NYSE Dow Jones finished today at:

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -23.9 points or ▼ -0.14% on Monday, December 28, 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,528.27 ▼ -23.90 ▼ -0.14%
Nasdaq____ 5,040.99 ▼ -7.51 ▼ -0.15%
S&P_500___ 2,056.50 ▼ -4.49 ▼ -0.22%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.94 ▼ -0.02 ▼ -0.81%

NYSE Volume 2,463,095,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,291,898,620

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,254.64 ▲ 13.66 ▲ 0.22% HOLIDAY MONDAY DECEMBER 26
DAX_____ 10,653.91 ▼ -73.73 ▼ -0.69%
CAC_40__ 4,617.95 ▼ -45.23 ▼ -0.97%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,256.10 ▲ 62.60 ▲ 1.21% HOLIDAY MONDAY DECEMBER 26
Shanghai_Comp 3,533.78 ▼ -94.13 ▼ -2.59%
Taiwan_Weight 8,358.49 ▼ -4.79 ▼ -0.06%
Nikkei_225___ 18,873.35 ▲ 104.29 ▲ 0.56%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,919.62 ▼ -218.51 ▼ -0.99%
Strait_Times.__ 2,875.32 ▼ -2.30 ▼ -0.08%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,225.53 ▲ 30.19 ▲ 0.49% HOLIDAY MONDAY DECEMBER 26

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/energ...y-decline-wall-street-151546484--finance.html

Energy, mining stocks lead a decline on Wall Street
Associated Press By ALEX VEIGA

U.S. stocks closed modestly lower on Monday as a deepening slump in crude oil prices pulled down energy and mining stocks on a lighter than usual day of trading.

Chevron fell 1.8 percent, the most in the Dow Jones industrial average. Consol Energy sank 9 percent.

After recovering a bit last week, U.S. crude oil fell 3 percent amid reports that Iran intends to increase exports by 500,000 barrels per day once economic sanctions are removed. That would only add to excess global supplies that have helped depress oil prices.

Investors worry that falling oil prices could be a signal of further economic weakness ahead, said Paul Christopher, head global market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute.

"We don't think that's the case, but we think that's what's weighing on the market today," Christopher said.

The Dow lost 23.90 points, or 0.1 percent, to 17,528.27. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 4.49 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,056.50. The Nasdaq composite shed 7.51 points, or 0.2 percent, to 5,040.99.

With less than a week to go in 2015, the Dow is down 1.7 percent for the year, while the S&P 500 is essentially flat with a loss of 0.1 percent. The Nasdaq is up 6.4 percent for the year.

The three major indexes were headed lower from the start of regular trading on Monday and didn't shift out of negative territory the rest of the day.

Energy and mining companies felt the brunt of the sell-off.

Chevron fell $1.69 to $90.36, while Exxon Mobil lost 59 cents, or 0.7 percent, to $78.74. Consol Energy tumbled 78 cents to $7.87, while Chesapeake Energy slid 38 cents, or 8.5 percent, to $4.07.

Mining company Freeport-McMoRan sank 9.5 percent following news that James R. Moffett, the company's executive chairman and co-founder, is stepping down. Plunging commodity prices have led to mass layoffs across the entire industry. The move follows the recent revelation that activist investor Carl Icahn has taken a huge stake in the company. The stock shed 72 cents to $6.85.
U.S. stocks edge lower as oil slides below $37 per … Play video
U.S. stocks edge lower as oil slides below $37 per …

Six of the 10 sectors in the S&P 500 index moved lower. Energy stocks fell the most, 1.8 percent. The sector is down 23.2 percent this year. Consumer discretionary stocks fared the best, gaining 0.3 percent. That sector is the best performer so far this year, up 9.1 percent.

Trading volume was lighter than usual following the Christmas holiday weekend. That's likely to be the case this week as well ahead of the New Year's Day holiday, said David Schiegoleit, managing director of investments at the Private Client Reserve at U.S. Bank.

"We could see heightened volatility given the low volume, but I don't see anything fundamental happening between now and the end of the year that could drive prices in either direction," Schiegoleit said.

Benchmark U.S. crude shed $1.29, or 3.4 percent, to close at $36.81 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, which is used to price international oils, lost $1.27, or 3.4 percent, to close at $36.62 per barrel in London.

Among other energy futures trading, wholesale gasoline fell 0.3 cents to close at $1.233 a gallon, heating oil fell 1 cent to close at $1.09 a gallon and natural gas rose 20 cents to close at $2.228 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Major stock indexes in Europe also ended lower on Monday. Germany's DAX fell 0.7 percent, while France's CAC 40 was off 1 percent.

Trading in Asian markets was mixed. Japan's Nikkei added 0.6 percent, while the Shanghai Composite Index lost 2.6 percent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng slipped 1 percent. The London Stock Exchange remained closed for the holiday break.

Precious and industrial metals prices ended broadly lower. Gold slipped $7.60 to $1,068.30 an ounce, silver dropped 50 cents to $13.88 an ounce and copper fell five cents to $2.08 a pound.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note fell to 2.23 percent from 2.25 percent. The dollar slipped to 120.36 yen while the euro fell to $1.0971.

Among other stocks making big moves Monday:

”” Valeant Pharmaceuticals lost 10.5 percent after the company announced that CEO J. Michael Pearson is taking a medical leave of absence. Pearson was hospitalized with pneumonia last week. Three executives will take over for Pearson during his absence. The company's stock fell $11.97 to $102.14.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 192.71 points or ▲ 1.10% on Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,720.98 ▲ 192.71 ▲ 1.10%
Nasdaq____ 5,107.94 ▲ 66.95 ▲ 1.33%
S&P_500___ 2,078.36 ▲ 21.86 ▲ 1.06%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.04 ▲ 0.10 ▲ 3.44%

NYSE Volume 2,508,449,750
Nasdaq Volume 1,356,288,880

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,314.57 ▲ 59.93 ▲ 0.96%
DAX_____ 10,860.14 ▲ 206.23 ▲ 1.94%
CAC_40__ 4,701.36 ▲ 83.41 ▲ 1.81%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,315.60 ▲ 59.50 ▲ 1.13%
Shanghai_Comp 3,563.74 ▲ 29.96 ▲ 0.85%
Taiwan_Weight 8,293.91 ▼ -64.58 ▼ -0.77%
Nikkei_225___ 18,982.23 ▲ 108.88 ▲ 0.58%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,999.62 ▲ 80.00 ▲ 0.36%
Strait_Times.__ 2,888.22 ▲ 12.90 ▲ 0.45%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,292.44 ▲ 66.91 ▲ 1.07%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-gain-led-energy-151225806.html#

Stocks rebound as US confidence improves and oil price rises
Associated Press By ALEX VEIGA

Technology and health care companies led a broad rally in U.S. stocks Tuesday that pulled the Standard & Poor's 500 index back into the black for the year.

The gains erased the market's losses over the previous two days, when worries over falling oil and other commodities prices dragged down stocks. That trend snapped on Tuesday as the price of U.S. crude oil rebounded with a 2.9 percent gain.

Investors also drew encouragement from better-than-expected data on consumer confidence and housing.

"Both of those set us up nicely on a low volume day to be more positive than negative," said Darrell Cronk, president of Wells Fargo Investment Institute.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 192.71 points, or 1.1 percent, to 17,720.98. The S&P 500 index gained 21.86 points, or 1.1 percent, to 2,078.36. The Nasdaq composite added 66.95 points, or 1.3 percent, to 5,107.94.

The S&P 500 index, considered a benchmark for the broader stock market, is now on course to end 2015 with a gain of about 1 percent. The Nasdaq is up nearly 8 percent for the year, while the Dow is down 0.6 percent.

In Europe, Germany's DAX rose 1.9 percent, while France's CAC 40 gained 1.8 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 rose 1 percent. Several markets in Asia notched small gains.

The U.S. rally accelerated as investors got a look at the latest batch of U.S. economic data.

The Conference Board said its consumer confidence index increased from the previous month, reflecting positive views on the economy and job market.

Separately, a key gauge of home values indicated that U.S. home prices climbed 5.5 percent in October from a year earlier. Home values have climbed at a roughly 5 percent pace during much of 2015 as strong hiring bolstered the real estate market, which still recovering from a bust that triggered a recession eight years ago.

Traders also welcomed a break in the decline in crude oil prices.

Benchmark U.S. crude rose $1.06, or 2.9 percent, to close at $37.87 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, recovering after a slump Monday. Brent crude, which is used to price international oils, gained $1.17, or 3.2 percent, to close at $37.79 a barrel in London.

Consol Energy and Chesapeake Energy were among the companies to get a boost from the pickup in energy prices.

Shares in Consol gained 37 cents, or 4.7 percent, to $8.24, while Chesapeake jumped 51 cents, or 12.5 percent, to $4.58.

"Lately the markets have been taking their cue from the movement in commodity prices, and in particular, oil," said Cronk.

In other energy trading in New York, wholesale gasoline rose 4.3 cents, or 3.5 percent, to $1.276 a gallon, heating oil rose 3.9 cents, or 3.6 percent, to $1.23 a gallon and natural gas jumped 14.4 cents, or 6.5 percent, to $2.372 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Precious and industrial metals prices ended mixed. Gold slipped 30 cents to $1,068 an ounce, silver rose 4 cents to $13.93 an ounce and copper gained 6 cents to $2.14 a pound.

Bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.31 percent from 2.23 percent late Monday. The dollar was slightly higher at 120.46 yen, up from 120.34 on Monday. The euro slipped to $1.0934 from $1.0975.

Among other stocks making big moves Tuesday:

”” Pep Boys surged 8.8 percent after the auto parts and services retailer received another offer from activist investor Carl Icahn, putting the deal in the neighborhood of $1 billion. Shares in Pep Boys have been ratcheting steadily higher over the past two months as a takeover bid from Japanese tiremaker Bridgestone turned into a fight for control with Icahn. The stock added $1.53 to $18.94.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -117.11 points or ▼ -0.66% on Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,603.87 ▼ -117.11 ▼ -0.66%
Nasdaq____ 5,065.85 ▼ -42.09 ▼ -0.82%
S&P_500___ 2,063.36 ▼ -15.00 ▼ -0.72%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.04 ▲ 0.00 ▲ 0.03%

NYSE Volume 2,322,295,500
Nasdaq Volume 1,191,864,500

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,274.05 ▼ -40.52 ▼ -0.64%
DAX_____ 10,743.01 ▼ -117.13 ▼ -1.08%
CAC_40__ 4,677.14 ▼ -24.22 ▼ -0.52%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,366.40 ▲ 50.80 ▲ 0.96%
Shanghai_Comp 3,572.88 ▲ 9.14 ▲ 0.26%
Taiwan_Weight 8,279.99 ▼ -13.92 ▼ -0.17%
Nikkei_225___ 19,033.71 ▲ 51.48 ▲ 0.27%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,882.15 ▼ -117.47 ▼ -0.53%
Strait_Times.__ 2,885.51 ▼ -2.71 ▼ -0.09%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,319.39 ▲ 26.95 ▲ 0.43%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/another-drop-energy-stocks-leads-152306367.html

Another drop in energy stocks leads market lower
Associated Press By ALEX VEIGA

The latest downturn in crude oil prices put investors in a selling mood Wednesday, pulling U.S. stocks lower for the second time this week.

The market decline, which wiped out some of the gains from a rally the day before, came on lighter-than-usual trading ahead of the New Year's Day holiday.

Energy companies fell the most among the 10 sectors in the Standard & Poor's 500 index, 1.5 percent. The sector is down 23.8 percent for the year. Southwestern Energy fell 6.8 percent, while Consol Energy sank 5.6 percent.

The price of oil shed 3.4 percent on Wednesday, extending its losses for the year to nearly 40 percent.

"You have oil prices affecting the market negatively today," said Quincy Krosby, market strategist for Prudential Financial. "You throw in exceedingly low volume and it's a recipe for skewing the market, in this case to the downside."

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 117.11 points, or 0.7 percent, to 17,603.87. The S&P 500 index dropped 15 points, or 0.7 percent, to 2,063.36. The Nasdaq composite lost 42.09 points, or 0.8 percent, to 5,065.85.

The day's market action cut into the S&P 500's slim gain for the year. The index remains essentially flat with an increase of 0.2 percent this year. The Nasdaq is up about 7 percent, while the Dow is on track to end 2015 with a loss of 1.2 percent.

The major stock indexes headed lower from the get-go on Wednesday as investors tracked the latest swings in oil and natural gas prices.

Benchmark U.S. crude fell $1.27 to close at $36.60 a barrel in New York. It's down 39 percent this year. Brent crude, which is used to price international oils, slid $1.33, or 3.5 percent, to close at $36.46 a barrel in London.

Several energy companies closed lower, including Noble Energy, which fell $1.18, or 3.5 percent, to $32.22, and Southwestern Energy, which tumbled 46 cents, or 6.8 percent, to $6.30.

Consol Energy shed 46 cents, or 5.6 percent, to $7.78. Natural gas company Chesapeake Energy fell 18 cents, or 3.9 percent, to $4.40.

In other energy trading in New York, wholesale gasoline fell 5 cents, or 3.6 percent, to $1.23 a gallon, while heating oil declined 5 cents, or 4.5 percent, to $1.079 a gallon. Natural gas slumped 15.6 cents to $2.214 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Traders found good reasons to bid up other stocks.

Weight Watchers International vaulted 19 percent after announcing an advertising campaign featuring Oprah Winfrey, who owns a 10 percent stake in the company. The stock added $3.68 to $23.05.

In Europe, trading volumes were low on the last full day of the year ahead of the New Year's holiday. Many European markets will be open only for a half day on Dec. 31. Germany's DAX fell 1.1 percent, while France's CAC 40 lost 0.5 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 slipped 0.6 percent.

Precious and industrial metals prices ended mixed. Gold lost $8.20 to $1,059.80 an ounce, silver fell 9 cents to $13.84 an ounce and copper gained 1 cent to $2.15 a pound.

Bond prices edged higher. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.29 percent.

In currencies, the dollar rose to 120.55 yen from 120.39 yen late Tuesday. The euro slipped to $1.0924 from $1.093

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

NYSE is closed January 1 2016 for New Year holiday

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -178.84 points or ▼ -1.02% on Thursday, December 31, 2015
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,425.03 ▼ -178.84 ▼ -1.02%
Nasdaq____ 5,007.41 ▼ -58.44 ▼ -1.15%
S&P_500___ 2,043.94 ▼ -19.42 ▼ -0.94%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.01 ▼ -0.03 ▼ -0.89%

NYSE Volume 2,610,210,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,411,131,500

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,242.32 ▼ -31.73 ▼ -0.51%
DAX_____ 10,743.01 ▼ -117.13 ▼ -1.08%
CAC_40__ 4,637.06 ▼ -40.08 ▼ -0.86%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,344.60 ▼ -21.80 ▼ -0.41%
Shanghai_Comp 3,539.18 ▼ -33.69 ▼ -0.94%
Taiwan_Weight 8,338.06 ▲ 58.07 ▲ 0.70%
Nikkei_225___ 19,033.71 ▲ 51.48 ▲ 0.27%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,914.40 ▲ 32.25 ▲ 0.15%
Strait_Times.__ 2,882.73 ▼ -2.78 ▼ -0.10%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,324.26 ▲ 4.87 ▲ 0.08%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-ending-2015-mostly-185738656.html#

US stocks end 2015 mostly flat, capping volatile year
Associated Press By ALEX VEIGA

The U.S. stock market took investors for a wild ride in 2015, but in the end it was a trip to nowhere.

Despite veering between record highs and the steepest dive in four years, the stock market ended the year essentially flat, delivering the weakest performance since 2008. That means if you invested in a fund that tracks the Standard & Poor's 500 index, you have little to show for the past 12 months.

"It's been mildly disappointing," said Michael Baele, managing director at the Private Client Reserve at U.S. Bank. "Any time that you come in toward the end of the year close to flat you always want a little bit more."

Markets overseas had their own challenges.

China's market surged in the late spring and then fell sharply in the summer despite several efforts by China's government to stem the decline. The Shanghai Composite Index ended the year up 9.4 percent. Japan's market finished flat after that country's government stepped up its economic stimulus program. In Europe, Britain's market ended the year down about 5 percent, while indexes in Germany and France turned in healthy gains of 9.6 percent and 8.5 percent, respectively.

In the U.S., the market got 2015 off to a slow start as investors worried about falling crude oil prices, flat earnings growth and when and how quickly the Federal Reserve would begin raising interest rates.

By May, the major indexes were hitting new highs. Even the Nasdaq bested its dot-com high-water mark set in March 2000.

The market didn't stay in milestone territory for long, though.

Worries about slowing growth in China and elsewhere gave reason for the Fed to pause and for investors to fret, even as the U.S. economy continued to create jobs and consumer confidence improved. Weak company earnings, largely due to the strong dollar and falling oil prices, didn't do much for the market's confidence.

By August, the anxiety had deepened and the market dropped sharply. The three major U.S. indexes went into a correction, commonly defined as a loss of at least 10 percent from a recent peak, for the first time in four years.

That slide didn't last long, either.

Within several weeks, the market had mostly bounced back. The Nasdaq composite returned to positive territory for the year, while the Dow average and S&P 500 remained slightly in the red until December.

In the weeks that followed, the S&P 500 inched back into positive territory, leaving the Dow as the only major market indicator negative for the year.

That held true until the last day of the year, when the S&P 500 index slipped back into the red.

The Dow ended down 178.84 points, or 1 percent, to 17,425.03 on Thursday. The S&P 500 index lost 19.42 points, or 0.9 percent, to 2,043.94. The Nasdaq composite fell 58.43 points, or 1.2 percent, to 5,007.41.

The S&P 500 ended the year with a slight loss of 0.7 percent. Once dividends are included, it had a total return of 1.4 percent, according to preliminary calculations. That's its worst showing since 2008, when it slumped 37 percent in the midst of the financial crisis. That figure also includes dividends.

"There was a lot of news that kept hitting the market and the market kept shrugging it all off and hung in there," said J.J. Kinahan, chief strategist at TD Ameritrade. "I'd say, given all that the market faced this year, it was pretty strong."

These were some of the key factors driving U.S. markets in 2015:

WAITING FOR THE FED

Wall Street watched few things more closely this year than the Federal Reserve. Traders had been predicting early on that the central bank would begin raising its benchmark interest rate as early as March. When that didn't happen, investors turned their focus to June, only to be disappointed again.

Eventually, in December, the Fed took action. It nudged its benchmark overnight borrowing rate higher, its first increase in interest rates in nearly a decade.

The Fed made it clear that it was expressing a vote of confidence in the U.S. economy by doing so and that future increases would be gradual. That helped reassure investors that the Fed wouldn't raise rates too quickly and thereby stunt the economy's growth.

"It really was central banks looming large over the market," Baele said. "The market had a fair amount of fear that the Fed raising rates was a risk to the market. It's turned around now."

CORRECTION ARRIVES

The bull market had racked up six years of annual gains by the time the calendars turned to 2015. The last time it had a correction was 2011. Historically, that's an unusually long time for the market to go without a meaningful pullback. That plus a string of record highs in late 2014 led many to think the market was overdue a drop.

The long-awaited correction finally arrived in August. Late in the month indexes dropped sharply as investors worried that a slowdown in China's huge economy could spread to other countries.

Yet after an 11 percent plunge between Aug. 17 and 25, and another, less steep drop in late September, the market began to struggle higher. By late November it had recouped all the losses from its late summer swoon.

Once investors determined that China's slowdown would not spillover to the U.S. and European economies, "then we had a very rapid recovery from that very sharp decline," Jeremy Zirin, chief equities strategist at UBS Wealth Management Americas.

EARNINGS DRAG

A big reason why the market finished flat in 2015 is that company earnings growth has also been largely flat.

That was due primarily to the impact of falling oil prices on energy sector earnings. Also, the rapid appreciation of the dollar constrained earnings for companies that do a lot of business overseas, including Procter & Gamble, Tiffany, Gap and Avon.

As a result, earnings growth for companies in the S&P 500 index went from 7 percent in 2014 to essentially zero in 2015, Zirin said.

Excluding energy, earnings for the rest of the S&P 500 would be up about 7 percent this year, Zirin said.

With so few companies producing meaningful growth, investors homed in on those that did. Among the biggest gainers: Facebook, Amazon, Netflix and Alphabet, Google's parent company.

"There's only been a handful of really strong performers on a market cap-weighted index that have driven us to performance while the majority of the indices and the majority of the stocks are actually negative for the year," said Darrell Cronk, president of Wells Fargo Investment Institute.

SLOW-GROWTH ECONOMY

The U.S. economy didn't do the stock market any favors in 2015.

It expanded at a slight 0.6 percent annual rate in the first three months of the year, depressed by unusually severe winter weather and disruptions at West Coast ports. The economy revved up in the next quarter, growing at an annual rate of 3.9 percent, but slowed to a gain of 2.1 percent in the July-September quarter.

Consumer spending remained a bright spot, however. That's one reason why consumer discretionary stocks, a category that includes big retailers and car makers, were the biggest gainers in the S&P 500.



http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-edge-lower-pulling-p-500-red-152113258--finance.html

US stocks edge lower; S&P 500 goes red for the year
Associated Press By ALEX VEIGA

U.S. stocks closed lower on Thursday, capping the worst year for the market since 2008.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index ended essentially flat for the year after the day's modest losses nudged it into the red for 2015. Even factoring in dividends, the index eked out a far smaller return than in 2014.

The Dow Jones industrial average also closed out the year with a loss. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite fared better, delivering a gain for the year.

"It's a lousy end to a pretty lousy year," said Edward Campbell, portfolio manager for QMA, a unit of Prudential Investment Management. "A very unrewarding year."

Trading was lighter than usual on Thursday ahead of the New Year's Day holiday. Technology stocks were among the biggest decliners, while energy stocks eked out a tiny gain thanks to a rebound in crude oil and natural gas prices.

The Dow ended the day down 178.84 points, or 1 percent, to 17,425.03. The S&P 50 index lost 19.42 points, or 0.9 percent, to 2,043.94. The Nasdaq composite fell 58.43 points, or 1.2 percent, to 5,007.41.

For 2015, the Dow registered a loss of 2.2 percent. It's the first down year for the Dow since 2008. The Nasdaq ended with a gain of 5.7 percent.

The S&P 500 index, regarded as a benchmark for the broader stock market, lost 0.7 percent for the year.

According to preliminary calculations, the index had a total return for the year of just 1.4 percent, including dividends. That's the worst return since 2008 and down sharply down from the 13.7 percent it returned in 2014.

While U.S. employers added jobs at a solid pace in 2015 and consumer confidence improved, several factors weighed on stocks in 2015.

Investors worried about flat earnings growth, a deep slump in oil prices and the impact of the stronger dollar on revenues in markets outside the U.S. They also fretted about the timing of the Federal Reserve's first interest rate increase in more than a decade.

The uncertainty led to a volatile year in stocks, which hit new highs earlier in the year, but swooned in August as concerns about a slowdown in China's economy helped drag the three major stock indexes into a correction, or a drop of at least 10 percent. The markets recouped most of their lost ground within a few weeks.

"The market didn't go anywhere and earnings didn't really go anywhere," Campbell said.

On Thursday, nine of the 10 sectors in the S&P 500 index ended lower, led by a 1.4 percent decline in technology stocks. Energy stocks, which had been battered recently as commodities prices sank, rose 0.3 percent as oil prices rebounded. The sector still closed out the year down nearly 24 percent, making it the worst performer in the S&P 500.

Crude oil and natural gas prices recovered some of their losses from the day before. Benchmark U.S. crude climbed 44 cents, or 1.2 percent, to close at $37.04 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, gained 82 cents, or 2.2 percent, to close at $37.28 a barrel in London.

In other energy trading in New York, wholesale gasoline rose 3.7 cents to $1.267 a gallon, heating oil rose 2.2 cents to $1.101 a gallon and natural gas rose 12.3 cents to $2.337 per 1,000 cubic feet.

In Europe, Britain's FTSE 100 dropped 0.5 percent, putting it down 4.9 percent for the year. France's CAC-40 fared better in 2015, with an 8.5 percent gain after slipping 0.9 percent on Thursday. Germany's main stock market, which was closed Thursday for the holiday, ended the year with a 9.6 percent gain. In Asia, the Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.9 percent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.1 percent.

Precious and industrial metals prices ended mixed. Gold rose $40 cents to $1,060.20 an ounce, silver fell 4 cents to $13.80 an ounce and copper slid 1 cent to $2.14 a pound.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.27 percent from 2.30 percent a day earlier.

In currency markets, the dollar fell to 120.19 yen from 120.55 yen, while the euro fell to $1.0859 from $1.0924.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -276.09 points or ▼ -1.58% on Monday, January 4, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,148.94 ▼ -276.09 ▼ -1.58%
Nasdaq____ 4,903.09 ▼ -104.32 ▼ -2.08%
S&P_500___ 2,012.66 ▼ -31.28 ▼ -1.53%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.99 ▼ -0.02 ▼ -0.83%

NYSE Volume 4,243,674,500
Nasdaq Volume 2,172,010,250

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,093.43 ▼ -148.89 ▼ -2.39%
DAX_____ 10,283.44 ▼ -459.57 ▼ -4.28%
CAC_40__ 4,522.45 ▼ -114.61 ▼ -2.47%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,322.80 ▼ -21.80 ▼ -0.41%
Shanghai_Comp 3,296.26 ▼ -242.92 ▼ -6.86%
Taiwan_Weight 8,114.26 ▼ -223.80 ▼ -2.68%
Nikkei_225___ 18,450.98 ▼ -582.73 ▼ -3.06%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,327.12 ▼ -587.28 ▼ -2.68%
Strait_Times.__ 2,835.97 ▼ -46.76 ▼ -1.62%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,324.26 ▲ 4.87 ▲ 0.08%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/global-stocks-sink-china-index-dives-7-percent-151654934.html

Stocks sink on first day of 2016 on China, Mideast worries
Associated Press By BERNARD CONDON

NEW YORK (AP) ”” The new year got off to an inauspicious start on Wall Street as stocks tumbled Monday in a global sell-off triggered by new fears of a slowdown in China and rising tensions in the Middle East.

The Dow Jones industrial average clawed back from a steep early decline but still ended down 1.6 percent, its biggest loss in two weeks. Markets in Asia and Europe were down more.

The wave of selling on the first trading day of 2016 served as a reminder that worries over the fragile global economy that weighed on financial markets last year are not going away anytime soon.

"It's going to be a turbulent year," said Kevin Kelly, chief investment officer of Recon Capital Partners. "This isn't a blip."

The trouble started in China, where weak manufacturing figures in the world's second-largest economy sent the Shanghai Composite Index plunging 6.9 percent before Chinese authorities halted trading.

Investors were also unnerved by heightened tensions between Saudi Arabia, a huge oil supplier, and Iran. Saudi Arabia executed a prominent Shiite cleric, prompting Iranian protesters to set fire to the Saudi Embassy in Tehran on Sunday. The price of oil swung wildly.

In the U.S., the Dow slumped 276.09 points to 17,148.94. It was down as much as 467 points earlier in the day.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 31.28 points, or 1.5 percent, to 2,012.66. The Nasdaq composite fell 104.32 points, or 2.1 percent, to 4,903.09.

The selling in China spread quickly across markets in other Asian countries, then to Europe. The DAX index in Germany tumbled 4.3 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 fell 2.4 percent, while France's CAC 40 dropped 2.5 percent.

Huang Cengdong, an analyst for Sinolink Securities in Shanghai, said he expects more turmoil in the Chinese stock market ahead of corporate earnings reports. "There will be heavy selling in the near future," Huang said.

Elsewhere in Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 tumbled 3.1 percent, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng retreated 2.7 percent. South Korea's Kospi closed 2.2 percent lower.

In the U.S., investors were also worried about data suggesting that slow overseas growth and low oil prices are continuing to hurt U.S. manufacturers. A report from the Institute for Supply Management showed manufacturing contracted last month at the fastest pace in more than six years as factories cut jobs and new orders shrank.

In China, the Caixin/Markit index of manufacturing fell in December for the 10th straight month. The resulting stock drop markets in Shanghai and Shenzhen led authorities to halt trading under a "circuit breaker" mechanism announced late last year. It was the first time China used the system.

The slowdown in China is worrisome around the globe because the country's manufacturers are huge buyers of raw materials, machinery and energy from other countries. Also, many automakers and consumer goods companies are hoping to sell more to increasingly wealthy Chinese households.

Chinese authorities have been trying for months to restore confidence in the country's market after a plunge in June rattled global markets and prompted a panicked, multibillion-dollar government intervention.

Ernie Cecilia, chief investment officer of Bryn Mawr Trust, warned that investors shouldn't overreact to Monday's drops.

"A weak first day of the year doesn't portend that 2016 will be a down year," Cecilia said. "There are a lot of trading days left."

Escalating tensions in the Middle East briefly sent the price of oil surging. Saudi Arabia said Sunday it is severing diplomatic relations with Iran, a development that could potentially threaten oil supplies.

"Oil markets will be concerned that this could be an incremental step in a deteriorating political situation that might ultimately threaten world oil supply," Ric Spooner, chief analyst at CMC Markets, said in a commentary.

Benchmark U.S. crude fell 28 cents to close at $36.76 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Bond prices rose, sending yields lower. Investors tend to park money in U.S. government bonds when they are fearful of weak economic growth or turbulence in stocks and other markets. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.24 percent from 2.27 percent.

In metals trading, gold rose $15 to $1,075.20 an ounce, silver lost 4 cents to $13.84 an ounce and copper fell six cents to $2.08 a pound.

Brent crude, the international standard, edged down 6 cents to close at $37.22 a barrel in London.

In other energy trading in New York, wholesale gasoline rose 2 cents to $1.291 a gallon, heating oil rose a quarter of a cent to $1.126 a gallon and natural gas edged down 0.3 cent to $2.334 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 9.72 points or ▲ 0.06% on Tuesday, January 5, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,158.66 ▲ 9.72 ▲ 0.06%
Nasdaq____ 4,891.43 ▼ -11.66 ▼ -0.24%
S&P_500___ 2,016.71 ▲ 4.05 ▲ 0.20%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.01 ▲ 0.02 ▲ 0.70%

NYSE Volume 3,676,381,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,890,874,880

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,137.24 ▲ 43.81 ▲ 0.72%
DAX_____ 10,310.10 ▲ 26.66 ▲ 0.26%
CAC_40__ 4,537.63 ▲ 15.18 ▲ 0.34%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,239.20 ▼ -83.60 ▼ -1.57%
Shanghai_Comp 3,287.71 ▼ -8.55 ▼ -0.26%
Taiwan_Weight 8,075.11 ▼ -39.15 ▼ -0.48%
Nikkei_225___ 18,374.00 ▼ -76.98 ▼ -0.42%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,188.72 ▼ -138.40 ▼ -0.65%
Strait_Times.__ 2,825.97 ▼ -10.00 ▼ -0.35%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,278.10 ▼ -46.16 ▼ -0.73%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-slip-gm-ford-fall-sales-reports-152803204--finance.html

US indexes end mostly higher; GM, Ford slip on sales miss

US stocks mostly higher after a day of wavering; GM and Ford sink as sales miss forecasts
Associated Press By Marley Jay, AP Markets Writer

U.S. stocks managed some small gains Tuesday, but not enough to make up for big losses from the day before.

Utilities and telecommunications stocks rose the most. General Motors and Ford dropped as their December sales fell short of analysts' estimates.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 9.72 points, or 0.1 percent, to 17,158.66. The Standard & Poor's 500 index edged up 4.05 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,016.71. The Nasdaq composite fell 11.66 points, or 0.2 percent, to 4,891.43, as shares of Apple sank 2.5 percent.

Stocks spent most of the day alternating between small gains and losses, and turned positive in the last hour of trading. The relatively stable trading came a day after a plunge in China's main index set off a bout of selling in global markets.

Despite increased tensions in the Middle East, energy prices continued to tumble because demand appears weak while global stockpiles are large. Analysts surveyed by Platts said they believe refining decreased last week and stockpiles will grow again.

U.S. crude fell 79 cents, or 2.1 percent, to $35.97 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils, fell 80 cents, or 2.1 percent, to $36.42 a barrel in London.

The biggest losses belonged to drilling services companies. Ensco lost $1, or 6.3 percent, to $14.89 and Diamond Offshore Drilling decreased $1.05, or 4.8 percent, to $20.80. Transocean and Baker Hughes also fell.

Automakers reported that last month was the best December in the history of the U.S. auto industry, with 1.6 million cars and trucks sold. That helped make 2015 the biggest sales year in the industry's history. But shares General Motors and Ford slumped as their monthly totals fell short of analysts' projections.

Shares of GM fell 88 cents, or 2.6 percent, to $32.43 and Ford declined 25 cents, or 1.8 percent, to $13.72. Auto parts supplier Delphi Automotive gave up $2.33, or 2.8 percent, to $81.66.

Gun makers continued to trade higher as President Barack Obama announced executive actions intended to reduce gun violence and unregulated sales. The prospect of additional background checks and other restrictions often boosts demand for guns.

Smith & Wesson rose $2.58, or 11.1 percent, to $25.86 and Sturm Ruger gained $4.15, or 6.8 percent, to $65.54. Late Monday, Smith & Wesson raised its profit estimates for the year, saying sales were better than it had expected. The stocks also rose Monday because background checks surged in December, suggesting strong sales.

Smith & Wesson has more than doubled over the last year and Sturm Ruger is up 87 percent.

Spirit Airlines jumped after the company replaced CEO Ben Baldanza. Baldanza helped make Spirit into an "ultra-low cost carrier" with low fares and fees for everything from snacks, seat assignments, and space in overhead bins.

The company also became known for splashy promotions and "pre-reclined" seats that couldn't be lowered, letting the company fit more people on its planes. However shares were down by about half over the last year and in November they hit two-year lows.

Spirit gained $2.32, or 5.9 percent, to $41.50.

Fitbit tumbled to a new low as investors were not impressed with the Blaze, its newest fitness tracker. The stock fell $5.46, or 18.3 percent, to $24.30. Fitbit stock began trading at $20 in June and rose as high as $51.90 in August.

The dollar slipped to 118.97 yen from 119.30 yen late Monday. The euro fell to $1.0744 from $1.0827. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note edged down to 2.24 percent from 2.25 percent.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline fell 3.4 cents, or 2.6 percent, to $1.257 a gallon and heating oil was nearly unchanged at $1.125 a gallon. Natural gas fell 0.9 cents to $2.325 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold edged up $3.20 to $1,078.40 an ounce, silver rose 13 cents to $13.97 an ounce and copper climbed 2 cents to $2.10 a pound.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -252.15 points or ▼ -1.47% on Wednesday, January 6, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,906.51 ▼ -252.15 ▼ -1.47%
Nasdaq____ 4,835.76 ▼ -55.67 ▼ -1.14%
S&P_500___ 1,990.26 ▼ -26.45 ▼ -1.31%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.94 ▼ -0.07 ▼ -2.36%

NYSE Volume 4,243,220,000
Nasdaq Volume 2,110,443,000

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,073.38 ▼ -63.86 ▼ -1.04%
DAX_____ 10,214.02 ▼ -96.08 ▼ -0.93%
CAC_40__ 4,480.47 ▼ -57.16 ▼ -1.26%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,178.00 ▼ -61.20 ▼ -1.17%
Shanghai_Comp 3,361.84 ▲ 74.13 ▲ 2.25%
Taiwan_Weight 7,990.39 ▼ -84.72 ▼ -1.05%
Nikkei_225___ 18,191.32 ▼ -182.68 ▼ -0.99%
Hang_Seng.__ 20,980.81 ▼ -207.91 ▼ -0.98%
Strait_Times.__ 2,804.27 ▼ -29.96 ▼ -1.06%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,262.52 ▼ -15.58 ▼ -0.25%

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/us-stocks-sink-jitters-north-korea-china-weakness-36117481

Stocks Hit 2-Month Lows as Oil Dives and China Worries Flare
By Marley Jay, ap markets writer

U.S. stocks tumbled to two-month lows Wednesday as fears about China's economy slowing down led to more widespread selling. The price of oil plunged to its lowest level since 2008 on the prospect that global demand could fall further.

For the second time in three days, markets slumped on concerns about that the second-largest economy in the world is stumbling. A monthly survey of China's service industries slipped to a 17-month low. That helped knock the price of oil lower since China is a major consumer of energy.

Global markets were also rattled after North Korea said it had conducted its first successful test of a hydrogen bomb. Experts in South Korea and the U.S. doubted that the country had made that breakthrough, but the announcement still caused alarm.

The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 252.15 points, or 1.5 percent, to 16,906.51. The Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 26.45 points, or 1.3 percent, to 1,990.26, for its fourth loss in five days. The Nasdaq composite gave up 55.67 points, or 1.1 percent, to 4,835.76.

U.S. benchmark crude sank $2, or 5.6 percent, to close at $33.97 a barrel in New York, its lowest price since December 2008. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils, fell $2.19, or 6 percent, to close at $34.23 a barrel in London.

Southwestern Energy fell 96 cents, or 12.6 percent, to $6.69 and Marathon Oil declined $1.48, or 11.6 percent, to $11.28.

France's CAC 40 shed 1.3 percent and Germany's DAX dropped 0.9 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 fell 1 percent. Japan's Nikkei 225 index lost 1 percent and South Korea's Kospi fell 0.3 percent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng shed 1 percent. The Shanghai Composite Index in mainland China rebounded 2.3 percent as the Chinese government said it will keep some market-stabilizing measures in place.

Stocks also plunged Monday on signs of weakness in China's manufacturing sector. The Shanghai Composite skidded almost 7 percent that day and also fell on Tuesday.

Scott Wren, senior global equity strategist for the Wells Fargo Investment Institute, said the market was overreacting to the latest signs of weakness in China.

"Stocks are not trading on fundamentals," he said. "They're trading on fear that Chinese growth is going to collapse and that these lower oil prices are going to lead to a growing number of defaults in the high-yield bond market."

U.S. government bond prices rose Wednesday as the turbulent stock market made bonds more appealing. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.17 percent from 2.24 percent.

The markets have endured a rough few days to start 2016. J.J. Kinahan, chief markets strategist for TD Ameritrade, said that's making bonds attractive.

"Bonds have been up a lot this year even though the interest rates are nothing to be excited about," he said. "They want the security of knowing that their money is safe."

Other energy prices also slipped. The price of wholesale gasoline sank 9.5 cents, or 7.6 percent, to $1.162 a gallon after the U.S. government said inventories of gas climbed by 10.6 million barrels last week. Citi Investment Research analyst Edward Morse said that was the biggest weekly increase since 1993.

Heating oil sank 4.5 cents, or 4 percent, to $1.081 a gallon. Natural gas declined 5.6 cents, or 2.5 percent, to $2.267 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Auto retailer AutoNation said it had to offer large discounts in December, especially on luxury vehicles. The company said it will report smaller profits per vehicle in the fourth quarter. The stock dropped $5.98, or 10.5 percent, to $50.76.

Netflix made the biggest gain in the S&P 500. The streaming video service announced at an electronics show in Las Vegas that it would debut in 130 countries Wednesday, with the notable exception of China. Its shares rose $10.02, or 9.3 percent, to $117.68.

Chipotle Mexican Grill said it received a federal grand jury subpoena as the government looks into norovirus outbreak at a California restaurant this summer. Chipotle also disclosed that sales at restaurants open at least one year plunged 30 percent in December in the wake of an E. coli outbreak that affected dozens of restaurants and a norovirus outbreak in one location in Massachusetts. The stock lost $22.36, or 5 percent, to $426.67. Chipotle has fallen 40 percent since the outbreaks began in October.

The euro edged up to $1.0788 from $1.0744. The dollar fell to 118.38 yen from 118.97 yen late Tuesday.

The price of gold rose $13.50, or 1.3 percent, to $1,091.90 an ounce. Silver inched up 0.5 cents to $13.976 an ounce. Copper slid 0.8 cents to $2.088 a pound.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -392.41 points or ▼ -2.32% on Thursday, January 7, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,514.10 ▼ -392.41 ▼ -2.32%
Nasdaq____ 4,689.43 ▼ -146.34 ▼ -3.03%
S&P_500___ 1,943.09 ▼ -47.17 ▼ -2.37%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.93 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.48%

NYSE Volume 4,976,111,000
Nasdaq Volume 2,510,095,500

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 5,954.08 ▼ -119.30 ▼ -1.96%
DAX_____ 9,979.85 ▼ -234.17 ▼ -2.29%
CAC_40__ 4,403.58 ▼ -76.89 ▼ -1.72%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,068.80 ▼ -109.20 ▼ -2.11%
Shanghai_Comp 3,125.00 ▼ -236.84 ▼ -7.04%
Taiwan_Weight 7,852.06 ▼ -138.33 ▼ -1.73%
Nikkei_225___ 17,767.34 ▼ -423.98 ▼ -2.33%
Hang_Seng.__ 20,333.34 ▼ -647.47 ▼ -3.09%
Strait_Times.__ 2,729.91 ▼ -74.36 ▼ -2.65%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,213.39 ▼ -49.13 ▼ -0.78%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-slide-again-china-154233044.html

Stocks slump the most in 3 months on new China worries

More signs of trouble in China send indexes, oil prices sharply lower; Crude lowest since 2004
Associated Press By Marley Jay, AP Markets Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks and oil prices plunged again Thursday on spreading fears that China's economy, a major engine of global growth, is sputtering.

It was the worst one-day drop since late September, and the main U.S. benchmark, the Standard & Poor's 500 index, has now had its worst four-day opening of a year in history.

The latest bout of market volatility came after China allowed its currency to weaken further, a dangerous omen for the world's second-largest economy. That helped set off a 7 percent plunge in China's main index, causing trading to be halted after just 30 minutes.

The malaise spread across continents, sending indexes sharply lower in the U.S. and Europe. The price of U.S. crude oil plunged to its lowest level since 2004 as traders worried that weakness in China would translate into lower global demand for energy.

The selling in the U.S. has been concentrated in technology stocks, which could suffer if demand for iPhones and other electronics weakens. Apple sank 4 percent and has now fallen 27 percent since July.

Thursday's drop pushed the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index into what market watchers call a "correction," or a drop of 10 percent from a recent peak. The Nasdaq has fallen for six days straight.

China could be in store for more declines after that country's market regulator suspended automatic trading halts that were put in place Jan. 1. Those halts, which were triggered twice this week, are increasingly seen as inadequate measures to prevent volatility.

"The management of the Chinese economy is the real concern," said John Canally, chief economic strategist at LPL Financial. "All that matters for markets right now is 'China can't get their act straight.' "

The Dow Jones industrial average sank 392.41 points, or 2.3 percent. At one point it was down 442 points, or 2.6 percent.

The S&P 500 index gave up 47.17 points, or 2.4 percent. The Nasdaq composite index dropped 146.34 points, or 3 percent, to 4,689.43.

While the Nasdaq is so far the only major U.S. index to enter a correction, the other two are getting close. The Dow average is down 9.8 percent from its peak in May, and the S&P 500 index has lost 8.8 percent since then.

European markets also dropped. Germany's DAX slid 2.3 percent, France's CAC 40 gave up 1.7 percent and Britain's FTSE 100 lost 2 percent.

The price of U.S. crude oil dipped to 12-year lows as investors worried worldwide demand will fall even further. It sank 70 cents, or 2.1 percent, to $33.27, its lowest close since February 2004. Brent crude, the benchmark for international oils, lost 48 cents to $33.75 a barrel in London. Brent is trading at 11-year lows.

Apple, the world's largest publicly traded company, had its biggest loss in four months and fell to its lowest price since October 2014. Financial stocks also slumped. Citigroup gave up $2.56, or 5.1 percent, to $47.56.

Aerospace company Boeing fell $5.82, or 4.2 percent, to $133.01 and railroad operator Union Pacific felt $1.75, or 2.3 percent, to $73.08.

2016 has started with a series of warning signs about China's economy. Those worries about China have drowned out signs that the economies of the U.S. and Europe are doing fairly well.

Thursday's selling was linked to weakness in the yuan, as the government's decision to let the currency get weaker may be a sign of weakness in China's economy. Earlier this week, economic data caused investors to worry about China's manufacturing and service industries.

"China's been such a big driver of global growth for 15 years and now they're not, and they don't seem to have a plan for the next 15 years," said Canally.

The S&P 500 is down 4.9 percent this week, on pace for its biggest weekly loss since August. That decline was touched off by worries that a dive in China's stock market would harm that nation's economy.

The price of gold added $15.90, or 1.5 percent, to $1,107.80 an ounce. Silver rose 36.8 cents, or 2.6 percent, to $14.344 an ounce. Those prices have been falling for years, but gold prices have recovered recently and are at their highest price in about two months.

However the price of copper declined 6.6 cents, or 3.2 percent, to $2.022 a pound. That helped send copper producer Freeport-McMoRan down 56 cents, or 9.1 percent, to $5.61. Its stock has plunged 84 percent over the last two years.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline declined 1.6 cents to $1.146 a gallon and heating oil lost 1.5 cents to $1.066 a gallon. Natural gas rose 11.5 cents, or 5.1 percent, to $2.382 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The euro rose to $1.0927 from $1.0788. The dollar fell to 117.750 yen from 118.38 yen.

Bonds prices rose. The yield on 10-year Treasury bond fell to 2.15 percent from 2.17 percent.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -167.65 points or ▼ -1.02% on Friday, January 8, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,346.45 ▼ -167.65 ▼ -1.02%
Nasdaq____ 4,643.63 ▼ -45.79 ▼ -0.98%
S&P_500___ 1,922.03 ▼ -21.06 ▼ -1.08%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.92 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.21%

NYSE Volume 4,625,190,000
Nasdaq Volume 2,244,833,250

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 5,912.44 ▼ -41.64 ▼ -0.70%
DAX_____ 9,849.34 ▼ -130.51 ▼ -1.31%
CAC_40__ 4,333.76 ▼ -69.82 ▼ -1.59%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,049.40 ▼ -19.40 ▼ -0.38%
Shanghai_Comp 3,186.41 ▲ 61.41 ▲ 1.97%
Taiwan_Weight 7,893.97 ▲ 41.91 ▲ 0.53%
Nikkei_225___ 17,697.96 ▼ -69.38 ▼ -0.39%
Hang_Seng.__ 20,453.71 ▲ 120.37 ▲ 0.59%
Strait_Times.__ 2,751.23 ▲ 21.32 ▲ 0.78%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,158.11 ▼ -55.28 ▼ -0.89%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-rise-day-sharp-153623143.html

US stock market drops, ending its worst week since 2011
Associated Press By MARLEY JAY

NEW YORK (AP) — A wave of late selling pummeled U.S. stocks Friday and pushed the market to its worst week in four years.

The dismal start to the new year comes as investors worry that China's huge economy is slowing down. That has helped send the price of oil plunging to its lowest level since 2004, the latest blow to U.S. energy companies.

Industrial and technology companies such as Boeing and Apple that do a lot of business in China have also fallen sharply this week. Mining companies such as Freeport-McMoRan plunged as copper prices have fallen. China is a major importer of copper.

Stocks started the day higher, driven in part by news of an encouraging burst in hiring last month by U.S. employers. China's stock market also rose 2 percent overnight, recovering somewhat after steep drops earlier in the week triggered trading halts.

Indexes wavered between small gains and losses for most of the day, but took a decisive turn lower in the last hour of trading. That made this the worst week since September 2011, when the market was roiled by the fight over the U.S. debt ceiling and Standard & Poor's move to cut the credit rating of the U.S. government.

The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 167.65 points, or 1 percent, to 16,346.45. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 21.06 points, or 1.1 percent, to 1,922.03. The Nasdaq composite index shed 45.80 points, or 1 percent, to 4,643.63.

The Dow and S&P 500 are each down about 6 percent for the week. The Nasdaq composite fell even more, 7.3 percent. That index is heavily weighted with technology and biotech companies, both of which were high-fliers last year.

The largest losses on Friday went to financial stocks. JPMorgan Chase lost $1.35, or 2.2 percent, to $58.92 and Citigroup fell $1.43, or 3 percent, to $46.13. Health care stocks slumped, led by drug companies. Energy stocks also skidded as the price of oil, already at decade lows, continued to fall.

European stocks also rose early in the day, but couldn't hang on. The FTSE 100 index of leading British shares declined 0.7 percent while Germany's DAX lost 1.3 percent. The CAC-40 in France slid 1.6 percent.

The same pattern held in the U.S. In its monthly jobs report, released before the stock market opened, the Labor Department said U.S. employers added 292,000 jobs in December, far more than economists had forecast.

That's the latest sign the U.S. economy is still growing. On average employers added 284,000 jobs per month in the fourth quarter, the best rate in a year.

Michael Fredericks, portfolio manager for BlackRock Multi-Asset Income Fund, said the labor market is healthy and wages could improve this month. "These are unusually strong job creation numbers," he said.

Fredericks said the low wage growth and limited inflation will make the Federal Reserve proceed cautiously as it raises interest rates. In December the Fed raised rates for the first time in nine years, but interest rates are still very low.

Throughout the week, worries about China's economy and shocks to its markets have canceled out positive news from the U.S. and Europe. While China's economy is still growing, that growth isn't as fast as it has been. That could hurt sales of everything from iPhones to oil and heavy machinery.

Oil prices also lost ground. U.S. crude fell 11 cents to close at $33.16 a barrel in New York and Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils, declined 20 cents to $33.55 a barrel in London.

Exxon Mobil lost $1.54, or 2 percent, to $74.69 and Tesoro fell $5.41, or 5 percent, to $101.62.

This week retailers started disclosing their holiday-season results. Gap and American Eagle both reported disappointing sales. Gap stock dropped $3.83, or 14.3 percent, to $22.91, its lowest in almost four years. American Eagle tumbled $2.64, or 16.6 percent, to $13.24.

Department stores were among the biggest losers on the S&P 500. Their holiday sales have been hurt by the unusually warm winter weather. Kohl's fell $2.98, or 5.9 percent, to $47.88 and Macy's lost $1, or 2.7 percent, to $35.89.

The Container Store reported a surprise third-quarter loss and disappointing sales, and its stock plunged $2.96, or 41.2 percent, to $4.22. The company went public in November 2013 with an IPO that priced at $18 per share and it finished its first trading day at $36.20.

The price of gold fell $9.90, or 0.9 percent, to $1,097.90 an ounce. Silver declined 42.6 cents, or 3 percent, to $13.918 an ounce. Copper was unchanged at $2.022 a pound.

The euro fell to $1.0903 from $1.0927 and the dollar edged up to 117.67 yen from 117.50 yen late Thursday. Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note edged down to 2.12 percent from 2.15 percent.

6225

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 52.12 points or ▲ 0.32% on Monday, January 11, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,398.57 ▲ 52.12 ▲ 0.32%
Nasdaq____ 4,637.99 ▼ -5.64 ▼ -0.12%
S&P_500___ 1,923.67 ▲ 1.64 ▲ 0.09%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.96 ▲ 0.04 ▲ 1.23%

NYSE Volume 4,580,805,000
Nasdaq Volume 2,350,401,000

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 5,871.83 ▼ -40.61 ▼ -0.69%
DAX_____ 9,825.07 ▼ -24.27 ▼ -0.25%
CAC_40__ 4,312.74 ▼ -21.02 ▼ -0.49%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 4,990.70 ▼ -58.70 ▼ -1.16%
Shanghai_Comp 3,016.70 ▼ -169.71 ▼ -5.33%
Taiwan_Weight 7,788.42 ▼ -105.55 ▼ -1.34%
Nikkei_225___ 17,697.96 ▼ -69.38 ▼ -0.39%
Hang_Seng.__ 19,888.50 ▼ -565.21 ▼ -2.76%
Strait_Times.__ 2,708.85 ▼ -42.38 ▼ -1.54%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,102.83 ▼ -55.28 ▼ -0.90%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-st...ing-off-another-drop-152854536--finance.html#

US end mostly higher, but energy sector hit by slump in oil
Associated Press By Alex Veiga, AP Business Writer

The U.S. stock market mounted a last-minute comeback to close slightly higher on Monday, snapping a three-day losing streak.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index and the Dow Jones industrial average each eked out a tiny gain, while the Nasdaq composite ended slightly lower.

Consumer staples stocks were among the biggest gainers. Oil and gas companies were hit by another plunge the price of crude oil, which tumbled 5.3 percent to a 12-year low. Chevron lost 1.7 percent and Exxon Mobil fell 1 percent.

The latest downturn in oil comes at a time when investors are increasingly uneasy about the trajectory of China's economy and the possible implications for U.S. company earnings. China's Shanghai composite fell 5.3 percent on Monday.

"Investors have one eye on China, and all that's going on there, and the other eye on oil," said Erik Davidson, chief investment officer at Wells Fargo Private Bank. "Those two things are keeping investors on pins and needles right now."

The Dow added 52.12 points, or 0.3 percent, to 16,398.57. The S&P 500 index rose 1.64 points, or 0.1 percent, to 1,923.67. The Nasdaq fell 5.64 points, or 0.1 percent, to 4,637.99.

All of the major stock indexes are down sharply for the year.

The three indexes hinted at a rebound early Monday, but spent much of the day in the red as investors weighed the implications of another stock market drop in China and the slide in crude. The market appeared headed for a lower close until the final minutes of regular trading, when the Dow and S&P 500 index shifted back into positive territory.

Monday's market action is a slight reprieve from an otherwise rough year so far for investors.

Last week, U.S. stocks posted their worst week in more than four years. It was also the market's worst-ever opening week of a year.

A weakening of China's currency and steep drops in its stock market have stoked worries over the outlook for the world's second-largest economy.

That doesn't bode well for the next round of company earnings, which kicks into gear this week.

Many companies' quarterly results will likely reflect the impact of China's softening economy and lower oil prices, said Jason Pride, director of investment strategy at Glenmede.

"The No. 1 most-mentioned item in third-quarter reports was weakness in China," Pride said. "We'd be surprised if China and oil are not central to the earnings narrative as well."

Alcoa delivered its report card after the close of regular trading on Monday. The earnings were better than analysts had expected. Several banks, including Citigroup, Wells Fargo and J.P. Morgan are scheduled to report results toward the end of the week.

On Monday, Benchmark U.S. crude dropped $1.75, or 5.3 percent, to $31.41 a barrel in New York. The last time it was lower was Dec. 5, 2003, when it closed at $30.73 a barrel. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils, fell $2, or 6 percent, to $31.55 a barrel in London.

Several energy and mining companies slumped as crude oil and other commodity prices fell.

Freeport-McMoRan sank $1.10, or 20.3 percent, to $4.31, making it the biggest decliner in the S&P 500 index. Consol Energy also slumped, losing 69 cents, or 9 percent, to $7. NRG Energy shed $1.11, or 9.8 percent, to $10.23.

Chevron slid $1.36, or 1.7 percent, to $80.77, while Exxon Mobil lost $1, or 1.3 percent, to $73.69.

All told, energy stocks fell the most among companies in the S&P 500 index, 2.1 percent. The sector is down 8.8 percent this year. That's on top of a loss of 24 percent for 2015.

Consumer staples stocks led the risers pack, adding about 1 percent. Macy's notched the biggest gain in the index, adding $2.93, or 8.2 percent, to $38.82.

HCA Holdings also rose after the hospital operator raised its profit forecast. The stock added $3.56, or 5.5 percent to $67.83.

European markets were down. Germany's DAX slipped 0.2 percent, while the CAC-40 in France lost 0.5 percent. The FTSE 100 index of leading British shares slid 0.7 percent.

In Asia, Chinese stocks sank again after a rebound Friday that analysts suggested was due to buying from a group of state entities dubbed the "National Team." The Shanghai Composite Index fell 5.3 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng sank 2.8 percent. Sydney's S&P/ASX 200 lost 1.2 percent, while Seoul's Kospi fell 1.2 percent. Tokyo's markets were closed for a holiday.

In metals trading, gold fell $1.70 to $1,096.20 an ounce, while silver fell 5 cents to $13.86 an ounce. Copper slipped 5 cents, or 2.4 percent, to $1.97 a pound.

Bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.18 percent from 2.12 percent late Friday.

In currency action, the euro fell to $1.0856 from $1.0903 and the dollar edged down to 117.74 yen compared with 117.67 yen late Friday.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 117.65 points or ▲ 0.72% on Tuesday, January 12, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,516.22 ▲ 117.65 ▲ 0.72%
Nasdaq____ 4,685.92 ▲ 47.93 ▲ 1.03%
S&P_500___ 1,938.68 ▲ 15.01 ▲ 0.78%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.88 ▼ -0.07 ▼ -2.50%

NYSE Volume 4,858,680,000
Nasdaq Volume 2,116,157,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 5,929.24 ▲ 57.41 ▲ 0.98%
DAX_____ 9,985.43 ▲ 160.36 ▲ 1.63%
CAC_40__ 4,378.75 ▲ 66.01 ▲ 1.53%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 4,982.20 ▼ -8.50 ▼ -0.17%
Shanghai_Comp 3,022.86 ▲ 6.16 ▲ 0.20%
Taiwan_Weight 7,768.45 ▼ -19.97 ▼ -0.26%
Nikkei_225___ 17,218.96 ▼ -479.00 ▼ -2.71%
Hang_Seng.__ 19,711.76 ▼ -176.74 ▼ -0.89%
Strait_Times.__ 2,691.37 ▼ -17.48 ▼ -0.65%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,112.35 ▲ 9.52 ▲ 0.16%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stock...ns-technology-energy-152232248--finance.html#

Stocks rebound after early slide; tech stocks lead gains
Associated Press By ALEX VEIGA

A volatile day on Wall Street ended in upbeat fashion Tuesday as a late-afternoon rally led by technology stocks pushed the market to a modest gain.

The turnaround helped snap an eight-day trading slump for the Nasdaq composite, which is heavily weighted with technology stocks.

Energy stocks slumped as much as 2 percent during the day, then recovered in late trading to eke out a slight gain.

Crude oil prices declined for the seventh day in a row, the longest losing streak since July 2014. Oil has now fallen nearly 18 percent this year.

"We saw a little bit of weakness in oil and the selling just continued," said J.J. Kinahan, chief strategist at TD Ameritrade.

All told, the Dow Jones industrial average gained 117.65 points, or 0.7 percent, to 16,516.22. The Standard & Poor's 500 index added 15.01 points, or 0.8 percent, to 1,938.68. The Nasdaq composite climbed 47.93 points, or 1 percent, to 4,685.92.

Investors have been wrestling with fears about a protracted slowdown in China's economy and the potential fallout for corporate earnings. Uncertainty about Beijing's ability to manage its financial markets has also kept traders on edge after sharp losses last week.

The steep downturn in crude oil prices has also weighed on the market. The three major U.S. stock indexes are all down for the year, with the Dow and S&P 500 index off about 5 percent, while the Nasdaq is down 6.4 percent.

Trading looked to take a more positive turn early Tuesday as the major U.S. stock indexes opened higher and oil prices rose. That trend didn't last, as oil prices turned lower once more, weighing on energy stocks. The market looked like it was headed for a lower close before it reversed course in the final hour of trading.

"You're seeing very oversold conditions," said Phil Blancato, CEO of Ladenburg Thalmann Asset Management. "People here are basically buying the dip."

Eight of the 10 sectors in the S&P 500 index rose. Technology companies gained 1.2 percent. Health care and consumer discretionary stocks also notched gains of 1 percent. Utilities and telecommunications services stocks fell.

Chipmaker Intel added 62 cents, or 2 percent, to $32.68, while and Apple gained $1.43, or 1.5 percent, to $99.96. Among health care companies, UnitedHealth Group climbed 2.4 percent, the biggest gainer in the Dow Jones industrial average. It added $2.68 to $112.26.

Energy stocks rose 0.4 percent. The sector remains down 8.5 percent this year.

U.S. crude oil fell 97 cents, or 3.1 percent, to $30.44 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils, fell 69 cents, or 2.2 percent, to $30.86 a barrel in London.

Traders continued to take their cue from oil prices by parting with stocks in energy and mining companies.

Freeport-McMoRan lost 20 cents, or 4.6 percent, to $4.11. Consol Energy shed 30 cents, or 4.3 percent, to $6.70.

"The trading in oil is particularly precarious, and because of that, everybody is selling energy-related stocks," Kinahan said. "Nobody wants to be the one holding the bag."

Investors also had their eye on company earnings season, which began Monday and runs for the next several weeks.

Alcoa sank 9 percent after the aluminum manufacturer's earnings included revenue that fell short of Wall Street's expectations. The stock dropped 72 cents to $7.28.

GameStop tumbled 5.1 percent after investors were disappointed with the video game store operator's holiday season sales. The stock lost $1.50 to $27.88.

Health insurers fared a bit better.

Traders bid up shares in Anthem, which rose $7.24, or 5.6 percent, to $135.60, and Aetna, which added $4.08, or 3.9 percent, to $109.15.

European markets moved higher.

Germany's DAX rose 1.6 percent, while the CAC-40 in France rose 1.5 percent. The FTSE 100 index of leading British shares gained 1 percent.

In Asia, China's Shanghai composite closed 0.2 percent higher, recovering some of its losses from the day before. Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 2.7 percent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng shed 0.9 percent, while South Korea's Kospi dropped 0.2 percent.

In metals trading, gold fell $11 to $1,085.20 an ounce, while silver fell 12 cents to $13.75 an ounce. Copper slipped 1 cent to $1.96 a pound.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.11 percent from 2.17 percent late Monday. The euro fell to $1.0851 from $1.0871 a day earlier and the dollar rose to 117.69 yen from 117.53 yen.

In other energy trading in New York, wholesale gasoline fell 2.8 cents to close at $1.085 a gallon, heating oil fell 2.5 cents to 99 cents a gallon and natural gas fell 13.9 cents to $2.257 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -364.81 points or ▼ -2.21% on Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,151.41 ▼ -364.81 ▼ -2.21%
Nasdaq____ 4,526.06 ▼ -159.85 ▼ -3.41%
S&P_500___ 1,890.28 ▼ -48.40 ▼ -2.50%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.85 ▼ -0.03 ▼ -1.18%

NYSE Volume 5,024,490,500
Nasdaq Volume 2,435,461,000

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 5,960.97 ▲ 31.73 ▲ 0.54%
DAX_____ 9,960.96 ▼ -24.47 ▼ -0.25%
CAC_40__ 4,391.94 ▲ 13.19 ▲ 0.30%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,041.60 ▲ 59.40 ▲ 1.19%
Shanghai_Comp 2,949.60 ▼ -73.26 ▼ -2.42%
Taiwan_Weight 7,824.61 ▲ 56.16 ▲ 0.72%
Nikkei_225___ 17,715.63 ▲ 496.67 ▲ 2.88%
Hang_Seng.__ 19,934.88 ▲ 223.12 ▲ 1.13%
Strait_Times.__ 2,696.50 ▲ 4.72 ▲ 0.18%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,151.87 ▲ 39.52 ▲ 0.65%

http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2016/01/13/dow/peYYNFkDInr6Kq6UtfF6DK/story.html

Dow closes down more than 360 points
By Alex Veiga Associated Press January 13, 2016

It’s been a turbulent ride for stock market investors this year and it got worse Wednesday.

A broad downturn in U.S. stocks on another volatile day for crude oil prices knocked the Standard & Poor’s 500 index down 10 percent from its November peak.

That’s known as a correction on Wall Street, and it’s the second time in less than five months for the S&P 500 index, which is regarded as the bellwether for the stock market.

The Dow Jones industrial average also tumbled, losing more than 300 points before closing within 25 points of its own correction level.

The rocky start to the year reflects mounting worries on Wall Street about a slowdown in the global economy, plunging oil prices and the implications for U.S. companies. It also deepens the pain for many investors after a flat year of returns for the stock market last year.

The S&P 500 index is now down 7.5 percent this year, while the Dow is off 7.3 percent. The Nasdaq is deeper in the red, down 9.6 percent. The Russell 2000, which is composed of small-company stocks, is now down 20 percent from its June peak. That big a plunge is defined as a bear market.

‘‘At the very core of this there’s a bull-bear debate,’’ said Quincy Krosby, market strategist at Prudential Financial. ‘‘Whether or not we’re headed into a recession. That’s the debate. Are we gaining the momentum in the economy to justify the valuation in the market?’’

Energy and consumer stocks bore the brunt of the selling on Wednesday. The price of U.S. crude oil closed slightly higher, but remains near $30 a barrel, a level that investors fear could force many oil and gas company to go bankrupt. Brent crude, the international standard, fell 2 percent.

Some of the biggest winners from last year, such as Netflix and Amazon, both of which doubled in value in 2015, also fell sharply.

‘‘The momentum names that drove this market higher have just been clobbered,’’ Krosby said.

All told, the Dow lost 364.81 points, or 2.2 percent, to 16,151.41. The S&P 500 index fell 48.40 points, or 2.5 percent, to 1,890.28. It was the worst day for the index since Sept. 28.

The Nasdaq slid 159.85 points, or 3.4 percent, to 4,526.06.

All the sectors in the S&P 500 index ended sharply lower, with consumer discretionary stocks faring the worst, down 3.4 percent.

Biotechnology stocks also took a drubbing. The Nasdaq Biotechnology index lost 5.3 percent and is down 17.2 percent this year.

The market was coming off its best day this year and appeared to be headed for more gains early in the day. A report showing that China’s exports fell less than expected in November helped lift the market. The price of crude oil rebounded more than 3 percent in the first hour of regular trading.

The trend didn’t hold for long, however, as oil prices began to swoon following a report showing that demand for fuels slipped last week. Investors also began size up to discouraging earnings outlooks from Ford Motor and auto parts supplier BorgWarner. Ford fell 65 cents, or 5.1 percent, to $12.20. BorgWarner lost $3.56, or 9.5 percent, to $33.84.

Railroad operator CSX and supermarket chain SuperValu also ended lower after the companies reported their latest quarterly results. CSX slid $1.35, or 5.7 percent, to $22.35. SuperValu fell 93 cents, or 15.5 percent, to $5.08.

Benchmark U.S. crude edged up 4 cents to close at $30.48 a barrel in New York. U.S. crude is down 18 percent so far this year. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils, fell 57 cents, or 1.8 percent, to $30.31 a barrel in London.

Energy companies got hammered despite the rare gain in U.S. crude prices.

Traders are increasingly worried that a plunge in the price of crude to near $30 a barrel will lead to more strain, layoffs and bankruptcies for oil and gas companies.

Williams Cos. tumbled $2.93, or 17.7 percent to $13.61. Consol Energy slid 65 cents, or 9.7 percent, to $6.05. Valero Energy shed $6.16, or 8.7 percent, to $65.03.

In Europe, Germany’s DAX fell 0.2 percent while France’s CAC 40 rose 0.3 percent. The FTSE 100 of leading British shares gained 0.5 percent. In Asia, stocks rallied despite a 2.4 percent drop in the Shanghai Composite. Japan’s Nikkei 225 stock index jumped 2.9 percent while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 1.1 percent. South Korea’s Kospi and Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 added 1.3 percent. Shares in New Zealand and Southeast Asia were mostly higher.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.07 percent from 2.11 percent late Tuesday. Trading in foreign exchange markets was subdued. The euro was little changed at $1.0857 and the dollar rose to 117.89 yen from 117.58 yen.

Precious and industrial metals futures closed mostly higher. Gold rose $1.90 to $1,087.10 an ounce, silver rose 41 cents to $14.16 an ounce and copper was little changed at $1.96 a pound.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline fell 3.2 cents to $1.053 a gallon, heating oil fell 2.1 cents to 96.9 cents a gallon and natural gas rose 1.2 cents to $2.269 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 227.64 points or ▲ 1.41% on Thursday, January 14, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,379.05 ▲ 227.64 ▲ 1.41%
Nasdaq____ 4,615.00 ▲ 88.94 ▲ 1.97%
S&P_500___ 1,921.84 ▲ 31.56 ▲ 1.67%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.89 ▲ 0.04 ▲ 1.54%

NYSE Volume 5,189,850,500
Nasdaq Volume 2,517,783,000

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 5,918.23 ▼ -42.74 ▼ -0.72%
DAX_____ 9,794.20 ▼ -166.76 ▼ -1.67%
CAC_40__ 4,312.89 ▼ -79.05 ▼ -1.80%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 4,964.10 ▼ -77.50 ▼ -1.54%
Shanghai_Comp 3,007.65 ▲ 58.05 ▲ 1.97%
Taiwan_Weight 7,742.88 ▼ -81.73 ▼ -1.04%
Nikkei_225___ 17,240.95 ▼ -474.68 ▼ -2.68%
Hang_Seng.__ 19,817.41 ▼ -117.47 ▼ -0.59%
Strait_Times.__ 2,647.85 ▼ -48.65 ▼ -1.80%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,109.29 ▼ -42.58 ▼ -0.69%

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/us-stocks-open-mixed-stabilizing-day-plunge-36286323

US Stocks Rebound a Day After Plunge, Led by Energy Sector
By alex veiga, ap business writer
Jan 14, 2016, 4:57 PM ET

Energy stocks led a broad rally in U.S. stocks Thursday, giving the market its biggest gain in over a month.

A recovery in crude oil prices helped put stocks into rebound mode a day after the market had its worst drop since September. Investors also welcomed some encouraging company earnings.

Chevron and Exxon Mobil each jumped about 5 percent, by far the biggest gains in the Dow Jones industrial average. It was a reprieve for the energy sector, which has been battered in recent months as crude oil prices plunged. U.S. crude oil rose 2.4 percent on Thursday.

"That all led to a little bit of confidence in the markets and some buyers coming in," said Sean Lynch, co-head of global equity for Wells Fargo Investment Institute. "It's been pretty ugly so far, year-to-date, and it's good to see the gains, but we'll see if they follow through (Friday.)"

The Dow rose 227.64 points, or 1.4 percent, to 16,379.05. The average had risen as much as 330 points earlier. The Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 31.56 points, or 1.7 percent, to 1,921.84. The Nasdaq composite added 88.94 points, or 2 percent, to 4,615.

It was the best gain for each index since Dec. 4.

Even with the big rebound day the three major U.S. stock indexes remain down for the year. The Dow and S&P 500 are both off about 6 percent, while the Nasdaq is down nearly 8 percent.

It's been a rocky start to the year for stocks, reflecting investor worries about the slowdown in China, plunging oil prices and the implications those trends may have for U.S. corporations. The first eight trading days of 2016 represent the worst start to a year in the history of both the S&P 500 and the Dow.

That slump worsened on Wednesday, pushing the S&P 500 index into what's known as a correction, or a drop of 10 percent or more from a peak.

On Thursday, after wavering in the first hour of trading, the market shifted higher and remained on an upward track the rest of the day.

Investors welcomed a pickup in the price of crude oil, which had briefly fallen below $30 a barrel for the first time since late 2003 the day before. It ended up rising 72 cents, or 2.4 percent, to close at $31.20 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils, also gained 72 cents, or 2.4 percent, to $31.03 a barrel in London.

The rise in crude oil led traders to pile into several big-name energy companies. Exxon Mobil added $3.47, or 4.6 percent, to $79.12, while Chevron rose $4.14, or 5.1 percent, to $85.47.

"The markets in general needed a little dose of confidence and they got it through a firming of oil prices," Lynch said.

Energy company Williams Cos. vaulted 34.4 percent, to lead all the gainers in the S&P 500. The stock, which had fallen sharply a day earlier, rose $4.68 to $18.29. It's still down 29 percent for the year. Freeport-McMoRan also got a boost. The mining company rose 46 cents, or 12.3 percent, to $4.20.

All told, the S&P 500's energy stocks jumped 4.5 percent. The sector remains down 6.1 percent for the year.

The start of the latest corporate earnings season also helped lift the market Thursday.

JPMorgan Chase rose 1.5 percent after the bank reported earnings that were better than analysts expected. The stock added 86 cents to $58.20.

Some companies provided less encouraging updates.

Best Buy slid 9.7 percent after the electronics store operator reported a drop in sales during the holiday season. The company also said it expects a wider drop in fourth-quarter revenue, partly on weak mobile phone and personal device sales. The stock was the biggest decliner in the S&P 500 index. It shed $2.83 to $26.43.

Investors may get more insight into how the U.S. economy and Corporate America are doing on Friday. Reports on consumer sentiment, retail sales and manufacturing are due out. Several big banks, including Citigroup and Wells Fargo, are also scheduled to release quarterly earnings.

In Europe, Germany's DAX dropped 1.7 percent and France's CAC 40 slid 1.8 percent. The FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was 0.7 percent lower. In Asia, Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 dived 2.7 percent, South Korea's Kospi fell 0.9 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng lost 0.6 percent. The Shanghai Composite rebounded nearly 2.0 percent.

Precious and industrial metals future closed mixed. Gold lost $13.50 to $1,073.60 an ounce, silver fell 41 cents to $13.75 an ounce and copper rose 2 cents to $1.98 a pound.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline rose 1.6 cents to $1.068 a gallon, heating oil rose 1.1 cents to 98.1 cents a gallon, and natural gas fell 13 cents to $2.139 per 1,000 cubic feet.

U.S. government bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.10 percent from 2.09 percent late Wednesday.

In currency trading, the euro fell to $1.0862 from $1.0876, while the dollar rose to 118.15 yen from 117.78 yen.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -390.97 points or ▼ -2.39% on Friday, January 15, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 15,988.08 ▼ -390.97 ▼ -2.39%
Nasdaq____ 4,488.42 ▼ -126.59 ▼ -2.74%
S&P_500___ 1,880.33 ▼ -41.51 ▼ -2.16%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.81 ▼ -0.08 ▼ -2.73%

NYSE Volume 5,431,198,000
Nasdaq Volume 2,644,658,250

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 5,804.10 ▼ -114.13 ▼ -1.93%
DAX_____ 9,545.27 ▼ -248.93 ▼ -2.54%
CAC_40__ 4,210.16 ▼ -102.73 ▼ -2.38%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 4,948.50 ▼ -15.60 ▼ -0.31%
Shanghai_Comp 2,900.97 ▼ -106.68 ▼ -3.55%
Taiwan_Weight 7,762.01 ▲ 19.13 ▲ 0.25%
Nikkei_225___ 17,147.11 ▼ -93.84 ▼ -0.54%
Hang_Seng.__ 19,520.77 ▼ -296.64 ▼ -1.50%
Strait_Times.__ 2,630.76 ▼ -13.81 ▼ -0.52%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,169.09 ▲ 59.80 ▲ 0.98%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/global-stock-markets-slide-oil-falls-below-30-152432299.html

Stock market slides again; worst two-week start to a year
Associated Press By ALEX VEIGA

Never before has Wall Street gotten off to a worse start to a year.

The stock market capped the first two weeks of 2016 with a steep slide Friday that sent the Dow Jones industrial average down nearly 400 points.

All three major stock indexes — the Dow, the Nasdaq composite and the Standard & Poor's 500 — are now in what's known as a correction, or a drop of 10 percent or more from their recent peaks.

The market has been on a stomach-churning ride since the start of the year, wrenched up — but mostly down — because of alarm over a slowdown in China and the plunging price of oil to its lowest level in 12 years. Investors are already seeing damage to U.S. corporate profits, particularly at energy companies.

The Dow slid 390.97 points, or 2.4 percent, to 15,988.08. The average had been down more than 500 points early in the afternoon. The S&P 500 ended down 41.51 points, or 2.2 percent, at 1,880.33. The Nasdaq dropped 126.59 points, or 2.7 percent, to 4,488.42.

The Dow and S&P 500 have now fallen about 8 percent this year, while the Nasdaq is off about 10 percent.

"Oil is the root cause of today," said Dan Farley, regional investment strategist at the Private Client Reserve at U.S. Bank. "People are uncertain, and when they're uncertain they're scared."

Crude oil has dropped below $30 a barrel from a high of over $100 during the summer of 2014, eviscerating energy company profits. On Friday, Williams Cos. led a slide among oil, gas and mining companies, falling $2.19, or 12 percent, to $16.10.

Investors also got some discouraging economic news on Friday: The Federal Reserve said U.S. industrial production, which includes manufacturing, mining and utilities, dropped in December for the third month in a row. And another government report indicated U.S. retail sales dipped last month.

Many investors had welcomed the new year with fairly high hopes. They expected oil prices would stabilize. After a market correction in August, few forecast it would happen again so soon. And the Federal Reserve's move in December to raise interest rates for the first time in nearly 10 years signaled to many that the U.S. economy was healthy.

"The hope was global growth would stabilize, and early in 2016 here, that has been a disappointment, too," said David Chalupnik, head of equities at Nuveen Asset Management.

Despite the rough start to the year, Wall Street watchers are not ready to say the bull market is over.

"We don't believe we're going into a bear market," Chalupnik said. "The reason for that is the U.S. economy is sound."

Intel dropped 9.1 percent after the chipmaker posted its fourth-quarter results, noting its personal computer business continues to slump. The stock was the biggest decliner in the Dow. It fell $2.98 to $29.76.

Benchmark U.S. crude fell $1.78, or 5.7 percent, to $29.42 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils, fell $1.94, or 6.3 percent, to $28.94 a barrel in London.

Stocks opened higher in Europe but quickly fell. Germany's DAX lost 2.5 percent, while France's CAC 40 dropped 2.4 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 fell 1.9 percent.

In China, the Shanghai Composite Index slid 3.6 percent to its lowest close in 13 months. China's official Xinhua News Agency reported that new bank loans during the last month fell from a year earlier, another sign that the country's economic growth is slowing from the torrid pace of the past few years.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng dropped 1.5 percent. Japan's Nikkei 225 lost 0.5 percent and South Korea's Kospi 1.1 percent.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline fell 5 cents to close at $1.02 a gallon, heating oil fell 5 cents to close at 93 cents a gallon, and natural gas fell 4 cents to close at $2.10 per one thousand cubic feet.

Precious and industrial metals futures closed mixed. Gold rose $17.10 to $1,090.70 an ounce, silver gained 15 cents to $13.90 an ounce and copper fell 3 cents to $1.94 a pound.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.03 percent from 2.09 percent late Thursday. The euro rose to $1.0911 from $1.0862, while the dollar fell to 117.05 yen.

6754

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

NYSE closed Monday January 18 2016 for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -390.97 points or ▼ -2.39% on Monday, January 18, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 15,988.08 ▼ -390.97 ▼ -2.39% CLOSED HOLIDAY
Nasdaq____ 4,488.42 ▼ -126.59 ▼ -2.74% CLOSED HOLIDAY
S&P_500___ 1,880.33 ▼ -41.51 ▼ -2.16% CLOSED HOLIDAY
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.81 ▼ -0.08 ▼ -2.73% CLOSED HOLIDAY

NYSE Volume 5,445,890,500 CLOSED HOLIDAY
Nasdaq Volume 2,772,884,500 CLOSED HOLIDAY

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 5,779.92 ▼ -24.18 ▼ -0.42%
DAX_____ 9,521.85 ▼ -23.42 ▼ -0.25%
CAC_40__ 4,189.57 ▼ -20.59 ▼ -0.49%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 4,911.80 ▼ -36.70 ▼ -0.74%
Shanghai_Comp 2,913.84 ▲ 12.87 ▲ 0.44%
Taiwan_Weight 7,811.18 ▲ 49.17 ▲ 0.63%
Nikkei_225___ 16,955.57 ▼ -191.54 ▼ -1.12%
Hang_Seng.__ 19,237.45 ▼ -283.32 ▼ -1.45%
Strait_Times.__ 2,597.79 ▼ -32.97 ▼ -1.25%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,101.44 ▼ -67.65 ▼ -1.10%

https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/international-markets-roundup-201011947.html

International markets roundup

A roundup of trading on major world markets:

NEW YORK - New York markets were closed for the Martin Luther King public holiday.

LONDON - Britain's top share index has fallen to its lowest closing level in more than three years, with miners down on lingering concerns about metals demand and UK banks mirroring losses seen by Italian financials.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 equity index finished 0.4 per cent lower at 5,779.92 points on Monday, its lowest closing level since late 2012. The UK mining index fell 0.4 per cent, while the banking index was down 1.4 per cent.

"UK banks have pulled the index down on account of heavy losses seen by their Italian counterparts. Markets are still in a downtrend because of worries about China and no improvement in the supply-demand dynamics of the oil market," Mike van Dulken, head of research at Accendo Markets, said.

Banks featured among the top decliners, with Standard Chartered, Barclays and HSBC falling 1.2 to 2.2 per cent, after losses in Italian banks.

The FTSE 100 index has slipped more than seven per cent since the start of 2016 after dropping nearly five per cent in 2015. Growing concerns about the pace of economic growth in China, the world's biggest metals consumer, and falling commodity prices have hit investor sentiment.

"The year has got off to a miserable start and many investors will be looking to trim their positions in order to protect profits, leading to an unpleasant feedback loop that could see last week's break of key support militate into something far more negative," IG analyst Chris Beauchamp said.

HONG KONG - Asian shares slid to their lowest levels since 2011 after weak US economic data and a massive fall in oil prices stoked further worries about a global economic downturn.

Spreadbetters expected a subdued open for European shares, forecasting London's FTSE to open modestly higher while seeing Germany's DAX and France's CAC to start flat-to-slightly-weaker.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell to its lowest since October 2011 and was last down 0.5 per cent.

Japan's Nikkei tumbled as much as 2.8 per cent to a one-year low. It has lost 20 per cent from its peak hit in June, meeting a common definition of a bear market.

MSCI's emerging stock index dropped to a six-and-a-half-year low on Monday, and was last down 0.3 per cent on the day.

The volatile Shanghai Composite index initially pierced through intraday lows last seen in August before paring the losses and closing up 0.4 per cent. It was still down nearly 18 per cent in January.

But, the Hang Seng fell 1.45 per cent, or 283.32 points, to 19,237.45.

WELLINGTON - The S&P/NZX 50 Index dropped 67.65 points, or 1.1 per cent, to 6101.44.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 27.94 points or ▲ 0.17% on Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,016.02 ▲ 27.94 ▲ 0.17%
Nasdaq____ 4,476.95 ▼ -11.47 ▼ -0.26%
S&P_500___ 1,881.33 ▲ 1.00 ▲ 0.05%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.80 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.32%

NYSE Volume 4,843,389,000
Nasdaq Volume 2,325,465,250

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 5,876.80 ▲ 96.88 ▲ 1.68%
DAX_____ 9,664.21 ▲ 142.36 ▲ 1.50%
CAC_40__ 4,272.26 ▲ 82.69 ▲ 1.97%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 4,955.10 ▲ 43.30 ▲ 0.88%
Shanghai_Comp 3,007.74 ▲ 93.90 ▲ 3.22%
Taiwan_Weight 7,854.88 ▲ 43.70 ▲ 0.56%
Nikkei_225___ 17,048.37 ▲ 92.80 ▲ 0.55%
Hang_Seng.__ 19,635.81 ▲ 398.36 ▲ 2.07%
Strait_Times.__ 2,638.47 ▲ 45.47 ▲ 1.75%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,124.20 ▲ 22.76 ▲ 0.37%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/financial-stocks-lead-early-gain-wall-street-153233241.html

US stocks rise in shaky trading, led by utilities
Associated Press By Marley Jay, AP Markets Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- U.S. stocks struggled through a turbulent afternoon day of trading Tuesday and eked out small gains, led by utility and consumer stocks. The price of crude oil continued to fall, and energy and mining stocks tumbled.

Stocks in Asia and Europe had rallied earlier in the day as investors were satisfied with China's fourth-quarter economic growth. The Dow Jones industrial average rose as much as 183 points in the first minutes of trading Tuesday. The gains faded in the afternoon before a late spurt of buying in the last half hour sent indexes mostly higher.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 27.94 points, or 0.2 percent, to 16,016.02. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose one point to 1,881.33. The Nasdaq composite index fell 11.47 points, or 0.3 percent, to 4,476.95. Major indexes had plunged Friday, and the Dow and S&P 500 are coming off their worst opening weeks of a year in history.

The Chinese government's report confirmed that the world's second-largest economy is slowing, as annual growth hit a 25-year low in 2015. That can affect demand for everything from energy to metals to consumer goods and heavy machinery. Fears about a slowdown in China, and how abrupt and painful it might be, has helped knock oil prices to 12-year lows.

Safe-play stocks like utilities and telecommunications companies rose the most. AT&T added 52 cents, or 1.5 percent, to $34.51 and NextEra Energy gained $2.55, or 2.4 percent, to $107.81. Consumer goods maker Procter & Gamble, the maker of Tide detergent and Charmin toilet paper, gained $1.75, or 2.3 percent, to $76.73.

U.S. crude fell 96 cents, or 3.3 percent, to close at $28.46 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils, rose 21 cents to close at $28.76 a barrel in London.

Energy stocks continued to fall on concerns about reduced worldwide demand. Chesapeake Energy lost 48 cents, or 13.5 percent, to $3.08. Marathon Oil fell 46 cents, or 5.7 percent, to $7.68.

The price of gold fell $1.60 to $1,089.10 an ounce. Silver rose 22.5 cents, or 1.6 percent, to $14.121 an ounce. Copper gained 3.4 cents, or 1.7 percent, to $1.978 a pound. Gold miner Newmont Mining lost $1.39, or 7.9 percent, to $16.31 and copper producer Freeport-McMoRan gave up 39 cents, or 9 percent, to $3.96. Freeport-McMoRan shares have skidded 41.5 percent in 2016.

Delta Air Lines reported a bigger fourth-quarter profit because of falling fuel prices. Delta said it expects fuel to be even less expensive in the first quarter. Its shares rose $1.46, or 3.3 percent, to $45.96. Health insurer UnitedHealth Group posted stronger-than-expected results in the fourth quarter. Its stock rose $3.31, or 3 percent, to $112.58.

Netflix surged aftermarket as the company's net income surpassed analyst forecasts and its international subscriber growth was stronger than Netflix had expected. Netflix's stock surged 8 percent in extended trading to $116.75.

Jewelry retailer Tiffany fell after reporting that sales dropped in the fourth quarter and said it will eliminate some jobs. The company also forecast minimal earnings and sales growth in 2016. The stock lost $3.43, or 5.1 percent, to $64.22.

So far not a single U.S. company has gone public this year, according to Kathy Smith of Renaissance Capital, a manager of IPO-focused exchange-traded funds. That should change this week, as Elevate Capital, which offers credit and related services to people with below-average credit, is expected to start trading Friday. But Smith said only two companies will go public this month. There were also just two IPOs in December, the fewest in any month since October 2011.

"The IPO market is pretty close to being closed," Smith said.

Companies are reluctant to go public when the market is weak, and the companies that did go public last year weren't rewarded for it: Smith says the companies that completed their IPOs in 2015 are down an average of 17 percent from their offering prices.

France's CAC 40 rose 2 percent and Germany's DAX added 1.5 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 gained 1.7 percent. China's Shanghai Composite surged 3.2 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 2.1 percent. Japan's Nikkei 225 inched up 0.5 percent.

The U.S. dollar slipped to 117.44 yen from 117.50 yen on Monday. The euro rose to $1.0923 from $1.0885. Bond prices slipped. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which has slumped this year, rose to 2.05 percent from at 2.04 percent.

In other trading of energy futures, the price of wholesale gasoline inched up 0.5 cents to $1.026 a gallon. Heating oil fell 2.6 cents to 90.9 cents a gallon. Natural gas slipped 0.9 cents to $2.091 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -249.28 points or ▼ -1.56% on Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 15,766.74 ▼ -249.28 ▼ -1.56%
Nasdaq____ 4,471.69 ▼ -5.26 ▼ -0.12%
S&P_500___ 1,859.33 ▼ -22.00 ▼ -1.17%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.76 ▼ -0.05 ▼ -1.68%

NYSE Volume 6,373,892,500
Nasdaq Volume 3,132,380,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 5,673.58 ▼ -203.22 ▼ -3.46%
DAX_____ 9,391.64 ▼ -272.57 ▼ -2.82%
CAC_40__ 4,124.95 ▼ -147.31 ▼ -3.45%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 4,896.90 ▼ -58.20 ▼ -1.17%
Shanghai_Comp 2,976.69 ▼ -31.05 ▼ -1.03%
Taiwan_Weight 7,699.12 ▼ -155.76 ▼ -1.98%
Nikkei_225___ 16,416.19 ▼ -632.18 ▼ -3.71%
Hang_Seng.__ 18,886.30 ▼ -749.51 ▼ -3.82%
Strait_Times.__ 2,559.77 ▼ -78.70 ▼ -2.98%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,113.72 ▼ -10.48 ▼ -0.17%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/cheap-oil-good-consumers-slamming-211654295.html

Cheap oil, good for consumers, is slamming stocks. Why?

A plunging price of oil is dragging stock markets to their worst start to a year ever, even though low fuel prices are great for consumers and most companies
Associated Press By Ken Sweet and David Koenig, AP Business Writers

NEW YORK (AP) -- Wall Street is drowning in oil.

Stocks are having their worst start to a year in history in part because of a rapid plunge in the price of oil. The price of crude is down 28 percent this year already, which in turn has dragged down energy company shares in the Standard & Poor's 500 index by 13 percent, which has helped pull the overall index down 9 percent.

This even though low oil prices — and the cheap prices for gasoline and other fuels that result — are wonderful for consumers and many companies.

"It seems ironic that in the run-up to the global financial crisis we were worried about oil prices being too high in 2007 and 2008. Now we're worried about them being too low," said Julian Jessop, head of commodities research with London-based researchers Capital Economics Ltd.

The drastic drop in oil and stock prices stands in contrast with a U.S. economy that, on the whole, is doing pretty well. U.S employers created 292,000 jobs in December, and few economists see the economy sliding into recession.

Here's what experts think is going on.

WHY IS OIL SO LOW?

Because there is so much of it.

A long run of high oil prices inspired drillers to develop new techniques and to go to new places to find more oil, and they succeeded. In the U.S. improved oil drilling technologies known generally as fracking have added more oil to the global market than the total production of any other nation in OPEC other than Saudi Arabia.

Producers in the U.S. and abroad haven't cut back production very much, despite the low prices, and now the lifting of international sanctions against Iran could send more oil flowing into markets that are already awash in crude.

U.S. stockpiles are at their highest level in at least 80 years, and the International Energy Agency predicts that during the first half of this year global oil supply could outstrip demand by 1.5 million barrels per day.

Demand for crude has been growing steadily, but that may not last because economic growth in China, the world's second-largest oil consumer after the U.S., is slowing.

WHY DO LOW OIL PRICES HURT THE STOCK MARKET?

Oil company profits are plummeting, so oil company shares are plummeting, and that is dragging down the whole market.

Analysts estimate that profit for all S&P 500 companies in total are on track to be down a recession-like 5.8 percent for 2015. But if energy companies were removed from that figure, S&P 500 profits would be up a very healthy 5.7 percent for the full year.

That profit drop directly leads to lower share prices that drag down entire indexes. Two of the biggest oil companies in the world, Exxon and Chevron, are part of the 30-member Dow Jones industrial average. Of the 20 biggest share price losers in the S&P 500 this year, 13 are energy companies.

Investors are also selling shares of companies that may have exposure to the oil industry, like certain banks. And the price of oil has now fallen so low that investors are also worried that it could mean global economic growth is much weaker than expected, which could hurt all companies.

AREN'T LOWER OIL PRICES A GOOD THING FOR THE ECONOMY?

It depends on why prices are lower.

If they fall because new supplies have been found, it usually helps the broader economy, and markets held up fairly well during oil's big slide from over $100 a barrel in 2014 to under $50 a barrel last year.

"In the long run, lower oil prices should be positive or at worst neutral for the world economy because all they're really doing is transferring income from oil producers to oil consumers," Jessop says.

But this latest plunge in prices to under $30 a barrel has investors worried that oil prices are falling because global growth is slowing, as businesses and consumers in many developing countries, particularly China, cut back on spending. Bruce Kasman, chief economist at JPMorgan Chase, says that steep drops in oil prices have historically been a sign of a weakening global economy.

Also, U.S. consumers have remained cautious about spending the money they aren't putting into their gas tanks, which limits the benefit to the broader economy. Americans saved 5.5 percent of their incomes in November, up nearly a full percentage point from a year earlier.

Kasman estimates that U.S. spending grew at a tepid pace of just 1.5 percent in the final three months of last year. "There's no doubt that the consumer spending growth figures for the U.S., Europe and Japan have disappointed," he said.

Some of that likely reflected a temporary drag from warm weather, as Americans spent less on winter clothing and utilities. That could turn around in the first quarter, giving the economy a lift, Kasman said.

Delta Air Lines told investors this week that bookings for this spring are ahead of last year's pace because cheaper gasoline means consumers have more money.

COULD THIS LEAD TO BROADER TURMOIL, THE WAY THE SUBPRIME MORTGAGE CRISIS DID?

It is already having some ripple effects, but the energy market isn't nearly as big or far-reaching as the housing market.

When oil prices were high, lots of banks, including some of the biggest on Wall Street, made loans to energy companies to finance drilling in North Dakota, Texas and elsewhere. Dealogic estimates that the oil and gas industry has roughly $500 billion in outstanding debt. According to the Federal Reserve, there is $11 trillion in outstanding residential mortgage debt.

Still, some are feeling it. Oil company cash flow is slowing, and companies are finding it harder to repay their loans. Oil and gas company bankruptcies are rising, and the entire market for so-called junk bonds has been shaken as a result of energy company defaults.

JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citigroup and Bank of America all had to write down the value of energy loans or set aside more money to cover losses. BofA executives told investors this week that energy loans were roughly 2 percent of its total loans. Smaller regional banks could to be more exposed relatively than the big Wall Street banks.

IS THERE AN OIL PRICE THAT WOULD BE GOOD FOR THE MARKET AND CONSUMERS?

Jessop thinks that a price of about $60 a barrel would do the trick. "High enough to keep the main producers in business but low enough to provide a real boost to the incomes of consumers," he says. He expects prices to return to that level by the end of next year as oil companies pare back exploration and the glut is worked off.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 115.94 points or ▲ 0.74% on Thursday, January 21, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 15,882.68 ▲ 115.94 ▲ 0.74%
Nasdaq____ 4,472.06 ▲ 0.37 ▲ 0.01%
S&P_500___ 1,868.99 ▲ 9.66 ▲ 0.52%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.80 ▲ 0.04 ▲ 1.45%

NYSE Volume 5,042,176,500
Nasdaq Volume 2,406,565,000

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 5,773.79 ▲ 100.21 ▲ 1.77%
DAX_____ 9,574.16 ▲ 182.52 ▲ 1.94%
CAC_40__ 4,206.40 ▲ 81.45 ▲ 1.97%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 4,917.60 ▲ 20.70 ▲ 0.42%
Shanghai_Comp 2,880.48 ▼ -96.21 ▼ -3.23%
Taiwan_Weight 7,664.01 ▼ -35.11 ▼ -0.46%
Nikkei_225___ 16,017.26 ▼ -398.93 ▼ -2.43%
Hang_Seng.__ 18,542.15 ▼ -344.15 ▼ -1.82%
Strait_Times.__ 2,530.17 ▼ -29.60 ▼ -1.16%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,080.90 ▼ -32.82 ▼ -0.54%

http://www.usnews.com/news/business...slightly-higher-as-crude-oil-price-stabilizes

Stocks rise a day after a sharp decline triggered by a slump oil prices

By MARLEY JAY, AP Markets Writer

NEW YORK (AP) ”” Stocks rose Thursday and recovered some of their steep losses from the day before. The price of oil also recovered from a big decline. That lifted energy companies, which have been struggling as energy prices tumble.

European markets also rose on hopes the European Central Bank will do more to aid the region's economy.

In the U.S., energy stocks climbed as oil prices bounced back from their worst day in four months, and strong earnings from Verizon lifted telecom stocks. Blue chip stocks did better than the rest of the market. The Dow Jones industrial average had its second-best day of 2016.

The Dow added 115.94 points, or 0.7 percent, to 15,882.68. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 9.66 points, or 0.5 percent, to 1,868.99. The Nasdaq composite index added less than half a point and closed at 4,472.06.

Stocks were on pace for much larger gains earlier in the day. The Dow was up 272 points shortly after noon, which would have canceled out Wednesday's loss.

U.S. crude rose $1.18, or 4.2 percent, to close at $29.53 a barrel in New York. On Wednesday U.S. crude took its biggest one-day loss since September. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils, rose $1.37, or 4.9 percent, to $29.25 a barrel in London.

Energy stocks have crumbled as the price of oil fell from $100 a barrel in mid-2014. The price of oil is the lowest it's been since 2003.

Natural gas company Southwestern Energy jumped after saying it will eliminate around 1,100 jobs, or 44 percent of its work force, in the next few months. Its shares added $1.42, or 19.2 percent, to $8.80. Coal and natural gas company Consol Energy surged 97 cents, or 19.1 percent, to $6.04. Pipeline company Kinder Morgan rose $1.87, or 15.6 percent, to $13.88.

Consol and Southwestern were the second- and third-worst performing S&P 500 stocks in 2015.

European Central Bank head Mario Draghi said the ECB will consider using more stimulus measures at its next meeting in March as it tries to bolster the European economy. The prospect of more stimulus sent the euro down to $1.0875 from $1.0894 late Wednesday.

The ECB has been buying government-backed bonds as part of its efforts to stimulate the region's economy. Yields on 10-year bonds issued by European countries dropped following Draghi's remarks. That suggests investors expect government bond prices to rise further.

European stock indexes also rose. Britain's FTSE 100 increased 1.8 percent, Germany's DAX climbed 1.9 percent and France's CAC gained 2 percent.

David Lefkowitz, senior equity strategist at UBS Wealth Management, said the ECB is responding to the current turmoil in the markets while the Fed wants to keep raising interest rates and Chinese economic policy seems to be in disarray.

Lefkowitz thinks the market could get another lift next week if the Fed acknowledges the turbulent state of the markets at its January meeting. The Fed raised interest rates for the first time in almost a decade in December, and Lefkowitz said investors are hoping for signs the Fed plans to go slowly.

"At least one of the major central banks is willing to be ... more pragmatic and recognize that when facts change, you may need to revisit your policies," he said.

Telecom stocks rose after Verizon, the largest U.S. cellphone carrier, said it turned a profit in the fourth quarter and held on to more customers. Its shares gained $1.45, or 3.3 percent, to $45.87. AT&T shares added 64 cents, or 1.9 percent, to $34.54.

Consumer stocks also gained ground. Wal-Mart rose $1.04, or 1.7 percent, to $61.88. It's the only Dow component that has risen this year, though it's up only 1 percent. Department store operator Nordstrom picked up $1.64, or 3.6 percent, to $47.74 and Home Depot gained $3.76, or 3.2 percent, to $120.22

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 210.83 points or ▲ 1.33% on Friday, January 22, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 16,093.51 ▲ 210.83 ▲ 1.33%
Nasdaq____ 4,591.18 ▲ 119.12 ▲ 2.66%
S&P_500___ 1,906.90 ▲ 37.91 ▲ 2.03%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.82 ▲ 0.02 ▲ 0.82%

NYSE Volume 4,872,069,500
Nasdaq Volume 2,120,914,500

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 5,900.01 ▲ 126.22 ▲ 2.19%
DAX_____ 9,764.88 ▲ 190.72 ▲ 1.99%
CAC_40__ 4,336.69 ▲ 130.29 ▲ 3.10%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 4,969.60 ▲ 52.00 ▲ 1.06%
Shanghai_Comp 2,916.56 ▲ 36.08 ▲ 1.25%
Taiwan_Weight 7,756.18 ▲ 92.17 ▲ 1.20%
Nikkei_225___ 16,958.53 ▲ 941.27 ▲ 5.88%
Hang_Seng.__ 19,080.51 ▲ 538.36 ▲ 2.90%
Strait_Times.__ 2,577.09 ▲ 44.39 ▲ 1.75%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,121.61 ▲ 40.71 ▲ 0.67%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-join-global-rally-153102948.html#

Energy stocks lead a broad rally as the price of oil soars
Associated Press By MARLEY JAY

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks made their biggest gain in more than a month on Friday as oil prices surged, lifting energy stocks. Tech stocks also climbed as Apple shares had their day since August.

Energy companies soared after the price of U.S. crude jumped 9 percent. Oil prices reached their lowest level in 12 years earlier this week, but they jumped Thursday and Friday.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 210.83 points, or 1.3 percent, to 16,093.51. The Standard & Poor's 500 index had its best day since early December, gaining 37.91 points, or 2 percent, to 1,906.90. The Nasdaq composite index made its biggest gain since September, adding 119.12 points, or 2.7 percent, to 4,591.18.

The markets rose this week for the first time in four weeks as the prospect of economic stimulus in Europe helped put investors in a buying mood, following a dismal beginning to the new year. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 index had its best day in four months as investors hoped the Bank of Japan will also step in.

This week's gains didn't look likely on Wednesday, when stocks nosedived along with energy prices. At one point the Dow tumbled 565 points. Since the first two weeks of this year were its worst opening to a year in history.

While the two-day surge may have investors hoping the worst is behind them, Jim Paulsen, chief investment strategist for Wells Capital Management, said he still thinks the S&P 500 will slide to around 1,800 before a real recovery comes. That's below even the darkest moments from Wednesday's swoon.

"It's going to continue to be a struggle," he said. "Everyone will be convinced we're heading for recession, everyone will be convinced we're in a bear market."

There was little trace of that view on Friday. U.S. crude rose $2.66 to $32.19 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils, rose $2.93, or 10 percent, to $32.18 a barrel in London. U.S. oil climbed 21 percent over the last two days and it has recovered about half its losses from earlier in the year.

Pipeline operator Kinder Morgan rose $1.46, or 10.5 percent, to $15.34 after it jumped 16 percent Thursday. Pipeline company Williams Cos. added $3.70, or 23.1 percent, to $19.74. Devon Energy gained $1.45, or 6 percent, to $25.63.

Goldman Sachs analyst Jeffrey Currie said energy prices have fallen so far that the industry is making real cuts in production. "We are now at a price level that is creating real fundamental change," he said.

Low energy prices are good for many industries and consumers, but investors have gotten nervous that falling energy prices foretell a big slowdown in the global economy. Currie said it will take a long time for the market to recover from the huge decline in energy prices. But he said prices are down because of a supply glut, not because demand is collapsing.

Shares of Apple, which have lost about a quarter of their value in the last six months, rose $5.12, or 5.3 percent, to $101.42. Microsoft gained $1.81, or 4 percent, to $52.29. Facebook added $3.78, or 4 percent, to $97.94 and Alphabet added $18.79, or 2.6 percent, to $745.46.

On Friday European Central Bank head Mario Draghi said the bank has a lot of options to boost inflation and is determined and willing to act. On Thursday Draghi suggested the ECB will consider more stimulus action at its next meeting in March.

France's CAC 40 added 3.1 percent and Germany's DAX rose 2 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 climbed 2.2 percent.

Japan's Nikkei 225 index rose 5.9 percent. Earlier this week the index entered a bear market, meaning it was down 20 percent from a recent peak. South Korea's Kospi gained 2.1 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng added 2.9 percent. The Shanghai Composite Index in mainland China climbed 1.3 percent.

Telecommunications and utilities stocks also rose and turned positive for the year. They're both up 1 percent while the other eight industrial sectors in the S&P 500 are much lower in 2016. Last year the S&P 500 utility index fell 8 percent and telecom stocks fell 2 percent.

Paulsen, chief investment strategist for Wells Capital Management, said investors turn to utilities and telecom stocks when the market gets rough. Companies in those industries pay relatively large dividends, which means their prices are more stable and the stocks behave almost like bonds.

"They are just the most conservative sector of the stock market," he said.

Credit card company American Express gave a very negative outlook for 2016 and 2017. The company expects its earnings per share to fall this year even though it's selling credit card accounts tied a co-branded credit card it offers with Costco. That relationship is ending.

The stock fell $7.58, or 12.1 percent, to $55.06, its biggest loss in almost seven years. American Express is a Dow component, and that loss caused the Dow to lag the other major U.S. indexes.

Gold and copper producer Freeport-McMoRan tumbled 39 cents, or 9.1 percent, to $3.94. Its shares have dropped 42 percent in 2016 after huge plunges the previous two years. The company has struggled as metals prices have fallen, and its decision a few years ago to invest in oil and gas came shortly before those prices also plunged.

The largest oilfield services company in the world said it cut 10,000 jobs in the fourth quarter after eliminating some 20,000 earlier in 2015. However Schlumberger said it will buy back $10 billion in stock. Its share price has fallen 25 percent over the last year. The stock rose $3.7, or 6.1 percent, to $65.20.

In other energy trading, wholesale gas added 5.3 cents, or 5.1 percent, to $1.084 a gallon. Heating oil picked up 9.8 cents, or 10.9 percent, to 99.6 cents a gallon. Natural gas inched up to $2.139 per 1,000 cubic feet.

U.S. government bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.05 percent from 2.03 percent a day earlier.

The price of gold fell $1.90 to $1,096.30 an ounce and silver fell 3.7 cents to $14.06 an ounce. Copper rose 0.6 cents to $2.003 a pound.

The dollar rose to 118.78 yen from 117.50 on Thursday. The euro weakened on the prospect of further ECB stimulus. It fell to $1.0791 from $1.0875.

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[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -208.29 points or ▼ -1.29% on Monday, January 25, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 15,885.22 ▼ -208.29 ▼ -1.29%
Nasdaq____ 4,518.49 ▼ -72.69 ▼ -1.58%
S&P_500___ 1,877.08 ▼ -29.82 ▼ -1.56%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.80 ▼ -0.02 ▼ -0.64%

NYSE Volume 4,207,917,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,900,680,880

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 5,877.00 ▼ -23.01 ▼ -0.39%
DAX_____ 9,736.15 ▼ -28.73 ▼ -0.29%
CAC_40__ 4,311.33 ▼ -25.36 ▼ -0.58%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,057.10 ▲ 87.50 ▲ 1.76%
Shanghai_Comp 2,938.51 ▲ 21.95 ▲ 0.75%
Taiwan_Weight 7,894.15 ▲ 137.97 ▲ 1.78%
Nikkei_225___ 17,110.91 ▲ 152.38 ▲ 0.90%
Hang_Seng.__ 19,340.14 ▲ 259.63 ▲ 1.36%
Strait_Times.__ 2,582.64 ▲ 5.55 ▲ 0.22%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,175.24 ▲ 53.63 ▲ 0.88%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-slide-energy-prices-165940232.html

Stocks slip as oil skids 6 percent, hitting energy companies

US stocks close lower as energy prices fall after a big jump last week
Associated Press By Marley Jay, AP Markets Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- U.S. stocks fell Monday as the price of oil slumped again, giving up some of the ground it gained late last week. That forced energy companies lower.

The stock market opened lower and stayed in the red all day. The selling accelerated in the last hour of trading. The biggest losses came in the energy sector and companies that make chemicals and paper goods

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 208.29 points, or 1.3 percent, to 15,885.22. The Standard & Poor's 500 index shed 29.82 points, or 1.6 percent, to 1,877.08. The Nasdaq composite index lost 72.69 points, or 1.6 percent, to 4,518.49.

Plunging oil prices have been decimating profits at energy companies and getting investors worried that the global economy is slowing down. Companies that mine metals, especially copper, face the same problem. Low oil prices are also hurting banking stocks because some banks hold large amounts of loans from energy companies, and investors fear they may not get paid back.

The price of benchmark U.S. crude fell $1.85, or 5.7 percent, to $30.34 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils, lost $1.68, or 5.2 percent, to $30.50 a barrel in London. U.S. oil jumped 9 percent Friday after setting 12-year lows earlier in the week.

Exxon Mobil lost $2.59, or 3.4 percent, to $73.98 and Chevron fell $2.65, or 3.2 percent, to $80.89. Chesapeake Energy lost 56 cents, or 16 percent, to $2.95.

Paper and packaging companies fell on concerns about product prices falling. WestRock gave up $5.63, or 14.9 percent, to $32.11 and International Paper declined $3.87, or 10.6 percent, to $32.58.

Mark Wilde, managing director BMO Capital Markets, said stocks in that sector are falling because an influential trade publication estimated that prices for containerboard, an important product, fell sharply in January.

"I think it confirms people's fears," Wilde said. "Falling prices are going to mean lower earnings."

Friday was the best day for the S&P 500 since early December. It was the biggest gain for the Nasdaq composite index since September. That helped stocks make their first weekly gain in the last four.

The shaky global outlook helped push companies to make a slew of big deals last year, and that trend continued as Tyco International and Johnson Controls said they will combine. Tyco makes fire suppression systems and Johnson Controls makes ventilation systems, auto seating and car batteries. Both stocks have struggled as investors worried about their growth.

Tyco jumped $3.56, or 11.6 percent, to $34.15, the biggest gain in the S&P 500. Johnson Controls lost $1.39, or 3.9 percent, to $34.21.

Companies spent a record $5 trillion on acquisitions and other deals last year, a big jump from 2014. While few deals have been announced in the first weeks of 2016, business technology company Intralinks that will change. It thinks global deal value will rise 3.5 percent, to a total of almost $2.3 trillion.

John Manley, chief equity strategist for Wells Fargo Fund Management, said he expects another big year of deals even though interest rates are likely to rise. That's because companies around the world are still looking for ways to become more efficient and lift their earnings and sales growth.

"I have no reason to think it's going to slow down," he said.

The economic outlook didn't get any brighter Monday. Business economists became more pessimistic about profits and sales than they were last fall and expect slower economic growth, according to a survey by the National Association for Business Economics. However, most of the survey participants said their companies plan to raise wages in the first quarter. That's the largest proportion in more than a year.

Heavy machinery maker Caterpillar sank after Goldman Sachs downgraded the stock to "Sell." Analyst Jerry Revich said companies around the world are spending less money on machinery because commodity prices have dropped. Caterpillar lost $3.07, or 5 percent, to $57.91.

McDonald's rose after the restaurant chain said its U.S. sales grew 5.7 percent in the fourth quarter, its best result in more than three years. The company said its all-day breakfast menu and the warm weather helped its sales. Overall, its sales rose 5 percent. The stock edged up 80 cents to $119.20.

Twitter continued to slide after the company said four executives, including its head of engineering, will leave the company. The stock lost 82 cents, or 4.6 percent, to $17.02. Twitter is down 57 percent in the last year.

Asian markets rose. Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 0.9 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng jumped 1.4 percent. Germany's DAX lost 0.3 percent, France's CAC 40 slid 0.6 percent and Britain's FTSE 100 declined 0.4 percent.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline fell 5 cents, of 5 percent, to $1.03 a gallon. Heating oil dropped 6 cents, or 6.1 percent, to 93.5 cents a gallon. Natural gas rose 1.9 cents to $2.158 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The price of gold rose $9 to $1,105.30 an ounce and silver gained 19.7 cents, or 1.4 percent, to $14.254 an ounce. Copper fell less than half a cent to $1.998 per pound.

U.S. government bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.00 percent from 2.06 percent. The euro rose to $1.0837 from $1.0791 late Friday. The dollar fell to 118.48 yen from 118.78 yen.