NYSE Dow Jones finished today at:

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 165.22 points or ▲ 0.94% on Monday, November 2, 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,828.76 ▲ 165.22 ▲ 0.94%
Nasdaq____ 5,127.15 ▲ 73.40 ▲ 1.45%
S&P_500___ 2,104.05 ▲ 24.69 ▲ 1.19%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.96 ▲ 0.02 ▲ 0.82%

NYSE Volume 3,696,160,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,872,898,120

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,361.80 ▲ 0.71 ▲ 0.01%
DAX_____ 10,950.67 ▲ 100.53 ▲ 0.93%
CAC_40__ 4,916.21 ▲ 18.55 ▲ 0.38%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,221.30 ▼ -67.30 ▼ -1.27%
Shanghai_Comp 3,325.08 ▼ -57.48 ▼ -1.70%
Taiwan_Weight 8,614.77 ▲ 60.46 ▲ 0.71%
Nikkei_225___ 18,683.24 ▼ -399.86 ▼ -2.10%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,370.04 ▼ -270.00 ▼ -1.19%
Strait_Times.__ 2,974.41 ▼ -23.94 ▼ -0.80%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,983.84 ▲ 12.99 ▲ 0.23%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/dow-j...;_ylg=X3oDMTBhYWM1a2sxBGxhbmcDZW4tVVM-;_ylv=3

Dow Jones industrial average turns positive for the year

Gains in energy, health care stocks send Dow Jones industrial average into the black for 2015
Associated Press By Marley Jay and Ken Sweet, The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks posted solid gains Monday, adding to last month's big advances and pushing the Dow Jones industrial average into positive territory for 2015. Several companies moved on news, including Chipotle Mexican Grill and Visa.

Health care stocks were among the winners as drugmakers Pfizer and AbbVie climbed, while energy stocks rose sharply in a late-day rally.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 165.22 points, or 0.9 percent, to 17,828.76. The gain made the Dow the last of the three major U.S. market indexes to return to positive territory for 2015.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 24.69 points, or 1.2 percent, to 2,104.05 and the Nasdaq composite rose 73.40 points, or 1.5 percent, to 5,127.15.

Health-care stocks continued to rally. Drug giant Pfizer rose $1.24, or 3.7 percent, to $35.05, the second-biggest gain in the Dow. The shares slumped late last week on word Pfizer is in talks to buy competitor Allergan.

AbbVie, which surged 10 percent Friday on strong third-quarter results, climbed $3.83, or 6.4 percent, to $63.38 after analysts at Morgan Stanley upgraded the stock.

Health-care stocks gained 2 percent, nearly twice as much as the broader S&P 500 index. Energy stocks rose even more, 2.4 percent. Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Chesapeake Energy and others rose 3 percent or more.

Visa was among the biggest decliners. The payments processor gave up $2.36, or 3 percent, to close at $75.22 after saying it would buy its sister company Visa Europe in a deal that could be worth more than $23 billion. The company warned that 2016 earnings could be hurt as the company finances the debt and stock to pay for the deal.

A lot of focus for investors is on company earnings, which continue to roll out this week. Earnings season is nearly through, and the stock market has recovered significantly as companies have reported somewhat better results than initially expected.

With 340 companies out of the S&P 500 reporting, third-quarter earnings are down 2.2 percent compared to a year earlier. When earnings season began, analysts were looking for earnings to be down 5.2 percent.

"Companies continue to grind out modestly better earnings than we expected, and if you exclude energy, things actually don't look too bad," said Scott Wren, senior global equity strategist for Wells Fargo Investment Institute.

In other company news, Hewlett-Packard officially split into two companies over the weekend. HP Inc., which will sell personal computers and printers, rose $1.59, or 13 percent, to $13.83. Hewlett Packard Enterprise will sell commercial computer systems, software and tech services. Its stock edged down 23 cents, or 1.6 percent, to $14.49.

Chipotle Mexican Grill stumbled as an E. coli outbreak linked to restaurants in Oregon and Washington state spread. The restaurant chain has shut down all 43 of its locations in those states. More than 20 people have gotten sick and that number is expected to increase as word of the outbreak spreads. No deaths have been reported. Chipotle lost $16.23, or 2.5 percent, to $624.

In other markets, U.S. crude oil fell 45 cents, or 1 percent, to close at $46.14 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, which is used to price international oils, slid 77 cents, or 1.6 percent, to $48.79 a barrel in London.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline edged up 0.4 cent to $1.375 a gallon in New York, heating oil fell a penny to $1.507 a gallon and natural gas fell 6.5 cents to $2.256 per 1,000 cubic feet.

U.S government bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.18 percent from 2.15 percent Friday. The dollar edged up to 120.74 yen from 120.70 yen and the euro rose to $1.1022 from $1.1003.

Precious and industrial metals futures closed mixed. Gold fell $5.50 to $1,135.90 an ounce, silver fell 16 cents to close at $15.41 an ounce and copper edged up less than a penny to $2.32 a pound.

___

This story has been corrected to show that one of the companies created in the split of Hewlett-Packard is Hewlett Packard Enterprise, not Enterprises.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 89.39 points or ▲ 0.50% on Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,918.15 ▲ 89.39 ▲ 0.50%
Nasdaq____ 5,145.13 ▲ 17.98 ▲ 0.35%
S&P_500___ 2,109.79 ▲ 5.74 ▲ 0.27%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.00 ▲ 0.04 ▲ 1.49%

NYSE Volume 4,184,029,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,949,836,620

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,383.61 ▲ 21.81 ▲ 0.34%
DAX_____ 10,951.15 ▲ 0.48 ▲ 0.00%
CAC_40__ 4,936.18 ▲ 19.97 ▲ 0.41%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,291.20 ▲ 69.90 ▲ 1.34%
Shanghai_Comp 3,316.70 ▼ -8.39 ▼ -0.25%
Taiwan_Weight 8,713.19 ▲ 98.42 ▲ 1.14%
Nikkei_225___ 18,683.24 ▼ -399.86 ▼ -2.10%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,568.43 ▲ 198.39 ▲ 0.89%
Strait_Times.__ 2,999.56 ▲ 25.15 ▲ 0.85%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,021.97 ▲ 38.13 ▲ 0.64%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-st...;_ylg=X3oDMTBhYWM1a2sxBGxhbmcDZW4tVVM-;_ylv=3

US stocks close higher, helped by energy, auto sales

US stocks close higher as energy sector gains along with oil
Associated Press By Ken Sweet, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- A rally in energy companies helped push the U.S. stock market higher for a second straight day on Tuesday. Investors also worked through corporate news and prepared for key U.S. economic data later this week.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 89.39 points, or 0.5 percent, to 17,918.15. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 5.74 points, or 0.3 percent, to 2,109.79 and the Nasdaq composite rose 17.98 points, or 0.4 percent, to 5,145.13.

Oil and gas companies, one of the most battered parts of the market, saw another wave of investor interest. The energy sector of the S&P 500 rallied 2.5 percent. The advance was mostly on the back of a jump in the price of oil, which climbed 4 percent.

Drilling and exploration companies were the biggest benefactors. Pioneer Natural Resources, Diamond Offshore and Anadarko Petroleum all rose more than 5 percent. Oil conglomerates Exxon Mobil and Chevron rose 2 percent and 3 percent respectively.

Investors found some good news in the monthly sales reports from the automakers. General Motors, Ford and others reported double-digit increases in sales from a year earlier, and some automakers are on pace to break annual sales records.

"Even with the market volatility this summer, there aren't the signs that consumers are hunkering down," said David Kelly, chief global strategist at JP Morgan Funds. "This could be good news heading into the holidays."

GM rose 21 cents, or 0.6 percent, to $35.78 and Ford rose six cents, or 0.4 percent, to $14.81.

In other company news, shares of King Digital Entertainment, the publisher of the Candy Crush Saga video game, jumped $2.31, or 15 percent, to $17.85 after Activision Blizzard announced it would buy the company for $5.9 billion. Activision Blizzard rose $1.25, or 3.6 percent, to $35.82.

Investors will be turning to economic data out later this week. The October jobs report comes out on Friday. If the survey comes in strong, it would raise market expectations that the Fed will raise interest rates at their December meeting. Economists surveyed by FactSet expect U.S. employers added 185,000 jobs in October and that the unemployment rate remained steady at 5.1 percent

U.S. government bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.21 percent from 2.17 percent late Monday. In currencies, the euro fell to $1.0963 from $1.1013 and the dollar rose to 120.99 yen from 120.76 yen.

In the metals market, gold fell $21.80, or 2 percent, to $1,114.10 an ounce, silver fell 17 cents, or 1 percent, to $15.24 an ounce and copper rose a penny to $2.33 a pound.

Benchmark U.S. crude added $1.76, or 3.8 percent, to close at $47.90 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, which is used to price international oils, rose $1.75, or 3.6 percent, to $50.54 a barrel in London.

Wholesale gasoline jumped seven cents to $1.446 a gallon in New York, heating oil rose 5.9 cents to $1.566 a gallon and natural gas fell 0.3 cents to $2.253 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -50.57 points or ▼ -0.28% on Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,867.58 ▼ -50.57 ▼ -0.28%
Nasdaq____ 5,142.48 ▼ -2.65 ▼ -0.05%
S&P_500___ 2,102.31 ▼ -7.48 ▼ -0.35%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.99 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.23%

NYSE Volume 4,018,502,750
Nasdaq Volume 2,073,526,620

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,412.88 ▲ 29.27 ▲ 0.46%
DAX_____ 10,845.24 ▼ -105.91 ▼ -0.97%
CAC_40__ 4,948.29 ▲ 12.11 ▲ 0.25%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,294.80 ▲ 3.60 ▲ 0.07%
Shanghai_Comp 3,459.64 ▲ 142.94 ▲ 4.31%
Taiwan_Weight 8,857.02 ▲ 143.83 ▲ 1.65%
Nikkei_225___ 18,926.91 ▲ 243.67 ▲ 1.30%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,053.57 ▲ 485.14 ▲ 2.15%
Strait_Times.__ 3,040.48 ▲ 40.92 ▲ 1.36%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,071.21 ▲ 49.24 ▲ 0.82%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-st...;_ylg=X3oDMTBhYWM1a2sxBGxhbmcDZW4tVVM-;_ylv=3

US stocks slip, led by weakness in the energy sector

Stocks fall with the price of oil; media companies plunge after bleak outlook from Time Warner
Associated Press By Ken Sweet, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks retreated modestly Wednesday after comments from Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen implied that Fed policymakers are still considering raising interest rates in December.

Yellen's comments pushed the U.S. dollar higher. The dollar's rise had a secondary impact of causing oil to fall, which in turn impacted oil, gas and energy stocks. U.S. government bond prices also fell.

Media and entertainment stocks were pummeled after worrisome comments from media conglomerate Time Warner.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 50.57 points, or 0.3 percent, to 17,867.58. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 7.48 points, or 0.4 percent, to 2,102.31 and the Nasdaq composite fell 2.65 points, or 0.1 percent, to 5,142.48.

During her regular semi-annual testimony to Congress, Yellen said that an interest rate hike in December would be a "live possibility" if the economy stays on track. Yellen did stress that no decision has been made yet and a move in December will depend on how the economy fares between now and then.

At its Dec. 15-16 meeting, the Fed will consider raising a key interest rate from a record low of near zero if the economy continues to grow at a strong enough pace to keep adding jobs and push annual inflation toward the Fed's 2 percent target, Yellen said.

Once considered an unlikely scenario, a December rate hike seems more likely by the day. Stocks have recovered nearly all of their losses from the summer, financial markets have calmed in China and elsewhere, and the U.S. economy continues to slowly improve.

Securities that allow investors to bet on which way the Fed will move interest rates are now pricing in a roughly 60 percent chance of the Fed raising rates next month, according to data from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

"Everyone is so focused on the world's central banks at the moment they don't seem to care about anything else," said Colleen Supran with the San Francisco-based wealth management firm Bingham, Osborn & Scarborough.

Investors will closely parse the October jobs report, which is due out Friday. Investors expect that U.S. employers added 185,000 jobs last month and that the unemployment rate remained steady at 5.1 percent.

One of the biggest victims of Yellen's comments, inadvertently, was oil and gas stocks. Yellen's comments cause the U.S. dollar to strengthen and oil prices to decline sharply.

Crude oil fell $1.58, or 3.3 percent, to $46.32 a barrel, reversing after two days of gains. Brent crude, which is used to price international oils, fell $1.96, or 4 percent, to $48.58 a barrel.

"Today's sell-off was easily definable by some hawkish comments out of (Yellen) suggestive of a rate hike next month," wrote Jim Ritterbusch, with the oil trading firm Ritterbusch & Associates, in a note.

Some of the biggest gainers on Monday and Tuesday were among the biggest decliners on Wednesday. Oilfield servicing company Baker Hughes fell $2.90, or 5.3 percent, to $51.56. Newfield Exploration lost $1.84, or 4.6 percent, to $38.30.

Media companies were another weak spot in the market. They fell sharply after Time Warner gave a worrisome earnings forecast for 2016. The company cited concerns about "cord-cutting," a phenomenon that's been increasing in recent years where long-time cable TV subscribers have cancelled or substantially curtailed their subscriptions, opting instead for cheaper services like HBO GO or Netflix.

Time Warner fell $5.10, or 6.6 percent, to $72.20, Viacom fell $3.37, or 6.6 percent, to $47.92 and Twenty-First Century Fox lost $1.63, or 5.2 percent, to $29.65.

Netflix gained $4.31, or 4 percent, to $114.05.

Bond prices fell, mostly as a result of Yellen's comments. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.22 percent from 2.21 percent the day before.

Precious and industrial metals futures closed lower. Gold fell $7.90 to $1,106.20 an ounce, silver lost 18 cents to $15.06 an ounce and copper edged down less than a penny to $2.32 a pound.

In the rest of the energy market, wholesale gasoline fell 5.4 cents to $1.392 a gallon in New York, heating oil fell 6.3 cents to $1.504 a gallon and natural gas rose 0.9 cents to $2.262 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -4.15 points or ▼ -0.02% on Thursday, November 5, 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,863.43 ▼ -4.15 ▼ -0.02%
Nasdaq____ 5,127.74 ▼ -14.74 ▼ -0.29%
S&P_500___ 2,099.93 ▼ -2.38 ▼ -0.11%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.01 ▲ 0.02 ▲ 0.63%

NYSE Volume 3,993,757,250
Nasdaq Volume 2,026,758,120

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,364.90 ▼ -47.98 ▼ -0.75%
DAX_____ 10,887.74 ▲ 42.50 ▲ 0.39%
CAC_40__ 4,980.04 ▲ 31.75 ▲ 0.64%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,247.90 ▼ -46.90 ▼ -0.89%
Shanghai_Comp 3,522.82 ▲ 63.18 ▲ 1.83%
Taiwan_Weight 8,850.18 ▼ -6.84 ▼ -0.08%
Nikkei_225___ 19,116.41 ▲ 189.50 ▲ 1.00%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,051.04 ▼ -2.53 ▼ -0.01%
Strait_Times.__ 3,023.65 ▼ -16.83 ▼ -0.55%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,073.63 ▲ 2.42 ▲ 0.04%

http://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2015/11/05/stocks-open-flat-on-mixed-earnings

US stocks close slightly lower in quiet session ahead of Friday jobs report
By KEN SWEET, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) ”” The U.S. stock market ended Thursday's trading slightly lower as investors were hesitant to make any large bets before the release of the government's closely watched jobs report, out Friday.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 4.15 points, or less than 0.1 percent, to 17,863.43. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 2.38 points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,099.93 and the Nasdaq composite fell 14.74 points, or 0.3 percent, to 5,127.74.

Drug stocks were among the biggest decliners, following another steep drop in shares of Valeant Pharmaceuticals. Shares in the company, which traded above $250 a share only a few months ago, fell below $80 on reports that a major hedge fund had sold its investment in the company and a Congressional panel is probing the company's operations. Valeant closed down $13.20, or 14 percent, to $78.77.

While the government's monthly jobs report is always important to investors, there is additional focus on this month's report. With the fate of years of near-zero interest rates hanging in the balance, strong October and November jobs reports could give the Federal Reserve enough of a reason to consider raising interest rates in December.

"We think the Fed does raise interest rates in December, but it is going to be somewhat of a close call and it depends on how the data comes in between now and then," said David Lefkowitz, senior equity strategist for UBS wealth management.

Testifying before a committee of the U.S. Congress on Wednesday, Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen described the U.S. economy as "performing well" and said an interest rate hike in December was a "live possibility" if the economy stays on track. Her view was echoed by another Fed policymaker later in the day. Yellen did stress that no decision has been made yet and a move in December will depend on how the economy fares between now and then.

Economists expect that U.S. employers added 190,000 jobs last month and that the unemployment rate remained steady at 5.1 percent, according to FactSet.

Investors have become increasingly confident that there's a real chance of a December rate hike. Investments that track which way the Fed will move interest rates show the possibility of a rate hike at around 60 percent. Bond yields remained unchanged, with the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note at 2.23 percent. Bond yields are at their highest level since right before the Fed's September meeting.

"This is all to say that perhaps the Fed is going to pull off what was once thought of as unachievable and (end near-zero interest rates) without blowing up the market," said Kevin McNeil, U.S. rates strategist at RBS, in a note to investors late Thursday.

In the energy markets, U.S. crude oil fell $1.12, or 2.4 percent, to $45.20 a barrel in electronic trading in New York. Brent crude, which is used to price international oils, fell 60 cents, or 1.2 percent, to $47.98 a barrel.

Wholesale gasoline futures fell two cents, or 1 percent, to $1.487 a gallon, heating oil fell three cents, or 2 percent, to $1.361 a gallon and natural gas futures rose 10 cents, or 4.5 percent, to $2.364 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The jump in natural gas prices helped push gas companies sharply higher. Southwestern Energy rose 62 cents, or 5.3 percent, to $12.28 and CONSOL Energy rose 33 cents, or 4 percent to $8.45.

In metals, gold fell $2.00, or 0.2 percent, $1,104.20 an ounce, silver fell eight cents, or 0.5 percent, to $14.98 an ounce and copper fell 7 cents, or 3 percent, to $2.255 a pound.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 46.9 points or ▲ 0.26% on Friday, November 6, 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,910.33 ▲ 46.90 ▲ 0.26%
Nasdaq____ 5,147.12 ▲ 19.38 ▲ 0.38%
S&P_500___ 2,099.20 ▼ -0.73 ▼ -0.03%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.09 ▲ 0.08 ▲ 2.52%

NYSE Volume 4,284,964,500
Nasdaq Volume 2,032,140,000

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,353.83 ▼ -11.07 ▼ -0.17%
DAX_____ 10,988.03 ▲ 100.29 ▲ 0.92%
CAC_40__ 4,984.15 ▲ 4.11 ▲ 0.08%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,269.70 ▲ 21.80 ▲ 0.42%
Shanghai_Comp 3,590.03 ▲ 67.21 ▲ 1.91%
Taiwan_Weight 8,693.57 ▼ -156.61 ▼ -1.77%
Nikkei_225___ 19,265.60 ▲ 149.19 ▲ 0.78%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,867.33 ▼ -183.71 ▼ -0.80%
Strait_Times.__ 3,010.47 ▼ -13.18 ▼ -0.44%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,069.74 ▼ -3.89 ▼ -0.06%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stock...-october-jobs-numbers-151454001--finance.html

Stocks end mixed as market factors interest rate hike

Stocks closed mixed after strong October jobs report, as higher interest rates now look likely
Associated Press By Ken Sweet, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks had a mixed reaction Friday to the surprisingly strong October jobs report as investors adjusted to the prospect of higher interest rates as early as next month.

While the major indexes, on the surface, had a muted reaction to the jobs numbers, look at the individual parts of the market showed investors were actively reshuffling their portfolios.

Dividend-paying stocks, which are typically bought for their higher-than-average payouts when interest rates and bond yields are low, dropped sharply on Friday. The Dow Jones utility index, a basket of 15 dividend-paying utility stocks, sank 4 percent.

In contrast, bank stocks rose sharply as investors bet that higher interest rates would translate into higher profits, since they may be able to charge more for lending. JPMorgan Chase rose $2.02, or 3 percent, to $68.46, Bank of America rose 64 cents, or 3.7 percent, to $17.95 and Morgan Stanley rose $1.53, or 4.5 percent, $35.41.

"You just need to look at those two groups and see that the market is positioning itself for higher interest rates," said Ryan Larson, head of equity trading at RBC Global Asset Management.

Wall Street has been in a months-long guessing game about the Federal Reserve, trying to figure out when the policymakers at the nation's central bank will finally raise interest rates. The market turmoil over the summer kept the Fed from raising rates at their September meeting, and policymakers decided to wait yet again at their October meeting to see more signs the U.S. economy was on sure footing.

By nearly every account, the October jobs report gave the Fed exactly what they wanted. The Labor Department said U.S. employers added 271,000 jobs, far more than the most hopeful of expectations, and the unemployment rate dipped to a fresh seven-year low of 5 percent, from 5.1 percent. The burst of hiring, the most in 10 months, filled jobs across a range of industries.

"This makes it pretty likely the Fed will raise rates in December," said Priscilla Hancock, a global fixed income strategist for J.P. Morgan Asset Management.

Fed fund futures, which are securities that bet on which way the Fed will move interest rates, now show roughly a 74 percent chance of the central bank raising rates in December, up from 60 percent on Wednesday and up from well below 50 percent as recently as late summer. But the size of the predicted interest rate increase remains modest. Investors expect interest rates will go from their current 0-to-0.25 percent levels to 0.5 percent.

"The Fed is still going to be extremely accommodative for investors. A rate hike in December is removing those emergency measures that the bank put into place during the financial crisis," Hancock said.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 46.90 points, or 0.3 percent, to close at 17,910.33. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell less than a point to 2,099.20 and the Nasdaq composite rose 19.38 points, or 0.4 percent, to close 5,147.12.

The bond market's reaction to the jobs number was far more volatile than the stock market's, with bond prices sinking as investors scaled back their holdings of Treasuries and safer investments.

The benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note rose to a yield of 2.32 percent from 2.23 percent on Thursday, a big move for that security. The two-year note jumped to a yield of 0.89 percent, a five-year high for that note, from 0.83 percent the day before.

The data also caused the dollar to rise sharply against its major currency counterparts. The euro fell to $1.0742, its lowest level in six months, and the dollar rose against the Japanese yen to 123.19.

The stronger dollar caused a selloff in commodities as well. Benchmark crude oil fell 91 cents, or 2 percent, to $44.29 a barrel and Brent crude, which is used to price international oils, fell 56 cents, or 1.2 percent, to $47.42 a barrel. Gold fell $16.50, or 1.5 percent, to $1,087.70 an ounce, silver fell 29 cents, or 2 percent, to $14.69 an ounce and high-grade copper fell a penny, or 0.6 percent, to $2.242 a pound.

In other energy products, heating oil rose less than a cent to $1.49 a gallon, wholesale gasoline futures rose a penny to $1.37 a gallon and natural gas rose 0.7 cent to $2.371 per 1,000 cubic feet.

0894

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -179.85 points or ▼ -1.00% on Monday, November 9, 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,730.48 ▼ -179.85 ▼ -1.00%
Nasdaq____ 5,095.30 ▼ -51.82 ▼ -1.01%
S&P_500___ 2,078.58 ▼ -20.62 ▼ -0.98%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.11 ▲ 0.02 ▲ 0.55%

NYSE Volume 3,816,244,500
Nasdaq Volume 1,838,821,620

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,295.16 ▼ -58.67 ▼ -0.92%
DAX_____ 10,815.45 ▼ -172.58 ▼ -1.57%
CAC_40__ 4,911.17 ▼ -72.98 ▼ -1.46%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,180.30 ▼ -89.40 ▼ -1.70%
Shanghai_Comp 3,646.88 ▲ 56.85 ▲ 1.58%
Taiwan_Weight 8,642.48 ▼ -51.09 ▼ -0.59%
Nikkei_225___ 19,642.74 ▲ 377.14 ▲ 1.96%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,726.77 ▼ -140.56 ▼ -0.61%
Strait_Times.__ 2,997.72 ▼ -12.75 ▼ -0.42%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,047.89 ▼ -21.85 ▼ -0.36%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-lower-weak-china-145232973.html

US stocks end lower as traders worry about global growth
Associated Press By KEN SWEET

NEW YORK (AP) ”” The stock market stumbled Monday as investors worried that the global economy could be slowing just as last week's blockbuster U.S. jobs report appeared to open the way to the first rate hike from the Federal Reserve in nearly a decade. It was the first notable decline for the market in six weeks.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 179.85 points, or 1 percent, to 17,730.48, slipping back into negative territory for the year. The Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 20.62 points, or 1 percent, to 2,078.58. The Nasdaq composite fell 51.82 points, or 1 percent, to 5,095.30.

Investors continue to deal with the fallout of October's unexpectedly strong jobs report, which greatly increased expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve is likely to raise short-term interest rates, which have been close to zero since the 2008 financial crisis.

The Labor Department said U.S. employers created 271,000 jobs last month, more than the even most bullish of forecasts. The unemployment rate also dropped to 5 percent, the lowest in seven years. The surprising sign of strength could encourage the Fed to finally start to return interest rates to normal levels.

"This all shows how Friday's employment report possibly changed the game," John Briggs, head of fixed income strategy at RBS, wrote in a note to investors.

The possibility of higher interest rates continued to push investors to reposition their portfolios. Even in a declining stock market, investors also sold government bonds. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.34 percent. That's up from 2.33 percent Friday and significantly higher than the 2.23 percent level on Thursday. Yields on other Treasuries, including the two-year and three-year notes, also rose.

Securities that bet on which way the Fed will move interest rates show roughly a 70 percent chance the central bank will raise rates.

Global stocks were also reacting to news out of China, where customs data showed the country's imports plunged 18.8 percent in October from a year earlier, damping hopes for a Chinese economic rebound this quarter. Exports shrank 6.9 percent in a sign of weak global demand.

Germany's DAX index fell 1.6 percent, France's CAC-40 index lost 1.5 percent and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 lost 1 percent. In Asia, stocks actually rose in a bet that Asian governments would be more proactive in helping their ailing economies than their European counterparts.

"We've known about China's issues for a while now, but this will likely lead to the government doing more stimulus," said Quincy Krosby, market strategist with Prudential Financial.

Among individual companies, travel site Priceline fell $138.75, or 9.6 percent, to $1,311.15 after the company's outlook for the fourth quarter, a typically strong period for travel companies, came up short of analysts' expectations.

Drugmaker Mallinckrodt fell $11.88, or 17 percent, to $58.01 after the short-selling firm Citron Research warned that the company might have issues similar to Valeant Pharmaceuticals. Citron became well-known earlier this year when it published a report on Valeant, whose stock has fallen by two thirds since the summer.

Benchmark U.S. crude fell 42 cents, or 0.9 percent, to $43.87 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, used to price international oils, declined 23 cents to $47.19 a barrel in London.

In other energy trading, heating oil fell a penny to $1.477 a gallon, wholesale gasoline was mostly unchanged at $1.371 a gallon and natural gas fell seven cents to $2.30 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Precious and industrial metals prices closed mixed. Gold edged up 40 cents to $1,088.10 an ounce, silver dropped 28 cents, or 1.9 percent, to $14.41 an ounce and copper rose a penny, or 0.5 percent, to $2.23 a poun

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 27.73 points or ▲ 0.16% on Tuesday, November 10, 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,758.21 ▲ 27.73 ▲ 0.16%
Nasdaq____ 5,083.24 ▼ -12.06 ▼ -0.24%
S&P_500___ 2,081.72 ▲ 3.14 ▲ 0.15%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.09 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.39%

NYSE Volume 3,698,057,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,872,920,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,275.28 ▼ -19.88 ▼ -0.32%
DAX_____ 10,832.52 ▲ 17.07 ▲ 0.16%
CAC_40__ 4,912.16 ▲ 0.99 ▲ 0.02%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,157.70 ▼ -22.60 ▼ -0.44%
Shanghai_Comp 3,640.49 ▼ -6.40 ▼ -0.18%
Taiwan_Weight 8,536.90 ▼ -105.58 ▼ -1.22%
Nikkei_225___ 19,671.26 ▲ 28.52 ▲ 0.15%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,401.70 ▼ -325.07 ▼ -1.43%
Strait_Times.__ 2,997.72 ▼ -12.75 ▼ -0.42%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,002.81 ▼ -45.08 ▼ -0.75%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-wobble-extending-slump-gap-plunges-151502887.html#

A late gain leaves stocks mostly higher after a 4-day slump

US stocks extend slide into fifth day as Apple leads tech stocks lower on iPhone concerns
Associated Press By Marley Jay, AP Markets Writer

NEW YORK (AP) ”” Stocks reversed course and moved mostly higher Tuesday, breaking a four-day losing streak.

The gainers included retailers and media companies. Strong quarterly results from D.R. Horton boosted shares of homebuilders.

Health care stocks including drug companies also made gains, while Apple dragged down the technology sector. Analysts at Credit Suisse said a slowdown in the company's orders for components suggests demand for the new iPhone 6 is weak.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 27.73 points, or 0.2 percent, to 17,758.21. The Standard & Poor's 500 index added 3.14 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,081.72. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite gave up 12.06 points, or 0.2 percent, to 5,083.24.

Stocks spent most of Tuesday in the red, then turned positive in the last hour and a half of trading. The S&P 500 had fallen 1.5 over the previous four trading days. Most of that loss came on Monday, when the index took its biggest dive in six weeks.

Botox maker Allergan was one of the biggest gainers in health care. The Irish company, which has held talks with competitor Pfizer about a potential sale, rose $9.88, or 3.3 percent, to $306.70. Drugmakers Perrigo, Endo and Mallinckrodt all traded higher.

Apple lost $3.80, or 3.2 percent, to $116.77. The world's most valuable company reported record earnings just two weeks ago, boosted by surging sales in China. Apple gets more than two-thirds of its revenue from iPhone sales, and some investors are worried that Apple won't be able to maintain its growth as worldwide smartphone sales slow down.

Apple's loss weighed down tech stocks. Tech stocks have had a strong year, rising more than 6 percent, the second-best industry gain in the S&P 500.

While tech and health care stocks have performed well this year, some companies could have a rougher road ahead. With the Federal Reserve poised to raise interest rates, the dollar could get stronger. That would be a source of pain for semiconductor makers and drug companies, said Jack Ablin of BMO Private Bank.

"The types of companies that could get hurt are the ones that rely on exports for their growth and profits," he said.

Chipotle Mexican Grill's restaurants in Washington state and Oregon could reopen in a few days after. A total of 43 locations were closed because of an E. coli outbreak, and tests for the bacteria at Chipotle restaurants came back negative. Shares of Chipotle rose $19.59, or 3.2 percent, to $628.88.

Homebuilder D.R. Horton rose $2.38, or 8.3 percent, to $31.35 after its fiscal fourth-quarter results surpassed analyst estimates. That lifted shares of its competitors: PulteGroup rose 63 cents, or 3.6 percent, $18.19 and Lennar added $1.60, or 3.4 percent, to $49.40,

Gap lost 40 cents, or 1.4 percent, to $27.29 after the retailer posted disappointing results for October, including lower overall sales. Earlier in the day its stock fell as much as 6 percent.

Industrial equipment and software maker Rockwell Automation fell $3.61, or 3.4 percent, to $104.18 after its earnings came up short of what analysts were looking for.

Bond prices didn't move much. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note dipped to 2.33 percent from 2.34 percent a day earlier.

Benchmark U.S. crude rose 34 cents, or 0.8 percent, to close at $44.21 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils, picked up 25 cents, or 0.5 percent, to close at $47.44 a barrel in London. Heating oil rose 0.9 cents to $1.487 and wholesale gasoline slipped 0.9 cents to $1.362 a gallon. Natural gas rose two cents to $2.32 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The dollar rose to 123.19 yen from 123.11 yen on Monday. The euro slipped to $1.0721 from $1.0758.

Gold inched up 40 cents to $1,088.50 an ounce. Silver fell 5.7 cents to $14.36 an ounce. Copper fell 1.25 cents to $2.2175 a pound.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -55.99 points or ▼ -0.32% on Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,702.22 ▼ -55.99 ▼ -0.32%
Nasdaq____ 5,067.02 ▼ -16.22 ▼ -0.32%
S&P_500___ 2,075.00 ▼ -6.72 ▼ -0.32%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.11 ▲ 0.02 ▲ 0.52%

NYSE Volume 3,608,619,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,651,380,880

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,297.20 ▲ 21.92 ▲ 0.35%
DAX_____ 10,907.87 ▲ 75.35 ▲ 0.70%
CAC_40__ 4,952.51 ▲ 40.35 ▲ 0.82%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,181.10 ▲ 23.40 ▲ 0.45%
Shanghai_Comp 3,650.25 ▲ 9.76 ▲ 0.27%
Taiwan_Weight 8,415.01 ▼ -121.89 ▼ -1.43%
Nikkei_225___ 19,691.39 ▲ 20.13 ▲ 0.10%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,352.17 ▼ -49.53 ▼ -0.22%
Strait_Times.__ 2,981.59 ▼ -16.13 ▼ -0.54%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,013.53 ▲ 10.72 ▲ 0.18%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stock-indexes-stumble-early-trading-152503221.html#

Weakness in retailers and energy companies pull stocks lower
Associated Press By Marley Jay, AP Markets Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stock indexes ended lower Wednesday after a day of wavering between small gains and losses. A weak report from Macy's pushed retail stocks lower, and energy stocks retreated as the price of oil fell.

Macy's plunged 14 percent, its largest one-day drop in seven years. Other retailers slumped as investors took its results as a warning about third-quarter sales and the upcoming holiday shopping season.

October's big rally is fading into the distance, but most of the market's recent losses have been small. Stocks have lost ground for five of the last six trading days, leaving the market with a meager gain for the year to date.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 55.99 points, or 0.3 percent, to 17,702.22. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 6.72 points, or 0.3 percent, to 2,075. The Nasdaq composite gave up 16.22 points, or 0.3 percent, to 5,067.02.

Macy's third-quarter sales were lower than analysts expected, prompting the owner of the Bloomingdale's chain to cut its profit forecast for the year. Macy's also said it will close more stores. Its shares sank $6.58, or 14 percent, to $40.44.

Citi Investment Research analyst Paul Lejuez said fewer people bought winter clothes like boots and coats in the third quarter because the weather was warm. That meant they were less likely to go shopping for clothes at all, so inventories built up and discounts increased. That's a troubling sign around three weeks before Black Friday.

That's bad for anybody that competes against Macy's," he said.

Investors dumped shares of other retailers following the trouble at Macy's.

Kohl's fell $2.44, or 5.4 percent, to $43.16 and Nordstrom dropped $2.41, or 3.7 percent, to $62.32. Urban Outfitters fell $2.12, or 7.4 percent, to $26.59. PVH Corp., the company behind the Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger brands, lost $4.67, or 5 percent, to $88.26.

In energy trading, the price of oil dropped 3 percent after a report showed a big buildup in U.S. crude stockpiles. The American Petroleum Institute said supplies grew by 6.3 million barrels, far more than analysts expected, according to Price Futures Group analyst Phil Flynn.

U.S. crude slid $1.28 to $42.93 a barrel in New York and Brent crude, which is used to price international oils, lost $1.63 to $45.81 a barrel in London.

The two largest beer makers in the world said they have hammered out the terms of a deal. The $107 billion joining of AB InBev and SABMiller brings together brands including Budweiser, Corona, Grolsch and Stella Artois. The combined company will make about a third of the world's beer. Shares of AB InBev rose $2.18, or 2.8 percent, to $121.63.
View gallery
FILE - In this Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2014, file photo, …
FILE - In this Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2014, file photo, American flags fly in front of the New York Stoc …

As part of the agreement, SABMiller will sell its majority stake in a U.S. joint venture to Molson Coors for $12 billion. Molson Coors added $3.88, or 4.4 percent, to $92.19.

E-commerce giant Alibaba said it smashed records during the "Singles Day" holiday. Alibaba said it received 467 million orders, worth about $14.3 billion. That didn't translate into gains for its stock, which fell $1.58, or 1.9 percent, to $79.85.

Security company ADT added $1.44, or 4.4 percent, to $34 after its fiscal fourth quarter profit surpassed analysts' estimates.

Drugmaker Horizon Pharma sank 20 percent as it continued a dispute with pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts. Horizon said it is questioning its relationship with Express Scripts, which is suing Horizon and took a pharmacy that dispenses Horizon's drugs out of its network. It's the latest tussle between drugmakers and companies that pay for their products. Horizon shares have lost about half their value since the end of July.

Shares of Horizon lost $4.39 to $17.99.

The price of gold declined $3.60 to $1,084.90 an ounce. Silver fell 9.3 cents to $14.26 an ounce. Copper was little changed at $2.218 a pound.

In other energy trading, heating oil fell 3.9 cents to $1.448 a gallon and wholesale gasoline shed 3.2 cents to $1.329 a gallon. Natural gas declined 5.7 cents to $2.263 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The dollar slipped to 122.84 yen from 123.25 yen. The euro rose to $1.0740 from $1.0707.

Bond trading was closed for Veteran's Day.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -254.15 points or ▼ -1.44% on Thursday, November 12, 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,448.07 ▼ -254.15 ▼ -1.44%
Nasdaq____ 5,005.08 ▼ -61.94 ▼ -1.22%
S&P_500___ 2,045.97 ▼ -29.03 ▼ -1.40%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.09 ▼ -0.02 ▼ -0.58%

NYSE Volume 3,917,569,750
Nasdaq Volume 1,781,500,380

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,178.68 ▼ -118.52 ▼ -1.88%
DAX_____ 10,782.63 ▼ -125.24 ▼ -1.15%
CAC_40__ 4,856.65 ▼ -95.86 ▼ -1.94%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,182.20 ▲ 1.10 ▲ 0.02%
Shanghai_Comp 3,632.90 ▼ -17.35 ▼ -0.48%
Taiwan_Weight 8,428.09 ▲ 13.08 ▲ 0.16%
Nikkei_225___ 19,697.77 ▲ 6.38 ▲ 0.03%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,888.92 ▲ 536.75 ▲ 2.40%
Strait_Times.__ 2,959.01 ▼ -22.58 ▼ -0.76%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,023.96 ▲ 10.43 ▲ 0.17%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/november-stock-slide-continues-oil-211523705.html

A November stock slide continues as oil, metals prices fall
Associated Press By MARLEY JAY

NEW YORK (AP) ”” A deepening slump in prices for oil, metals and other commodities sent stock prices lower on Thursday.

Major market indexes opened lower and the selling accelerated as the day wore on. The drop in oil and metals prices hurt mining, metals and energy stocks. Stocks began sliding early this month and have returned some of the gains from a powerful rally in October.

The Dow Jones industrial average sank 254.15 points, or 1.4 percent, to 17,448.07. The Standard & Poor's 500 lost 29.03 points, or 1.4 percent, to 2,045.97. The Nasdaq composite index fell 61.94 points, or 1.2 percent, to 5,005.08.

The S&P 500 has fallen for six out of the last seven days, and Thursday's decline was the largest over that span. While October was the best month for the market in four years, the S&P 500 is now down slightly this year. The Dow average is also lower in 2015.

Mike McGlone, head of U.S. research for ETF Securities, said investors are coming to grips with the fact that the Federal Reserve is about to start raising interest rates, ending an era of stimulus policies that have boosted stocks. At the same time, stocks could get hurt by warning signs about the U.S. economy, like weak jobs data or disappointing earnings.

"Now we have almost a lose-lose situation" for stocks, McGlone said.

Precious metals prices surged during the Great Recession, but in recent years many investors bought stocks instead, leading to a sustained slide in the prices of gold and silver.

Metals like copper and steel have been hurt by the sluggish global economy, and copper prices are down 23 percent this year. All three fell Thursday after the head of Europe's central bank said new stimulus measures may be put in place next month. That would boost the dollar at the expense of the euro. The central bank of Japan is also considering stimulus moves, which would make the dollar stronger compared to the yen.

Gold declined $3.90 to $1,081 an ounce and silver fell for the tenth consecutive day, losing 3.8 cents to $14.225 an ounce. It's down 11 percent since late October. Copper fell 4.6 cents, or 2.1 percent, to $2.173 a pound. Copper prices have tumbled 23 percent this year.

Mining and metals companies retreated. Freeport-McMoRan dropped 54 cents, or 5.8 percent, to $8.77. Its stock has skidded 69 percent over the past year. Steel maker Nucor fell $1.11, or 2.7 percent, to $40.11. Nucor has lost a quarter of its value in the past year.

When the dollar appreciates it tends to send prices for metals, oil and other commodities, which are priced in dollars, lower. That's because buyers using other currencies such as the yen and the euro often aren't willing to pay higher prices in their own currency just because the dollar has appreciated.

"Since November hit, the U.S. dollar has gone straight up and these commodities are getting smoked," Ryan Detrick, a markets strategist at Kimble Charting Solutions, said.

The price of oil slid for the sixth time in seven days and hit its lowest price since late August after the U.S. government said crude stockpiles grew by 4.2 million barrels last week. A private report released Wednesday had showed an even larger increase, but the markets showed no signs of relief.

U.S. benchmark crude fell $1.18, or 2.7 percent, to $41.75 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, which is used to price international oils, lost $1.75, or 3.8 percent, to $44.06 a barrel in London. Heating oil fell 4.1 cents to $1.407 a gallon. Wholesale gasoline shed 5.6 cents to $1.273 a gallon. Natural gas dipped 0.3 cents to $2.26 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Kohl's climbed $2.63, or 6.1 percent, to $45.79 after the retailer said strong sales in the back-to-school season and in late October boosted its results in the third quarter.

Kohl's and other retailers tumbled Wednesday after a disappointing report from Macy's. Kohl's more than made up its losses, while competitors made partial recoveries.

Angie's List, which lets users research, shop for and rate home services like plumbers and home cleaners, advanced $1.05, or 13.3 percent, to $8.97 after it received a buyout offer from IAC/InteractiveCorp, which owns About.com and HomeAdvisor.com. Its offer values Angie's List at $512 million, or $8.75 a share. The gains suggest investors are hoping for an improved offer.

Angie's List confirmed it received the offer and said it was unsolicited. Its shares have doubled in recent months, but are down sharply from their level of $28 in 2013.

Freshpet, which sells refrigerated fresh pet food, tumbled 25 percent after reporting its third-quarter results. The company said growth in fridges was lower than it expected and manufacturing problems hurt its profits. Freshpet plunged $2.09 and closed at $6.28.

Advance Auto Parts said the strong dollar and integration costs hurt its profit. The auto parts retailer lowered its annual outlook and said CEO Darren Jackson will retire in January. The stock lost $30.03, or 15.4 percent, to $164.64.

U.S. government bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.31 percent. The euro inched up to $1.0821 from $1.0776. The yen slipped to $122.57 from 122.89.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -202.83 points or ▼ -1.16% on Friday, November 13, 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,245.24 ▼ -202.83 ▼ -1.16%
Nasdaq____ 4,927.88 ▼ -77.20 ▼ -1.54%
S&P_500___ 2,023.04 ▼ -22.93 ▼ -1.12%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.06 ▼ -0.03 ▼ -1.10%

NYSE Volume 4,216,879,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,970,804,000

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,118.28 ▼ -60.40 ▼ -0.98%
DAX_____ 10,708.40 ▼ -74.23 ▼ -0.69%
CAC_40__ 4,807.95 ▼ -48.70 ▼ -1.00%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,111.80 ▼ -70.40 ▼ -1.36%
Shanghai_Comp 3,580.84 ▼ -52.06 ▼ -1.43%
Taiwan_Weight 8,329.50 ▼ -98.59 ▼ -1.17%
Nikkei_225___ 19,596.91 ▼ -100.86 ▼ -0.51%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,396.14 ▼ -492.78 ▼ -2.15%
Strait_Times.__ 2,925.68 ▼ -33.33 ▼ -1.13%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,989.03 ▼ -34.93 ▼ -0.58%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-set-end-winning-streak-retail-gets-slammed-153935558.html

Retail gets slammed as stocks have second-worst week of year

A rout in retail stocks leaves the market with its second-worst week of the year
Associated Press By Marley Jay, AP Markets Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- The stock market slumped to its second-biggest weekly loss of the year Friday, breaking a streak of six consecutive weeks of gains. Fears that the holiday shopping season will be a dud tanked retail stocks.

Retailers ranging from department stores to dollar stores plunged after Nordstrom posted disappointing third-quarter results, just as Macy's did earlier this week.

The price of oil continued to slide on evidence that global supplies are still rising. The dollar could get even stronger, further pressuring oil and other commodities and affecting mining and energy companies.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 202.83 points, or 1.2 percent, to 17,245.24. The Standard & Poor's 500 gave up 22.93 points, or 1.1 percent, to 2,023.04. The Nasdaq composite index slipped 77.20 points, or 1.5 percent, to 4,927.88.

Concerns about retail sales and skidding commodities prices have eroded the gains from October's big stock market rally. Stocks have now lost ground seven of the last eight days. Overall the S&P 500 is down almost 2 percent for the year.

Nordstrom sank $9.51, or 15 percent, to $53.96 after reporting weaker sales. The company also cut its forecast for the year. Macy's had done the same on Wednesday.

The holiday shopping rush will kick into high gear with Black Friday in two weeks. Following several weak reports from retailers, investors are becoming worried that sales will be poor during that period, which is a crucial moneymaker for retail companies. Macy's and Nordstrom both hit two-year lows Friday. Consumer discretionary stocks were by far the worst performing group in the S&P 500.

J.C. Penney's results were about equal to analyst projections, but its stock lost $1.35, or 15.4 percent, to $7.44. Video game retailer GameStop sank $7.35, or 16.5 percent, to $37.18. Watchmaker Fossil Group plunged $18.62, or 36.5 percent, to $32.39. Fossil posted disappointing earnings Thursday afternoon and also said it will buy activity tracker maker Misfit for $260 million. Its shares hit their lowest level in five years.

Compounding those worries was a government report showing that U.S. retail spending edged up just 0.1 percent in October, a bit less than analysts expected. Prices charged by farmers, manufacturers and other producers fell in October. The figures show there is little sign of inflation in the U.S. economy. When inflation is higher, consumers have an incentive to spend more money.

Stifel Nicolaus analyst Richard Jaffe suggested the widespread selling was an overreaction. Shoppers will spend plenty of money this holiday season, he said, and while they're spending more money on smartphones and TVs and other big items than they used to, there will still be plenty of socks and sweaters given as gifts over the holidays.

"Christmas is boxed gifts," Jaffe said. "There will be a lot of gift giving, a lot of apparel sales."

Jaffe noted that Americans' shopping habits have changed a lot over the last few years. Consumers are spending more on homes, cars, and vacations. Aging baby boomers don't buy clothes as often as they used to, and younger shoppers are more interested in technology.

The price of oil continued to fall after the International Energy Agency said commercial inventories reached almost 3 billion barrels at the end of September, a record. The IEA also said growth in global demand will slow down next year. Oil prices have dropped because demand can't keep up with ever-increasing supplies. The strong dollar makes dollar-denominated commodities costlier to buyers using yen, euro and other currencies.

U.S. crude slumped $1.01, or 2.4 percent, to $40.74 a barrel in New York. It's dropped about 13 percent this month and is at its lowest price since late August. Brent crude, which is used to price international oils, lost 45 cents, or 1 percent, to $43.61 a barrel in London.

Jim Ritterbusch of the oil trading firm Ritterbusch & Associates said crude could fall another $3 to $4 a barrel. It's gone as low as $37.75 this year.

In other energy trading, heating oil fell 2.5 cents to $1.381 a gallon. Wholesale gasoline dipped 3.4 cents to $1.239 a gallon. Natural gas edged up 10.1 cents to $2.361 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The price of gold fell 10 cents to $1,080.90 an ounce. Silver fell for the tenth day in a row, losing 2.1 cents to $14.20 an ounce. Copper dipped slightly to just under $2.17 a pound. All three metals are at their lowest levels in six years.

Generic drugmaker Mylan climbed after a long pursuit of Irish drugmaker Perrigo came to an end. Perrigo's shareholders rejected a $26 billion offer from Mylan, an offer Perrigo had called inadequate. Mylan logged the biggest gain on the S&P 500, adding $5.58, or 12.9 percent, to $48.78. Perrigo fell $9.65, or 6.2 percent, to $146.90.

U.S. government bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note slipped to 2.27 percent from 2.31 percent. The euro declined to $1.0751 from $1.0791 and the dollar edged up to $122.67 yen from 122.62 yen.

1476

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 237.77 points or ▲ 1.38% on Monday, November 16, 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,483.01 ▲ 237.77 ▲ 1.38%
Nasdaq____ 4,984.62 ▲ 56.73 ▲ 1.15%
S&P_500___ 2,053.19 ▲ 30.15 ▲ 1.49%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.07 ▲ 0.01 ▲ 0.46%

NYSE Volume 3,664,802,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,773,354,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,146.38 ▲ 28.10 ▲ 0.46%
DAX_____ 10,713.23 ▲ 4.83 ▲ 0.05%
CAC_40__ 4,804.31 ▼ -3.64 ▼ -0.08%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,064.50 ▼ -47.30 ▼ -0.93%
Shanghai_Comp 3,606.96 ▲ 26.12 ▲ 0.73%
Taiwan_Weight 8,295.40 ▼ -34.10 ▼ -0.41%
Nikkei_225___ 19,393.69 ▼ -203.22 ▼ -1.04%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,010.82 ▼ -385.32 ▼ -1.72%
Strait_Times.__ 2,918.21 ▼ -7.47 ▼ -0.26%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,961.67 ▼ -27.36 ▼ -0.46%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-inch-higher-early-151535670.html

Stocks move higher in afternoon trading
Associated Press By Alex Veiga, AP Business Writer

U.S. stocks mounted a broad rally on Monday, snapping a three-day losing streak as investors moved past concerns that the terrorist attacks in Paris could spell big trouble for the global economy.

Oil and gas stocks were among the biggest gainers as the price of crude rose. Traders also bid up shares in defense contractors, while travel-related stocks slumped.

The gains followed a mixed day in European markets, which shook off an early loss and ended mixed.

Friday's attacks in Paris, which killed 129 people, are not likely to negatively affect the economies of the U.S. or Europe, said Scott Wren, senior global equity strategist for Wells Fargo Investment Institute.

"It all comes down to, are consumers going to be staying at home and not out spending money because they're afraid that if they go anywhere they're going to be victims of a terrorist attack," Wren said. "That might be the case if you saw a series of these things, but hopefully that's not what's going to happen and the economy is not going to be affected."

All told, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 237.77 points, or 1.4 percent, to 17,483.01. The Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 30.15 points, or 1.5 percent, to 2,053.19. The Nasdaq composite added 56.73 points, or 1.2 percent, to 4,984.62.

Monday's rally helped lift the market following its biggest weekly loss since August.

The market action got off to a somber start as the New York Stock Exchange paused to observe a moment of silence shortly before the start of regular trading.

The major market indexes started lower but rebounded within the first 10 minutes as investors piled into consumer staples stocks, a category that includes Coca-Cola and household products maker Procter & Gamble. Stocks wavered for a while, but began to climb steadily by midday as crude oil prices perked up, pushing up energy stocks.

The energy sector in the S&P 500 surged 3.3 percent, far more than the rest of the market.

Natural gas and coal producer Consol Energy added 56 cents, or 7.6 percent, to $7.96. Cabot Oil & Gas gained $1.82, or 8.8 percent, to $22.56, while Range Resources rose $2.90, or 9.1 percent, to $34.62.

The energy sector has been the biggest laggard among industries this year, down 14.9 percent, as the slide in oil prices has deepened.

Benchmark U.S. crude oil climbed $1, or 2.5 percent, to close at $41.74 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, rose 9 cents, or 0.2 percent, to close at $44.56 a barrel in London.

News that Marriott International agreed to acquire rival hotel chain Starwood for $12.2 billion received a mixed response. Marriott ultimately added 98 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $73.72, while Starwood slid $2.72, or 3.6 percent, to $72.27.

The prospects of stepped-up military action to counteract terror threats helped give defense contractors a boost.

Northrop Grumman gained $7.79, or 4.4 percent, to $186.61, while Lockheed Martin added $7.51, or 3.5 percent, to $220.67. Raytheon rose $4.86, or 4.1 percent, to $121.11.

At the same time, traders moved to unload some travel-related stocks.

Priceline Group slid $30.88, or 2.4 percent, to $1,266.87, while Expedia declined $2.67, or 2.1 percent, to $122.53. Carnival fell 79 cents, or 1.5 percent, to $50.77. Delta Air Lines lost $1.06, or 2.2 percent, to $47.93.

The attacks may make it even more likely that the European Central Bank will expand its stimulus program at the conclusion of its December meeting, some analysts said. Some speculate that the Federal Reserve could also hold off on raising rates next month.

"At this juncture, it is easy to see that the Fed's intentions to 'normalize' monetary policy could be derailed by a combination of adverse domestic economic and external events," said Neil MacKinnon, global macro strategist at VTB Capital.

In Europe, Germany's DAX was flat, while France's CAC-40 slipped 0.1 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 rose 0.5 percent. In Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 fell nearly 1 percent, while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 lost nearly 1 percent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 1.7 percent.

In other energy futures trading, wholesale gasoline was little changed at $1.239 a gallon, heating oil rose 0.4 cent to $1.385 a gallon and natural gas rose 2.4 cents to $2.385 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Precious and industrial metals prices closed mixed. Gold rose $2.70 to $1,083.60 an ounce, silver fell two cents to $14.22 an ounce and copper gave up five cents to close at $2.12 a pound.

U.S. government bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.27 percent from 2.28 percent late Friday. The dollar rose to 123.21 yen from 122.72 yen and the euro fell to $1.0687 from $1.0740.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 6.49 points or ▲ 0.04% on Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,489.50 ▲ 6.49 ▲ 0.04%
Nasdaq____ 4,986.02 ▲ 1.40 ▲ 0.03%
S&P_500___ 2,050.44 ▼ -2.75 ▼ -0.13%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.05 ▼ -0.03 ▼ -0.81%

NYSE Volume 4,264,481,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,758,176,120

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,268.76 ▲ 122.38 ▲ 1.99%
DAX_____ 10,971.04 ▲ 257.81 ▲ 2.41%
CAC_40__ 4,937.31 ▲ 133.00 ▲ 2.77%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,174.30 ▲ 109.80 ▲ 2.17%
Shanghai_Comp 3,604.80 ▼ -2.16 ▼ -0.06%
Taiwan_Weight 8,419.42 ▲ 124.02 ▲ 1.50%
Nikkei_225___ 19,630.63 ▲ 236.94 ▲ 1.22%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,264.25 ▲ 253.43 ▲ 1.15%
Strait_Times.__ 2,916.78 ▲ 1.05 ▲ 0.04%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,967.60 ▲ 5.93 ▲ 0.10%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-waver-early-trading-mixed-152133002.html#

An early gain fades, leaving stock indexes little changed
Associated Press By ALEX VEIGA

U.S. stocks ended little changed on Tuesday after a late-afternoon slump wiped out much of the market's gains from earlier in the day.

Investors weighed mixed results from Wal-Mart stores, Home Depot and other big U.S. retailers, as well as new data on inflation. Energy stocks were among the biggest decliners as oil prices closed lower.

"You saw oil prices come down, and the market has been following oil prices," said Quincy Krosby, market strategist at Prudential Financial. "The market moved up handsomely yesterday, so we're not losing all of the gains."

The Dow Jones industrial average added 6.49 points, or 0.04 percent, to 17,489.50. Earlier, the average had been up more than 116 points.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 2.75 points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,050.44. The index had briefly moved into positive territory for the year. The Nasdaq composite gained 1.40 points, or 0.03 percent, to 4,986.01.

Major stock indexes wavered for much of the morning as investors sorted through the latest company earnings and a batch of economic reports. Traders pushed stocks higher by midday and for much of the afternoon until the final hour of trading, when the rally evaporated.

Investors, who have been worried that sales could be weak this holiday shopping season, sold retailers that reported disappointing quarterly results.

Urban Outfitters fell 3.8 percent after the retailer's latest quarterly sales fell short. The stock dropped 87 cents to $21.80. Dick's Sporting Goods slumped 9.4 percent after reporting worse-than-expected results and giving a weak outlook. The stock fell $3.85 to $36.96.

Other big retailers fared better.

Wal-Mart Stores rose 3.5 percent after the company reported improved customer traffic and an increase in a key sales figure for the third quarter, even as a stronger dollar pressured its performance overseas. The world's largest retailer also issued a forecast for the holiday shopping season that largely beat Wall Street expectations. The stock added $2.05 to $59.92.

Home Depot climbed 4.4 percent after the home-improvement retailer reported better-than-expected third-quarter earnings and revenue, and delivered an upbeat fiscal outlook. The stock rose $5.34 to $126.18.

Traders also had their eye on economic reports. The Labor Department reported that the consumer price index rose 0.2 percent in October after falling the prior two months.

The small uptick in inflation could increase the likelihood that the Federal Reserve will begin raising short-term interest rates from historic lows as early as next month, said David Chalupnik, head of equities at Nuveen Asset Management.

"Historically, hiking interest rates would not be good for the stock market, but at this point it's a psychological boost that the economy is self-sustaining enough that the Fed could get off the zero interest rate policy," Chalupnik said.

The energy sector shed 1.2 percent, extending its losses this year to 15.9 percent. The sector ”” the S&P 500 index's biggest decliner for the year ”” has been hurt by the protracted slide in oil prices.

That decline resumed on Tuesday. Benchmark U.S. crude oil dropped $1.07 to close at $40.67 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, fell 99 cents to close at $43.57 a barrel in London.

Wholesale gasoline was little changed at $1.238 a gallon, heating oil lost 1.7 cents to $1.368 a gallon and natural gas fell 1.4 cents to $2.371 per 1,000 cubic feet.

European indexes moved higher, thanks partly to a report showing that business optimism in Germany rose more than analysts had expected this month amid strong domestic demand and a weaker euro. Germany's DAX rose 2.4 percent, while France's CAC 40 jumped 2.8 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 rose 2 percent.

Precious and industrial metals prices closed lower. Gold fell $15 to $1,068.60 an ounce, silver declined five cents to $14.17 an ounce and copper gave up one cent to close at $2.10 a pound.

U.S. government bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.26 percent from 2.27 percent. The dollar rose to 123.41 yen from 123.26 yen, while the euro fell to $1.0644 from $1.0678.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 247.66 points or ▲ 1.42% on Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,737.16 ▲ 247.66 ▲ 1.42%
Nasdaq____ 5,075.20 ▲ 89.19 ▲ 1.79%
S&P_500___ 2,083.58 ▲ 33.14 ▲ 1.62%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.04 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.20%

NYSE Volume 3,864,925,500
Nasdaq Volume 1,971,926,620

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,278.97 ▲ 10.21 ▲ 0.16%
DAX_____ 10,959.95 ▼ -11.09 ▼ -0.10%
CAC_40__ 4,906.72 ▼ -30.59 ▼ -0.62%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,189.10 ▲ 14.80 ▲ 0.29%
Shanghai_Comp 3,568.47 ▼ -36.33 ▼ -1.01%
Taiwan_Weight 8,340.47 ▼ -78.95 ▼ -0.94%
Nikkei_225___ 19,649.18 ▲ 18.55 ▲ 0.09%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,188.26 ▼ -75.99 ▼ -0.34%
Strait_Times.__ 2,886.08 ▼ -30.70 ▼ -1.05%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,979.81 ▲ 12.21 ▲ 0.20%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stock...ds-jumps-spinoff-news-151433602--finance.html

Deal news and bank gains send stock market solidly higher

More corporate deals and signs of firmer interest rates send the stock market to a solid gain
Associated Press By Alex Veiga, AP Business Writer

U.S. stocks notched their best day in nearly four weeks on Wednesday as investors welcomed new hints pointing to a Federal Reserve interest rate hike in coming weeks. Trader were also encouraged by more corporate deal news.

The rally pushed the Standard & Poor's 500 index back into positive territory for the year.

ConAgra Foods jumped 4 percent on news the company is spinning off its frozen potatoes business. Railroad operator Norfolk Southern rose 6 percent after receiving an unsolicited takeover offer by Canadian Pacific.

Stocks in financial companies, which tend to benefit from rising interest rates, were among the biggest gainers after traders digested the minutes from the Fed's October policy meeting. The minutes show that officials believed that the economy could improve enough to justify a rate hike at the central bank's meeting next month.

"The market today is just reinforcing the view that most likely the Fed is going to move in December, and that's not necessarily a bad thing for either the economy" or the stock market, said Jeremy Zirin, chief equities strategist at UBS Wealth Management Americas.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 247.66 points, or 1.4 percent, to 17,737.16. The Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 33.14 points, or 1.6 percent, to 2,083.58. That's the S&P 500's best gain since Oct. 22. The Nasdaq composite added 89.19 points, or 1.8 percent, to 5,075.20.

The Fed meeting minutes revealed that Fed officials believed the U.S. job market would improve further and that inflation would begin to move toward their 2 percent annual target by the time the group meets next month. They also took note of the U.S. economy's resilience through a summer of financial market turbulence and felt that global threats had "diminished."

The Fed has kept its benchmark for short-term rates near zero since late 2008. A string of rate hikes can eventually weigh on stock markets, but investors have mostly become prepared for the Fed to act next month and don't anticipate that an initial rate hike will derail the bull market.

Major stock indexes headed higher as trading got going early Wednesday and maintained the momentum throughout the day.

The government's latest tally of U.S. home construction didn't slow down the rally, despite delivering news that builders broke ground on fewer houses and apartments in October.

Investors began bidding up shares in ConAgra and Norfolk Southern early on. ConAgra added $1.57 to $40.93, while Norfolk Southern rose $5.52 to $92.49.

All 10 sectors in the S&P 500 rose, led by health care stocks, which rose 2 percent. The sector is up 5.1 percent this year. Financial stocks rose 1.8 percent. The sector is down 0.8 percent for the year. Among individual bank stocks, JPMorgan Chase gained $1.32, or 2 percent, to $67.45 and Bank of America climbed 42 cents, or 2.4 percent, to $17.84.

Not all stocks had a good day.

Target slumped 4.3 percent after the retailer reported that its sales at established locations increased in the third quarter at a slower rate than in the previous quarter. The stock shed $3.13 to $69.78.

Citrix Systems slid 10 percent on news that the computing company will slash about 1,000 jobs and spin off its GoTo business into a separate company as it seeks to cut costs. The stock fell $7.88 to $70.54.

Europe markets ended mixed. Germany's DAX dipped 0.1 percent, while France's CAC-40 lost 0.6 percent. The FTSE 100 edged up 0.2 percent.

Benchmark U.S. crude rose 8 cents to close at $40.75 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It briefly dipped below $40 a barrel for the first time since August. Brent crude, used to price international oils, rose 57 cents to close at $44.14 a barrel in London.

Wholesale gasoline rose 2.8 cents to $1.266 a gallon, heating oil rose 1.2 cents to $1.38 a gallon and natural gas fell 2.4 cents to $2.347 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Precious and industrial metals prices were mixed. Gold rose 10 cents to $1,068.70 an ounce, silver declined nine cents to $14.08 an ounce and copper gave up three cents to close at $2.08 a pound.

U.S. government bond prices held steady. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note was little changed at 2.27 percent. The dollar edged up to 123.57 yen from Tuesday's 123.41 yen. The euro slipped to $1.0647 from $1.0649.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -4.41 points or ▼ -0.02% on Thursday, November 19, 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,732.75 ▼ -4.41 ▼ -0.02%
Nasdaq____ 5,073.64 ▼ -1.56 ▼ -0.03%
S&P_500___ 2,081.24 ▼ -2.34 ▼ -0.11%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.00 ▼ -0.04 ▼ -1.25%

NYSE Volume 3,592,453,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,747,082,380

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,329.93 ▲ 50.96 ▲ 0.81%
DAX_____ 11,085.44 ▲ 125.49 ▲ 1.14%
CAC_40__ 4,915.10 ▲ 8.38 ▲ 0.17%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,293.30 ▲ 104.20 ▲ 2.01%
Shanghai_Comp 3,617.06 ▲ 48.59 ▲ 1.36%
Taiwan_Weight 8,477.20 ▲ 136.73 ▲ 1.64%
Nikkei_225___ 19,859.81 ▲ 210.63 ▲ 1.07%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,500.22 ▲ 311.96 ▲ 1.41%
Strait_Times.__ 2,925.05 ▲ 38.97 ▲ 1.35%
NZX_50_Index_ 5,995.25 ▲ 15.44 ▲ 0.26%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stock...-unitedhealth-best-buy-tumble-151627473.html#

US stocks edge lower, dragged down by health care sector
Associated Press By ALEX VEIGA

U.S. stocks closed slightly lower Thursday after spending much of the day wavering between small gains and losses.

Several companies reported earnings and outlooks that offered a mixed picture of the economy for investors.

Health care stocks were among the biggest decliners, dragged down after UnitedHealth Group cut its full-year earnings forecast. The nation's largest health insurer also raised doubts about whether it will continue to participate in a key piece of the Affordable Care Act.

Traders felt a bit better about payments company Square and online dating site operator Match Group. Both soared on their first day of trading.

In the absence of major economic news, investors honed in on the uneven company earnings and outlooks.

"That's why we are largely without a lot of vigor in either direction today," said Eric Wiegand, senior portfolio manager at U.S. Bank Wealth Management.

All told, the Dow Jones industrial average fell 4.41 points, or 0.02 percent, to 17,732.75. The Standard & Poor's 500 index slipped 2.34 points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,081.24. The Nasdaq composite lost 1.56 points, or 0.03 percent, to 5,073.64.

Stocks got off to a plodding start early Thursday, spending much of the morning hovering close to the levels from a day earlier, when the S&P 500 index posted its biggest gain in four weeks.

The Labor Department's latest weekly tally of unemployment benefit applications provided some good, if expected, insight into the job market. Applications for unemployment aid dropped last week to a seasonally adjusted 271,000. The four-week average, a less volatile measure, increased 3,000 to 270,750.

Beyond that, investors focused on the latest string of company earnings.

Best Buy dropped 2.1 percent after releasing disappointing sales and a cautious outlook for the holiday shopping season. The stock slipped 66 cents to $30.67.

UnitedHealth Group fell 5.6 percent after it cut its 2015 earnings forecast and said it would pull back on the marketing of its exchange business a few weeks after open enrollment for that coverage began nationwide.

The insurer also said that it will decide in the first half of next year to what extent it can continue to serve the public health insurance exchange markets in 2017. The stock lost $6.62 to $110.63. Tenet Healthcare also slumped, sliding $2.65, or 8 percent, to $30.40.

Health care stocks fell the most among the 10 sectors in the S&P 500 index, sliding 1.6 percent. The sector remains up 3.4 percent for the year.

"UnitedHealth kind of sent shivers through the stock market a little bit," said Chris Gaffney, president at EverBank World Markets.

Other companies turned in more encouraging results.

Single-serve coffee brewing systems maker Keurig Green Mountain and customer-management software developer Salesforce.com each rose sharply after reporting better-than-expected earnings and revenue. Keurig vaulted $7.38, or 18.2 percent, to $47.88. Salesforce.com climbed $3.29, or 4.3 percent, to $80.64.

Traders also bid up shares in J.M. Smucker, which delivered earnings that beat Wall Street's expectations. The food products company jumped $7.90, or 7 percent, to $121.28.

Square and Match Group made a big splash in their market debut.

Square, known for its white, cube-shaped credit and debit card readers that plug into smartphones, gained $4.07, or 45.2 percent, to $13.07. Match, owner of online dating portals Tinder, Match.com and OKCupid, climbed $2.74, or 22.8 percent, to $14.74.

In Europe, Germany's DAX gained 1 percent, while France's CAC-40 rose 0.2 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 climbed 0.8 percent. In Asia, China's main stock index rose 1.4 percent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 1.4 percent. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 rose 1.1 percent, while South Korea's Kospi gained 1.3 percent.

Benchmark U.S. crude fell 21 cents to $40.54 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, used to price international oils, rose 4 cents to $44.18 a barrel in London.

Wholesale gasoline rose 2 cents to $1.288 a gallon, heating oil fell 1 cent to $1.372 a gallon and natural gas fell 7 cents to $2.276 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Precious and industrial metals prices were mixed. Gold rose $9.20 to $1,077.90 an ounce, silver gained 14 cents to $14.22 an ounce and copper was essentially flat at $2.08 a pound.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.24 percent from 2.27 percent late Wednesday.

The euro rose to $1.0731 from $1.0647 while the dollar fell to 122.86 yen from 123.57 yen.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 91.06 points or ▲ 0.51% on Friday, November 20, 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,823.81 ▲ 91.06 ▲ 0.51%
Nasdaq____ 5,104.92 ▲ 31.28 ▲ 0.62%
S&P_500___ 2,089.17 ▲ 7.93 ▲ 0.38%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.02 ▲ 0.02 ▲ 0.50%

NYSE Volume 3,872,529,750
Nasdaq Volume 1,732,027,380

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,334.63 ▲ 4.70 ▲ 0.07%
DAX_____ 11,119.83 ▲ 34.39 ▲ 0.31%
CAC_40__ 4,910.97 ▼ -4.13 ▼ -0.08%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,305.50 ▲ 12.20 ▲ 0.23%
Shanghai_Comp 3,630.50 ▲ 13.44 ▲ 0.37%
Taiwan_Weight 8,465.45 ▼ -11.75 ▼ -0.14%
Nikkei_225___ 19,879.81 ▲ 20.00 ▲ 0.10%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,754.72 ▲ 254.50 ▲ 1.13%
Strait_Times.__ 2,917.91 ▼ -1.92 ▼ -0.07%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,008.52 ▲ 13.27 ▲ 0.22%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/retailers-lift-us-stocks-toward-153017362.html

Stocks march higher, ending their best week so far this year

Stock market has its best week of the year; retailers climb, led by Ross Stores
Associated Press By Marley Jay, AP Markets Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- The stock market closed out its best week of the year Friday as big gains by retailers and technology companies pushed major indexes upward.

Stocks faded as Friday wore on, but they still finished higher. The S&P 500 index climbed almost 3.3 percent this week. By just a hair, that was its biggest weekly gain in 2015.

Stocks climbed Monday and Wednesday as the U.S. market didn't seem to be affected by a string of unsettling international events, including last Friday's terrorist attack in Paris. Instead, investors responded to signs the U.S. economy remains strong.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 91.06 points, or 0.5 percent, to 17,823.81. The Standard & Poor's 500 index added 7.93 points, or 0.4 percent, to 2,089.17. The Nasdaq composite index gained 31.28 points, or 0.6 percent, to 5,104.92. The Dow turned positive for the year by a fraction of a point.

"Throughout the week we got more and more news that the Federal Reserve was assessing the economy favorably," said Erik Davidson, chief investment officer at Wells Fargo Private Bank.

Davidson said investors have slowly gotten used to the idea that the Federal Reserve is going to raise interest rates. That prospect worried them greatly a few months ago, but now, stocks are rising because investors are taking heart that the Fed believes the economy is on solid footing. Meanwhile, new economic stimulus in Europe could strengthen the global economy.

Retailers rallied after solid earnings reports from discount chain Ross Stores and footwear seller Foot Locker. Retail stocks got pummeled this month after weak reports from Macy's and Nordstrom caused investors to worry that the holiday shopping season would be a bust. But some retailers are doing well.

Ken Perkins, president of the research firm Retail Metrics, said shoppers are looking for discounts and turning to lower-priced retailers like TJ Maxx and Ross Stores and to "fast fashion" retailers who keep up with the latest trends.

"All that doesn't bode well for mall-based retailers," Perkins said.

Ross Stores gained $4.64, or 10 percent, to $50.84 while Foot Locker rose $3.49, or 5.7 percent, to $65.02. Gap advanced $1.89, or 7.5 percent, to $26.98 and Urban Outfitters rose 71 cents, or 3.2 percent, to $23.

Athletic apparel and footwear maker Nike said it will raise its dividend, buy back $12 billion of its own shares and split its stock. Nike, which has nearly tripled over the last five years, rose $6.87, or 5.5 percent, to $132.65.

Alphabet, the parent company of Google, led a rally in tech stocks and made its biggest gain in almost a month. The company said Wednesday that former VMWare CEO Diane Green will run Google's commercial technology business. That suggests Google wants to strengthen its enterprise business, which is a big profit center for Amazon and Microsoft but an area where Google has lagged. Alphabet shares rose $17.06, or 2.2 percent, to $777.

HP Enterprise, which sells commercial computer systems, software and tech services, rose 43 cents, or 2.1 percent, to $14.21. Web domain-name registration company VeriSign added $3.70, or 4.3 percent, to $90.30.

TurboTax maker Intuit climbed after it reported strong quarterly revenue and gave a forecast for the current quarter that was better than analysts expected. The stock added $5.78, or 5.9 percent, to $103.20.

Chipotle Mexican Grill sustained its biggest one-day loss in three years. The shares dropped $75.32, or 12.3 percent, to $536.19 after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said an E. coli outbreak linked to Chipotle locations has been found in three more states around the country. In October Chipotle briefly closed all its restaurants in Oregon and Washington to stem the outbreak.

U.S. crude lost 15 cents to $40.39 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, used to price international oils, rose 48 cents, or 1.1 percent, to $44.66 a barrel in London. This week U.S. crude dipped under $40 a barrel for the first time in almost three months.

Wholesale gasoline was unchanged at $1.371 a gallon. Heating oil was also little changed at $1.29 a gallon. Natural gas fell 13 cents to $2.145 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.26 percent from 2.25 percent late Thursday. The euro fell to $1.0657 from $1.0731. The dollar edged up to 122.87 yen from 122.86 yen.

Metals prices continued to slide. The price of gold fell $1.60 to $1,076.30 an ounce. Silver slipped 12.6 cents, or 0.9 percent, to $14.10 an ounce. Copper declined 2.2 cents, or 1 percent, to $2.06 a pound.

2147

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -31.13 points or ▼ -0.17% on Monday, November 23, 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,792.68 ▼ -31.13 ▼ -0.17%
Nasdaq____ 5,102.48 ▼ -2.44 ▼ -0.05%
S&P_500___ 2,086.59 ▼ -2.58 ▼ -0.12%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.01 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.36%

NYSE Volume 3,511,376,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,637,557,880

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,305.49 ▼ -29.14 ▼ -0.46%
DAX_____ 11,092.31 ▼ -27.52 ▼ -0.25%
CAC_40__ 4,889.12 ▼ -21.85 ▼ -0.44%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,326.50 ▲ 21.00 ▲ 0.40%
Shanghai_Comp 3,610.31 ▼ -20.18 ▼ -0.56%
Taiwan_Weight 8,485.73 ▲ 20.28 ▲ 0.24%
Nikkei_225___ 19,879.81 ▲ 20.00 ▲ 0.10%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,665.90 ▼ -88.82 ▼ -0.39%
Strait_Times.__ 2,903.49 ▼ -14.42 ▼ -0.49%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,077.62 ▲ 69.10 ▲ 1.15%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-edge-higher-continuing-momentum-last-week-152306090.html

Markets fade after an early gain, finish with small losses
Associated Press By MARLEY JAY

NEW YORK (AP) ”” Stocks gained ground early Monday as they came off their best week in 2015, but faded in the afternoon and sustained small losses for the day.

Technology stocks fell more than the rest of the market. Pfizer and Allergan slipped after announcing a deal to combine and create the world's largest drug company. GameStop skidded after reporting weak results.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 31.13 points, or 0.2 percent, to 17,792.68. The Standard & Poor's 500 index declined 2.58 points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,086.59. The Nasdaq composite index fell 2.44 points, or 0.1 percent, to 5,102.48.

The S&P 500 index rose 3.3 percent last week, lifted by good news from retailers and tech stocks. That was its largest weekly gain since last December. However, it wasn't quite enough to cancel out the big loss the S&P suffered the previous week.

Pfizer, the maker of Viagra and Lipitor, said it will buy Botox maker Allergan for about $155 billion. The New York-based company will gain new products that will help it counteract the expiration of patents protecting some key drugs. Pfizer will also become based in Ireland as part of the deal, reducing its tax bill.

If the purchase goes through, it will be one of the largest corporate transactions in history. It's also the biggest deal in 2015, a year that has been filled with big mergers. Just two weeks ago, Budweiser maker AB InBev agreed to buy rival beer maker SABMiller for $107 billion.

Pfizer gave up 85 cents, or 2.6 percent, to $31.33 and Allergan fell $10.74, or 3.4 percent, to $301.72. The companies said last month that they were discussing a combination, and Allergan shares are up about 6 percent since then while Pfizer stock has lost 11 percent.

Apple dragged down the technology sector as its stock fell $1.55, or 1.3 percent, to $117.75.

Video game retailer GameStop slipped after it reported a smaller quarterly profit and less revenue than analysts had forecast. The company said sales of new games and game systems weren't as good as it expected, and sales were also hurt by delays in opening some stores. Its shares slid $1.65, or 4.2 percent, to $37.61.

Video game maker Electronic Arts fell after GameStop's announcement, losing $3.44, or 4.8 percent, to $68.98.

Consumer discretionary stocks rose. Chipotle Mexican Grill rebounded $23.10, or 4.3 percent, to $559.29. The stock dropped 12 percent and set an annual low Friday on reports that an E. coli outbreak linked to its restaurants had spread.

Amazon rose $10.54, or 1.6 percent, to $678.99 days before Black Friday. Macy's, which like many retailers has taken a beating on fears the holiday shopping season will be weak, rose $1.44, or 3.7 percent, to $40.04.

Tuesday morning the Conference Board will release its latest Consumer Confidence report. That will give investors more insight into how consumers are feeling and how much they'll spend shopping.

Tobias Levkovich, chief U.S. Equity Strategist for Citi Investment Research, said consumers will keep spending because businesses are hiring, energy costs and interest rates are low, and there are some signs that wages are increasing.

"Large and small business both look primed to keep hiring, which has got to be good news for consumers," he said.

British drugmaker Mallinckrodt and food producer Tyson both climbed following solid quarterly reports. Tyson climbed $4.44, or 10.2 percent, to $48.09. Mallinckrodt gained $5.10, or 8.4 percent, to $66.10. Its shares have plunged 47 percent since early August on concerns about new regulations of drug prices, which could hurt its business.

Alcoa rose after the hedge fund Elliott Management disclosed that it has bought a 6.4 percent stake in the maker of aluminum and other metals. Alcoa picked up 38 cents, or 4.4 percent, to $9.07.

Benchmark U.S. crude fell 15 cents, or 0.4 percent, to close at $41.75 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, which is used to price international oils, rose 17 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $44.83 a barrel in London.

Heating oil edged up 0.3 cents to $1.374 a gallon. Wholesale gasoline added 2.3 cents to $1.313 a gallon. Natural gas rose 6.5 cents, or 3 percent, to $2.21 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Metals prices are mired in a slump that has taken them to their lowest prices in six years. That continued Monday, as gold fell $9.50, or 0.9 percent, to $1,066.80 an ounce and silver lost six cents, or 0.5 percent, to $14.03 an ounce. Copper slid 3.4 cents, or 1.7 percent, $2.02 per pound.

U.S. government bond prices rose slightly. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.24 percent from 2.26 percent. The dollar rose to 122.85 yen from 122.84 yen. The euro declined to $1.0625 from $1.0657 Friday.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 19.51 points or ▲ 0.11% on Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,812.19 ▲ 19.51 ▲ 0.11%
Nasdaq____ 5,102.81 ▲ 0.33 ▲ 0.01%
S&P_500___ 2,089.14 ▲ 2.55 ▲ 0.12%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.01 ▲ 0.00 ▼ -0.03%

NYSE Volume 3,788,585,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,924,624,380

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,277.23 ▼ -28.26 ▼ -0.45%
DAX_____ 10,933.99 ▼ -158.32 ▼ -1.43%
CAC_40__ 4,820.28 ▼ -68.84 ▼ -1.41%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,277.00 ▼ -49.50 ▼ -0.93%
Shanghai_Comp 3,616.11 ▲ 5.79 ▲ 0.16%
Taiwan_Weight 8,400.14 ▼ -85.59 ▼ -1.01%
Nikkei_225___ 19,924.89 ▲ 45.08 ▲ 0.23%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,587.63 ▼ -78.27 ▼ -0.35%
Strait_Times.__ 2,924.33 ▲ 20.84 ▲ 0.72%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,101.27 ▲ 23.65 ▲ 0.39%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-slip-early-trading-following-europe-lower-151619985.html

US stocks recover from early slump; price of oil spikes
By MARLEY JAY

NEW YORK (AP) ”” Stocks overcame an early stumble Tuesday and finished modestly higher as investors shook off concerns about heightened tensions in the Middle East and a drop in consumer confidence.

The price of oil spiked after Turkey shot down a Russian fighter plane that Turkey said had violated its airspace and ignored warnings. Energy stocks including Exxon Mobil and Chevron moved higher along with the price of oil. Travel-related stocks including airlines, cruise operators and booking sites like Expedia slumped.

The Dow Jones industrial average climbed 19.51 points, or 0.1 percent, to 17,812.19. The Standard & Poor's 500 index added 2.55 points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,089.14. The Nasdaq composite index inched up 0.33 points to 5,102.81.

The downing of the Russian plane added a new layer of complexity to the crisis in Syria. Russia denied that its jets had violated Turkish airspace, said it had been betrayed by Turkey, and warned of severe consequences. NATO worked to reduce tensions at an extraordinary meeting.

Domestically, a business research group said consumer confidence in the U.S. sank this month as Americans worried about the state of the job market. The Conference Board said consumer confidence fell to its lowest level in a year. That was a surprise after a month of strong job gains in October. Consumer discretionary stocks including Netflix and Amazon slipped following the report.

Jeremy Zirin, chief equity strategist at UBS Wealth Management Research, said the confidence report was a surprise because there are a lot of reasons for consumers to feel good right now. Employers are hiring and Americans have more money to spend because inflation and gas prices are low. There's also evidence wages are increasing.

"It's hard to explain," he said. Zirin said he thinks consumer confidence will improve in December.

Crude oil rose $1.12, or 2.7 percent, to $42.87 a barrel in New York. That followed a 3.4-percent jump on Monday. Before that, the price of U.S. crude had fallen to its lowest level since August. Brent crude rose $1.29, or 2.9 percent, to $46.12 a barrel in London.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline climbed 7.7 cents, or 5.8 percent, to $1.39 a gallon. Heating oil rose 2.5 cents, or 1.8 percent, to $1.40 a gallon. Natural gas missed out on the rally and lost 1 cent to $2.20 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Energy stocks rose 2.1 percent, by far the largest gain in the S&P 500 index. Exxon Mobil rose $1.60, or 2 percent, to $81.88 and Chevron gained $1.34, or 1.5 percent, to $81.35.

The rising price of oil was one of several pieces of bad news for travel stocks like booking sites and airlines. Higher oil prices mean increased fuel costs, and they would also leave consumers with less money for travel. The sector was also battered by a global travel warning from the State Department and the drop in consumer confidence, which suggests that Americans might become nervous about spending money on vacations.

The State Department advised travelers that groups including the Islamic State, al Qaeda and Boko Haram continue to plan terrorist attacks, and Americans should be particularly alert around the holidays. Cowen & Co. analyst Helane Becker said bookings might slump after that warning, but if there's a dip, it probably won't long.

"There's usually a decline in bookings in the short term," she said. "I suspect that people who have planned their vacations around the holidays will continue to go but perhaps people who are booking will stay stateside or not go at all."

Priceline sank $24.14, or 1.9 percent, to $1,240.18 and competitor Expedia shed $3.65, or 3.7 percent, to $121.27. Among airlines, United lost $1.76, or 3 percent, to $56.80 and Southwest dropped $1.24, or 2.6 percent, to $46.23. Royal Caribbean lost $2.91, or 3.1 percent, to $92.02 and Carnival gave up $1, or 2 percent, to $50.39.

Quarterly earnings reports continued to roll in. Jewelry company Signet, the owner of brands including Kay Jewelers, Jared and Zale, reported lower than expected profit and revenue. Its stock dropped $5.76, or 4.1 percent, to $134.89.

Food makers Campbell Soup and Hormel both rose after releasing their results. Campbell Soup shares picked up $1.54, or 3.1 percent, to $51.33 and Hormel added $2.06, or 3 percent, to $71.32.

Metals prices, which have tumbled to six-year lows, made some gains. Gold rebounded $7, or 0.7 percent, to $1,073.80 an ounce. The price of silver rose for only the third time in November, adding 12.7 cents, or 0.9 percent, to $14.159 an ounce. Copper picked up 3.4 cents, or 1.7 percent, to $2.055 a pound.

The euro rose to $1.0655 from $1.0625. The dollar fell to 122.44 yen from 122.85 yen. Bond prices didn't move much. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.25 percent from 2.24 percent.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

U.S. markets will be closed Thursday November 26 for Thanksgiving. They will reopen Friday but will close at 1 p.m. Eastern.

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 1.2 points or ▲ 0.01% on Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,813.39 ▲ 1.20 ▲ 0.01%
Nasdaq____ 5,116.14 ▲ 13.33 ▲ 0.26%
S&P_500___ 2,088.87 ▼ -0.27 ▼ -0.01%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.00 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.37%

NYSE Volume 2,789,228,500
Nasdaq Volume 1,523,905,380

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,337.64 ▲ 60.41 ▲ 0.96%
DAX_____ 11,169.54 ▲ 235.55 ▲ 2.15%
CAC_40__ 4,892.99 ▲ 72.71 ▲ 1.51%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,245.20 ▼ -31.80 ▼ -0.60%
Shanghai_Comp 3,647.93 ▲ 31.82 ▲ 0.88%
Taiwan_Weight 8,386.13 ▼ -14.01 ▼ -0.17%
Nikkei_225___ 19,847.58 ▼ -77.31 ▼ -0.39%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,498.00 ▼ -89.63 ▼ -0.40%
Strait_Times.__ 2,897.28 ▼ -26.21 ▼ -0.90%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,069.14 ▼ -32.13 ▼ -0.53%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-edge-higher-early-152427276.html

US stocks wobble into Thanksgiving break in light trading
Associated Press By MARLEY JAY

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks wobbled on Wednesday and finished little changed before the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S.

The market was positive for most of the day, but its gains dissipated in the final minutes of trading. Last week the markets made their biggest weekly jump of 2015, but the indexes have hardly budged this week.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 1.20 points to 17,813.39, while the Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 0.27 points to 2,088.87. The Nasdaq composite index picked up 13.33 points, or 0.3 percent, to 5,116.14.

U.S. markets will be closed Thursday for Thanksgiving. They will reopen Friday but will close at 1 p.m. Eastern.

A rebound by drugmakers Pfizer and Allergan boosted the health care sector, while consumer stocks like e-commerce giant Amazon.com and home retailer Home Depot rose in the last trading day before Black Friday unofficially kicks off the holiday shopping period.

Pfizer rose 90 cents, or 2.8 percent, to $32.87 and Irish counterpart Allergan added $8.83, or 2.8 percent, to $320.26. On Monday the two drugmakers said they would combine in a deal valued at about $155 billion. Pfizer shares fell a combined 10 percent Monday and Tuesday, and Allergan shares also slipped after the deal was announced. However the stock is up 12 percent since late October, when the companies confirmed they were in talks.

Agricultural equipment maker Deere rose after its fiscal fourth-quarter results and projections for the current fiscal year were better than analysts expected. While sales of tractors and bulldozers and other machinery have dropped, Deere has slashed its costs. The stock rose $3.66, or 4.8 percent, to $80.

Hewlett-Packard reported earnings for the final time Tuesday night, weeks after the tech giant formally split into two separate companies. HP, which inherited the parent company's PC, printer and commercial software business, sank $2, or 13.7 percent, to $12.64 as its sales weakened. Hewlett Packard Enterprise gained 43 cents, or 3.1 percent, to $14.12. Sales of hardware for data centers, including servers and networking devices, improved.

Energy stocks, which surged Tuesday, gave back some of their gains even though the price of oil increased slightly. The U.S. government said crude oil stockpiles rose last week. They are at their highest levels in at least 80 years.

NRG Energy lost 44 cents, or 3.5 percent, to $12.18. ConocoPhillips fell 94 cents, or 1.7 percent, to $54.38.

The price of U.S. crude rose 17 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $43.04 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils, picked up five cents to $46.17 a barrel in London.

Wholesale gasoline rose 0.6 cents to $1.396 a gallon. Heating oil inched up 0.3 cents to $1.403 a gallon. Natural gas rose 0.6 cents to $2.206 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The Commerce Department said consumer spending inched up 0.1 percent in October, the second small gain in a row. Despite weak spending in September and October, economists think spending will keep growing because the labor market is strong.

Spending on long-lasting manufactured goods improved in October after two months of declines. A measure of business investment improved by the biggest amount since July.

Brad Sorensen, director of market and sector research for Charles Schwab, said there were no big surprises in the economic reports. Most were a bit better than expected, and wages and compensation for workers appear to be rising.

"Both of those things play into the Fed being comfortable raising interest rates next month," he said. Most experts think the Federal Reserve will begin raising its key interest rate at its mid-December meeting. That rate has been near zero since 2008.

Sorensen said he thinks tech stocks will do well over the next few months as consumers continue to spend on electronics and businesses invest more in technology. He also thinks financial stocks, particularly large banks and regional banks, will score bigger profits because they'll be able to charge more money for loans.

Spam maker Hormel said it is planning a stock split that would double the number of shares on the market, which could boost demand for the stock. Its shares rose $2.23, or 3 percent, to $73.55. The stock gained 3 percent Tuesday after the company reported a strong fourth quarter and outlook, and it's been trading at all-time highs.

Metals prices slipped after making gains on Tuesday. Gold declined $3.80, or 0.4 percent, to $1,070 an ounce. Silver declined a fraction of a cent to $14.158 an ounce. Copper fell 0.9 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $2.046 a pound.

Bond prices ticked higher, and the yield on the 10-year Treasury inched down to 2.23 percent from 2.24 percent. The euro fell to $1.0617 from $1.0655 on Tuesday. The dollar rose to 122.72 yen from 122.44 yen.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

U.S. markets were closed Thursday November 26 for Thanksgiving. They will reopen Friday but will close at 1 p.m. Eastern.

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 1.2 points or ▲ 0.01% on Thursday, November 26, 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,813.39 ▲ 1.20 ▲ 0.01% HOLIDAY
Nasdaq____ 5,116.14 ▲ 13.33 ▲ 0.26% HOLIDAY
S&P_500___ 2,088.87 ▼ -0.27 ▼ -0.01% HOLIDAY
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.00 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.37% HOLIDAY

NYSE Volume 2,813,561,750 HOLIDAY
Nasdaq Volume 1,528,368,880 HOLIDAY

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,393.13 ▲ 55.49 ▲ 0.88%
DAX_____ 11,320.77 ▲ 151.23 ▲ 1.35%
CAC_40__ 4,946.02 ▲ 53.03 ▲ 1.08%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,259.70 ▲ 14.50 ▲ 0.28%
Shanghai_Comp 3,635.55 ▼ -12.38 ▼ -0.34%
Taiwan_Weight 8,484.90 ▲ 98.77 ▲ 1.18%
Nikkei_225___ 19,944.41 ▲ 96.83 ▲ 0.49%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,488.94 ▼ -9.06 ▼ -0.04%
Strait_Times.__ 2,884.69 ▼ -6.89 ▼ -0.24%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,087.90 ▲ 18.76 ▲ 0.31%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/asian-stocks-rise-expectations-europe-072524148.html

With US off, global stocks buoyed by Europe stimulus hopes
Global stock markets buoyed by European stimulus hopes as Russia-Turkey jitters fade
Associated Press By Pan Pylas, Associated Press

LONDON (AP) -- With Wall Street closed for the Thanksgiving holiday and tensions between Russia and Turkey fading, European stock markets were buoyed Thursday by expectations that the European Central Bank will back further stimulus for the ailing 19-country eurozone economy next week.

There's increasing speculation that ECB President Mario Draghi will announce a bold package of measures as the bank tries to shore up the economic recovery across the region and get inflation back towards its target of just below 2 percent on an annual basis. Currently, inflation is standing at 0.1 percent. That prospect is keeping the euro currency at relative lows at $1.06 as well as depressing the interest rates payable on a series of government bonds across Europe.

In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares closed up 0.9 percent at 6,393.13 while Germany's DAX rose 1.4 percent to 11,320.77. The CAC-40 in France ended 1.1 percent higher at 4,946.02.

"In the event that the ECB fails to deliver what Mr. Market wants then one would expect to see a big drop in stock prices ”” an unlikely event, in our view," said Fawad Razaqzada, technical analyst at Forex.com.

Razaqzada said there's potential for stock markets, particularly in Europe, to post further strong gains over coming days before possibly retreating a little sometime after the ECB meeting on Thursday.

Earlier in Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 0.5 percent to 19,944.41 and South Korea's Kospi gained 1.1 percent to 2,030.68. Hong Kong's Hang Seng erased earlier gains, finishing flat at 22,488.94. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 advanced 0.3 percent to 5,210.70.

Wall Street is set to reopen Friday for an abbreviated session and much of the interest will likely center on Black Friday, when millions of Americans venture to shops the day after Thanksgiving in search of bargains.

In the energy markets, Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils, lost 75 cents to trade at $45.42 a barrel in London.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

U.S. markets were closed Thursday November 26 for Thanksgiving.

They reopened Friday with early close at 1 p.m. Eastern.

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -14.9 points or ▼ -0.08% on Friday, November 27, 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,798.49 ▼ -14.90 ▼ -0.08%
Nasdaq____ 5,127.52 ▲ 11.38 ▲ 0.22%
S&P_500___ 2,090.11 ▲ 1.24 ▲ 0.06%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.00 ▲ 0.01 ▲ 0.20%

NYSE Volume 1,439,365,880
Nasdaq Volume 773,855,310

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,375.15 ▼ -17.98 ▼ -0.28%
DAX_____ 11,293.76 ▼ -27.01 ▼ -0.24%
CAC_40__ 4,930.14 ▼ -15.88 ▼ -0.32%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,251.40 ▼ -8.30 ▼ -0.16%
Shanghai_Comp 3,436.30 ▼ -199.25 ▼ -5.48%
Taiwan_Weight 8,398.40 ▼ -86.50 ▼ -1.02%
Nikkei_225___ 19,883.94 ▼ -60.47 ▼ -0.30%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,068.32 ▼ -420.62 ▼ -1.87%
Strait_Times.__ 2,859.12 ▼ -25.57 ▼ -0.89%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,101.02 ▲ 13.12 ▲ 0.22%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-open-lower-holiday-energy-sector-slides-153030603--finance.html

Disney stumbles

Stocks edge higher in quiet post-holiday trading; Disney has worst day in three months
Associated Press By Marley Jay, AP Markets Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks finished mostly higher Friday as they wrapped up a quiet week of trading.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index fluctuated early on, but managed to eke out a small gain as telecommunications and financial stocks rose. Disney dragged down the Dow Jones industrial average after the company said ESPN lost 3 million subscribers in the last year. Oil prices slumped, dragging down energy stocks.

The Dow fell 14.90 points, or 0.1 percent, to 17,798.49. The S&P 500 picked up 1.24 points, or less than 0.1 percent, to 2,090.11. The Nasdaq composite index added 11.38 points, or 0.2 percent, to 5,127.52.

U.S. markets were closed Thursday for the Thanksgiving holiday, and closed at 1 p.m. on Friday.

Stocks didn't have much momentum in a week of light trading. The market made its biggest weekly gain of 2015 last week, but this week the Dow fell 0.1 percent and the S&P 500 rose less than 0.1 percent.

Oil prices dropped. Benchmark U.S. crude fell $1.33, or 3.1 percent, to $41.71 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils, gave up 60 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $44.86 a barrel in London.

The largest losers on the S&P 500 were energy stocks. Consol Energy lost 52 cents, or 6.5 percent, to $7.48 and Southwestern Energy gave up 68 cents, or 7.2 percent, to $8.74.

Prudential Financial market strategist Quincy Krosby said oil prices gained a premium this week because of geopolitical concerns like increased military action against the Islamic State and growing tensions between Russia and Turkey after Turkey shot down a Russian fighter plane on Tuesday.

Krosby said those gains may not last long. Next week OPEC will hold a meeting in Vienna, and the group could send oil prices higher by deciding to cut back on production. Or, it could decide to keep producing oil at its present rate, which might make prices fall further.

That premium on the price of oil "can move up dramatically but also come down or dissipate just as quickly," Krosby said.

Disney fell $3.54, or 3 percent, to $115.13, its biggest one-day loss since August. Late Wednesday, Disney disclosed that U.S. subscribers to its ESPN sports channel fell for the second year in a row, to 92 million as of Oct. 3, matching the lowest total since 2006. ESPN's subscriber totals had hovered around 100 million for years.

Disney has said that ESPN has lost subscribers, but investors appeared shaken by the size of the losses. Small but growing numbers of people are opting out of traditional cable TV bundles and buying smaller, less expensive groups of channels instead. Investors in media companies are worried about potential losses of subscribers and revenue.

A dispute over the health and mental capacity of media mogul Sumner Redstone hit shares of Viacom, the owner of media properties including Paramount Pictures, Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon. In a lawsuit filed Wednesday, Manuela Herzer, Redstone's former companion, said the 92-year-old executive can't make informed decisions anymore and needs medical care at all times. Lawyers for Redstone, who controls the shareholder vote at Viacom as well as at CBS, disputed the claims.

Viacom's Class B shares fell $1.19, or 2.3 percent, to $51.16.

Spam maker Hormel didn't miss a beat over the holiday break, rising $1.46, or 2 percent, to $75.01. Earlier this week Hormel posted strong-quarterly results and announced a planned stock split. Its shares rose 10 percent this week.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise also continued to rise. The technology services company, formerly part of Hewlett-Packard, saw an increase in sales of data-center hardware during the fourth quarter. Its shares added 23 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $14.35 after picking up 3 percent Wednesday.

Retail stocks didn't move much on Black Friday, when millions of shoppers hit the stores in search of bargains. Target rose 28 cents to $73.44 and Wal-Mart Stores dipped 35 cents to $59.89. Amazon fell $2.08 to $673.26.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline fell 0.6 cents to $1.391 a gallon. Heating oil fell 5 cents, or 3.6 percent, to $1.352 a gallon. Natural gas inched up 0.6 cents to $2.206 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold fell $13.80, or 1.3 percent, to $1,056.20 an ounce. Silver declined 15 cents, or 1.1 percent, to $14.008 an ounce. Copper inched up 0.5 cents to $2.051 a pound.

U.S. government bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.22 percent from 2.24 percent late Wednesday. The euro fell to $1.0597 from $1.0617 and dollar rose to 122.84 yen from 122.72 yen.

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