NYSE Dow Jones finished today at:

[bigdog]

U.S. markets will be closed on Monday in observance of the holiday.

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -272.38 points or ▼ -1.66% on Monday, 7 September 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,102.38 ▼ -272.38 ▼ -1.66% CLOSED for HOLIDAY
Nasdaq____ 4,683.92 ▼ -49.58 ▼ -1.05% CLOSED for HOLIDAY
S&P_500___ 1,921.22 ▼ -29.91 ▼ -1.53% CLOSED for HOLIDAY
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.89 ▼ -0.06 ▼ -1.97% CLOSED for HOLIDAY

NYSE Volume 3,170,366,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,567,149,500

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,074.52 ▲ 31.60 ▲ 0.52%
DAX_____ 10,108.61 ▲ 70.57 ▲ 0.70%
CAC_40__ 4,549.64 ▲ 26.56 ▲ 0.59%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,051.00 ▼ -9.80 ▼ -0.19%
Shanghai_Comp 3,080.42 ▼ -79.75 ▼ -2.52%
Taiwan_Weight 7,986.56 ▼ -14.04 ▼ -0.18%
Nikkei_225___ 17,860.47 ▲ 68.31 ▲ 0.38%
Hang_Seng.__ 20,583.52 ▼ -257.09 ▼ -1.23%
Strait_Times.__ 2,852.41 ▼ -11.40 ▼ -0.40%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,572.73 ▲ 25.85 ▲ 0.47%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/european-markets-soothed-chinese-assurances-130548350.html


European markets soothed by Chinese assurances

Despite earlier Asian weakness, European markets soothed by China assurances
Associated Press By The Associated Press

LONDON (AP) -- Attempts by Chinese officials to reassure investors helped European markets post some modest gains Monday, on a day when trading activity was diminished by a U.S. holiday.

KEEPING SCORE: In Europe, France's CAC-40 closed up 0.6 percent at 4,549.64 while Germany's DAX rose 0.7 percent to 10,108.61. The FTSE 100 index of leading British shares ended 0.5 percent higher at 6,074.52. Wall Street was closed Monday for the Labor Day holiday.

CHINA RHETORIC: China's central bank governor, finance minister and securities agency all tried to reassure investors over the weekend that market turmoil was ending. At a meeting of the Group of 20 major economies. People's Bank of China Gov. Zhou Xiaochuan said Beijing's intervention averted a bigger crisis, according to a central bank statement.

ASIA'S DAY: Despite those attempts to reassure, the Shanghai Composite Index ended 2.5 percent lower to 3,080.42 after fluctuating between gains and losses. Hong Kong's Hang Seng lost 1.2 percent to 20,583.52. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 rose 0.4 percent to 17,860.47 while India's Sensex declined 0.3 percent to 23,135.45. Sydney's S&P/ASX 200 shed 0.2 percent to 5,030.40 and Seoul's Kospi was off 0.2 percent at 1,883.22.

US JITTERS: The U.S. remains in focus in the run-up to next week's policy meeting of the Federal Reserve. A mixed August jobs report has left investors wondering what the Fed will do. Friday's figures showed the U.S. unemployment rate fell to a seven-year low but employers adding fewer jobs than forecast. The Fed has kept its benchmark interest rate close to zero since late 2008, which has pushed up stock prices.

ANALYST TAKE: "Given that Chinese investors are back after a short break last week, coupled with increased uncertainty about the Fed's next policy move ... stock market volatility could remain high," said Fawad Razaqzada, technical analyst at Forex.com.

ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude fell $1.50 to $44.55 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, used to price international oils, lost $1.70 to $47.91 in London.

CURRENCIES: Trading in currency markets was subdued with the euro up 0.2 percent at $1.1171 and the dollar 0.3 percent higher at 119.35 yen.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 390.3 points or ▲ 2.42% on Tuesday, 8 September 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,492.68 ▲ 390.30 ▲ 2.42%
Nasdaq____ 4,811.93 ▲ 128.01 ▲ 2.73%
S&P_500___ 1,969.41 ▲ 48.19 ▲ 2.51%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.97 ▲ 0.08 ▲ 2.77%

NYSE Volume 3,545,702,500
Nasdaq Volume 1,755,654,380

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,146.10 ▲ 71.58 ▲ 1.18%
DAX_____ 10,271.36 ▲ 162.75 ▲ 1.61%
CAC_40__ 4,598.26 ▲ 48.62 ▲ 1.07%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,133.50 ▲ 82.50 ▲ 1.63%
Shanghai_Comp 3,170.45 ▲ 90.03 ▲ 2.92%
Taiwan_Weight 8,001.50 ▲ 14.94 ▲ 0.19%
Nikkei_225___ 17,427.08 ▼ -433.39 ▼ -2.43%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,259.04 ▲ 675.52 ▲ 3.28%
Strait_Times.__ 2,885.32 ▲ 32.91 ▲ 1.15%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,610.31 ▲ 37.58 ▲ 0.67%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-surge-getting-boost-190248859.html

US stocks surge, getting a boost from China's rally

US stocks surge as market volatility continues; Dow average has its biggest gain in 2 weeks
Associated Press By Steve Rothwell, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- The wild ride for investors continued on Tuesday.

Stocks surged to their second-biggest gain of the year, more than wiping out a big loss from Friday and leaving the Dow Jones industrial average down just slightly for the month.

The market was rebounding from a steep sell-off last week, when a mixed jobs report left investors uncertain about the outlook for interest rates.

Big moves have become commonplace in financial markets in recent weeks as investors have worried about the health of the Chinese economy and the outlook for U.S. interest rates. Many slumps have been followed by strong rebounds.

Some strategists believe a sell-off in stocks that began in the middle of August is over, while others say that there may still be more selling.

"There is some value out there, but I'm not fully convinced that the selling pressure is out of the picture," said Robert Pavlik, chief market strategist at Boston Private Wealth.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 48.19 points, or 2.5 percent, to 1,969.41. The Dow rose 390.30 points, or 2.4 percent, to 16,492.68. The Nasdaq composite climbed 128.01 points, or 2.7 percent, to 4,811.93 points.

Trading was closed in the U.S. on Monday in observance of the Labor Day holiday.

Traders were encouraged by a rebound in China's stock market despite some disappointing news on its economy.

The country's exports shrank 5.5 percent last month compared with a year earlier, while imports tumbled 13.8 percent. August's figures were hit by disruption from a massive explosion at the busy Tianjin port and government-enforced factory shutdowns in the run-up to a huge military parade in Beijing last week. China's trade has been weak for months, reflecting muted global demand and a domestic slowdown.

Despite the disappointing reports, China's Shanghai Composite Index jumped 2.9 percent in a rebound from losses earlier in the day. A big slump in the Chinese markets this year has unsettled investors.

Investors also got some encouraging news on mergers.

General Electric surged on reports that the European Union is set to approve its $17 billion acquisition of Alstom SA's power business. The deal was announced in June last year. GE climbed 96 cents, or 4 percent, to $24.96.

Teco Energy soared after agreeing to be acquired by the Canadian energy and services company Emera for about $6.5 billion. Teco's stock rose $5.27, or 25 percent, to $26.34.

Meredith jumped $4.53, or 9.9 percent, to $50.47 after agreeing to be acquired by rival media company Media General.

The deal news was a good sign for investors because it signaled that executives and investors still believe that stock prices are at reasonable levels, said Quincy Krosby, a market strategist for Prudential Financial.

"We expect to see more deals, and the more deals that are announced the more helpful it will be," said Krosby.

In Europe, Germany's DAX advanced 1.6 percent, Britain's FTSE 100 climbed 1.2 percent and the CAC 40 in France gained 1.1 percent.

U.S. government bond prices fell, pushing the yield on the 10-year benchmark Treasury note up to 2.18 percent from 2.13 percent on Friday. The euro rose to $1.1182 from $1.1168. The dollar rose to 119.76 from 119.39 yen.

In metals trading, Gold was little changed at $1,121 an ounce. Silver rose 21 cents to $14.75 an ounce and copper rose 12 cents to $2.43 per pound.

The price of oil slipped slightly Tuesday as traders weighed continuing supply concerns against the possibility of rising demand in the U.S. US. crude fell 11 cents to close at $45.94 a barrel in New York. Brent Crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, rose $1.89 to close at $49.52 in London, reversing Monday's steep decline.

In other futures trading on the NYMEX:

”” Wholesale gasoline fell 1.6 cents to close at $1.402 a gallon.

”” Heating oil fell 0.2 cent to close at $1.594 a gallon.

”” Natural gas rose 5.5 cents to close at $2.710 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -239.11 points or ▼ -1.45% on Wednesday, 9 September 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,253.57 ▼ -239.11 ▼ -1.45%
Nasdaq____ 4,756.53 ▼ -55.40 ▼ -1.15%
S&P_500___ 1,942.04 ▼ -27.37 ▼ -1.39%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.94 ▼ -0.03 ▼ -0.91%

NYSE Volume 3,628,215,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,946,431,380

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,229.01 ▲ 82.91 ▲ 1.35%
DAX_____ 10,303.12 ▲ 31.76 ▲ 0.31%
CAC_40__ 4,664.59 ▲ 66.33 ▲ 1.44%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,236.90 ▲ 103.40 ▲ 2.01%
Shanghai_Comp 3,243.09 ▲ 72.64 ▲ 2.29%
Taiwan_Weight 8,286.92 ▲ 285.42 ▲ 3.57%
Nikkei_225___ 18,770.51 ▲ 1,343.43 ▲ 7.71%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,131.31 ▲ 872.27 ▲ 4.10%
Strait_Times.__ 2,928.18 ▲ 42.86 ▲ 1.49%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,671.42 ▲ 61.11 ▲ 1.09%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-fall-jobs-data-raise-205652232.html

Stocks fall as jobs data raise chances of rate increase

Stocks fall as jobs data raise chances of September rate increase; energy stocks lead decline
Associated Press By Steve Rothwell and Bernard Condon, AP Business Writers

NEW YORK (AP) -- A strong morning rally for stocks turned into an afternoon sell-off on Wednesday, reminding investors that the market remains volatile.

Stocks started the day with sharp gains on optimism that policymakers in Asia will do more to help boost growth in the region. Japan's stock market logged its biggest gain in almost seven years after comments from the country's prime minister raised expectations of more measures to shore up economic growth.

The stock market then drifted gradually lower after a classic good-news-is-bad-news moment. A government report released at midmorning showed that the number of available jobs jumped sharply in July to the highest level in 15 years. That added to evidence that hiring remains strong and may prompt Federal Reserve policymakers to raise interest rates at their next meeting later this month.

By the close, the Dow Jones industrial average had swung more than 400 points from its peak of the day. The index had surged a day earlier, logging its second-best day of the year.

The report "poured a bit of cold water on the market," said Karen Cavanaugh, a senior market strategist at Voya Financial. "We will definitely have some more volatility, but that's part of a normal market."

The Dow ended 239.11 points, or 1.5 percent, lower at 16,253.57. The Standard & Poor's 500 index dropped 27.37 points, or 0.8 percent, to 1,942.04. The Nasdaq composite fell 55.40 points, or 1.2 percent, to 4,756.53.

Job openings soared 8 percent to 5.75 million in July, the most since records began in 2000, the Labor Department said Wednesday. A separate report on Friday showed that U.S. unemployment fell to a seven-year low of 5.1 percent last month. If the hiring situation continues to improve it could potentially lead to higher wages and rising inflation.

Policymakers have held the Fed's benchmark interest rates close to zero for almost eight years. The backdrop of low interest rates has been good for stocks, underpinning a 6 ½ year-long bull market. That dynamic may change if signs of an improving economy push policymakers toward lifting rates for the first time in close to a decade.

"The Fed has been one of the main supports of the stock market and the economy," said Kate Warne, an investment strategist at Edward Jones. "It's not a surprise that as it starts to move away from its extraordinary support that investors feel a bit nervous about what happens next."

Declines on Wednesday were led by energy stocks, which fell as the price of oil slumped for a third straight day.

Oil dropped on concerns that global supplies are still outpacing demand. U.S. crude fell $1.79 to close at $44.15 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, fell $1.94 to close at $47.58 in London.

U.S. stocks had a strong opening after big gains in Asia.

Japan's Nikkei 225 soared after comments from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that raised expectations of more measures to shore up economic growth under his "Abenomics" stimulus program. The Nikkei rose 7.7 percent, its biggest one-day rise since October 2008.

Investors were also comforted by comments from China's No. 2 leader, who tried to ease concerns about its economic slowdown. Premier Li Keqiang said the nation's growth is in the "proper range" and Beijing has no plans to allow its currency to decline further following the surprise devaluation on Aug. 11.

Among individual stock movers on Tuesday, Barnes & Noble was a big loser.

The book retailers' stock sank $4.50, or 28 percent, to $11.80 after the troubled bookseller reported a wider first-quarter loss as sales of its Nook e-reader and digital books fell sharply. Its college bookstore business, which was the only unit to post an increase in sales in the quarter, was spun off last month.

Netflix was the biggest gainer in the S&P 500 index.

The video streaming company snapped a seven-day losing streak, gaining $4.23, or 4.5 percent, to $99.18 after the company said it would bring its service to four more Asian countries next year.

In Europe, France's CAC 40 advanced 1.4 percent. Germany's DAX rose 0.3 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 rose 1.3 percent.

In government bond trading, prices were little changed. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note held steady at 2.19 percent a day earlier. The dollar rose 0.2 percent against the euro to $1.1194 and gained against the yen, climbing 0.7 percent to 120.67.

The price of gold fell $19 to $1,102 an ounce. Silver fell 18 cents to $14.57 an ounce and copper edged up less than a penny to $2.44 per pound.

In other futures trading on the NYMEX:

”” Wholesale gasoline fell 4.2 cents to close at $1.360 a gallon.

”” Heating oil fell 5.5 cent to close at $1.539 a gallon.

”” Natural gas fell 5.9 cents to close at $2.651 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 76.83 points or ▲ 0.47% on Thursday, 10 September 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,330.40 ▲ 76.83 ▲ 0.47%
Nasdaq____ 4,796.25 ▲ 39.72 ▲ 0.84%
S&P_500___ 1,952.29 ▲ 10.25 ▲ 0.53%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.99 ▲ 0.04 ▲ 1.53%

NYSE Volume 3,623,870,500
Nasdaq Volume 1,837,061,620

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,157.69 ▼ -71.32 ▼ -1.14%
DAX_____ 10,210.44 ▼ -92.68 ▼ -0.90%
CAC_40__ 4,596.53 ▼ -68.06 ▼ -1.46%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,117.00 ▼ -119.90 ▼ -2.29%
Shanghai_Comp 3,197.89 ▼ -45.20 ▼ -1.39%
Taiwan_Weight 8,268.68 ▼ -18.24 ▼ -0.22%
Nikkei_225___ 18,299.62 ▼ -470.89 ▼ -2.51%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,562.50 ▼ -568.81 ▼ -2.57%
Strait_Times.__ 2,888.03 ▼ -40.15 ▼ -1.37%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,670.99 ▼ -0.43 ▼ -0.01%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-close-higher-investors-201321300.html

US stocks close higher as investors parse Fed's next move

US stocks close with modest gains, bucking global losing trend, as investors look to the Fed
Associated Press By Bernard Condon, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks in the U.S. bucked a global market slump Thursday as investors look ahead to a crucial Federal Reserve meeting next week on interest rates.

Investors pushed major U.S. indexes lower in the morning following drops in Asia and Europe, then reversed course as oil prices rose. That helped send shares of energy companies, which have been battered in recent weeks, higher.

Traders remain focused on a two-day meeting of Federal Reserve policymakers next week. They are trying to anticipate when and how quickly the central bank will begin to raise interest rates from their historically low levels. Those low rates have been a key factor sending stock prices higher over the past seven years.

A report Thursday showing a decline in applications for unemployment claims was the latest bullish sign on the job market, which could prompt the Fed to tighten credit. Some say worries about higher rates are overblown.

"The U.S. economy is in significantly better shape than in the past," said Mike Ryan, chief investment strategist at UBS Wealth Management Americas. "We're not dependent on Fed largess and stimulus to support growth."

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 76.83 points, or 0.5 percent, to close at 16,330.40. The Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 10.25 points, or 0.5 percent, to 1,952.29. The Nasdaq composite climbed 39.72 points, or 0.8 percent, to 4,796.25.

Global markets have been moving sharply up and down in recent weeks as investors worry about a slowdown in China, plunging currencies in developing countries like Malaysia and uncertainty over the Fed's next move. In five of the six previous days of trading in September, the S&P 500 has made big moves both up and down, including a surge of 2.5 percent on Tuesday and a plunge of 3 percent on the first day of the month.

Trading was relatively light on Thursday, with little news moving prices one way or the other.

Apple jumped $2.42, or 2.2 percent, to $112.57, on Thursday, a day after the company introduced updated versions of the iPhone, Apple TV and iPad. Technology stocks rose 1 percent overall, the biggest gain among the 10 industry sectors of the S&P 500.

The price of oil rose sharply after the Energy Department reported a strong increase in U.S. gasoline demand.

A report on unemployment claims early Thursday showed fewer Americans applied for benefits last week, adding to recent evidence of robust hiring. The Labor Department said weekly applications benefits dropped 6,000 to 275,000.

A separate government report the day before said U.S. job openings jumped to the highest level in 15 years in July. A report last week showed the U.S. unemployment rate fell to a seven-year low of 5.1 percent in August.

Investors are not so sure they like the healthier economy because it could mean the Fed raising rates sooner, and faster, than anticipated.

"The Fed has to be mindful of all this job creation because, sooner or later, companies are going to have to compete for workers, and they're going to compete by raising wages," said David Joy, chief market strategist at Ameriprise Financial. "That will filter into the Fed's deliberations next week."

In Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 slumped 2.5 percent after surging 7.7 percent on Wednesday in its biggest gain since October 2008. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index dropped 2.6 percent and China's Shanghai Composite Index finished 1.4 percent lower.

European markets were mostly lower. France's CAC-40 lost 1.5 percent.

Among U.S. stocks making big moves:

”” Krispy Kreme Doughnuts plunged $2.08, or 12 percent, $15.65 after the company lowered its outlook following disappointing second-quarter results.

”” Lululemon Athletica sank $10.51, or 16 percent, to $53.54 after the high-end apparel maker predicted profits for the current quarter that were lower than Wall Street analysts were expecting.

”” Freight company Con-Way soared $12.01, or 34 percent, to $47.54 after agreeing to be acquired by XPO Logistics.

U.S. crude rose $1.77 to close at $45.92 a barrel in New York. Over the past four weeks, U.S. gasoline demand averaged 9.3 million barrels per day, up 3.8 percent compared with the same period last year, according to the Energy Department's weekly petroleum status report. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, rose $1.31 to close at $48.89 a barrel in London.

In other futures trading on the NYMEX:

”” Wholesale gasoline rose 3.4 cents to close at $1.394 a gallon.

”” Heating oil rose 3.6 cents to close at $1.575 a gallon.

”” Natural gas rose 3.2 cents to close at $2.683 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Bond prices fell slightly. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.22 percent from 2.20 percent late Wednesday. The U.S. dollar rose to 120.62 yen from 120.28 yen. The euro rose to $1.1285 from $1.1219.

The price of gold rose $7.30 to $1,109.30 an ounce. Silver rose 7 cents to $14.65 an ounce and copper gained a penny to $2.45 per pound.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 102.69 points or ▲ 0.63% on Friday, 11 September 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,433.09 ▲ 102.69 ▲ 0.63%
Nasdaq____ 4,822.34 ▲ 26.09 ▲ 0.54%
S&P_500___ 1,961.05 ▲ 8.76 ▲ 0.45%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.94 ▼ -0.04 ▼ -1.51%

NYSE Volume 3,200,018,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,673,764,120

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,117.76 ▼ -38.05 ▼ -0.62%
DAX_____ 10,123.56 ▼ -86.88 ▼ -0.85%
CAC_40__ 4,548.72 ▼ -47.81 ▼ -1.04%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,096.30 ▼ -20.70 ▼ -0.40%
Shanghai_Comp 3,200.23 ▲ 2.34 ▲ 0.07%
Taiwan_Weight 8,305.82 ▲ 37.14 ▲ 0.45%
Nikkei_225___ 18,264.22 ▼ -35.40 ▼ -0.19%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,504.37 ▼ -58.13 ▼ -0.27%
Strait_Times.__ 2,888.03 ▲ 0.00 ▲ 0.00% HOLIDAY
NZX_50_Index_ 5,648.22 ▼ -22.77 ▼ -0.40%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/wobble-us-stocks-manage-slight-204124563.html

After a wobble, US stocks manage slight gains

After an early stumble, US stock indexes finish higher, closing out a solid week
Associated Press By Matthew Craft, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Major stock indexes shook off an early stumble to finish with slight gains on Friday as traders turned their attention to a key meeting of the Federal Reserve next week.

It was a quiet end to another turbulent week. Thanks largely to a big jump on Tuesday, the market finished with a 2 percent gain for the week, recouping a portion of the steep losses from the week before.

The major indexes headed lower at the opening of trading on Friday, as falling oil prices pulled oil and gas companies down.

The economic news wasn't encouraging, either. A reading on consumer confidence this month sank to its lowest level since September of last year.

"It seems people are focused on the market's volatility and the potential impact of a slowing China," said Phil Orlando, chief equity strategist at Federated Investors in New York, the money-management firm. "I understand why folks are nervous. I think eventually things will settle down."

The Standard & Poor's 500 gained 8.76 points, or 0.5 percent, to close at 1,961.05.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 102.69 points, or 0.6 percent, to 16,433.09, while the Nasdaq composite rose 26.09, or 0.5 percent, to 4,822.34.

News about China's slowing economy, a looming rate increase from the Fed and a host of other concerns have combined to knock the market down 6 percent over the past month. It has been a staggered fall, with sharp drops one week followed by slight gains the next.

Wall Street is divided over whether the Fed will raise its benchmark lending rate next week for the first time in nine years. The Fed slashed its key rate to near zero during the financial crisis, supporting the stock market's seven-year run. Uncertainty over the Fed's timing has kept investors on edge.

Major markets in Europe ended with losses on Friday. Germany's DAX dropped 0.9 percent, while France's CAC-40 sank 1 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 slipped 0.6 percent.

In Asia, China's Shanghai Composite Index added 0.1 percent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng shed 0.3 percent. Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 0.2 percent.

Before traders return to their desks on Monday, a large batch of Chinese economic news will come out over the weekend. Joshua Mahony, market analyst at IG in London, said that could lead to a turbulent start to trading next week.

"The weekend release of Chinese retail sales, industrial production and fixed asset investment numbers means that Monday is likely to start with a bang," Mahony said.

Back in the U.S., Kroger gained 5 percent after reporting earnings that beat analysts' estimates. The grocery store chain's stock rose $1.89 to $37.29.

Prices for U.S. government bonds rose, pushing the yield on the 10-year Treasury note down to 2.19 percent from 2.23 percent late Thursday.

In the commodity markets, precious and industrial metals finished mostly lower. Gold dropped $6 to settle at $1,103.30 an ounce, and silver sank 14 cents to $14.50 an ounce. Copper settled unchanged from the day before at $2.45 a pound.

The price of oil fell on concerns that the current glut of oil would persist well into next year. Goldman Sachs cut its forecast for oil prices next year to $45 a barrel from $57, saying supplies were far higher than previous estimates. U.S. crude fell $1.29 to close at $44.63 a barrel in New York. Brent Crude, a benchmark for international oil, fell 75 cents to close at $48.14 in London.

In other trading:

— Wholesale gasoline fell 2.4 cents to close at $1.370 a gallon.

— Heating oil fell 2.5 cents to close at $1.550 a gallon.

— Natural gas rose 1 cent to close at $2.693 per 1,000 cubic feet.

5112

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -62.13 points or ▼ -0.38% on Monday, 14 September 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,370.96 ▼ -62.13 ▼ -0.38%
Nasdaq____ 4,805.76 ▼ -16.58 ▼ -0.34%
S&P_500___ 1,953.03 ▼ -8.02 ▼ -0.41%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.95 ▲ 0.00 ▲ 0.14%

NYSE Volume 2,996,818,750
Nasdaq Volume 1,461,011,620

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,084.59 ▼ -33.17 ▼ -0.54%
DAX_____ 10,131.74 ▲ 8.18 ▲ 0.08%
CAC_40__ 4,518.15 ▼ -30.57 ▼ -0.67%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,120.50 ▲ 24.20 ▲ 0.47%
Shanghai_Comp 3,114.80 ▼ -85.44 ▼ -2.67%
Taiwan_Weight 8,307.29 ▲ 1.47 ▲ 0.02%
Nikkei_225___ 17,965.70 ▼ -298.52 ▼ -1.63%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,561.90 ▲ 57.53 ▲ 0.27%
Strait_Times.__ 2,871.47 ▼ -16.56 ▼ -0.57%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,665.87 ▲ 17.65 ▲ 0.31%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/fed-rate-decision-looming-stocks-162057624.html

With Fed rate decision looming, stocks head lower

Weak China data weigh on markets as Fed rate decision looms
Associated Press By Matthew Craft, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- More signs of slowing economic growth in China weighed on companies that produce raw materials on Monday, pulling the stock market to a slight loss. Trading was light as investors looked ahead to a much-anticipated Federal Reserve meeting later this week.

Brad McMillan, chief investment officer for the Commonwealth Financial Network, said the market was likely to drift until the Fed wraps up its meeting on Thursday. "Everybody is waiting to see what happens when and if the Fed raises rates."

Until recently, many in the markets thought that the Fed would raise its benchmark interest rate at the end of its two-day meeting on Thursday. Now, opinions are split. Some analysts suggest China's slower economy and turbulence in financial markets might prompt the Fed to postpone its first rate increase since 2006. But the Fed's deputy chairman, Stanley Fischer, recently said he saw a "pretty strong case" for raising rates.

Major U.S. indexes opened higher, then quickly changed course. They sank slowly through the rest of the morning and remained lower through the remainder of the day. Miners and other materials companies had some of the biggest losses. Metals companies Alcoa and Nucor dropped 3 percent, while Freeport-McMoRan lost 2 percent.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 8.02 points, or 0.4 percent, to close at 1,953.03.

The Dow Jones industrial average gave up 62.13 points, or 0.4 percent, to 16,370.96, and the Nasdaq composite fell 16.58 points, or 0.3 percent, to 4,805.76.

Apple reported strong demand for its latest iPhones, driving its stock up. The tech giant said that initial sales of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus are on track to beat the tally from last year, when it sold a record 10 million large-screen iPhones during the first weekend. Apple climbed $1.10, or 1 percent, to $115.31.

In Europe, Germany's DAX closed with a gain of 0.1 percent while France's CAC-40 lost 0.7 percent. The FTSE 100 index of leading British shares slipped 0.5 percent.

Two economic reports out Sunday rekindled concerns over China's economic slowdown. Factory output and investment grew at a slower pace than forecast. China's main stock index, the Shanghai Composite, took another hard fall on Monday, dropping 2.7 percent

Elsewhere, Hong Kong's Hang Seng added 0.3 percent. Japan's Nikkei 225 lost 1.6 percent, and South Korea's Kospi lost 0.5 percent.

Back in the U.S., Raptor Pharmaceuticals lost more than a third of its market value after the drug developer said it may scrap development of a liver disease treatment because it failed to pass a key test. The company's stock plunged $4.51, or 37 percent, to $7.52.

Prices for U.S. government bonds barely moved. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note was little changed at 2.18 percent.

In commodities markets, industrial metals finished lower while precious metals ended mixed. Gold gained $4.40 to settle at $1,107.70 an ounce, and silver sank 14 cents to $14.36 an ounce. Copper dropped 5 cents to $2.41 a pound.

The price of oil fell on weakness in the gasoline market brought on by high fuel supplies and the end of the summer driving season. U.S. crude fell 63 cents to close at $44 a barrel in New York. Brent Crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, fell $1.77 to close at $46.37 a barrel in London.

In other futures trading in New York:

”” Wholesale gasoline fell 6.6 cents to close at $1.304 a gallon.

”” Heating oil fell 4.6 cents to close at $1.504 a gallon.

”” Natural gas rose 6.5 cents to close at $2.758 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 228.89 points or ▲ 1.40% on Tuesday, 15 September 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,599.85 ▲ 228.89 ▲ 1.40%
Nasdaq____ 4,860.52 ▲ 54.76 ▲ 1.14%
S&P_500___ 1,978.09 ▲ 25.06 ▲ 1.28%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.06 ▲ 0.12 ▲ 3.90%

NYSE Volume 3,239,298,750
Nasdaq Volume 1,580,482,120

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,137.60 ▲ 53.01 ▲ 0.87%
DAX_____ 10,188.13 ▲ 56.39 ▲ 0.56%
CAC_40__ 4,569.37 ▲ 51.22 ▲ 1.13%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,046.60 ▼ -73.90 ▼ -1.44%
Shanghai_Comp 3,005.17 ▼ -109.63 ▼ -3.52%
Taiwan_Weight 8,259.99 ▼ -47.30 ▼ -0.57%
Nikkei_225___ 18,026.48 ▲ 60.78 ▲ 0.34%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,455.23 ▼ -106.67 ▼ -0.49%
Strait_Times.__ 2,841.94 ▼ -29.53 ▼ -1.03%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,652.39 ▼ -13.48 ▼ -0.24%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-post-solid-gains-204445224.html

US stocks post solid gains a day before crucial Fed meeting

US stocks climb sharply a day before crucial Fed meeting; industrial stocks lead gains
Associated Press By Steve Rothwell, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- U.S. stocks rose sharply on Tuesday, a day before the start of a crucial Federal Reserve meeting.

Policymakers at the U.S. central bank will convene a two-day meeting on Wednesday and may decide to raise interest rates for the first time in close to a decade.

Opinions are divided among investors and economists as to whether the Fed will, or even should, raise interest rates this month. On the one hand, hiring in the U.S. is continuing to improve and the housing market is recovering. On the other, there are signs that weakness in the global economy could impact the U.S. economy.

Fed policymakers have kept the central bank's benchmark rate close to zero for almost seven years, supporting both the economy and the stock market.

The sharp gains on Tuesday came after some mixed reports that showed weakness in some parts of the economy. While retail sales edged higher last month, factory output fell in the same period as automakers cut back on production. A New York Fed survey showed that factory activity in New York state sank for a second straight month in September.

"It's almost as if the market believes the Fed isn't going to do anything on Thursday. That's why people are bidding it up," said Kevin Mahn, Chief Investment Officer at Hennion & Walsh Asset Management in New Jersey. "However, I do believe (raising rates) would be the right thing for the economy...it's time."

The Dow Jones industrial average climbed 228.89 points, or 1.4 percent, to 16,599.85. The Standard & Poor's 500 index climbed 25.06 points, or 1.3 percent, to 1,978.09. The Nasdaq composite advanced 54.76 points, or 1.1 percent, to 4,860.52.

The gains were led by industrial stocks. The sector had been among those hit worst by the recent global sell-off as investors worried about the outlook for global demand.

"People have been overly pessimistic on global growth," said Scott Wren, senior global equity strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute. "I think they are going to be surprised....you are going to see a little bit more stability."

The stock market has recovered some of its losses in August and early September, but is still down from its peak of the year as traders and investors fret about the possible impact of slower growth in China and other emerging markets. The S&P 500 has dropped 7.2 percent from its record close set in May.

Despite the bounce Tuesday, some investors believe that the market's slump may yet have some way to run.

Michael Ball, President of Weatherstone Capital Management, is playing it safe by holding more cash. He says that the outlook for stocks is deteriorating against a backdrop of moderately rising interest rates and the prospect of weakening corporate earnings.

"Frankly, we are very concerned about the market," said Ball. "You may get a bounce out of here, but without improving earnings and better global economic growth, it may be short-lived."

Earnings for S&P 500 companies are expected to slump 4.1 percent in the third-quarter, according to S&P Capital IQ.

Energy stocks got a lift on Tuesday as oil prices rose.

The price of oil rose on further signs of declining oil production in the U.S. The price of U.S. oil rose 59 cents to $44.59 a barrel. Brent crude, a benchmark for many international types of oil imported into the U.S., gained 26 cents to $46.63 a barrel.

In government bond trading, prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.29 percent from 2.18 percent on Monday. The dollar rose to 120.42 yen from 120.30 yen late Monday. The euro dropped to $1.1272 from $1.1309.

In metals trading, gold fell $5.10 to $1,102.60 an ounce. Silver fell 4 cents to $14.33 an ounce and copper gained 2 cents to $2.43 a pound.

In other energy futures trading:

Wholesale gasoline rose 2.9 cents to $1.333 a gallon

Heating oil fell less than a penny to $1.50 a gallon

Natural gas slipped 3 cents to $2.728 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 140.1 points or ▲ 0.84% on Wednesday, 16 September 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,739.95 ▲ 140.10 ▲ 0.84%
Nasdaq____ 4,889.24 ▲ 28.72 ▲ 0.59%
S&P_500___ 1,995.31 ▲ 17.22 ▲ 0.87%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.09 ▲ 0.03 ▲ 0.98%

NYSE Volume 3,627,879,750
Nasdaq Volume 1,657,369,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,229.21 ▲ 91.61 ▲ 1.49%
DAX_____ 10,227.21 ▲ 39.08 ▲ 0.38%
CAC_40__ 4,645.84 ▲ 76.47 ▲ 1.67%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,123.60 ▲ 77.00 ▲ 1.53%
Shanghai_Comp 3,152.26 ▲ 147.09 ▲ 4.89%
Taiwan_Weight 8,333.29 ▲ 73.30 ▲ 0.89%
Nikkei_225___ 18,171.60 ▲ 145.12 ▲ 0.81%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,966.66 ▲ 511.43 ▲ 2.38%
Strait_Times.__ 2,868.74 ▲ 26.80 ▲ 0.94%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,667.97 ▲ 15.58 ▲ 0.28%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-advance-ahead-federal-decision-204519149.html

Stocks advance ahead of Federal Reserve decision

Stocks advance ahead of important Federal Reserve decision; AB InBev rises after deal offer
Associated Press By Ken Sweet, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks posted solid gains Wednesday ahead of a closely watched decision by the Federal Reserve on whether or not to raise interest rates.

Beer companies gained on word of a possible deal between two giant brewers, and energy stocks rose sharply following a big jump in the price of oil.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 140.10 points, or 0.8 percent, to 16,739.95. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 17.22 points, or 0.9 percent, to 1,995.31 and the Nasdaq composite added 28.72 points, or 0.6 percent, to 4,889.24.

Investors have been speculating about when the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates for months. The Fed started its two-day policy meeting Wednesday and will announce its decision Thursday afternoon, which will be followed by a press conference by Fed Chair Janet Yellen.

Interest rates have been near zero since 2008, when the Fed cut rates sharply in response to the financial crisis and Great Recession. The Fed's low interest rate policy was designed to encourage lending, but it also helped drive a seven-year bull market in stocks by making bonds, CDs and other interest-bearing investments less attractive, driving investors to put money into the stock market.

"If they raise tomorrow, it's going to be nasty for the stock market. Much of the rally back has had much to do with investors believing the Fed isn't going to move," said Tom di Galoma, head of fixed income rates trading at ED&F Man Capital.

Investors' opinions are mixed on the chance of a rate increase. Two months ago, it seemed almost certain that the Fed was going to raise rates in September. Now, after the turmoil in financial markets in August over concerns about China's economy, investors are far less certain.

"I just don't think the economy is strong enough and inflation remains too low to justify a rate increase," di Galoma said.

Stocks have been rising steadily ahead of the Fed's meeting. Investors have said that stocks recovered partly because the chances of an interest rate hike diminished.

In company news, SABMiller, a major beer maker whose brands include Miller and Foster's, jumped 20 percent in London after the company said it received a takeover offer from Anheuser-Busch InBev of Belgium. A combination of the two would create a massive conglomerate worth $275 billion. Any potential deal would be heavily scrutinized by regulators.

U.S.-traded shares of AB InBev rose $7.39, or 7 percent, to $115.43. Other beer makers also rose. Molson Coors jumped $10.34, or 14 percent, to $82.98.

Energy stocks also rose after a steeper-than-expected drop in crude inventories sent oil prices sharply higher.

U.S. benchmark crude jumped $2.56, or 5.7 percent, to $47.15 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, a benchmark for many international types of oil imported into the U.S., gained $2, or 4.2 percent, to $49.75 a barrel in London.

The Energy Information Administration said U.S. oil supplies fell last week by a steeper-than-expected 2.2 million barrels. Analysts surveyed by Platts expected a decline of 200,000 barrels. The plunge follows news that oil drillers in the U.S. are cutting production in the face of low oil prices.

Oil company stocks followed crude oil higher. The energy sector of the S&P 500 shot up up 2.8 percent, more than twice as much as the rest of the market.

U.S. government bond prices were little changed from Tuesday. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note held at 2.30 percent.

The dollar was little changed at 120.61 yen and the euro edged up to $1.1285.

Gold rose $16.40 to $1,119 an ounce. Silver gained 56 cents to $14.89 an ounce and copper climbed 2.6 cents to $2.45 a pound.

In other energy futures trading:

Wholesale gasoline rose 4.9 cents to $1.382 a gallon

Heating oil rose 4.1 cents to $1.541 a gallon

Natural gas slipped 6.8 cents to $2.66 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -65.21 points or ▼ -0.39% on Thursday, 17 September 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,674.74 ▼ -65.21 ▼ -0.39%
Nasdaq____ 4,893.95 ▲ 4.71 ▲ 0.10%
S&P_500___ 1,990.20 ▼ -5.11 ▼ -0.26%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.03 ▼ -0.06 ▼ -1.88%

NYSE Volume 4,193,606,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,878,807,380

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,186.99 ▼ -42.22 ▼ -0.68%
DAX_____ 10,229.58 ▲ 2.37 ▲ 0.02%
CAC_40__ 4,655.14 ▲ 9.30 ▲ 0.20%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,171.20 ▲ 47.60 ▲ 0.93%
Shanghai_Comp 3,086.06 ▼ -66.20 ▼ -2.10%
Taiwan_Weight 8,445.50 ▲ 112.21 ▲ 1.35%
Nikkei_225___ 18,432.27 ▲ 260.67 ▲ 1.43%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,854.63 ▼ -112.03 ▼ -0.51%
Strait_Times.__ 2,895.81 ▲ 27.07 ▲ 0.94%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,694.23 ▲ 26.26 ▲ 0.46%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-close-lower-fed-keeps-205629109.html

Stocks close lower after Fed keeps interest rates low

Stocks close mostly lower after Federal Reserve holds off on raising rates; Bonds rise
Associated Press By Ken Sweet, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks ended mostly lower after a volatile day as traders tried to figure out what was next for U.S. interest rates.

The bumpy trading Thursday came after the Federal Reserve decided to keep interest rates low for now, citing weakness in the global economy and unsettled financial markets.

Investors did make significant bets on U.S. Treasuries and, for a change, precious metals. The U.S. dollar weakened against its major currency counterparts as the threat of higher interest rates abated.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 65.21 points, or 0.4 percent, to 16,674.74. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 5.11 points, or 0.3 percent, to 1,990.20 and the Nasdaq composite index rose 4.71 points, or 0.1 percent, to 4,893.95.

The Fed said that while the U.S. job market is solid, there are reasons to be concerned about global economic growth. Fed Chair Janet Yellen said a rate hike is still likely this year. The Fed meets again in October and December.

"The market got what it wanted," said Alan Rechtschaffen, a portfolio manager at UBS. "The market had a 'rate rant' last month and that scared the Fed."

Interest rates have been near zero since 2008, when the Fed drastically cut rates in response to the financial crisis and Great Recession. The last time the central bank actually raised rates was 2006.

Ultra-low interest rates tend to help the stock market because they make bonds, CDs and other income-producing investments less appealing by comparison. They also make it inexpensive for companies to borrow money to buy back their own shares, which also sends stock prices higher.

On the other hand, the Fed has made it abundantly clear that the current policy of super-low rates is an unusual measure intended to shore up the economy and will eventually be dismantled. Keeping it in place is a signal that the Fed believes the economy isn't quite strong enough to withstand higher rates. For investors wondering when interest rate policy will be "normalized," that means more waiting.

"They just need a little more time. The drumbeat is getting louder for them to actually raise rates," said Tony Bedikian, head of global markets at Citizens Financial Group.

With interest rates not changing soon and inflation in check, investors bought up bonds. The yield on the U.S. 10-year Treasury note dropped to 2.19 percent from 2.30 percent the day before, a large move. The two-year Treasury note, which would be more heavily impacted by higher short-term interest rates, had even an even more dramatic move, dropping to 0.68 percent from 0.80 percent.

In precious metals markets, gold and silver saw significant buying in after-hours trading after the Fed released its statement. Gold fell $2 to settle at $1,117 an ounce in regular trading but was up $12.80 to $1,131.80 an ounce later. Silver added 10 cents to settle at $14.98 an ounce, and gained another 25 cents to $15.13 in extended trading. Copper finished unchanged at $2.45 a pound in regular trading. It was up a penny in after-hours trading.

Oil finished slightly lower after the Fed's comments. U.S. crude fell 25 cents to $46.90 a barrel. Brent crude, a benchmark for many international oils imported by U.S. refineries, fell 67 cents to $49.08 a barrel.

In other energy futures trading, wholesale gasoline fell less than a penny to $1.376 a gallon. Heating oil slipped 1.17 cents to $1.53 a gallon and natural gas fell 1 cent to $2.652 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -290.16 points or ▼ -1.74% on Friday, 18 September 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,384.58 ▼ -290.16 ▼ -1.74%
Nasdaq____ 4,827.23 ▼ -66.72 ▼ -1.36%
S&P_500___ 1,958.03 ▼ -32.17 ▼ -1.62%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.93 ▼ -0.10 ▼ -3.46%

NYSE Volume 5,993,101,500
Nasdaq Volume 3,258,215,250

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,104.11 ▼ -82.88 ▼ -1.34%
DAX_____ 9,916.16 ▼ -313.42 ▼ -3.06%
CAC_40__ 4,535.85 ▼ -119.29 ▼ -2.56%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,194.30 ▲ 23.10 ▲ 0.45%
Shanghai_Comp 3,097.92 ▲ 11.86 ▲ 0.38%
Taiwan_Weight 8,462.14 ▲ 16.64 ▲ 0.20%
Nikkei_225___ 18,070.21 ▼ -362.06 ▼ -1.96%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,920.83 ▲ 66.20 ▲ 0.30%
Strait_Times.__ 2,879.59 ▼ -16.22 ▼ -0.56%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,712.05 ▲ 17.82 ▲ 0.31%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-fall-sharply-investors-210624176.html

US stocks fall sharply as investors mull Fed's rate decision

Global growth worries hammer stocks a day after Fed holds rates; Bonds, gold rally
Associated Press By Bernard Condon, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Fears over slowing global growth hammered stocks in the U.S. and Europe on Friday and lifted prices of government bonds and other assets seen as safer bets.

The selling pushed down major stock indexes in Germany, France and Britain before spreading to the U.S. The Standard and Poor's 500 index slumped to its biggest loss in more than two weeks as all 10 industry sectors of the broad market gauge fell. Energy companies dropped the most as oil plunged.

The stock sell-off came a day after the Federal Reserve decided to hold interest rates near zero. That means borrowing costs will remain low for a while yet, a prospect that has in the past typically boosted stocks. But some investors, expecting the Fed would be confident enough to nudge rates up by at least a quarter of a point, interpreted the stance as a sign that the global economy is dangerously weak.

"If growth in the strongest economy ”” the United States ”” isn't strong enough to raise rates even a quarter of a point, what does that say about the prospects for global growth?" said Bill Strazzullo, chief strategist at market research firm Bell Curve Trading.

The Fed has kept its benchmark rate close to zero for almost seven years. In that time, U.S. stocks have nearly tripled from their financial crisis low. The Fed meets again next month and in December.

The Dow Jones industrial average ended down 289.95 points, or 1.7 percent, to 16,384.79. The S&P 500 slumped 32.12 points, or 1.6 percent, to 1,958.08 and the Nasdaq composite shed 66.72 points, or 1.4 percent, to 4,827.23

Bonds rallied as investors sought safety. The benchmark 10-year Treasury note gained, pushing down its yield to 2.13 percent. Gold also gained.

A gauge of investor fear, the VIX index, shot up 7 percent to 23. In early July, this measure of expected swings in stock prices was 12.

In its rate decision Thursday, the Fed cited low inflation, weakness in the global economy and unsettled financial markets. Investors have been on edge about a slowdown in China and other emerging market nations since last month. The S&P 500 index is down about 8 percent from its record close of 2,130.82 set in May.

UBS strategist Julian Emanuel said a mix of other factors may have also fed the selling Friday.

Investors are worried about third-quarter corporate earnings, which are forecast to drop 4 percent for companies in the S&P 500. Also, several dozen House Republicans have said they won't vote for a funding bill that includes money for Planned Parenthood, raising the specter of a government shutdown next month.

"When you add up the Fed, China, the cloudy earnings outlook and, and possibly of government shutdown, it's not a surprise that the market has had a defensive reaction," Emanuel said.

In Europe, Germany's DAX fell 3.1 percent while the CAC-40 in France dropped 2.6 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 ended the day 1.3 percent lower.

Among U.S. stocks making big moves, JPMorgan Chase fell $1.71, or 2.7 percent, to $60.94 as investors judged that lower interest rates for longer mean banks won't be able charge more for loans. Citigroup slumped $1.36, or 2.6 percent, $50.29.

La Quinta plunged $2.92, or 15 percent, to $16.05 after the hotel company announced late Thursday that its CEO Wayne Goldberg had stepped down after almost a decade in charge. The company also lowered its 2015 sales forecast due to weak demand in August and September.

In metals trading, the price of gold rose $20.80 to $1,137 an ounce. Silver climbed 17.9 cents to $15.16 an ounce and Copper fell 6.6 cents to $2.39 per pound.

The price of oil plunged over concerns that demand for crude could weaken if the global economy slows. U.S. oil dropped $2.22, or 4.7 percent, to $44.68 per barrel. Brent crude, the global benchmark, fell $1.61, or 3.3 percent, to $47.47 per barrel in London.

In other energy futures trading:

”” Wholesale gasoline fell 2 cents to $1.356 per gallon.

”” Heating oil slipped 3.9 cents to $1.491 per gallon.

”” Natural gas fell 4.7 cents to $2.605 per 1,000 cubic feet.

5701

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 125.61 points or ▲ 0.77% on Monday, 21 September 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,510.19 ▲ 125.61 ▲ 0.77%
Nasdaq____ 4,828.96 ▲ 1.73 ▲ 0.04%
S&P_500___ 1,966.97 ▲ 8.94 ▲ 0.46%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.04 ▲ 0.11 ▲ 3.62%

NYSE Volume 3,253,814,000
Nasdaq Volume 2,011,072,250

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,108.71 ▲ 4.60 ▲ 0.08%
DAX_____ 9,948.51 ▲ 32.35 ▲ 0.33%
CAC_40__ 4,585.50 ▲ 49.65 ▲ 1.09%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,096.40 ▼ -97.90 ▼ -1.88%
Shanghai_Comp 3,156.54 ▲ 58.62 ▲ 1.89%
Taiwan_Weight 8,307.04 ▼ -155.10 ▼ -1.83%
Nikkei_225___ 18,070.21 ▼ -362.06 ▼ -1.96%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,756.93 ▼ -163.90 ▼ -0.75%
Strait_Times.__ 2,882.27 ▲ 2.68 ▲ 0.09%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,683.52 ▼ -28.53 ▼ -0.50%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-end-higher-led-financial-201336793.html

Stocks end higher, led by financial shares; drugmakers drop

Stocks rise, led by financial shares; Drugmakers drop on Clinton's 'price gouging' comments
Associated Press By Bernard Condon, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks rose broadly on Monday, recouping some losses from a sell-off last week, as investors tried to look beyond uncertainty about the outlook for interest rates.

The major U.S. indexes dipped into losses in the afternoon on sharp declines for drugmakers. The drop was sparked by a tweet from Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton about plans to stop "price gouging" in the industry. But rising technology and banking shares helped lift the market by the end of the day.

Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at BMO Private Bank, said that investors have been conditioned to buy after big drops during the long bull market, and that's what they did Monday.

"Investors who have been buying the dips in recent years have benefited," he said, "so perhaps they'll use that strategy until it doesn't work anymore."

The Dow Jones industrial average closed up 125.61 points, or 0.8 percent, to 16,510.19.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 8.94 points, or 0.5 percent, to 1,966.97. Nine of the 10 industry sectors in the index rose. The Nasdaq composite gained 1.73 points, or less than 0.1 percent, to 4,828.95.

Last week's broad slump was triggered by a decision from the Federal Reserve not to raise interest rates. Low borrowing rates have helped stocks triple in price since 2009, and a decision to keep them low normally would encourage investors to buy shares.

But the central bank cited concerns over a global economic slowdown for delaying a hike, and that spooked investors already on edge after weeks of seconding guessing growth in China and the impact of struggling emerging markets with plunging currencies.

Financial stocks rose Monday after comments from Federal Reserve officials over the weekend suggested some still foresee a rate increase as likely this year. Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Dennis Lockhart said on Monday that he was "confident" of a rate rise this year.

Investors are betting that if interest rates rise, banks and other financial companies would be able to charge more for the loans they make. Citigroup rose 42 cents, or 0.8 percent, to $50.71.

Biogen, a maker of specialty drugs, was among the big losers after Clinton's comments on drugmakers. The stock dropped $17.51, or 5.6 percent, to $297.16. Dow members Pfizer, Merck and Johnson & Johnson also fell.

Atmel, a California-based semiconductor company, was one of the day's big winners. The stock surged after the company accepted an offer worth about $4.6 billion in cash and stock from Britain's Dialog Semiconductor. Atmel provides electronics products used in the industrial, automotive, consumer, communications, and computing markets. Its stock jumped 92 cents, or 13 percent, to $8.19.

In Europe, stocks stabilized from losses on Friday. Britain's FTSE 100 index rose 0.1 percent while the CAC-40 in France climbed 1.1 percent. Germany's DAX rose 0.3 percent.

The price of oil rose on expectations that U.S. production would continue to slip, helping to eventually ease the supply glut. Investors are also betting that a higher price for wholesale gasoline could spur refiners to process more crude. U.S. crude rose $2 to close at $46.68 a barrel in New York. Brent Crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, rose $1.45 to close at $48.92 in London.

In metals trading, the price of gold fell $5 to $1,132 an ounce. Silver rose 5.8 cents to $15.22 an ounce and copper was little changed from Friday at $2.39 per pound.

In other futures trading on the NYMEX:

”” Wholesale gasoline rose 4.7 cents to close at $1.403 a gallon.

”” Heating oil rose 2.3 cents to close at $1.514 a gallon.

”” Natural gas fell 4.7 cents to close at $2.605 per 1,000 cubic feet

In government bond trading, prices fell. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.20 percent from 2.13 percent on Friday.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -179.72 points or ▼ -1.09% on Tuesday, 22 September 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,330.47 ▼ -179.72 ▼ -1.09%
Nasdaq____ 4,756.72 ▼ -72.23 ▼ -1.50%
S&P_500___ 1,942.74 ▼ -24.23 ▼ -1.23%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.93 ▼ -0.10 ▼ -3.39%

NYSE Volume 3,803,938,500
Nasdaq Volume 2,030,740,620

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 5,935.84 ▼ -172.87 ▼ -2.83%
DAX_____ 9,570.66 ▼ -377.85 ▼ -3.80%
CAC_40__ 4,428.51 ▼ -156.99 ▼ -3.42%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,130.80 ▲ 34.40 ▲ 0.67%
Shanghai_Comp 3,185.62 ▲ 29.08 ▲ 0.92%
Taiwan_Weight 8,365.92 ▲ 58.88 ▲ 0.71%
Nikkei_225___ 18,070.21 ▼ -362.06 ▼ -1.96%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,796.58 ▲ 39.65 ▲ 0.18%
Strait_Times.__ 2,868.47 ▼ -13.80 ▼ -0.48%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,696.79 ▲ 13.27 ▲ 0.23%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-drop-oil-other-154259743.html

US stocks drop as oil and other commodities sink

US stock market takes a fall as oil, copper and other commodities sink
Associated Press By Matthew Craft, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Another bout of turbulence swung the U.S. stock market to a loss Tuesday as raw-material producers sank along with prices for oil and copper. The selling swept across every industry, with all 10 sectors of the S&P 500 taking a fall.

JJ Kinahan, TD Ameritrade's chief strategist, said lingering uncertainty over China's slowdown and the timing of the Federal Reserve's first interest-rate hike in nearly a decade has made investors skittish.

"I think it's really just the fact that nobody knows what to do," Kinahan said. "When things are this uncertain, the reaction is sell first and see what happens later."

Without any big news to drive trading, the indexes slumped throughout the morning, bottomed out in the afternoon and then spent the rest of the day recovering their losses.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index dropped 24.23 points, or 1.2 percent, to 1,942.74.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 179.72 points, or 1.1 percent, to 16,330.47, and the Nasdaq composite declined 72.73 points, or 1.5 percent, to 4,756.72.

Mounting concerns about slowing growth in China and around the world have battered financial markets throughout the summer. The S&P 500, the most widely used measure of U.S. investments, has lost more than 8 percent in three months.

Investors will get another look at China's economy on Wednesday when Caixin's manufacturing index comes out. Last month, it hit a six-year low. Federal Reserve officials cited China's slowdown as one reason it decided to delay raising interest rates last week.

The scandal at Volkswagen AG, the world's top-selling carmaker, deepened after it said some 11 million of its diesel vehicles worldwide were fitted with software to cheat U.S. emissions test. The company said it was setting aside around 6.5 billion euros ($7.3 billion) to cover the fallout. Its U.S.-listed shares plunged $4.66, or 15 percent, to $25.44, extending Volkswagen's losses to 30 percent over two days.

In Europe, markets across the continent closed with big losses. Germany's DAX dropped 3.8 percent, and France's CAC-40 dropped 3.4 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 index closed with a loss of 2.8 percent.

Major indexes in Asia ended higher, with Hong Kong's Hang Seng up 0.2 percent and mainland China's Shanghai Composite Index up 0.9 percent. Markets in Japan remain closed for a three-day holiday.

Back in the U.S., ConAgra Foods tumbled 7 percent after posting a $1.2 billion quarterly loss. Sales for the maker of Chef Boyardee, Hebrew National hot dogs and other packaged food also fell short of analysts' forecasts. ConAgra's stock sank $3 to $39.40.

After the market closed on Monday, Mosaic said it would cut production of its fertilizers as falling prices for crops have hurt the company's sales. Mosaic pointed to swings in currencies and financial markets as other culprits. Its stock lost $2.56, or 7 percent, to $33.88.

U.S. government bond prices jumped, knocking the yield on the 10-year Treasury note down to 2.13 percent, from 2.20 percent late Monday.

In commodity trading, most industrial and precious metals settled with steep losses. Copper lost 9 cents, or 4 percent, to finish at $2.30 a pound. Gold dropped an even $8 to $1,124.80 an ounce, and silver sank 47 cents to $14.76 an ounce.

Benchmark U.S. crude oil fell 85 cents to close at $45.83 a barrel in New York. Brent Crude, an international benchmark, rose 16 cents to close at $49.08 a barrel in London.

In other trading:

”” Wholesale gasoline rose 1.3 cents to close at $1.416 a gallon.

”” Heating oil rose 1.8 cents to close at $1.532 a gallon.

”” Natural gas rose 0.4 cents to close at $2.577 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -50.58 points or ▼ -0.31% on Wednesday, 23 September 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,279.89 ▼ -50.58 ▼ -0.31%
Nasdaq____ 4,752.74 ▼ -3.98 ▼ -0.08%
S&P_500___ 1,938.76 ▼ -3.98 ▼ -0.20%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.94 ▲ 0.01 ▲ 0.31%

NYSE Volume 3,190,297,750
Nasdaq Volume 1,595,959,500

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,032.24 ▲ 96.40 ▲ 1.62%
DAX_____ 9,612.62 ▲ 41.96 ▲ 0.44%
CAC_40__ 4,432.83 ▲ 4.32 ▲ 0.10%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,032.50 ▼ -98.30 ▼ -1.92%
Shanghai_Comp 3,115.89 ▼ -69.73 ▼ -2.19%
Taiwan_Weight 8,193.42 ▼ -172.50 ▼ -2.06%
Nikkei_225___ 18,070.21 ▼ -362.06 ▼ -1.96%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,302.91 ▼ -493.67 ▼ -2.26%
Strait_Times.__ 2,845.74 ▼ -22.73 ▼ -0.79%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,654.34 ▼ -42.45 ▼ -0.75%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/materials-energy-stocks-slide-china-200703013.html

Materials and energy stocks slide on China growth worries

US stocks end mostly lower, led by weakness in materials and energy sectors
Associated Press By Matthew Craft, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Another slide in raw-material producers and oil companies tugged the stock market to a slight loss on Wednesday, amid heightened concerns about global economic growth. Dow Chemical and Chevron each lost 2 percent.

The news out Wednesday was hardly encouraging. A private measure of manufacturing in China hit its lowest level in six years, a result of weaker factory production, overall new orders and hiring.

That, along with plunging oil prices, could have led to a much bigger sell-off, said Jim Paulsen, chief investment strategist at Wells Capital Management. But that's hardly encouraging for investors looking for a signal that the worst is over. The market has finished lower in four of the past five days.

"I'm sure there are a lot of buyers on the sidelines," he said, "but right now it doesn't seem like a very good time to buy."

The major indexes headed higher at the outset of trading Wednesday, took a sharp turn lower just before lunchtime, then climbed back almost to breakeven in the afternoon. By the closing bell, the stock market wound up just shy of where it started.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index gave up 3.98 points, or 0.2 percent, to finish the day at 1,938.76.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 50.58 points, or 0.3 percent, to 16,279.89, and the Nasdaq composite fell 3.98 points, or 0.1 percent, to 4,752.74.

Mounting concerns about slowing global economic growth and the timing of the Federal Reserve's first interest-rate hike in nearly a decade has battered markets recently. The S&P 500, the most widely used measure of U.S. investments, has lost more than 8 percent in three months.

Anthony Valeri, a market strategist at LPL Financial, said he thinks the choppy trading will likely continue until next week, when a batch of major U.S. economic reports come out. The government releases its monthly look at the job market next Friday.

In other news, Volkswagen's CEO stepped down Wednesday, taking responsibility for a growing scandal. His resignation followed the German carmaker's admission that it rigged software in its cars to pass U.S. emission tests. In a statement, Martin Winterkorn said he was "not aware of any wrongdoing on my part." U.S.-listed shares of Volkswagen surged $1.66, or 7 percent, to $27.10.

Major indexes in Europe recovered a portion of their steep losses from the day before. Germany's DAX finished with a gain of 0.4 percent, while France's CAC 40 picked up 0.1 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 gained 1.6 percent.

Evidence of slowing economic growth hit markets across Asia. China's Shanghai Composite Index dropped 2.2 percent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng sank 2.3 percent. South Korea's Kospi fell 1.9 percent, and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 lost 2.1 percent. Japan's stock market remains closed until Thursday for public holidays.

Back in the U.S., bond prices fell, nudging the yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note to 2.15 percent from 2.13 percent the day before.

Precious and industrial metals futures ended mixed. Gold edged up $6.70 to $1,131.50 an ounce, and silver increased three cents to $14.79 an ounce. Copper slipped less than a penny to $2.30 a pound.

Oil futures fell following the report showing weakness in Chinese manufacturing. That renewed concerns that demand for crude will weaken as the global economy slows. Abundant supplies of crude are also pushing prices lower.

U.S. crude fell $1.88 to close at $44.48 a barrel in New York. Brent Crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, fell $1.33 to close at $47.75 in London.

In other futures trading on the NYMEX:

”” Wholesale gasoline fell 3.5 cents to close at $1.382 a gallon.

”” Heating oil fell 2.6 cents to close at $1.506 a gallon.

”” Natural gas was little changed at $2.569 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -78.57 points or ▼ -0.48% on Thursday, 24 September 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,201.32 ▼ -78.57 ▼ -0.48%
Nasdaq____ 4,734.48 ▼ -18.27 ▼ -0.38%
S&P_500___ 1,932.24 ▼ -6.52 ▼ -0.34%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.90 ▼ -0.04 ▼ -1.33%

NYSE Volume 4,090,545,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,984,928,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 5,961.49 ▼ -70.75 ▼ -1.17%
DAX_____ 9,427.64 ▼ -184.98 ▼ -1.92%
CAC_40__ 4,347.24 ▼ -85.59 ▼ -1.93%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,102.30 ▲ 69.80 ▲ 1.39%
Shanghai_Comp 3,142.69 ▲ 26.80 ▲ 0.86%
Taiwan_Weight 8,123.10 ▼ -70.32 ▼ -0.86%
Nikkei_225___ 17,571.83 ▼ -498.38 ▼ -2.76%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,095.98 ▼ -206.93 ▼ -0.97%
Strait_Times.__ 2,845.74 ▼ -22.73 ▼ -0.79%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,676.81 ▲ 22.47 ▲ 0.40%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-drop-global-growth-192818684.html

US stocks drop on global growth worries; Caterpillar slumps

US stocks fall on global growth worries; Caterpillar drops after cutting sales forecast
Associated Press By Steve Rothwell, AP Markets Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- More evidence that global economic growth is slowing pushed the U.S. stock market down for a third straight day on Thursday.

The market fell sharply at the open, pushing stocks close to their lowest levels of the month, before rebounding during afternoon trading to close with only slight losses.

Caterpillar, a bellwether for industrial companies, fell sharply after cutting its sales outlook for this year and announcing that it would eliminate as many as 10,000 jobs to cut costs.

Also, the government reported that orders for long-lasting U.S. manufactured goods dropped in August. A key category that tracks business investment plans was especially weak.

"We're looking for that good news and we're not getting any," said John Toohey, vice president of equity investments at USAA.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 6.52 points, or 0.3 percent, to 1,932.24. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 78.57 points, or 0.5 percent, to 16,201.32. The Nasdaq composite fell 18.27 points, or 0.4 percent, to 4,734.48.

The market has been in a funk for the past month as investors worry that slowing growth overseas, particularly in China, will hurt U.S. companies. A decision by the Federal Reserve to hold its benchmark interest rate close to zero last week also made investors uneasy.

Policymakers held the Fed's benchmark interest rate despite an improving job market and a steady economy. Fed Chair Janet Yellen told reporters after the meeting that worries about China and emerging markets were a factor in their decision. Many economists expected that the central bank would instead focus on the health of the U.S. economy.

Yellen said in a speech late Thursday that she expects the Fed to begin raising interest rates by the end of the year. She also suggested that global economic weakness will not be significant enough to alter the central bank's plan to raise its key short-term rate from zero by December. Her remarks came after the market had closed.

On Thursday, Caterpillar was the biggest decliner in the S&P 500.

The company slumped after cutting its 2015 revenue forecast by $1 billion to about $48 billion. Caterpillar also said sales would fall another 5 percent next year. The company said it may eliminate as many as 10,000 jobs between now and 2018. The maker of mining and construction equipment is suffering as a global slump in commodity prices hurts mining companies. The stock dropped $4.40, or 6.3 percent, to $65.80.

European markets also fell. Germany's DAX dropped 1.9 percent, Britain's FTSE 100 declined 1.2 percent and France's CAC 40 lost 1.9 percent.

Automakers in Europe are still suffering in the wake of Volkswagen's emissions scandal. While VW's stock closed flat on the day, fellow German carmaker BMW fell 5.2 percent after a report said one of its models had failed a test in Europe. Fiat Chrysler fell 7.5 percent.

There was some strong earnings news from Nike after the close of trading.

The sportswear company reported earnings that surpassed analysts' expectations as sales grew. Its stock climbed $8.61, or 7.5 percent, to $123.35 in after-hours trading.

In commodities trading, benchmark U.S. crude rose 43 cents to $44.91 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, a benchmark for many international oils imported by U.S. refineries, rose 42 cents to $48.17 a barrel.

Bond prices rose, pushing the yield on the 10-year Treasury note down to 2.12 percent from 2.15 percent a day earlier. The dollar slipped to 120.06 yen. The euro ticked higher to $1.1221.

The price of gold rose $22.30 to $1,153.80 an ounce. Silver climbed 34 cents to $15.13 an ounce and copper rose 0.7 cents to $2.30 a pound.

In other futures trading on the NYMEX:

”” Wholesale gasoline fell 1.6 cents to close at $1.365 a gallon.

”” Heating oil rose 1.8 cents to close at $1.524 a gallon.

”” Natural gas rose 2.2 cents to close at $2.591 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -78.57 points or ▼ -0.48% on Friday, 25 September 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,201.32 ▼ -78.57 ▼ -0.48%
Nasdaq____ 4,734.48 ▼ -18.27 ▼ -0.38%
S&P_500___ 1,932.24 ▼ -6.52 ▼ -0.34%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.90 ▼ -0.04 ▼ -1.33%

NYSE Volume 4,090,545,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,984,928,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 5,961.49 ▼ -70.75 ▼ -1.17%
DAX_____ 9,427.64 ▼ -184.98 ▼ -1.92%
CAC_40__ 4,347.24 ▼ -85.59 ▼ -1.93%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,102.30 ▲ 69.80 ▲ 1.39%
Shanghai_Comp 3,142.69 ▲ 26.80 ▲ 0.86%
Taiwan_Weight 8,123.10 ▼ -70.32 ▼ -0.86%
Nikkei_225___ 17,571.83 ▼ -498.38 ▼ -2.76%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,095.98 ▼ -206.93 ▼ -0.97%
Strait_Times.__ 2,845.74 ▼ -22.73 ▼ -0.79%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,676.81 ▲ 22.47 ▲ 0.40%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/slump-health-care-pushes-stocks-210310229.html

Late slump in health care pushes stocks to weekly loss

Late health care slump pushes stocks to weekly loss, offsets gains for financial stocks
Associated Press By Steve Rothwell, AP Markets Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- A late slump in health care stocks pushed the market to its third weekly loss this month.

Stocks had traded solidly higher for most of the day, as banks, insurance companies and brokerage firms climbed after Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said that the policymakers would likely raise interest rates this year. The market gave up its most of its gains in the afternoon as a sell-off in drugmakers led the health care sector lower.

The stock market has been volatile for the past six weeks on worries about the impact of slowing growth in China and other emerging markets, as well as uncertainty about the outlook for interest rates. The late sell-off on Friday pushed stocks to their third losing week in the last four.

"This is a dangerous market that is still looking for direction," said Jerry Braakman, Chief Investment Officer at First American Trust an investment management firm. "Although the U.S. is continuing to improve, outside the U.S., it's just scary."

The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 0.9 points, or less than 0.1 percent, to 1,931.34. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 113.35 points, or 0.7 percent, to 16,314.67. The Nasdaq composite fell 47.98 points, or 1 percent, to 4,686.50.

The S&P 500 closed down 1.4 percent for the week, the Dow was 0.4 percent lower.

Shares of drugmakers began their slide on Monday when Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton pledged to stop "price gouging" in the industry. The health care sector, a longtime favorite of investors, ended the week with its worst weekly performance in more than four years.

Biotechnology shares in the S&P 500 dropped plunged during the week, pushing the overall health care index down 5.8 percent, its worst week since August 2011. Vertex Pharmaceuticals, which focuses on developing drugs for cystic fibrosis and viral infections, was the biggest decliner in the index on Friday, dropping $7.83, or 7 percent, to $103.20.

The market had started the day with solid gains as investors were encouraged by a report that showed U.S. economic growth was faster in the spring than previously estimated.

The U.S. economy expanded at an annual rate of 3.9 percent in the April-June quarter, up from a previous estimate of 3.7 percent, the Commerce Department reported Friday. The strength came from gains in consumer spending, business investment and residential construction.

Financial companies got a boost after Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said that the central bank was still likely to raise interest rates this year. She suggested global economic weakness won't be significant enough to alter the central bank's plan to raise its key short-term rate from zero by December. Record low interest rates since the 2008 global financial crisis have been a boon for stocks, underpinning a bull market that has run for six and a half years.

The combination of higher rates and a growing economy is good for financial companies. That's because they can earn more from making loans. Citigroup rose $1.42, or 2.9 percent, to $50.55 and Bank of America climbed 34 cents, or 2.2 percent, to $15.89.

"The financials are a wonderful place to be over the next several quarters if a rate rises materializes," said Jim Russell, a portfolio manager at Bahl & Gaynor Investment Counsel.

Nike was biggest gainer in the S&P 500 on Friday. The stock soared after the company's earnings surpassed analyst expectations. Nike climbed $10.21, or 8.9 percent, to $125.

Volkswagen shares fell again. The company named Matthias Mueller, the head of the group's Porsche unit, to be the new CEO. His predecessor Martin Winterkorn quit the job this week over the emissions scandal, which has tarnished the company's reputation. VW shares ended down 2.8 percent on Friday and dropped almost 30 percent for the week.

U.S. government bond prices fell. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.16 percent from 2.13 percent late Thursday.

The euro rose to $1.1194 while the dollar edged up to 120.60 yen.

In metals trading, gold closed $8.20 lower at $1,145.60 an ounce. Silver edged lower, dropping 1.9 cents to $15.11 and copper fell 1.9 cents to $2.28 per pound.

The price of oil rose Friday as the number of rigs drilling for oil in the U.S. fell for the fourth straight week, according to a closely watched industry count. U.S. crude rose 79 cents to close at $45.70 a barrel in New York, ending a choppy week of trading up 2.3 percent. Brent Crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, rose 43 cents to close at $48.60 a barrel in London.

In other futures trading on the NYMEX:

— Wholesale gasoline rose 3.1 cents to close at $1.396 a gallon.

— Heating oil fell 0.1 cent to close at $1.523 a gallon.

— Natural gas fell 2.7 cents to close at $2.564 per 1,000 cubic feet.

6349

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -312.78 points or ▼ -1.92% on Monday, 28 September 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,001.89 ▼ -312.78 ▼ -1.92%
Nasdaq____ 4,543.97 ▼ -142.53 ▼ -3.04%
S&P_500___ 1,881.77 ▼ -49.57 ▼ -2.57%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.87 ▼ -0.09 ▼ -3.04%

NYSE Volume 4,318,632,000
Nasdaq Volume 2,365,377,500

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 5,958.86 ▼ -150.15 ▼ -2.46%
DAX_____ 9,483.55 ▼ -204.98 ▼ -2.12%
CAC_40__ 4,357.05 ▼ -123.61 ▼ -2.76%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,145.10 ▲ 68.40 ▲ 1.35%
Shanghai_Comp 3,100.76 ▲ 8.41 ▲ 0.27%
Taiwan_Weight 8,132.35 ▲ 9.25 ▲ 0.11%
Nikkei_225___ 17,645.11 ▼ -235.40 ▼ -1.32%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,186.32 ▲ 90.34 ▲ 0.43%
Strait_Times.__ 2,791.92 ▼ -40.72 ▼ -1.44%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,699.13 ▲ 11.78 ▲ 0.21%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-fall-sharply-china-180932561.html

US stocks fall sharply on China growth worries

US stocks plunge amid ongoing worries about the outlook for growth in China; Drugmakers slide
Associated Press By Steve Rothwell, AP Markets Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Ongoing worries about the health of the Chinese economy and another big sell-off in drugmakers pushed the stock market back toward its lowest level of the year.

Energy and raw material companies dropped on reports that industrial profits at Chinese companies fell sharply in August, heightening worries about a slowdown in the world's second-biggest economy. Health care stocks fell sharply as drugmakers extended a decline that began last week.

Stocks have fallen sharply in August and September on concern that a slowdown in China is worse than previously thought and is spreading to other emerging market economies. The slowdown could start hurting U.S. companies that rely on overseas demand for a large portion of their profits.

"Whenever the market is down, the first place to look these days is China," said John Manley, chief equity strategist at Wells Fargo Fund Management. "Right now, we need evidence that China is not slowing that much and that profits are still going to be OK."

The Standard & Poor's 500 index slipped 49.57 points, or 2.6 percent, to 1,881.77. The index is now 14 points above its lowest level of the year, set Aug. 25.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 312.78 points, or 1.9 percent, to 16,001.89. The Nasdaq composite slumped 142.53 points, or 3 percent, to 4,543.97.

Monday's slump put the S&P 500 index back in a "correction," a Wall Street term meaning a drop of 10 percent or more from a recent peak. The index is down 11.7 percent from its record close of 2,130.82, set in May of this year.

Some analysts expressed surprise at the ferocity of Monday's sell-off, given the relative strength of the U.S. economy. Hiring is coming back and the housing the market is recovering.

"The economy here is still improving. There's no reason that this selling pressure should be as severe as it has been," said Robert Pavlik chief market strategist at Boston Private Wealth.

Health care stocks are another weak link in the market.

A sell-off in drugmakers extended into a second week. The Nasdaq Biotechnology index dropped 6 percent, its worst day in more than four years. The sector ”” a recent favorite of investors ”” slumped last week after Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodman Clinton announced a plan to tackle rising drug costs. The sector has plunged 27 percent since reaching a peak in July.

Congressional Democrats are also pressing a Republican committee chairman to force Valeant Pharmaceuticals, a Canadian drugmaker, to turn over documents tied to price hikes imposed earlier this year. The company's U.S.-listed stock plunged $32.97, or 17 percent, to $166.50.

Alcoa was among the stocks that bucked the trend on Monday and closed higher.

The metals maker gained after announcing that it will split into two independent companies. Its bauxite, aluminum and casting operations will be in one company and its engineering and transportation businesses will be in another. The company's stock rose 52 cents, or 6 percent, to $9.59.

In addition to concerns about the outlook for growth in China, investors have also been worried about U.S. interest rates. Federal Reserve Bank of New York President William Dudley said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal on Monday that he expects policymakers will raise rates this year. The Fed has kept short-term rates close to zero for almost seven years to help the economy recover from the financial crisis.

In Europe, Volkswagen resumed its slide.

The carmaker's stock fell 7 percent as German prosecutors opened an investigation against the company's former CEO, Martin Winterkorn. The probe aims to determine who was responsible for selling vehicles with manipulated emissions data, prosecutors in Germany said in a statement.

The stocks of other European automakers, including BMW, Daimler and Fiat Chrysler also fell sharply.

U.S. government bond prices rose, pushing the yield on the 10-year Treasury note down to 2.10 percent from 2.16 percent on Friday. The euro was little changed from Friday at $1.1201 and the dollar fell 0.7 percent to 119.9 yen.

The price of oil fell sharply on concerns that weak global economic conditions would reduce demand for energy. U.S. crude fell $1.27 to close at $44.43 a barrel in New York. Brent Crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, fell $1.26 to close at $47.34 in London.

In other futures trading on the NYMEX:

”” Wholesale gasoline fell 4.7 cents to close at $1.349 a gallon.

”” Heating oil fell 4.5 cents to close at $1.477 a gallon.

”” Natural gas fell 0.1 cent to close at $2.563 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold fell $13.90 to $1,131.70 an ounce. Silver dropped 57 cents to $14.54 an ounce and copper fell 3.2 cents or $2.25 a pound.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 47.24 points or ▲ 0.30% on Tuesday, 29 September 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,049.13 ▲ 47.24 ▲ 0.30%
Nasdaq____ 4,517.32 ▼ -26.65 ▼ -0.59%
S&P_500___ 1,884.09 ▲ 2.32 ▲ 0.12%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.86 ▼ -0.02 ▼ -0.52%

NYSE Volume 4,119,623,500
Nasdaq Volume 2,272,443,250

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 5,909.24 ▼ -49.62 ▼ -0.83%
DAX_____ 9,450.40 ▼ -33.15 ▼ -0.35%
CAC_40__ 4,343.73 ▼ -13.32 ▼ -0.31%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 4,958.10 ▼ -187.00 ▼ -3.63%
Shanghai_Comp 3,038.14 ▼ -62.62 ▼ -2.02%
Taiwan_Weight 8,132.35 ▲ 9.25 ▲ 0.11%
Nikkei_225___ 16,930.84 ▼ -714.27 ▼ -4.05%
Hang_Seng.__ 20,556.60 ▼ -629.72 ▼ -2.97%
Strait_Times.__ 2,787.94 ▼ -3.98 ▼ -0.14%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,612.42 ▼ -86.71 ▼ -1.52%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/health-care-stocks-push-p-210324815.html

Health care stocks push S&P 500 to first gain in six days

Health care stocks push S&P 500 to first gain in six days, but index remains near low of year
Associated Press By Steve Rothwell, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- A rebound in the health care sector helped steady stocks on Tuesday, pushing the Standard & Poor's 500 index to its first gain in six days.

Drugmakers including Edwards Lifesciences and Medtronic were among the biggest gainers as the industry group rebounded from a sharp slump the day before.

The gains for the overall market were small. Stocks flitted between modest gains and losses for most of the day before closing slightly higher.

The market remains close to its lows for the year and is set to close out September with its worst quarterly performance in four years.

Concerns that China's economy is slowing more rapidly than previously thought have hurt the market. Investors are also preoccupied with the outlook for U.S. interest rates. Federal Reserve policymakers have said they will likely raise interest rates before the end of the year.

Some investors see a rate increase as a vote of confidence in the U.S. economy. Others think it would be a mistake to raise borrowing costs just as the global economy is showing signs of flagging.

"The Fed is still, as it has been for over a year now, the number one thing that's overriding the market," said JJ Kinahan, chief strategist at TD Ameritrade. "There's just so much skittishness, people just don't have confidence."

The S&P 500 rose 2.32 points, or 0.1 percent, to 1,884.09. The index slumped 50 points the day before and is down 8.7 percent for the third quarter.

The Dow Jones industrial average climbed 47.24 points, or 0.6 percent, to 16,049.13 The Nasdaq composite dropped 26.65 points, or 0.6 percent, to 4,517.32.

Biotechnology stocks have been a weak spot for the stock market recently. The sector has slumped on concern that lawmakers will seek to implement new regulations to curb price hikes in the industry.

On Tuesday, the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index edged down 0.6 percent, its eighth straight day of losses. The index has slumped 27 percent from its peak in July, putting it in a bear market, Wall Street terminology for a drop of 20 percent or more.

Brad Sorensen, a director at the Schwab Center for Financial Research, said he wasn't surprised by the sell-off in biotech stocks given how sharply valuations have climbed in recent years.

"The biotech industry was concerning to us," Sorensen said. "It clearly had bubble-like characteristics with a lot of speculative money moving into it and a lot of IPOs."

Yahoo was among the stronger stocks on Tuesday.

The stock rose 66 cents, or 2.4 percent, to $28.26 after the company said that it still planned to spin off its stake in China's Alibaba Group. Yahoo is moving ahead with the plan even though the IRS has yet to rule on the tax payments that the company could face from the gains on its initial investment.

Investors also got some good news on the economy from a report showing that American consumers were feeling more confident this month. The Conference Board, a business research group, said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index rose to 103 in September after surging in August to 101.3. The September reading was the highest since January.

The price of oil rose on expectations that the Energy Department will report a slowdown in U.S. crude production when it releases its monthly petroleum supply report Wednesday. U.S. crude rose 80 cents to close at $45.23 a barrel in New York. Brent Crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, rose 89 cents to close at $48.23 a barrel in London.

Bond prices rose slightly. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.05 percent from 2.09 percent a day earlier. The euro edged up to $1.1250 and the dollar slipped to 119.72 yen.

In Europe, Germany's DAX edged down 0.3 percent and the CAC-40 in France was down by the same amount. The FTSE 100 index of leading British shares lost 0.8 percent.

Gold fell $4.90 to $1,126.80 an ounce. Silver dropped 3.5 cents to $14.57 an ounce and copper was unchanged at $2.25 per pound

In other futures trading on the NYMEX:

”” Wholesale gasoline rose 1.4 cents to close at $1.363 a gallon.

”” Heating oil rose 2 cents to close at $1.498 a gallon.

”” Natural gas fell 8.4 cents to close at $2.586 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 235.57 points or ▲ 1.47% on Wednesday, 30 September 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,284.70 ▲ 235.57 ▲ 1.47%
Nasdaq____ 4,620.16 ▲ 102.84 ▲ 2.28%
S&P_500___ 1,920.03 ▲ 35.94 ▲ 1.91%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.88 ▲ 0.02 ▲ 0.88%

NYSE Volume 4,507,503,500
Nasdaq Volume 2,366,198,250

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,061.61 ▲ 152.37 ▲ 2.58%
DAX_____ 9,660.44 ▲ 210.04 ▲ 2.22%
CAC_40__ 4,455.29 ▲ 111.56 ▲ 2.57%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,058.60 ▲ 100.50 ▲ 2.03%
Shanghai_Comp 3,052.78 ▲ 14.64 ▲ 0.48%
Taiwan_Weight 8,181.24 ▲ 48.89 ▲ 0.60%
Nikkei_225___ 17,388.15 ▲ 457.31 ▲ 2.70%
Hang_Seng.__ 20,846.30 ▲ 289.70 ▲ 1.41%
Strait_Times.__ 2,790.89 ▲ 2.95 ▲ 0.11%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,593.36 ▼ -19.06 ▼ -0.34%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/big-gain-stocks-end-turbulent-200939775.html

A big gain for stocks at the end of a turbulent quarter

US stocks rally on last day of a turbulent quarter; Ralph Lauren soars after naming new CEO
Associated Press By Bernard Condon, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- U.S. stocks rose across the board Wednesday following big gains in Asia and Europe, a buoyant end to the worst quarter for the market in four years.

From worries over a slowing Chinese economy, uncertainty over interest rates and a scary slide in commodity prices, stocks have been hit with one blow after another in the past three months. But on Wednesday, investors were in the mood to buy, especially stocks that have been battered recently. Energy companies and raw material suppliers, the biggest losers in the quarter, rose more than 2 percent each.

The buying began at the opening of trading and swept across all 10 sectors of the Standard and Poor's 500 index. Among the big gainers, fashion company Ralph Lauren jumped 14 percent after announcing a new CEO would take over from its namesake founder.

Tim Courtney, chief investment officer of Exencial Wealth Advisors, said it was only a matter of time before investors started buying given the recent drops.

"I've been surprised we haven't had rallies like the one we're seeing now," Courtney said. After "so many negative days, you're going to get a bounceback."

The S&P 500 jumped 35.94 points, or 1.9 percent, to 1,920.03. The index has fallen seven of the past 10 days, and is off 6.9 percent in the July-September period, the worst quarterly performance since 2011.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 235.57 points, or 1.5 percent, to 16,284.70. It fell 7.6 percent in the quarter. The Nasdaq composite climbed 102.84 points, or 2.3 percent, to 4,620.16.

The rally in the U.S. followed even bigger gains overseas. Stocks indexes in France, Germany, Britain and Japan all climbed more than 2 percent.

The rocky third quarter began with fears over Greece's debt, then moved on to worries about a rout in Chinese stocks, signs of slowing growth in the country, the world's second largest, and plunging currencies in developed countries that export to it. The S&P 500 dropped more than 10 percent in August from his May high, a drop known on Wall Street as a "correction."

"It's been ugly," said John Canally, an investment strategist at LPL Financial. "We hadn't had a 10 percent pullback since 2011, and people forget how to act."

All five of the biggest drops in the year for the S&P 500 occurred in the last three months. Investors were so jumpy, they even sold on news that previously would have triggered buying. When the Federal Reserve announced earlier this month that it would hold off raising interest rates, the S&P 500 slipped.

On Wednesday, investors mustered enough courage to buy even biotechnology companies, breaking an eight-day streak of drops for the battered sector. The Nasdaq Biotechnology index, down 24 percent from a peak in July, rose 4.5 percent. It fell sharply last week after Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton tweeted that drug prices were too high, then said she would use government drug-buying programs to slash prices if elected.

Among stocks making big moves on Wednesday, Western Digital surged $10.57, or 15 percent, to $79.44 after the digital storage company agreed to a $3.8 billion investment from China's Unisplendour Corp.

The Gap fell $1.72, or nearly 6 percent, to $28.50. The new CEO of Ralph Lauren, Stefan Larsson, will leave his current job as global president of Gap's low-price Old Navy chain. Ralph Lauren rose $14.11 to $118.16.

Chesapeake Energy rose 54 cents, or 8 percent, to $7.33 after announcing that it would cut 15 percent of its workforce.

Investors are waiting for jobs data due out on Friday for clues about when the Federal Reserve may raise interest rates. Policymakers have said they will likely raise rates before the end of the year. On Wednesday, U.S. payroll processor ADP reported that U.S. employers added 200,000 jobs this month, up from 180,000 the previous month.

The price of oil fell slightly as total U.S. crude inventories rose. U.S. crude fell 14 cents to close at $45.09 a barrel in New York. Oil finished the volatile month down 8 percent.

Brent Crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, rose 14 cents to close at $48.37 a barrel in London.

In other futures trading on the NYMEX:

”” Wholesale gasoline rose 2.6 cents to close at $1.389 a gallon.

”” Heating oil rose 1.5 cents to close at $1.513 a gallon.

”” Natural gas fell 6.2 cents to close at $2.524 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Prices of U.S. government bonds didn't move much. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note held steady at 2.05 percent.

Precious metals futures ended slightly lower, but copper prices surged. Gold slipped $11.60 to $1,115.20 an ounce, silver fell six cents to $14.52 an ounce and copper jumped nine cents to $2.34 a pound.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -12.69 points or ▼ -0.08% on Thursday, 1 October 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,272.01 ▼ -12.69 ▼ -0.08%
Nasdaq____ 4,627.08 ▲ 6.92 ▲ 0.15%
S&P_500___ 1,923.82 ▲ 3.79 ▲ 0.20%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.85 ▼ -0.03 ▼ -0.97%

NYSE Volume 3,954,817,500
Nasdaq Volume 2,104,732,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,072.47 ▲ 10.86 ▲ 0.18%
DAX_____ 9,509.25 ▼ -151.19 ▼ -1.57%
CAC_40__ 4,426.54 ▼ -28.75 ▼ -0.65%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,144.10 ▲ 85.50 ▲ 1.69%
Shanghai_Comp 3,052.78 ▲ 14.64 ▲ 0.48%
Taiwan_Weight 8,295.94 ▲ 114.70 ▲ 1.40%
Nikkei_225___ 17,722.42 ▲ 334.27 ▲ 1.92%
Hang_Seng.__ 20,846.30 ▲ 289.70 ▲ 1.41%
Strait_Times.__ 2,801.85 ▲ 10.96 ▲ 0.39%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,585.43 ▼ -7.93 ▼ -0.14%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-end-little-changed-201132971.html

US stocks end little changed before monthly jobs report

US stocks close little changed after worst quarter in 4 years; investors await jobs report
Associated Press By The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) -- A late turn gave the stock market a meagre gain to start the month Thursday, a day after it finished its worst quarter in four years.

Investors were looking ahead to Friday when the government releases its monthly jobs report. Economists forecast that employers added 200,000 workers to their payrolls last month. Strong hiring would likely raise expectations that the Federal Reserve will increase its benchmark interest rate at its next meeting later this month.

If the jobs report were to show a gain of more than 200,000, people will start wondering about the Fed's next move, said Brad McMillan, chief investment officer at the Commonwealth Financial Network. "That could mean we're in for another big drop," he said.

Mounting concerns about slowing global economic growth and the timing of the Fed's first interest-rate hike in nearly a decade battered markets over recent months.

Without any big developments to drive the action on Thursday, trading appeared aimless. The Standard & Poor's 500 index took a sharp fall in the morning, languished throughout the afternoon then climbed back to finish the day with a slight gain.

The S&P 500 added 3.79 points, or 0.2 percent, to close at 1,923.82.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 12.69 points, or 0.1 percent, to 16,272.01 and the Nasdaq composite gained 6.92 points, or 0.2 percent, to 4,627.08.

On Wednesday, the S&P 500, the most widely used measure of U.S. investments, closed out the quarter with a 7.4 percent loss.

"It has been a painful experience, but that's what creates opportunities," said Tom Dinegan, an equity strategist at UBS Wealth Management. "There's more panic in the market than there is in the economy."

Among companies in the news, Dunkin' Brands plunged 12 percent after the company's revenue estimates fell short of analysts' forecasts. Dunkin' Brands dropped $6 to an even $43.

Twitter lost 8.4 percent amid reports that the social-media company will name co-founder Jack Dorsey as CEO for a second time. Its stock sank $2.26 to $24.68.

In Europe, Germany's DAX fell 1.6 percent, and France's CAC-40 fell 0.7 percent. The FTSE 100 index of leading British shares edged up 0.2.

There was some encouraging news out of China where an official measure of manufacturing rose in September, up from its lowest level in three years.

Elsewhere in Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 jumped 1.9 percent, South Korea's Kospi rose 0.8 percent, and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 advanced 1.8 percent.

Prices for U.S. government bonds edged up, nudging the yield down to 2.04 percent from 2.05 percent late Wednesday. The euro rose to $1.1188 while the dollar dipped to 119.90 yen.

Precious and industrial metals settled with small losses. Gold dropped $1.50 to finish at $1,113.70 an ounce, and silver slipped a penny to $14.51 an ounce. Copper lost 4 cents to $2.30 per pound.

The price of oil fell Thursday on weakness in U.S. manufacturing, which could lead to lower demand for crude. The Institute for Supply Management said Thursday that U.S. manufacturers expanded at their slowest pace in two years last month, held back by faltering global growth.

The price of crude oil fell 35 cents to close at $44.74 a barrel in New York. Brent Crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, fell 68 cents to close at $47.69 in London.

In other futures trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange:

”” Wholesale gasoline remained unchanged at $1.367 a gallon.

”” Heating oil fell 1.7 cents to close at $1.520 a gallon.

”” Natural gas fell 9.1 cents to close at $2.433 per 1,000 cubic feet, its lowest level since the summer of 2012, on high supplies.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 200.36 points or ▲ 1.23% on Friday, 2 October 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,472.37 ▲ 200.36 ▲ 1.23%
Nasdaq____ 4,707.78 ▲ 80.69 ▲ 1.74%
S&P_500___ 1,951.36 ▲ 27.54 ▲ 1.43%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.83 ▼ -0.03 ▼ -0.91%

NYSE Volume 4,355,894,000
Nasdaq Volume 2,165,175,000

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,129.98 ▲ 57.51 ▲ 0.95%
DAX_____ 9,553.07 ▲ 43.82 ▲ 0.46%
CAC_40__ 4,458.88 ▲ 32.34 ▲ 0.73%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,089.20 ▼ -54.90 ▼ -1.07%
Shanghai_Comp 3,052.78 ▲ 14.64 ▲ 0.48%
Taiwan_Weight 8,305.03 ▲ 9.09 ▲ 0.11%
Nikkei_225___ 17,725.13 ▲ 2.71 ▲ 0.02%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,506.09 ▲ 659.79 ▲ 3.17%
Strait_Times.__ 2,793.15 ▼ -8.70 ▼ -0.31%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,593.51 ▲ 8.08 ▲ 0.14%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stock-market-shakes-early-stumble-201355467.html

Stock market shakes of an early stumble, ends higher

Stock markets shakes off an early stumble and ends higher, led by gains in energy sector
Associated Press By Matthew Craft, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- News of slower hiring last month jolted markets early Friday, driving government bonds up and the dollar down. The stock market, after slumping in early trading, finished the day with a solid gain.

A jump in crude oil helped turn things around, as Chevron, Exxon Mobil and other oil giants charged higher. But the swing was also a result of traders speculating that the weak jobs report will prevent the Federal Reserve from raising its benchmark interest rate anytime soon. The Fed has only two meetings left to make a move this year: one later this month and another in December.

"It looks like October is clearly off the table," said Michael Arone, chief investment strategist at State Street Global Advisors. "I think it puts into question December, too."

The government reported that employers added 142,000 workers last month, much lower than the 200,000 anticipated on Wall Street, and hired fewer people in July and August than previously thought. The unemployment rate stayed at 5.1 percent, but only because many Americans have stopped looking for work and are no longer counted as unemployed.

"There's just no positive spin you can put on it," said Russ Koesterich, BlackRock's global chief investment strategist. "Combined with other reports, it really raises questions about the strength of the recovery."

Major indexes fell hard at the opening of trading, with the Dow Jones industrial average losing as much as 258 points, then reversed course and charged higher throughout the afternoon.

The Dow gained 200.36 points, or 1.2 percent, to close at 16,472.37.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index surged 27.54 points, or 1.4 percent, to 1,951.36. The Nasdaq composite rose 80.69 points, or 1.7 percent, to 4,707.78.

Sometimes, bad news looks like good news for investors. It's been a confusing theme ever since the Fed cut its benchmark rate to near zero during the financial crisis in 2008, helping to set off a stock-market rally.

In the upside-down logic of Wall Street, discouraging economic reports have often been treated as encouraging because it meant the Fed would keep lending rates at record lows. Low rates help drive money into stocks, partly by making the returns on bonds, CDs and other income-producing investments seem paltry by comparison.

In Europe, major indexes finished slightly higher. Germany's DAX rose 0.5 percent, France's CAC-40 rose 0.7 percent, and Britain's FTSE 100 added 0.9 percent.

Markets in Asia drifted, with Japan's Nikkei 225 rising less than 0.1 percent. South Korea's Kospi slipped 0.5 percent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng rebounded after a holiday, jumping 3.2 percent. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 lost 1.2 percent to 5,052.00. Markets on mainland China remain closed for holidays until Oct. 8.

Back in the U.S., Nordstrom's stock climbed after announcing that it will pay a special dividend and spend up to $1 billion buying its own shares. The department-store chain gained $3.69, or 5 percent, to $75.12.

U.S. government bond prices jumped, driving the yield on the 10-year down to 1.98 percent, down from 2.04 percent late Thursday. It fell as low as 1.91 percent in morning trading, its lowest level since April. The euro rose to $1.1218.

In the commodity markets, precious metals finished with big gains. Gold jumped $22.90, or 2 percent, to $1,136.60 an ounce, and silver soared 75 cents, or 5 percent, to $15.26 an ounce. Copper rose 2 cents, or 1 percent, to $2.33 a pound.

The price of oil bounced back from two days of losses. U.S. crude gained 80 cents to close at $45.54 a barrel in New York. Brent Crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, rose 44 cents to close at $48.13 a barrel in London.

In other futures trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange:

— Wholesale gasoline fell 2.5 cents to close at $1.341 a gallon.

— Heating oil was little changed at $1.520 a gallon.

— Natural gas rose 1.8 cents to close at $2.451 per 1,000 cubic feet.

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