Bank will expand its monetary stimulus as the region's economy struggles.

On Monday, the currency was trading at $1.1939 after falling to a five-year low of $1.1862.

The outlook for economic growth in Europe and other regions matters to companies in the U.S., as nearly half the sales from S&P 500 companies are generated outside of the U.S.

"Our companies do a lot of business with Europe, we sell a lot of goods and services there," said Scott Wren, senior global equity strategist at the Wells Fargo Investment Institute. "Anything that hurts consumer confidence and business in Europe is going to hurt economic growth."

In U.S. government bond trading, prices rose as investors moved to buy the safest assets. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note, which falls when prices rise, dropped to 2.04 percent.

Despite the increase in volatility, analysts are still confident in the outlook for growth in the U.S. and believe that the stock market will hand investors positive returns this year. Some even recommend adding to stock holdings when prices fall.

Just one week ago, the S&P 500 index closed at an all-time high of 2,090.57. The energy sector aside, company earnings should remain strong, and the economy is still growing. Last quarter the U.S. economy expanded at an annual rate of 5 percent.

"When you get some pullbacks, we'll definitely be pounding the table recommending that they put some sideline cash to work," said Wells Fargo's Wren.

In metals trading, prices for precious and industrial metals ended mixed. Gold rose $17.80 to $1,204 an ounce, silver rose 45 cents to $16.21 an ounce and copper fell five cents to $2.77 a pound.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -130.01 points or ▼ -0.74% on Tuesday, 6 January 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,371.64 ▼ -130.01 ▼ -0.74%
Nasdaq____ 4,592.74 ▼ -59.84 ▼ -1.29%
S&P_500___ 2,002.61 ▼ -17.97 ▼ -0.89%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.52 ▼ -0.08 ▼ -3.15%

NYSE Volume 4,431,799,500
Nasdaq Volume 2,045,365,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,366.51 ▼ -50.65 ▼ -0.79%
DAX_____ 9,469.66 ▼ -3.50 ▼ -0.04%
CAC_40__ 4,083.50 ▼ -27.86 ▼ -0.68%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,346.20 ▼ -83.30 ▼ -1.53%
Shanghai_Comp 3,351.45 ▲ 0.93 ▲ 0.03%
Taiwan_Weight 9,048.34 ▼ -225.77 ▼ -2.43%
Nikkei_225___ 16,883.19 ▼ -525.52 ▼ -3.02%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,485.41 ▼ -235.91 ▼ -0.99%
Strait_Times.__ 3,281.95 ▼ -46.33 ▼ -1.39%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,561.38 ▼ -41.22 ▼ -0.74%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/bonds-rally-stocks-oil-prices-195757689.html

Bonds rally as stocks and oil prices extend slumps

US stocks extend decline; oil drops further, 10-year Treasury yield falls below 2 percent

Associated Press
By Steve Rothwell, AP Markets Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- The U.S. economy ended last year on a tear, but financial markets are saying the outlook for this year is less bright.

Stocks continued to retreat from their recent record highs on Tuesday, weighed down by an ongoing plunge in the price of oil. Bonds rallied as investors bought the safest assets, pushing the yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note back below 2 percent for the first time in three months.

The moves suggest that investors have little confidence the U.S. economy will continue to grow at the 5 percent annual pace reached in the final quarter of last year. As a consequence, company earnings will suffer. The reason for the gloomy prognosis is a slowdown in growth elsewhere in world, particularly Europe.

The slump in the price of oil, which dropped well below $50 a barrel Tuesday from $107 in June, has also prompted a sharp shift in investor sentiment.

"Oil prices falling is a good thing for the economy overall," said Randy Frederick, Managing Director of Trading and Derivatives with the Schwab Center for Financial Research. "But there is a point when they fall far enough that it could potentially be a problem."

The Standard & Poor's 500 index dropped 17.97 points, or 0.9 percent, to 2,002.61. The index fell as low as 1,992.44 during the day. The Dow Jones industrial average closed down 130.01 points, or 0.7 percent, at 17,371.64. The Nasdaq composite dropped 59.84 points, or 1.3 percent, to 4,592.74.

While drivers filling up at gas stations are welcoming lower oil prices, investors are getting worried about the consequences of the slump, which has pushed the price of oil down by more than half in six months. On Tuesday, the price of oil fell $2.11 to $47.93.

If prices stay low, some companies in the energy industry will go out of business because the cost of extracting the oil will exceed its price. Not only will that cost jobs in the sector, but it will also lead to lower spending on plants and equipment.

On Tuesday, U.S. Steel said it will temporarily lay off about 750 employees from two plants that make tubular steel used in oil and gas drilling. The Pittsburgh-based company said it is making the moves in response to falling oil prices and competition from foreign companies.

Investors also got some discouraging news on the economy.

A report that orders to U.S. factories fell for a fourth straight month in November stoked investors' concerns about growth. The Commerce Department said Tuesday factory orders dropped 0.7 percent in November after falling by the same amount in October. The weakness was due to decreases in demand for primary metals, industrial machinery and military aircraft.

The Institute for Supply Management said Tuesday that its services index fell to 56.2 last month, down from 59.3 in November.

For some the drop in bond yields is also worrying because it signals a move toward falling prices, or deflation.

Falling prices may intuitively seem attractive, but they can have a damaging impact on a country's growth. That's because consumers and businesses will start to cut back their spending as they wait for prices to drop.

Lower oil prices "are adding to the fear of deflation spreading to the global economy," said Peter Cardillio, chief market economist at Rockwell Global Capital. "That's what the real fear is all about."

Bonds are rallying in part because U.S. yields, even at their current low levels, are attractive to overseas investors. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which falls when prices rise, dropped to 1.96 percent from 2.03 percent on Monday.

The yield on the 10-year German government bond, by contrast, is just 0.44 percent, and France's 10-year bond yields 0.74 percent. The comparable Japanese government bond yields 0.28 percent.

Bonds yields in Europe have plummeted as growth in that region has wavered and investors have started to worry that Greece might seek to renegotiate the terms of its bailout and exit the euro bloc if an anti-austerity party wins national elections this month.

Financial stocks fell the most among the 10 industry sectors in the S&P 500 index on Tuesday. Weaker growth would mean less demand for loans, and lower interest rates mean that the profits banks make on loans will be lower.

Among individual stocks, Michael Kors was the biggest loser in the S&P 500.

The stock slumped $6.13, or 8.4 percent, to $66.87 after analysts at Credit Suisse cut their price target on the company's stock to $79 from $103 following what they described as a "dramatic" increase in promotional activity at the luxury retailer, suggesting that it is struggling to maintain growth rates.

AOL was one of the stocks to buck the downward trend. The stock climbed $1.51, or 3.4 percent, to $46.25 after Bloomberg reported that Verizon had approached the company about a potential acquisition or joint venture to expand its mobile video offerings. Verizon gained 47 cents, or 1 percent, to $47.04.

In metals trading, precious metals futures mostly rose. Gold increased $15.40 to $1,219.40 an ounce, silver rose 42 cents to $16.64 an ounce and copper was flat at $2.77 a pound.

In other energy trading, Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, fell $2.01 to close at $51.10 in London.

In other futures trading on the NYMEX:

”” Wholesale gasoline fell 2.7 cents to close at $1.354 a gallon.

”” Heating oil fell 2.3 cents to close at $1.726 a gallon.

”” Natural gas rose 5.6 cents to close at $2.938 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 212.88 points or ▲ 1.23% on Wednesday, 7 January 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,584.52 ▲ 212.88 ▲ 1.23%
Nasdaq____ 4,650.47 ▲ 57.73 ▲ 1.26%
S&P_500___ 2,025.90 ▲ 23.29 ▲ 1.16%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.51 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.32%

NYSE Volume 3,792,335,750
Nasdaq Volume 1,889,099,120

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,419.83 ▲ 53.32 ▲ 0.84%
DAX_____ 9,518.18 ▲ 48.52 ▲ 0.51%
CAC_40__ 4,112.73 ▲ 29.23 ▲ 0.72%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,334.50 ▼ -11.70 ▼ -0.22%
Shanghai_Comp 3,373.95 ▲ 22.51 ▲ 0.67%
Taiwan_Weight 9,080.09 ▲ 31.75 ▲ 0.35%
Nikkei_225___ 16,885.33 ▲ 2.14 ▲ 0.01%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,681.26 ▲ 195.85 ▲ 0.83%
Strait_Times.__ 3,298.36 ▲ 16.41 ▲ 0.50%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,558.06 ▼ -3.32 ▼ -0.06%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/asia-stocks-snap-2-days-losses-growth-woes-060054139--finance.html

US stocks rise, breaking a string of losses, as oil steadies
Associated Press
By MATTHEW CRAFT

NEW YORK (AP) ”” Encouraging economic news and a rare rise in oil prices helped give the stock market its first gain in the new year Wednesday.

Major indexes started climbing from the opening bell, following a report from ADP, the payroll processor, which showed that businesses hired more workers last month. Companies added 241,000 workers in December, an increase from the previous month.

The increase offered more evidence that the U.S. economy is on steady ground and gave investors another reason to jump back into the market after five straight days of losses, said Jeff Kravetz, regional investment director at U.S. Bank Wealth Management.

All three major U.S. indexes climbed more than 1 percent. The Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 23.29 points to close at 2,025.90.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 212.88 points to 17,584.52, and the Nasdaq composite gained 57.73 points to 4,650.47.

Before Wednesday, falling oil prices and concerns about the global economy had knocked the S&P 500 down 2.7 percent, its worst start to a year since 2008.

The recent turbulence is likely just a pause in the stock market's steady run, said Michael Arone, chief investment strategist at State Street Global Advisors.

"It's perfectly normal market activity," Arone said. "Things tend not to go up or down in a straight line."

Major markets in Europe also ended higher for the first time this week. Germany's DAX closed with a gain of 0.5 percent and France's CAC-40 rose 0.7 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 advanced 0.8 percent.

Consumer prices in Europe fell in December for the first time since 2009. The 0.2 percent drop was mainly the result of falling oil prices, something that could help consumers immediately. But falling prices also increase pressure on the European Central Bank to provide more stimulus for the region's flagging economy. Many analysts expect the bank to announce plans to buy government bonds later this month. After the report on prices came out, the euro slipped to $1.1833 from $1.1890.

Markets barely moved following the release of minutes from the Federal Reserve's December policy meeting. Fed officials discussed various risks to the economy, but concluded that the recent big drop in oil prices was likely to end up boosting growth.

The price of oil stabilized near a six-year low. U.S. crude oil rose 72 cents to close at $48.65 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The gain, which followed news of a decline in U.S. crude inventories, as only the second in nine trading days.

Crude has fallen by more than half since June as supplies rose. Lower energy costs are a boon to consumers and businesses, but some see the plunge as a worrying sign of weakness in the global economy.

Despite turbulent trading over recent weeks, Kravetz expects 2015 to be another solid year for the stock market.

"We're telling our clients not to get caught up in this short-term volatility. Look at the fundamentals: the job market, corporate balance sheets, economic growth. They're very good."

Among other companies in the news on Wednesday, J.C. Penney soared $1.33, or 20 percent, to $7.89 after the beleaguered retail store posted solid sales late Tuesday. For the nine-week holiday shopping season, the company reported sales growth of nearly 4 percent over the same period in 2013.

Eli Lilly predicted higher revenue and earnings this year as it tries to recover from the loss of patents protecting key drugs. But the forecast fell short of Wall Street's expectations. The company's stock fell 49 cents, or 0.7 percent, to $69.23.

In the bond market, prices for U.S. government Treasurys fell, nudging yields up. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note edged up to 1.96 percent from 1.94 percent the day before.

In the commodity markets, precious and industrial metals dipped. Gold fell $8.70 to $1,210.70 an ounce, silver sank nine cents to $15.54 an ounce and copper lost less than a penny to $2.76 a pound.

Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, rose 5 cents to close at $51.15 in London.

In other futures trading on the NYMEX:

”” Wholesale gasoline fell 1.6 cents to close at $1.338 a gallon.

”” Heating oil fell 2.7 cents to close at $1.699 a gallon.

”” Natural gas fell 6.7 cents to close at $2.871 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 323.35 points or ▲ 1.84% on Thursday, 8 January 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,907.87 ▲ 323.35 ▲ 1.84%
Nasdaq____ 4,736.19 ▲ 85.72 ▲ 1.84%
S&P_500___ 2,062.14 ▲ 36.24 ▲ 1.79%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.59 ▲ 0.08 ▲ 3.10%

NYSE Volume 3,840,816,500
Nasdaq Volume 2,039,143,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,569.96 ▲ 150.13 ▲ 2.34%
DAX_____ 9,837.61 ▲ 319.43 ▲ 3.36%
CAC_40__ 4,260.19 ▲ 147.46 ▲ 3.59%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,359.40 ▲ 24.90 ▲ 0.47%
Shanghai_Comp 3,293.46 ▼ -80.50 ▼ -2.39%
Taiwan_Weight 9,238.03 ▲ 157.94 ▲ 1.74%
Nikkei_225___ 17,167.10 ▲ 281.77 ▲ 1.67%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,835.53 ▲ 154.27 ▲ 0.65%
Strait_Times.__ 3,345.11 ▲ 46.75 ▲ 1.42%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,574.05 ▲ 15.99 ▲ 0.29%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/asia-stocks-boosted-us-economic-data-oil-steadying-052408095.html

US stocks bounce back, recovering from rough start to year
Associated Press
By STEVE ROTHWELL

NEW YORK (AP) ”” The stock market is bouncing back from a tough start to 2015.

Investors sent shares sharply higher for a second straight day Thursday, erasing the market's heavy losses from the first few days of the year.

The gains were driven by a combination of positive economic news from the U.S. and hopes for stimulus from Europe's central bank. The price of oil is also showing signs of stabilizing after six months of heavy losses, and there is renewed confidence that the Federal Reserve will keep supporting the economy as growth outside the U.S. appears to be flagging.

The wild swings in stock prices will likely become more common this year as investors try and anticipate when, if at all, the Fed will start to raise interest rates, said JJ Kinahan, chief market strategist at TD Ameritrade.

"People will have to get used to volatility at a higher level," Kinahan said. It's going to be "one of the primary stories for 2015."

The Standard & Poor's 500 index climbed 36.24 points, or 1.8 percent, to 2,062.14. The index is now up 0.2 percent for the year, after falling 2.7 percent in the first three days of trading.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 323.35 points, or 1.8 percent, to 17,907.87. The Nasdaq composite gained 85.72 points, or 1.8 percent, to 4,736.19.

Comments from Charles Evans, president of the Fed's Chicago branch, late Wednesday gave stocks a lift. Evans said that the U.S. central bank shouldn't rush to raise interest rates, because inflation was likely to remain tame for several years, according to Bloomberg.

The prospect of more stimulus from other central banks is also driving the rebound.

European data Wednesday showed that consumer prices fell in December for the first time since 2009. That increased pressure on the European Central Bank president Mario Draghi to act to support the region's flagging economy.

Many analysts expect the bank to announce a plan this month to buy European government bonds. Such a move, known as quantitative easing, is designed to hold down long-term interest rates and stimulate borrowing and spending.

"Oddly enough, the market was helped by some of the weaker data out of the eurozone," said Quincy Krosby, a market strategist at Prudential Financial. "In many ways, the bad news was the good news."

Investors also got encouraging news on hiring Thursday.

A report showed that fewer Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week. That's a sign that employers expect the economy to keep growing, prompting them to hold on to workers. The Labor Department said Thursday that applications for unemployment benefits fell 4,000 last week to 294,000.

Economists forecast that a government report Friday will show that U.S. employers added 243,000 jobs last month.

Among individual stocks, Constellation Brands was one of the day's biggest gainers.

The company, which owns the Corona and Modelo beer brands, said its fiscal third-quarter earnings climbed thanks to increased beer sales. The earnings surpassed the expectations of Wall Street analysts, and the company also raised its full-year profit forecast. The stock gained $4.59, or 4.5 percent, to $107.64.

In energy trading, oil ended the day fractionally higher after fluctuating between small gains and losses for most of the day.

U.S. crude oil gained 14 cents, or 0.3 percent, to $48.79 a barrel. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, fell 19 cents to close at $50.96 in London.

A big fall in the price of oil earlier in the week helped spark a big sell off in the stock market.

The price of the commodity has fallen by more than half since June last year as traders try to price in a glut of supply due to increased production. The sharp drop in prices has also prompted concern that economies outside the U.S. remain weak.

In bond trading, prices fell. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.01 percent from 1.97 percent on Wednesday.

The dollar rose against most major currencies. Against the Japanese yen, the dollar rose to 119.63 from 119.65. It rose to its highest in nine years against the euro, trading at $1.1790.

In metals trading, gold edged down $2.20 to $1,208.50 an ounce, silver fell 16 cents to $16.39 an ounce and copper rose a penny to $2.77 a pound.

In other futures trading on the NYMEX:

”” Wholesale gasoline rose 0.3 cent to close at $1.341 a gallon.

”” Heating oil rose 1.1 cents to close at $1.711 a gallon.

”” Natural gas rose 5.6 cents to close at $2.927 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -170.5 points or ▼ -0.95% on Friday, 9 January 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,737.37 ▼ -170.50 ▼ -0.95%
Nasdaq____ 4,704.07 ▼ -32.12 ▼ -0.68%
S&P_500___ 2,044.81 ▼ -17.33 ▼ -0.84%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.56 ▼ -0.04 ▼ -1.43%

NYSE Volume 3,343,366,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,659,418,880

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,501.14 ▼ -68.82 ▼ -1.05%
DAX_____ 9,648.50 ▼ -189.11 ▼ -1.92%
CAC_40__ 4,179.07 ▼ -81.12 ▼ -1.90%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,440.10 ▲ 80.70 ▲ 1.51%
Shanghai_Comp 3,285.41 ▼ -8.04 ▼ -0.24%
Taiwan_Weight 9,215.58 ▼ -22.45 ▼ -0.24%
Nikkei_225___ 17,197.73 ▲ 30.63 ▲ 0.18%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,919.95 ▲ 84.42 ▲ 0.35%
Strait_Times.__ 3,338.44 ▼ -6.67 ▼ -0.20%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,584.84 ▲ 10.79 ▲ 0.19%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-mostly-higher-ahead-us-093734142.html

US stocks slide following weak wage growth, oil price slump
Associated Press
By ALEX VEIGA

A turbulent week of trading ended Friday with U.S. stocks finishing lower for the third time in five days.

The decline followed two days of big gains and nudged major indexes lower for the year.

A slide in oil prices deepened, stoking concerns about global economic growth. Energy stocks tumbled, extending their losses for the year.

Investors also were discouraged by weak U.S. wage growth in December, despite another strong increase in hiring.

"We finally got the jobs growing," said Erik Davidson, deputy chief investment officer of Wells Fargo Private Bank. "Now people are looking through that at the actual wage growth numbers and they want to see improvement on wages, which obviously would spur demand and consumer confidence."

The Standard & Poor's 500 index shed 17.33 points, or 0.8 percent, to 2,044.81. The index is now down 0.7 percent for the year.

The Dow Jones industrial average slid 170.50 points, or about 1 percent, to 17,737.37. The Dow has fallen 0.5 percent this year.

The Nasdaq composite lost 32.12 points, or 0.7 percent, to 4,704.07. It's down 0.7 percent this year.

After a long period of relative calm, stock markets have become more volatile as investors grapple with slowing global growth and slumping oil prices. A gauge of investor anxiety, the Chicago Board Options Exchange's volatility index, or VIX, rose 3 percent to 17.5 on Friday, up from 12 a month ago.

"It's going to be a volatile year, but I think if you remain a long-term investor ... and you push out this volatility and you focus on the trends, I think (the stock market) is going to have a pretty good year," said Robert Pavlik, chief market strategist at Banyan Partners.

A combination of positive U.S. economic news, hopes for stimulus from Europe's central bank and renewed confidence that the Federal Reserve will keep supporting the economy helped push stocks higher in the middle of the week after a tough start to the year.

But by Friday, the jobs data and a renewed decline in oil prices put traders in a selling mood once again.

U.S. crude fell 43 cents, or 0.9 percent, to close at $48.36 a barrel in New York on further evidence that OPEC will not cut production in an effort to support prices. In London, Brent crude fell 85 cents, or 1.7 percent, to $50.11 a barrel, setting a new five and a half-year low.

The price of oil has fallen by more than half since June as traders anticipate a glut of supply caused by increased production. The slide also has stoked concern about the already troubled state of economies overseas.

"Is it a canary in the coal mine for bigger global economic concerns?" Davidson said. "Is oil telling us something about the future of the global economy?"

The latest U.S. jobs data also gave some investors reason for concern.

The government reported that employers added 252,000 jobs in December, slightly more than economists expected. The government also noted that more jobs were added in October and November than it had previously estimated.

Still, wage growth remained weak, as average hourly pay slipped 5 cents in December. And the unemployment rate fell to 5.6 percent from 5.8 percent in part because many of the jobless gave up looking for work and were no longer counted as unemployed.

Among individual stocks, Avon Products declined the most among companies in the S&P 500. The stock shed 66 cents, or 7.5 percent, to $8.17. It's down 13 percent this year.

All 10 sectors in the S&P 500 fell. Financial stocks were the biggest losers on the day. The sector is down 2.4 percent this year.

In government bond trading, prices rose. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury fell to 1.95 percent from 2.02 percent on Thursday.

The euro edged up to $1.1841 from $1.1792 the previous day. The dollar fell to 118.51 yen from 119.80 yen.

In metals trading, gold edged up $7.60 to $1,216.10 an ounce, silver rose three cents to $16.42 an ounce and copper fell two cents to $2.75 an ounce.

In other futures trading on the NYMEX:

— Wholesale gasoline fell 1.8 cents to close at $1.323 a gallon.

— Heating oil fell 0.8 cent to close at $1.703 a gallon.

— Natural gas rose 1.9 cents to close at $2.946 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Among other stocks making big moves Friday:

— Star Bulk Carriers sank 23.1 percent after the global shipping company priced a public offering of stock below the previous day's closing price. The stock slid $1.51 to $5.02.

— Ruby Tuesday's latest quarterly revenue fell short of expectations as sales at restaurants open at least a year declined. Shares in the chain-restaurant operator shed 83 cents, or 11.7 percent, to $6.27.

— Agenus jumped 28.7 percent on news that the biotechnology company signed a licensing, development and commercialization deal with Incyte for immuno-therapeutics. Agenus rose $1.18 to $5.29. Incyte fell $1.18, or 1.6 percent, to $72.03.

3393

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -96.53 points or ▼ -0.54% on Monday, 12 January 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,640.84 ▼ -96.53 ▼ -0.54%
Nasdaq____ 4,664.71 ▼ -39.36 ▼ -0.84%
S&P_500___ 2,028.26 ▼ -16.55 ▼ -0.81%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.49 ▼ -0.06 ▼ -2.50%

NYSE Volume 3,454,067,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,791,369,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,501.42 ▲ 0.28 ▲ 0.00%
DAX_____ 9,781.90 ▲ 133.40 ▲ 1.38%
CAC_40__ 4,228.24 ▲ 49.17 ▲ 1.18%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,399.50 ▼ -40.60 ▼ -0.75%
Shanghai_Comp 3,229.32 ▼ -56.10 ▼ -1.71%
Taiwan_Weight 9,178.30 ▼ -37.28 ▼ -0.40%
Nikkei_225___ 17,197.73 ▲ 30.63 ▲ 0.18%
Hang_Seng.__ 24,026.46 ▲ 106.51 ▲ 0.45%
Strait_Times.__ 3,344.89 ▲ 6.45 ▲ 0.19%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,609.80 ▲ 24.96 ▲ 0.45%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/europe-stocks-gain-asia-falls-oil-slide-us-091750215.html

US stocks head lower; crude oil price falls again
Associated Press
By MATTHEW CRAFT

NEW YORK (AP) ”” Falling oil prices dragged the stock market lower on Monday as Exxon Mobil, Chevron and other big energy companies sank along with crude.

The steep drop in oil prices over recent months has investors second-guessing expectations for the quarterly earnings season that starts this week.

Sam Stovall, the U.S. equity strategist at S&P Capital IQ, said that it seems that every day brings another drop in Wall Street's earnings forecasts.

"What's happening is that we're seeing the very low bar for fourth-quarter earnings raising anxiety," Stovall said. "It's the continued decline in oil, but it's also that nearly half of the S&P 500's revenues come from overseas. Japan is in recession, and Europe is teetering on the edge of it."

The Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 16.55 points, or 0.8 percent, to close at 2,028.26.

The Dow Jones industrial average slid 96.53 points, or 0.5 percent, to 17,640.84, and the Nasdaq composite lost 39.36 points, or 0.8 percent, to 4,664.71.

In a wide-ranging note to clients, Goldman Sachs slashed its forecast for oil prices. It now estimates that that crude will average $50.40 a barrel this year, far below its previous forecast of $83.75. It also trimmed its forecast for Brent crude, a type used in international markets, to $70 a barrel from $90.

Oil prices extended their slide, with U.S. crude losing $2.29 to settle at $46.07 a barrel. Brent lost $2.68 to $47.43. Both trade at their lowest levels since March of 2009.

"I think we're going to see plenty more volatility in the coming days as pressure mounts on oil producers to scale back production before prices get dangerously low," said Craig Erlam, market analyst at Alpari.

Monday also marked the unofficial start to the fourth-quarter earnings season as Alcoa turned in its latest quarterly results after the closing bell. The aluminum producer reported stronger earnings and revenue than Wall Street expected, pushing the stock up 20 cents, or 1 percent, to $16.38 in extended trading.

Analysts expect big corporations to turn in modest results for the fourth-quarter, forecasting earnings growth of 4.6 percent, according to S&P Capital IQ. Overall sales are expected to be meager, rising 2.3 percent, largely the result of sliding revenue for oil companies.

Traders are also looking ahead to Greece's general election on Jan. 25. Opinion polls show the Syriza party on track to win the election. Syriza wants to change the terms of the country's bailout agreement with lenders, but few think it will be able to govern without the support of other parties. Diminishing fears that Greece will drop the euro currency have helped take some pressure off the country's bond market.

Major markets in Europe climbed. Germany's DAX gained 1.4 percent, while France's CAC-40 added 1.2 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 closed flat.

Back in the U.S., Tiffany & Co. cut its outlook for annual profits and posted weaker sales in the holiday season, partially the result of a stronger U.S. dollar pinching results. The jewelry retailer's stock fell $14.44, or 14 percent, to $89.01, the biggest drop in the S&P 500.

AmerisourceBergen announced plans to buy MWI Veterinary Supply for roughly $2.5 billion, or $190 a share. The deal would give the prescription-drug distributer a foothold in the growing business of veterinary medicine. MWI's stock jumped $14.35, or 8 percent, to $190, while AmerisourceBergen sank $2.07, or 2 percent, to $90.93.

In the bond market, prices for Treasurys rose, pushing the yield on the 10-year Treasury note down to 1.91 percent from 1.95 percent late Friday.

In commodity trading, the price of gold gained $16.70 to settle at $1,232.80 an ounce, and silver rose 15 cents to $16.56 an ounce. Copper fell three cents to $2.73 an ounce.

In other futures trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange:

”” Wholesale gasoline fell 4.8 cents to close at $1.275 a gallon.

”” Heating oil fell 4.9 cents to close at $1.654 a gallon.

”” Natural gas fell 15.1 cents to close at $2.795 per 1,000 cubic feet.

___

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -27.16 points or ▼ -0.15% on Tuesday, 13 January 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,613.68 ▼ -27.16 ▼ -0.15%
Nasdaq____ 4,661.50 ▼ -3.21 ▼ -0.07%
S&P_500___ 2,023.03 ▼ -5.23 ▼ -0.26%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.48 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.40%

NYSE Volume 4,107,443,250
Nasdaq Volume 2,074,339,250

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,542.20 ▲ 40.78 ▲ 0.63%
DAX_____ 9,941.00 ▲ 159.10 ▲ 1.63%
CAC_40__ 4,290.28 ▲ 62.04 ▲ 1.47%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,382.10 ▼ -17.40 ▼ -0.32%
Shanghai_Comp 3,235.30 ▲ 5.98 ▲ 0.19%
Taiwan_Weight 9,231.80 ▲ 53.50 ▲ 0.58%
Nikkei_225___ 17,087.71 ▼ -110.02 ▼ -0.64%
Hang_Seng.__ 24,215.97 ▲ 189.51 ▲ 0.79%
Strait_Times.__ 3,338.97 ▼ -5.92 ▼ -0.18%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,636.61 ▲ 26.80 ▲ 0.48%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-end-see-saw-215817498.html

US stocks end see-saw day lower

US stocks drop, losing early gains, as energy stocks fall; Homebuilders dip on demand outlook
Associated Press
By Steve Rothwell, AP Markets Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks swung from gains to losses and almost back again on Tuesday.

The U.S. market opened the day higher, getting a boost from encouraging news on hiring and small business confidence. The market then swooned in the afternoon as oil closed lower. The pendulum then swung back late in the day as oil gained in after-hours trading and stocks ended with small losses.

From peak to trough, the Dow Jones industrial average swung 425 points.

Stocks are having a jumpy start to the year as investors grapple with the potential impact of oil's plunge. The outlook for global growth also remains fuzzy as the U.S. recovery continues, but economies in Europe and Asia struggle.

Even though stock market volatility has picked up at the start of the year, investors should remain calm, said Janet Dougherty, a global investment specialist in Chicago at JPMorgan private bank.

"You have to remember that we've been through an extended period where there wasn't a lot of volatility in the equity markets, and now we're just getting back to normalized levels," Dougherty said.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index eased 5.23 points, or 0.3 percent, to 2,023.03. The Dow fell 27.16 points, or 0.15 percent, to 17,613.68. The Nasdaq composite slipped 3.21 points, or less than 0.1 percent, to 4,661.50.

Oil fell Tuesday after the energy minister for the United Arab Emirates said Tuesday there are no plans for OPEC to curb production to shore up falling crude prices. The price of oil has slumped almost 60 percent since last June as traders bet that the supply glut will persist.

"At a certain point oil has got to find a bottom," said Jeffrey Carbone, a partner at Cornerstone, a wealth manager. "But for that to happen, somebody is going to have to flinch and cut production."

The market also took a knock after the CEO of KB Homes said that his company was experiencing soft demand in some markets. The comments caused the stock to plunge, dragging other home builders lower.

KB Home ended the day down $2.70, or 16.3 percent, at $13.87. The Standard & Poor's home building index dropped 3 percent.

The market's initial rise came after a survey suggested that the rapid pace of hiring in 2014 would continue this year. A separate survey showed that small businesses remain confident for the outlook on growth.

U.S. employers advertised the most job openings in nearly 14 years in November, the Labor Department said. That suggests businesses are determined to keep adding staff because they are confident that strong economic growth will create more demand for goods and services.

Job openings rose 2.9 percent to 4.97 million in November, the most since January 2001. More job vacancies generally lead to more hiring.

A survey on small business showed confidence rising to an 8-year high in December. The survey also showed that more small business owners plan to raise wages.

Among individual stocks, McGraw Hill Financial, the owner of the Standard & Poor's bond rating company, was the biggest gainer, rising $5.13, or 6 percent, to $90.89. The gains followed reports that the company was close to reaching a $1 billion settlement with the U.S. government for allegedly misleading investors about its ratings of bonds backed by subprime mortgages.

In government bond trading, the yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 1.90 percent from 1.91 percent on Monday.

The dollar gained against the euro but dropped against the yen. The euro fell 0.5 percent to $1.1775 and the dollar slipped 0.2 percent to 117.89 Japanese yen.

In metals trading, prices were mixed. Gold rose $1.60, or 0.1 percent, to $1,234.40 an ounce. Silver gained 59 cents, or 3.6 percent, to $17.15 an ounce. Copper fell 8 cents, or 3 percent, to $2.64 a pounds.

In other energy trading:

”” Wholesale gasoline fell 0.6 cent to close at $1.269 a gallon.

”” Heating oil fell 2.1 cents to close at $1.633 a gallon.

”” Natural gas rose 14.8 cents to close at $2.943 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[explod]

From high to low I actually think the DOW swung about 800.

Certainly some tom toms beating. Many oil fields across the globe producing at a loss, go figure?

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -186.59 points or ▼ -1.06% on Wednesday, 14 January 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,427.09 ▼ -186.59 ▼ -1.06%
Nasdaq____ 4,639.32 ▼ -22.18 ▼ -0.48%
S&P_500___ 2,011.27 ▼ -11.76 ▼ -0.58%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.45 ▼ -0.03 ▼ -1.25%

NYSE Volume 4,349,671,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,982,755,880

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,388.46 ▼ -153.74 ▼ -2.35%
DAX_____ 9,817.08 ▼ -123.92 ▼ -1.25%
CAC_40__ 4,223.24 ▼ -67.04 ▼ -1.56%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,332.20 ▼ -49.90 ▼ -0.93%
Shanghai_Comp 3,222.44 ▼ -12.86 ▼ -0.40%
Taiwan_Weight 9,180.23 ▼ -51.57 ▼ -0.56%
Nikkei_225___ 16,795.96 ▼ -291.75 ▼ -1.71%
Hang_Seng.__ 24,112.60 ▼ -103.37 ▼ -0.43%
Strait_Times.__ 3,326.16 ▼ -14.91 ▼ -0.45%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,648.62 ▲ 12.02 ▲ 0.21%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/dismal-report-us-retail-spending-191103888.html

Dismal report on US retail spending hits the stock market

US stocks fall on dismal retail report and a slow growth outlook; Investors flee to bonds
Associated Press
By Bernard Condon, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- A dismal report on retail spending in the U.S. and signs of slowing global growth drove stocks lower and sent yields on government bonds plunging as investors sought safety.

U.S. stocks fell from the start of trading on a report that consumers pulled back on spending last month and on a slump in European markets. At one point, the Dow Jones industrial average shed nearly 350 points.

Investors dumped some key commodities on fears global growth is stalling, pushing the price of copper to a five-year low, and they piled into German, British and U.S. government bonds. The yield on the 30-year U.S. Treasury fell to its lowest on record.

"We haven't seen volatility like this for years," said John Canally, investment strategist for LPL Financial. "People are more worried."

The Commerce Department reported that retail sales fell 0.9 percent in December, the biggest decline since January last year. The drop was a surprise to many investors because it showed consumers are still reluctant to spend despite lower gas prices and a pickup in hiring.

"There was a perception that the economy was improving, but that has gotten called into question," said Peter Tuz, a portfolio manager at Chase Investment Counsel, which manages $400 million in assets. "The savings from lower gas prices hasn't translated into higher consumer spending yet."

A report from the World Bank late Tuesday also weighed on markets. The bank lowered its forecast for global growth this year to 3 percent from 3.4 percent. It blamed sluggish economies in Europe and Japan and a slowdown in China.

The price of copper, a metal used in construction and manufacturing, fell 14 cents, or 5.2 percent, to close at $2.51 a pound following the World Bank's downgrade.

Investors buying up 10-year Treasury notes sent its yield, a benchmark for home loans and corporate borrowing, to 1.85 percent, its lowest since May 2013. The yield on the 30-year bond dropped below 2.4 percent for the first time.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 11.76 points, 0.6 percent, to 2,011.27 The S&P 500 is heading for its third straight week of losses.

The Nasdaq composite fell 22.18 points, or 0.5 percent, to 4,639.32 And the Dow Jones industrial average dropped 186.59 points, or 1.1 percent, to 17,427.09.

Stocks are swinging more this year as investors become anxious. The Dow index was down as much as 348.78 points in the early afternoon, before gaining back much of its losses. On Tuesday, the difference between the Dow's high and low was more than 400 points.

Investors will turn their attention next to more corporate earnings reports. A handful of big companies are expected to report Thursday, including giant money manager BlackRock, energy company Schlumberger and Intel Corp., the world's largest chip maker.

Overall, companies in the S&P 500 are expected to report a modest 4.5 percent increase in fourth-quarter earnings per share compared with a year ago, according to S&P Capital IQ.

Among stocks making big moves:

”” The drop in commodities pushed mining giant Freeport-McMoRan down $2.30, or 11 percent, to $18.74.

”” JPMorgan Chase fell $2.03, or 3.5 percent, to $56.81 after reporting a 7 percent drop in fourth-quarter earnings. The bank was hit by more legal costs and a decline in trading revenue.

”” GameStop jumped nearly 11 percent, the biggest gain in the S&P 500, after its CEO reported strong sales in gaming software sales during the holiday shopping season. The stock rose $3.44 to $36.21.

The price of oil surged, despite a large increase in U.S. oil stockpiles, on a weaker dollar and traders' expectations that oil had fallen too far recently. Benchmark U.S. crude rose $2.59 to close at $48.48 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, rose $2.10 to close at $48.69 in London.

In other futures trading on the NYMEX:

”” Wholesale gasoline rose 8.2 cents to close at $1.351 a gallon.

”” Heating oil rose 2.2 cents to close at $1.655 a gallon.

”” Natural gas rose 29 cents to close at $3.233 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold edged up 10 cents to $1,234.50 an ounce and silver fell 17 cents to $16.99 a pound.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -106.38 points or ▼ -0.61% on Thursday, 15 January 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,320.71 ▼ -106.38 ▼ -0.61%
Nasdaq____ 4,570.82 ▼ -68.50 ▼ -1.48%
S&P_500___ 1,992.67 ▼ -18.60 ▼ -0.92%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.41 ▼ -0.04 ▼ -1.63%

NYSE Volume 4,231,356,500
Nasdaq Volume 1,889,252,000

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,498.78 ▲ 110.32 ▲ 1.73%
DAX_____ 10,032.61 ▲ 215.53 ▲ 2.20%
CAC_40__ 4,323.20 ▲ 99.96 ▲ 2.37%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,310.60 ▼ -21.60 ▼ -0.41%
Shanghai_Comp 3,336.45 ▲ 114.02 ▲ 3.54%
Taiwan_Weight 9,165.09 ▼ -15.14 ▼ -0.16%
Nikkei_225___ 17,108.70 ▲ 312.74 ▲ 1.86%
Hang_Seng.__ 24,350.91 ▲ 238.31 ▲ 0.99%
Strait_Times.__ 3,338.84 ▲ 12.68 ▲ 0.38%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,642.05 ▼ -6.57 ▼ -0.12%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/volat...wing-higher-led-china-091304458--finance.html

Weak bank results weigh on stock market
Associated Press
By MATTHEW CRAFT

NEW YORK (AP) ”” Disappointing results from Bank of America and Citigroup tugged the stock market to its fifth straight loss Thursday.

Oil prices continued their slide, and U.S. government bonds jumped.

Weak revenue from trading pulled down Bank of America's profit 11 percent in the fourth quarter. The bank's earnings and revenue fell short of Wall Street's estimates. BofA's stock sank 84 cents, or 5 percent, to $15.20.

Discouraging news on the global economy and falling oil prices have rattled investors recently, even as the bull market for stocks closes in on its sixth anniversary.

The stock market's fall is likely to prove temporary, another pause in a long climb higher, said Henry Smith, chief investment officer at Haverford Trust.

"Bull markets don't die because of age," he said. "They die almost always in anticipation of the next recession. But where are the indications of that?"

Despite slowing growth overseas, the U.S. economy continues to improve. Last week, the government said that the unemployment rate declined to 5.6 percent in December, a six-year low. On Thursday, the New York branch of the Federal Reserve reported manufacturing expanded in the region.

"Lately, it has ... been the economy versus the markets," said Jack Ablin, the chief investment officer at BMO Private Bank. "There's a divergence. The financial markets are worried about the impact of plunging oil prices, at the same time the economic backdrop in the U.S. is improving."

On Thursday, the Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 18.60, or 0.9 percent, to close at 1,992.67. The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 106.38 points, or 0.6 percent, to 17,320.71, while the Nasdaq composite fell 68.50, or 1.5 percent, to 4,570.82.

A volatile day of oil trading ended with crude falling $2.23 to end at $46.25 a barrel. Earlier in the day it jumped over $51. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils, fell $1.02 to close at $47.67 in London.

Smith said he isn't troubled by the drop in oil. "Lower oil prices are good for the vast majority of the economy," he said. "It can't be bad because consumers in the U.S. and globally benefit from lower energy costs."

With JPMorgan Chase posting a drop in profits on Wednesday, the fourth-quarter earnings season has had a rough start. But that shouldn't come as a surprise. Analysts have spent the past few weeks trimming their forecasts. They now predict big corporations will report earnings growth of 4 percent, according to S&P Capital IQ, down from forecasts of 6.6 percent on December 1. Overall sales are expected to rise just 2.1 percent, largely the result of sliding revenue for oil companies.

Citigroup sank $1.82, or 4 percent, to $47.23 following news that the bank's quarterly profit fell 86 percent. The bank booked legal and restructuring charges at the end of last year to cover costs tied to a number of investigations. Analysts had expected stronger results.

In Europe, France's CAC 40 climbed 2.4 percent, while Germany's DAX gained 2.2 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 rose 1.7 percent.

Switzerland's central bank rocked currency markets on Thursday when it abandoned efforts to keep the Swiss franc artificially low against the euro. The Swiss currency soared in response. But Swiss stocks took a pounding on the prospect of the country's exports becoming more expensive to overseas buyers.

In Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 jumped 1.9 percent. China's Shanghai Composite surged 3.5 percent, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 1 percent.

Back in the U.S., Radio Shack's stock plummeted 36 percent following a report in The Wall Street Journal that the struggling electronics retailer could file for bankruptcy protection as early as February. The company's shares fell 15 cents to 26 cents

Target announced that it was closing all of its stores in Canada, saying it couldn't find a realistic way for the division to turn a profit before 2021. Target's stock rose $1.34, or 2 percent, to $75.67.

Precious and industrial metals traded higher. Gold gained $30.30 to $1,264.80 an ounce, while silver rose 11 cents to $17.10 an ounce. Copper inched up 5 cents to $2.56 a pound.

In other futures trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange:

”” Wholesale gasoline fell 5.2 cents to close at $1.299 a gallon.

”” Heating oil fell 3.2 cents to close at $1.623 a gallon.

”” Natural gas fell 7.5 cents to close at $3.158 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 190.86 points or ▲ 1.10% on Friday, 16 January 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,511.57 ▲ 190.86 ▲ 1.10%
Nasdaq____ 4,634.38 ▲ 63.56 ▲ 1.39%
S&P_500___ 2,019.42 ▲ 26.75 ▲ 1.34%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.43 ▲ 0.02 ▲ 1.00%

NYSE Volume 4,021,722,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,890,162,880

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,550.27 ▲ 51.49 ▲ 0.79%
DAX_____ 10,167.77 ▲ 135.16 ▲ 1.35%
CAC_40__ 4,379.62 ▲ 56.42 ▲ 1.31%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,278.80 ▼ -31.80 ▼ -0.60%
Shanghai_Comp 3,376.50 ▲ 40.04 ▲ 1.20%
Taiwan_Weight 9,138.29 ▼ -26.80 ▼ -0.29%
Nikkei_225___ 16,864.16 ▼ -244.54 ▼ -1.43%
Hang_Seng.__ 24,103.52 ▼ -247.39 ▼ -1.02%
Strait_Times.__ 3,300.68 ▼ -38.16 ▼ -1.14%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,616.73 ▼ -25.33 ▼ -0.45%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/oil-company-rally-snaps-5-221650998.html

Oil-company rally snaps 5-day losing streak

Oil swings higher, lifting energy companies and stock market at end of turbulent week
Associated Press
By Matthew Craft, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- A surge in oil and gas companies pulled the stock market out of a five-day slump on Friday, as the price of crude swung higher.

Oil prices jumped after the International Energy Agency predicted drillers would cut production this year. Exxon Mobil, Chevron and other energy companies led all 10 sectors of the Standard & Poor's 500 index to gains, climbing 3 percent. Oil's seven-month slide had cut its price by more than half.

"Lower oil prices on the whole are supportive of economic growth worldwide," said Jason Pride, director of investment strategy at Glenmede Trust. "They're very helpful for Japan, Europe, China and India. It's clearly a good thing."

The S&P 500 index gained 26.75 points, or 1.3 percent, to finish at 2,019.42.

The Dow Jones industrial average climbed 190.86 points, or 1.1 percent, to close at 17,511.57, and the Nasdaq rose 63.56 points, or 1.4 percent, to 4,634.38.

The rally came at the end of another rough week for the market. Since the start of the year, worries about the strength of the global economy and falling oil prices have weighed major indexes down. Even with its strong performance on Friday, the S&P 500 still lost 1 percent for the week, its third straight weekly drop.

"There has been a lot of conflicting information to digest, recently," said Anastasia Amoroso, a global market strategist at J.P. Morgan Asset Management.

Amoroso said the big question has been whether the recent slump in oil prices will lead to other problems, such as deflation, a downward spiral in prices that could put companies out of business. "Are low oil prices a good or a bad thing?" she asked, rhetorically. "For stocks, deflation is not so great."

Benchmark U.S. crude jumped $2.44 on Friday to settle at $48.69 a barrel in New York trading. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, added 31 cents to $50.17 in London.

The economic reports out Friday offered investors some encouragement. U.S. manufacturers churned out more furniture, computers and clothing in December, according to the Federal Reserve, as factory production increased for a fourth straight month in a row. In a separate report, a gauge of consumer sentiment from the University of Michigan jumped to its highest level in 11 years.

A fall in trading revenue pulled down Goldman Sachs's quarterly earnings 10 percent. The investment bank's fixed income, currency and commodities division slumped 29 percent. Goldman's stock dipped $1.26, or 0.7 percent, to $177.23.

It was a recurring theme for a week in which JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and other big banks turned in results that missed analysts' forecasts. Overall, analysts predict that big corporations will post earnings growth of 4 percent, according to S&P Capital IQ. Sales are expected to rise just 2.1 percent, largely the result of falling revenue for oil companies.

Most major markets in Europe closed with solid gains. Germany's DAX and France's CAC 40 climbed 1.3 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 rose 0.8 percent.

A move by the Swiss National Bank on Thursday rippled through currency markets, after the central bank ditched its policy to cap the rise of the Swiss franc. Following the news, the Swiss franc spiked against both the euro and the dollar. Switzerland's stock market sank again on Friday, losing 6 percent.

The move in the Swiss franc rocked brokerages that deal in foreign currencies. FXCM, a New York-based brokerage, said late Thursday that its big losses may have put the company in breach of regulatory requirements. FXCM's stock plunged ahead of the opening bell before trading in its shares was suspended.

In the bond market, U.S. Treasury prices fell, driving the yield on the 10-year Treasury note to 1.83 percent.

Precious and industrial metals extended their recent run. Gold gained $12.10 to settle at $1,276.90 an ounce, while silver rose 65 cents to $17.75 an ounce. Copper inched up 6 cents to $2.62 a pound.

In other trading on the New York Mercantile exchange:

— Wholesale gasoline rose 6 cents to close at $1.359 a gallon.

— Heating oil rose 4.3 cents to close at $1.666 a gallon.

— Natural gas fell 3.1 cents to close at $3.127 per 1,000 cubic feet.

3768

 

[bigdog]

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Monday January 19 2014 holiday and NYSE closed

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 190.86 points or ▲ 1.10% on Monday, 19 January 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,511.57 ▲ 190.86 ▲ 1.10% HOLIDAY
Nasdaq____ 4,634.38 ▲ 63.56 ▲ 1.39% HOLIDAY
S&P_500___ 2,019.42 ▲ 26.75 ▲ 1.34% HOLIDAY
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.43 ▲ 0.02 ▲ 1.00% HOLIDAY

NYSE Volume 4,021,722,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,890,162,880

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,585.53 ▲ 35.26 ▲ 0.54%
DAX_____ 10,242.35 ▲ 74.58 ▲ 0.73%
CAC_40__ 4,394.93 ▲ 15.31 ▲ 0.35%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,289.00 ▲ 10.20 ▲ 0.19%
Shanghai_Comp 3,116.35 ▼ -260.14 ▼ -7.70%
Taiwan_Weight 9,174.06 ▲ 35.77 ▲ 0.39%
Nikkei_225___ 17,014.29 ▲ 150.13 ▲ 0.89%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,738.49 ▼ -365.03 ▼ -1.51%
Strait_Times.__ 3,307.70 ▲ 7.02 ▲ 0.21%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,638.14 ▲ 21.41 ▲ 0.38%

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/european-stocks-rise-expected-ecb-184703209.html

European stocks rise on expected ECB stimulus move

Europe's main stock markets closed higher Monday, the start of a pivotal week for the region with the ECB forecast to announce fresh stimulus measures and Greece holding a snap election.

In London the benchmark FTSE 100 index climbed 0.54 percent to end the day at 6,585.53 points compared with Friday's close.

Frankfurt's DAX 30 grew 0.73 percent to a record high close of 10.242,35 points, while the CAC 40 in Paris gained 0.35 percent to 4,394.93 points.

"European stock markets are starting the new trading week on a positive note seeing some early follow-through buying after last Friday?s steep gains," said Markus Huber, senior analyst at broker Peregrine & Black.

"Increasing optimism that the ECB will finally announce QE (stimulus) during their monthly meeting later this week is continuing to drive investors into stocks. In addition a weak euro combined with low oil prices is stirring hopes that a sustained recovery for the eurozone isn't far off."

Stock indices had rallied Friday on fresh signals that the European Central Bank will launch a bond-buying stimulus programme this week, news that has weighed heavily on the euro.

The chronically low level of inflation across the single currency bloc has fuelled concern the region could slip into deflation -- a sustained and widespread drop in prices. Britain, which is not part of the eurozone, also risks falling into deflation later this year.

While falling prices may sound good for consumers, deflation can trigger a vicious spiral in which businesses and households delay purchases, throttling demand and causing companies to lay off workers.

Such concerns have fuelled speculation that the ECB could launch a programme of sovereign bond purchases known as quantitative easing or QE when it holds its first policy meeting of the year on Thursday.

The expectation weighed on borrowing costs, with 10-year Spanish and Italian bond rates striking record low levels on Monday. The Spanish note dropped to 1.470 percent before rebounding to close at 1.513 percent, and Italy closed at 1.664 percent after hitting a low of 1.619 percent.

The euro recovered following its 11-year low against the dollar on Friday. At 1700 GMT Monday, the European single currency bought $1.1630 compared with $1.1566 late in New York on Friday.

At one point ahead of the weekend, the single currency tumbled to $1.1460 -- the first time it had traded under $1.15 since November 2003.

- Eyes on ECB -

"The main event this week is the ECB?s policy meeting and press conference on Thursday," noted Neil MacKinnon, economist at financial group VTB Capital.

"The markets expect the ECB to announce a QE programme of anything up to 600 billion euros ($696 billion) consisting of purchases of eurozone government bonds."

Stocks rallied on a weaker euro, which boosted shares in companies reliant on exports. The single currency is feeling the force of expected ECB stimulus as it reduces the prospect of higher eurozone interest rates any time soon.

Also on the radar this week is a snap general election in Greece on Sunday.

The looming election has raised concerns that a victory by the leftist Syriza party will force eurozone member Greece to renegotiate its bailout with international lenders.

The euro meanwhile has been hit also by a soaring Swiss franc. The franc has jumped by about 20 percent against the euro since the Swiss central bank stunned markets Thursday with its bombshell decision to abandon the minimum rate of 1.20 francs against the European common currency.

The Swiss National Bank had since September 2011 been defending the exchange rate in a bid to protect the country's vital export industry, including by buying massive quantities of foreign currencies.

Switzerland's main stocks index closed up 3.21 percent Monday after plunging 14 percent last week following the central bank's shock decision to scrap its three-year bid to hold down the value of the franc.

Wall Street was closed on Monday due to a US national holiday.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 3.66 points or ▲ 0.02% on Tuesday, 20 January 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,515.23 ▲ 3.66 ▲ 0.02%
Nasdaq____ 4,654.85 ▲ 20.46 ▲ 0.44%
S&P_500___ 2,022.55 ▲ 3.13 ▲ 0.15%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.40 ▼ -0.04 ▼ -1.52%

NYSE Volume 3,917,296,750
Nasdaq Volume 1,769,166,120

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,620.10 ▲ 34.57 ▲ 0.52%
DAX_____ 10,257.13 ▲ 14.78 ▲ 0.14%
CAC_40__ 4,446.02 ▲ 51.09 ▲ 1.16%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,286.80 ▼ -2.20 ▼ -0.04%
Shanghai_Comp 3,173.05 ▲ 56.70 ▲ 1.82%
Taiwan_Weight 9,251.69 ▲ 77.63 ▲ 0.85%
Nikkei_225___ 17,366.30 ▲ 352.01 ▲ 2.07%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,951.16 ▲ 212.67 ▲ 0.90%
Strait_Times.__ 3,334.02 ▲ 26.32 ▲ 0.80%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,633.22 ▼ -4.92 ▼ -0.09%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-turn-higher-afternoon-205141227.html

US stocks turn higher in afternoon trading

US stock market ekes out gain as tech companies surge in late afternoon trading
Associated Press
By Matthew Craft, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- A late rise in technology stocks helped the U.S. stock market stagger to a tiny gain following a choppy day of trading Tuesday.

A combination of tepid earnings results, falling oil prices and downbeat news kept the market lower for most of the day. Major indexes started higher in the first few minutes of trading but quickly faded, as slipping confidence among homebuilders and another drop in crude pulled housing and energy stocks down. The S&P 500 spent the afternoon slowly recovering, until a late surge in Apple, Netflix and other technology titans helped nudge the index up.

"There's just a lot driving trading today," Randy Frederick, managing director of trading and derivatives with the Schwab Center for Financial Research. "I think we're going to see more volatility for a while, not just down but up, too."

The S&P 500 index inched up 3.13 points, or 0.2 percent, to finish at 2,022.55.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 3.66 points, a sliver of a percent, to 17,515.23, and the Nasdaq rose 20.46 points, or 0.4 percent, to 4,654.85.

Of the 10 sectors in the S&P 500 index, technology companies had the best day, with Apple and Netflix climbing 3 percent.

Frederick said that uncertainty is behind the recent turbulence.

At the moment, there are just too many open questions about oil prices and the global economy. He pointed to two upcoming events that could swing markets: a meeting of the European Central Bank on Thursday and elections in Greece on Sunday. Many in the markets are betting that the ECB will unveil a new effort to revive that region's flagging economy.

U.S. economic news Tuesday offered little encouragement. A weak signal from the housing market sent builders' stocks down. The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo's builder sentiment index slipped a point from the prior month, an indication that they feel slightly less confident in their sales prospects heading into the spring. D.R. Horton dropped 81 cents, or 3 percent, to $22.95, while PulteGroup lost 77 cents, or 4 percent, to $20.80.

The International Monetary Fund cut its forecasts for global growth over the next two years, warning that persistent weakness in most major economies will outweigh any benefit from lower oil prices. It now predicts global growth at 3.5 percent this year and 3.7 percent in 2016.

China's government said that its economy expanded 7.4 percent last year, its weakest pace in 24 years. The slower growth is partly a result of Beijing's efforts to wean the economy off its reliance on heavy industry and trade. But a range of problems, including a slumping property market and uneven exports, have hampered the shift.

Europe's stock markets ended mixed. France's CAC 40 gained 1.2 percent, while Germany's DAX closed with a gain of 0.1 percent.

Johnson & Johnson, the maker of Tylenol, Band-Aids and baby shampoo, turned in earnings early Tuesday that beat analysts' forecasts, yet it came up short for revenue, largely a result of a stronger dollar. Sales of medical devices and other products sank as transactions in foreign currencies translated into fewer dollars. The company's stock fell $2.75, or 3 percent, to $101.29.

Delta Air Lines surged $3.33, or 7 percent, to $49.17, thanks to its stronger results. The recent slump in oil prices helped, as the airline spent much less on fuel at the end of last year compared with the same period of 2013.

In other trading, prices climbed in the U.S. government bond market, tamping Treasury yields down. The yield on the 10-year Treasury dipped to 1.79 percent, a sharp drop from 1.84 percent late Friday.

Most precious and industrial metals made gains. Gold continued its recent rally, climbing $17.30 to settle at $1,294.20 an ounce. Silver rose two cents to $17.96 an ounce. Copper was the exception, slipping 2 cents to $2.59 a pound.

Reports of China's slower economic growth helped push the price of oil lower Tuesday. Benchmark U.S. crude for February delivery fell $2.30 to close at $46.39 a barrel in New York on the last day of trading for the contract. Brent crude for March delivery, the international benchmark, fell 85 cents to close at $47.99 in London.

In other trading on the NYMEX:

”” Wholesale gasoline slipped 4.6 cents to close at $1.313 a gallon.

”” Heating oil fell 7.5 cents to close at $1.591 a gallon.

”” Natural gas lost 29.6 cents to close at $2.831 per 1,000 cubic feet

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 39.05 points or ▲ 0.22% on Wednesday, 21 January 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,554.28 ▲ 39.05 ▲ 0.22%
Nasdaq____ 4,667.42 ▲ 12.58 ▲ 0.27%
S&P_500___ 2,032.12 ▲ 9.57 ▲ 0.47%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.44 ▲ 0.04 ▲ 1.75%

NYSE Volume 3,689,332,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,779,574,380

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,728.04 ▲ 107.94 ▲ 1.63%
DAX_____ 10,299.23 ▲ 42.10 ▲ 0.41%
CAC_40__ 4,484.82 ▲ 38.80 ▲ 0.87%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,367.40 ▲ 80.60 ▲ 1.52%
Shanghai_Comp 3,323.61 ▲ 150.56 ▲ 4.74%
Taiwan_Weight 9,319.71 ▲ 68.02 ▲ 0.74%
Nikkei_225___ 17,280.48 ▼ -85.82 ▼ -0.49%
Hang_Seng.__ 24,352.58 ▲ 401.42 ▲ 1.68%
Strait_Times.__ 3,354.46 ▲ 20.44 ▲ 0.61%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,672.85 ▲ 39.64 ▲ 0.70%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/most-...rs-await-ecb-decision-063829796--finance.html

US stocks rise on expected European stimulus, higher oil

US stocks rise broadly on hopes of Europe stimulus, higher oil; Netflix, energy stocks up most
Associated Press
By Bernard Condon, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) -- Another choppy day on Wall Street ended with stocks broadly higher on hopes of new stimulus measures for Europe's weak economy and a sharp rise in oil prices.

Stocks flitted between gains and losses at the open of trading Wednesday, then rose on media reports that new stimulus measures by the European Central Bank will be as large as investors anticipated. The bank is expected on Thursday to unveil a massive round of government bond buying, a program known as quantitative easing.

All 10 sectors of the Standard and Poor's 500 stock index rose. A gain in oil prices helped push the energy sector up 1.8 percent, the biggest gainer.

The bumpy market is not surprising after big stock gains last year and the year before, said Phil Orlando, chief equity strategist at Federated Investments.

"Investors are worried the gains can't possibly last another year," he said. "Investors are really nervous. "

Investors also weighed a batch of corporate earnings reports. Netflix surged 17 percent on a jump in fourth-quarter profits. But IBM's results disappointed and its stock dropped 3 percent.

Europe is facing anemic growth, high unemployment and falling prices. To combat this, many investors had been expecting the European Central Bank to buy 500 billion euros ($580 billion) of various government bonds.

"All eyes are on the Mario Draghi," said Anastasia Amoroso, global market strategist at J.P. Morgan Asset Management, referring to the ECB president. "This is the most anticipated event of the week."

The S&P 500 rose 9.57 points, or 0.5 percent, to close at 2,032.12. It was third straight day of gains for the index, a first in the new year.

The Dow Jones industrial average climbed 39.05 points, or 0.2 percent, to 17,554.28. The Nasdaq gained 12.58 points, or 0.3 percent, to 4,667.42.

Reporting of fourth-quarter corporate earnings is in full swing. When all S&P 500 companies have reported, earnings per share are expected to edge up 0.5 percent, the smallest quarterly gain in two years, according to FactSet. A slump in oil, down more than 50 percent over the last seven months, is largely to blame. EPS at energy companies are expected to fall 22 percent from a year earlier.

"This earnings season is not as much of a slam dunk as in the past," said JP Morgan's Amoroso. "In prior seasons we had all sectors contributing (to gains), but energy and some industrial companies aren't now. There's a lot of uncertainty."

In economic news, construction of new homes rebounded in December, helping to push activity for the entire year to the highest level since the peak of the housing boom nine years ago. Homebuilders D.R. Horton rose 2 percent.

The Commerce Department report showed that builders started construction at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.09 million in December, an increase of 4.4 percent from November.

Among stocks making big moves:

”” Netflix jumped $60.48 to $409.28. In a report late Tuesday, the company said it added 4.3 million subscribers in the final three months of 2014 and that per-share earnings rose 72 percent from a year earlier, a record gain.

”” UnitedHealth rose $3.70, or 3.5 percent, to $109.32 following quarterly earnings that topped expectations. The nation's largest health insurer said last month that it expected double-digit earnings growth in 2015.

”” IBM dropped $4.86, or 3 percent, to $152.09 after reporting an 11 percent drop in fourth-quarter profit. Its outlook for the coming year also disappointed investors as business customers continued to move away from buying big mainframe computers and traditional software installed on their own systems.

In oil markets, prices rose on signs that drillers are cutting back and on the expected European stimulus. Benchmark U.S. crude rose $1.31 to close at $47.78 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, rose $1.04 to close at $49.03 in London.

The dollar weakened to 117.85 yen from 118.64 yen the previous day. The euro edged up to $1.1607 from $1.1548.

Gold fell 50 cents to $1,293.70 an ounce. Silver rose 23 cents to $18.19 an ounce. Copper edged up nearly 2 cents to $2.61 a pound.

In other futures trading on the NYMEX:

”” Wholesale gasoline rose 1.3 cents to close at $1.326 a gallon.

”” Heating oil rose 1.9 cents to close at $1.646 a gallon.

”” Natural gas rose 14.3 cents to close at $2.974 per 1,000 cubic feet.