NYSE Dow Jones finished today at:

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 42.67 points or ▲ 0.24% on Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,096.27 ▲ 42.67 ▲ 0.24%
Nasdaq____ 4,948.13 ▲ 7.80 ▲ 0.16%
S&P_500___ 2,102.40 ▲ 1.60 ▲ 0.08%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.66 ▲ 0.07 ▲ 2.50%

NYSE Volume 4,120,210,250
Nasdaq Volume 2,014,649,880

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,410.26 ▲ 4.91 ▲ 0.08%
DAX_____ 10,421.29 ▲ 71.70 ▲ 0.69%
CAC_40__ 4,591.92 ▲ 25.44 ▲ 0.56%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,281.20 ▲ 26.50 ▲ 0.50%
Shanghai_Comp 2,972.58 ▼ -70.24 ▼ -2.31%
Taiwan_Weight 8,514.48 ▼ -119.24 ▼ -1.38%
Nikkei_225___ 16,906.54 ▲ 32.10 ▲ 0.19%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,236.31 ▼ -199.90 ▼ -0.93%
Strait_Times.__ 2,949.95 ▼ -1.86 ▼ -0.06%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,901.26 ▲ 28.22 ▲ 0.41%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-waver-early-investors-eye-company-earnings-142219321.html

US stocks end modestly higher as oil price recovers
Associated Press By ALEX VEIGA

Financial and energy companies led a modest increase in U.S. stocks Wednesday, giving the stock market its third gain in a row.

The market got a boost from a pickup in the price of oil, which climbed about 4 percent after an early slide. When oil prices rise it tends to favor battered energy stocks and financial companies such as banks, which have been in the doldrums due to investor concerns that loans to struggling oil companies could go bad.

After several weeks of moving in different directions, the stock market appears to be getting more closely tied to the fluctuations in oil prices.

"Oil is what's been driving the market lately," said Chris Gaffney, president of EverBank World Markets.

Utilities and consumer staples stocks were among the biggest decliners.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 42.67 points, or 0.2 percent, to 18,096.27. The Standard & Poor's 500 index added 1.60 points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,102.40. The Nasdaq composite index gained 7.80 points, or 0.2 percent, to 4,948.13.

The Dow is now up almost 4 percent for the year, while the S&P 500 is up about 3 percent. The Nasdaq narrowed its loss to 1.2 percent.

Trading got off to a flat start, with the major stock indexes moving sideways. They perked up by midmorning, as oil prices turned higher, but the rally lost some steam by the end of the day.

U.S. crude rose $1.55, or 3.8 percent, to close at $42.63 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the international benchmark, climbed $1.77, or 4 percent, at $45.80 a barrel in London. Heating oil jumped 5.5 percent after adding 7 cents to close at $1.33 a gallon.

That helped lift shares in several energy companies. Chesapeake Energy gained 30 cents, or 4.9 percent, to $6.42, while Williams Cos. rose 82 cents, or 4.6 percent, at $18.83.

The market got some encouraging data on housing, with the National Association of Realtors reporting that sales of previously occupied U.S. homes bounced back in March after a February slump as the spring home-selling season kicked off

Investors also had their eye on the latest batch of company earnings.

Corporate profits for companies in the S&P 500 are expected to be down 8.1 percent, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. Even excluding energy companies, which have been hammered by falling oil prices, earnings growth for the S&P 500 companies is projected to be down 3.3 percent.

Even so, while only about 15 percent of companies having reported results at this point, many have turned in better-than-expected results.

"So far, we're actually seeing companies surprising to the upside," said Jason Pride, director of investment strategy at Glenmede.

Discover Financial Services led all the gainers in the S&P 500 after the credit card issuer and lender reported better-than-anticipated quarterly profit and sales as loan volume improved. The stock climbed $4.29, or 8.2 percent, to $56.84.

VMWare also delivered strong results, which vaulted the cloud-computing company $7.07, or nearly 14 percent, to $58.53.

Some companies failed to turn in encouraging results.

Coca-Cola slid 4.8 percent after the world's biggest beverage maker reported a lower profit for the first quarter. The company was squeezed by a strong dollar and charges related to the transformation of its North American operations. Coca-Cola was the biggest decliner in the S&P 500. It lost $2.23 to $44.37.

Beyond earnings, investors welcomed news that printer maker Lexmark International agreed to be bought by a group that includes Apex Technology and PAG Asia Capital for about $2.51 billion. The stock climbed $3.24, or 9.3 percent, to $37.90.

Stock markets in Europe also closed higher.

Germany's DAX rose 0.7 percent, while the CAC-40 of France gained 0.6 percent. The FTSE 100 of leading British shares added 0.1 percent. Earlier in Asia, most markets closed lower. South Korea's Kospi fell 0.3 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng slid 0.9 percent. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 edged up 0.2 percent, while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 added 0.5 percent.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline rose about 3 cents, or 1.8 percent, to close at $1.51 a gallon. Natural gas fell 2 cents to close at $2.069 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Precious and industrial metals futures inched higher. Gold rose 10 cents to $1,254.40 an ounce, silver gained 16 cents, or 1 percent, to $17.14 an ounce and copper rose 1.5 cents to $2.24 a pound.

Bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 1.85 from 1.78 late Tuesday. In currency markets, the euro fell to $1.1302 from $1.1377, while the dollar rose to 109.80 yen from 109.13

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -113.75 points or ▼ -0.63% on Thursday, April 21, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,982.52 ▼ -113.75 ▼ -0.63%
Nasdaq____ 4,945.89 ▼ -2.24 ▼ -0.05%
S&P_500___ 2,091.48 ▼ -10.92 ▼ -0.52%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.69 ▲ 0.03 ▲ 1.17%

NYSE Volume 4,140,883,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,936,002,500

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,381.44 ▼ -28.82 ▼ -0.45%
DAX_____ 10,435.73 ▲ 14.44 ▲ 0.14%
CAC_40__ 4,582.83 ▼ -9.09 ▼ -0.20%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,336.40 ▲ 55.20 ▲ 1.05%
Shanghai_Comp 2,952.89 ▼ -19.69 ▼ -0.66%
Taiwan_Weight 8,568.65 ▲ 54.17 ▲ 0.64%
Nikkei_225___ 17,363.62 ▲ 457.08 ▲ 2.70%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,622.25 ▲ 385.94 ▲ 1.82%
Strait_Times.__ 2,960.78 ▲ 10.83 ▲ 0.37%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,906.10 ▲ 4.84 ▲ 0.07%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stock-indexes-edge-lower-early-trading-oil-141647838--finance.html

US stock indexes close lower as market snaps 3-day rally

A steep slide in phone companies and utilities weighs on Wall Street, snapping a three-day winning streak for the market
Associated Press By Alex Veiga, AP Business Writer

A steep slide in traditional safe-play stocks such as phone companies and utilities weighed on Wall Street Thursday, snapping a three-day winning streak for the market.

The broad decline came as investors pored over company earnings for clues about the health of Corporate America and the trajectory of the U.S. economy. Oil prices also fell, extending losses for the battered energy sector.

"Today might be a little bit of profit-taking after such a big run here," said Jeff Kravetz, regional investment strategist at U.S. Bank's Private Client Reserve. "We did have a few companies that reported weaker-than-expected earnings."

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 113.75 points, or 0.6 percent, to 17,982.52. The Standard & Poor's 500 index shed 10.92 points, or 0.5 percent, to 2,091.48. The Nasdaq composite index lost 2.24 points, or 0.1 percent, to 4,945.89.

Many more companies are due to post their quarterly results in coming weeks. So far, though, traders have been quick to make moves on stocks, depending on whether the companies lived up to the market's expectations.

"We're still seeing a lot of companies struggling to meet that top line of revenue, and that's the bigger story," said JJ Kinahan, TD Ameritrade's chief strategist.

Mattel fell 5.8 percent after the toy maker reported a larger-than-anticipated quarterly loss and disappointing sales of Barbie dolls. The stock shed $1.91 to $31.13.

Alliance Data Systems, which manages loyalty and rewards programs for retailers and other companies, slumped 7 percent after the company issued a disappointing outlook for the current quarter. The stock lost $15.32 at $202.60.

Casino operator Las Vegas Sands also failed to match Wall Street's expectations. That sent the stock down $4.79, or 9.2 percent, to $47.39.

Investors bid up shares in companies that exceeded earnings forecasts.

Under Armour surged 6.8 percent after the athletic apparel company reported strong quarterly sales. It also increased its outlook for the year. The stock climbed $2.98 to $46.93.

General Motors rose 1.5 percent after the automaker said its profit more than doubled, thanks partly to strong demand in North America. The stock gained 47 cents to $32.66.

Citrix Systems climbed 4.4 percent a day after the company reported earnings that topped Wall Street expectations. The stock added $3.51 to $84.03.

Beyond earnings, traders sent shares in Viacom sharply higher on news that the company reached a new deal to have Dish Network continue to broadcast Viacom programming. Shares in Viacom added $5.18, or 13.9 percent, to $42.56.

American Airlines, General Electric and McDonald's are among the companies reporting earnings on Friday.

Markets in Europe were mixed Thursday.

German's DAX rose 0.1 percent, while France's CAC 40 edged down 0.2 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 fell 0.4 percent. Earlier in Asia, Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 ended 2.7 percent higher. Hong Kong's Hang Seng climbed 1.8 percent. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rose 1.1 percent. South Korea's KOSPI added 0.8 percent.

Benchmark U.S. crude oil fell $1, or 2.3 percent, to close at $43.18 a barrel in New York after. Brent crude, the international standard, dropped $1.27, or 2.8 percent, to close at $44.53 a barrel in London.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline rose about a penny to close at $1.52 a gallon. Heating oil fell 3 cents, or 2.4 percent, close at $1.30 a gallon. Natural gas was little changed at $2.07 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Precious and industrial metals futures were mixed. Gold fell $4.10 to $1,250.30 an ounce, silver slid 5 cents to $17.09 an ounce and copper rose about a penny to $2.25 a pound.

Bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 1.86 percent from 1.84 percent late Wednesday.

In currency markets, the dollar slipped to 109.53 yen from 109.80 yen on Wednesday. The euro fell to $1.1295 from $1.1302.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 21.23 points or ▲ 0.12% on Friday, April 22, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,003.75 ▲ 21.23 ▲ 0.12%
Nasdaq____ 4,906.23 ▼ -39.66 ▼ -0.80%
S&P_500___ 2,091.58 ▲ 0.10 ▲ 0.00%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.70 ▲ 0.01 ▲ 0.48%

NYSE Volume 4,029,618,500
Nasdaq Volume 2,029,634,000

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,310.44 ▼ -71.00 ▼ -1.11%
DAX_____ 10,373.49 ▼ -62.24 ▼ -0.60%
CAC_40__ 4,569.66 ▼ -13.17 ▼ -0.29%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,299.20 ▼ -37.20 ▼ -0.70%
Shanghai_Comp 2,959.24 ▲ 6.35 ▲ 0.22%
Taiwan_Weight 8,535.75 ▼ -32.90 ▼ -0.38%
Nikkei_225___ 17,572.49 ▲ 208.87 ▲ 1.20%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,467.04 ▼ -155.21 ▼ -0.72%
Strait_Times.__ 2,940.43 ▼ -20.35 ▼ -0.69%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,866.11 ▼ -39.99 ▼ -0.58%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-edge-mostly-higher-141533053.html#

US stock indexes end mixed as investors size up earnings
Associated Press By ALEX VEIGA

A rebound in the price of oil and natural gas helped drive sharp gains for energy and financial companies, nudging U.S. stocks mostly higher Friday.

That offset a slide in the technology sector following disappointing earnings from Microsoft, Google parent Alphabet and other big names.

The Dow Jones industrial average eked out a tiny gain, while the Standard & Poor's 500 index closed essentially flat. Both ended the week higher. But the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite fell short on both counts.

"The Nasdaq took a hit today," said Erik Davidson, chief investment officer at Wells Fargo Private Bank.

The Dow rose 21.23 points, or 0.1 percent, to 18,003.75. The S&P 500 index added 0.10 points to 2,091. The Nasdaq composite index lost 39.66 points, or 0.8 percent, to 4,906.23.

Trading was listless for much of the day, with the Dow and S&P 500 wavering between small gains and losses as the Nasdaq stayed in the red.

As was the case much of the week, investors were mostly focused on company earnings and energy prices.

The latter helped lift several oil and gas companies.

Southwestern Energy notched the biggest gain in the S&P 500. The stock vaulted $1.60, or 15 percent, to $12.27. Range Resources jumped $2.58, or about 7 percent, to $39.75, while Chesapeake Energy climbed 36 cents, or 5.8 percent, to $6.55.

Benchmark U.S. crude rose 55 cents, or 1.3 percent, to close at $43.73 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, gained 58 cents, or 1.3 percent, to close at $45.11 a barrel in London. Natural gas gained 7 cents, or 3.5 percent, to close at $2.14 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Investors cheered earnings from Norfolk Southern, which jumped 10.5 percent after the railroad operator slashed costs during its latest quarter. The stock rose $8.70 to $91.33.

Quarterly results from several big-name companies failed to impress traders, however.

American Airlines Group fell 4.5 percent after the company said weaker fares and labor costs cut into its revenue in the first quarter. The stock shed $1.80 to $38.21.

Investors sold shares in Starbucks after the coffee chain reported disappointing sales growth for the first three months of the year. The stock lost $2.96, or about 5 percent, to $57.68.

Microsoft fell 7.2 percent, making it the biggest decliner in the S&P 500. The stock lost $4 to $51.78, while Alphabet slid $42.23, or 5.4 percent, to $737.77. Overall, the technology sector was off about 2 percent.

Despite the declines, investors seemed to conclude that the issues driving lackluster results at Alphabet and Microsoft were largely confined to those companies, Davidson said.

"The broader market doing better," he said. "Energy has to be part of that."

Major stock indexes in Europe ended lower.

Germany's DAX fell 0.6 percent, while France's CAC 40 slipped 0.3 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 declined 1.1 percent. In Asia, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index fell 0.7 percent. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 rose 1.2 percent. Seoul's Kospi slid 0.3 percent and Sydney's S&P ASX 200 lost 0.7 percent.

In other energy futures trading, wholesale gasoline added about a penny to close at $1.53 a gallon. Heating oil also rose a penny to close at $1.31 a gallon.

Precious and industrial metals futures were mixed. Gold fell $20.30, or 1.6 percent, to $1,230 an ounce, silver slid 19 cents, or 1.1 percent, to $16.90 an ounce and copper rose about a penny to $2.26 a pound.

Bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 1.89 percent from 1.86 late Thursday.

In currency markets, the dollar gained to 111.67 yen from Thursday's 109.53 yen. The euro fell to $1.1245 from $1.1295.

6810

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -26.51 points or ▼ -0.15% on Monday, April 25, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,977.24 ▼ -26.51 ▼ -0.15%
Nasdaq____ 4,895.79 ▼ -10.44 ▼ -0.21%
S&P_500___ 2,087.79 ▼ -3.79 ▼ -0.18%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.72 ▲ 0.02 ▲ 0.74%

NYSE Volume 3,314,241,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,654,830,880

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,260.92 ▼ -49.52 ▼ -0.78%
DAX_____ 10,294.35 ▼ -79.14 ▼ -0.76%
CAC_40__ 4,546.12 ▼ -23.54 ▼ -0.52%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,299.20 ▼ -37.20 ▼ -0.70% Anzac Day Holiday
Shanghai_Comp 2,946.67 ▼ -12.57 ▼ -0.42%
Taiwan_Weight 8,560.28 ▲ 24.53 ▲ 0.29%
Nikkei_225___ 17,439.30 ▼ -133.19 ▼ -0.76%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,304.44 ▼ -162.60 ▼ -0.76%
Strait_Times.__ 2,900.28 ▼ -40.15 ▼ -1.37%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,866.11 ▼ -39.99 ▼ -0.58% Anzac Day Holiday

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-dip-following-losses-141409537.html#

US stocks slip as energy companies fall with oil prices
Associated Press By Marley Jay, AP Markets Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- U.S. stocks slipped in quiet trading Monday as energy companies dropped with the price of oil. Metals and chemicals companies also fell. Company earnings remain weak, and Xerox and drugmaker Perrigo tumbled after reporting disappointing results and cutting their forecasts for the year.

Stocks looked like they were headed for big losses in the morning, as the Dow Jones industrial average dropped as much as 148 points. Stocks recovered most of those losses over the last hours of trading. Investors traded less than usual as they looked through a weak group of company earnings and prepared for the latest Federal Reserve meeting, which will conclude Wednesday.

"The market is being restrained as much by uncertainty over ... companies' ability to generate earnings growth and revenue growth as they are around uncertainty over Fed policy," said Justin Christofel, portfolio manager with BlackRock's Multi-Asset Income Fund.

Over the last week, company earnings have generally been better than expected, but Christofel said that's because investors weren't expecting much.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 26.51 points, or 0.2 percent, to 17,977.24. The Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 3.79 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,087.79. The Nasdaq composite index slid 10.44 points, or 0.2 percent, to 4,895.79.

Xerox cut its earnings estimate for the year after its first-quarter profit plunged 85 percent. The company's revenue fell, and costs went up as it gets ready to split into two businesses. The stock shed $1.49, or 13.3 percent, to $9.68.

Irish drugmaker Perrigo skidded after it cut its profit forecast. The company said prices for over-the-counter products in Europe are down, and it may take an impairment charge for a business it bought just a year ago. Perrigo chairman and CEO Joseph Papa also left the company to join Valeant Pharmaceuticals. The stock lost $21.95, or 18.1 percent, to $99.40.

About a third of the companies in the S&P 500 will report their earnings this week. Wall Street isn't feeling optimistic: according to Lindsey Bell of S&P Global Market Intelligence, analysts think earnings will fall 8 percent. That's the third straight quarterly decline, and the largest in seven years.

"Earnings have been revised down viciously this quarter," Christofel said.

Investors kept their powder dry as they waited to see what central banks in the U.S. and Japan will do. The Federal Reserve will meet Tuesday and Wednesday, and while investors don't think the Fed will raise interest rates this month, they will review the Fed's comments about the state of the U.S. and global economy. Bank of Japan officials will meet later in the week and could take new actions to stimulate the Japanese economy.

Benchmark U.S. crude fell $1.09, or 2.5 percent, to $42.64 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, lost 63 cents, or 1.4 percent, to $44.48 a barrel in London. Transocean stock lost 53 cents, or 4.9 percent, to $10.26 and Hess fell $1.51, or 2.4 percent, to $61.87.

Gannett, the owner of USA Today and other papers, offered to buy Tribune Publishing for $388 million. Tribune owns 11 newspapers including the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune. It said Tribune has refused to start constructive talks.

The offer values Tribune Publishing at $12.25 per share. Tribune jumped $3.98, or 52.9 percent, to $11.50. Gannett;s stock rose $1.02, or 6.5 percent, to $16.79.

Industrial and materials companies fell. Railroad company Union Pacific gave up $2.02, or 2.3 percent, to $87.61 and mining and construction equipment maker Caterpillar declined $1.53, or 2 percent, to $76.79.

Consumer companies traded higher. Supermarket operator Kroger picked up $1.19, or 3.3 percent, to $36.77 and spice retailer McCormick added $1.53, or 1.7 percent, to $93.29. Tyson Foods rose $1.01, or 1.6 percent, to $64.08.

The federal government approved Charter Communications' bid to buy Time Warner Cable. Time Warner Cable stock rose $8.18, or 4.1 percent, to $209.63 and Charter added $9.10, or 4.6 percent, to $207.01. If California utility regulators approve the deal, which they are expected to do, Charter will become the second-largest Internet provider and third-largest video company in the U.S.

Homebuilder stocks fell as sales of new home decreased for the third month in a row. The Commerce Department said overall sales fell 1.5 percent in March as sales in the West dropped more than 20 percent. PulteGroup sank 24 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $18.81 and KB Home lost 26 cents, or 1.8 percent, to $14.14.

The government of Saudi Arabia said a small portion of the world's largest oil company will go public. Saudi Aramco has long been considered the most valuable company in the world, and the kingdom valued it at more than $2 trillion. Apple, the most valuable publicly-traded company, has a market capitalization of about $583 billion.

The price of gold and silver each ticked higher. Gold gained $10.20 to $1,240.20 an ounce and silver added 11 cents to $17 an ounce. Copper fell 1 cent to $2.25 a pound.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline fell 2 cents to $1.51 a gallon. Heating oil lost 2 cents to $1.29 a gallon. Natural gas fell 8 cents to $2.06 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Germany's DAX fell 0.8 percent and the CAC 40 in France slipped 0.5 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 lost 0.8 percent. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 dipped 0.8 percent. In South Korea the Kospi inched down 0.1 percent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.8 percent.

Bond prices fell and the yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note rose to 1.91 percent from 1.89 percent. The euro rose to $1.1261 from $1.1245. The dollar fell to 111.28 yen from 111.67 yen.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 13.08 points or ▲ 0.07% on Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,990.32 ▲ 13.08 ▲ 0.07%
Nasdaq____ 4,888.28 ▼ -7.51 ▼ -0.15%
S&P_500___ 2,091.70 ▲ 3.91 ▲ 0.19%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.76 ▲ 0.03 ▲ 1.17%

NYSE Volume 3,545,768,000
Nasdaq Volume 2,094,527,120

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,284.52 ▲ 23.60 ▲ 0.38%
DAX_____ 10,259.59 ▼ -34.76 ▼ -0.34%
CAC_40__ 4,533.18 ▼ -12.94 ▼ -0.28%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,283.60 ▼ -15.60 ▼ -0.29%
Shanghai_Comp 2,964.70 ▲ 18.03 ▲ 0.61%
Taiwan_Weight 8,581.57 ▲ 21.29 ▲ 0.25%
Nikkei_225___ 17,353.28 ▼ -86.02 ▼ -0.49%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,407.27 ▲ 102.83 ▲ 0.48%
Strait_Times.__ 2,894.66 ▼ -5.62 ▼ -0.19%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,795.72 ▼ -70.39 ▼ -1.03%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-rise-oil-prices-142511641.html#

US stocks mostly trade higher as energy sector rises
Associated Press By MARLEY JAY

NEW YORK (AP) ”” Stocks finished mostly higher Tuesday in another cautious day of trading. Energy companies climbed in tandem with the price of oil, but technology companies fell.

The market wavered between small gains and losses throughout the day. Chemicals companies made the biggest gains, led by DuPont, while energy companies benefited from higher oil prices. Health care stocks fell on more regulatory scrutiny of drug pricing. The Nasdaq composite index fell for the fourth day in a row.

Trading has been light this week. Julian Emanuel, U.S. equities and derivatives strategist for UBS, said investors are waiting to see the results of Federal Reserve and Bank of Japan policy meetings in the next few days. The Fed is expected to leave interest rates unchanged, while the Bank of Japan could take new steps to stimulate Japan's economy.

"People are very, very wary of taking big positions," he said. "The commentary is going to be very closely parsed."

The Dow Jones industrial average added 13.08 points, or 0.1 percent, at 17,990.32. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 3.91 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,091.70. The Nasdaq fell 7.50 points, or 0.2 percent, to 4,888.28.

The price of benchmark U.S. crude oil jumped $1.40, or 3.3 percent, to $44.04 per barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, gained $1.26, or 2.8 percent, to $45.74 a barrel in London.

That helped energy stocks, and ConocoPhillips rose $1.81, or 3.9 percent, to $48.08 while Pioneer Natural Resources gained $11.86, or 7.7 percent, to $165.36. Oil company BP rose $1.70, or 5.3 percent, to $33.49 after BP posted a larger-than-expected profit and it left its dividend unchanged even though oil prices and energy income has plunged.

Earnings reports continued to stream in after the market closed for the day. Apple's first-quarter results disappointed investors as its sales fell for the first time in more than a decade and fell short of analysts' forecasts. Apple sank $6.20, or 5.9 percent, to $98.15 in aftermarket trading. Twitter's first-quarter revenue and its second-quarter forecast disappointed investors and its stock lost $1.90, or 10.7 percent, to $15.85 in after-hours trading.

Chemicals companies and makers of mining and construction equipment reported solid quarterly results. Emanuel of UBS said that energy, chemical and mining companies and heavy machinery makers are getting a hand from China's economy, which is doing better than investors expected a few months ago.

DuPont picked up $1.58, or 2.4 percent, to $67.55. The chemicals giant expects a larger profit for the year, saying the strong dollar won't hurt its results as much as it predicted. Dow Chemical, which is preparing to combine with DuPont, added $1.13, or 2.2 percent, to $53.67.

Truck leasing company Ryder System added $4.20, or 6.4 percent, to $69.45. Manufacturing company Ingersoll-Rand rose $1.36, or 2.1 percent, to $65.39. Truck maker Paccar gained $2.88, or 5.1 percent, to $58.93.

Telecommunications companies, one of the best performing parts of the market this year, fell on Tuesday. The stocks traded lower as bond prices fell and yields rose, making them more attractive to income-seeking investors compared to telecom stocks.

Drug companies fell as investors looked ahead to the latest Congressional panel on drug prices. The Senate Aging Committee will hold its third meeting on drug prices Wednesday, and on Tuesday the committee said former Valeant Pharmaceuticals executive Robert Schiller and hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, an investor in Valeant, will both be questioned.

Investors in drug companies fear that Congressional scrutiny will make it harder for the companies to keep raising drug prices and keep their profits growing. Alexion Pharmaceuticals lost $4.01, or 2.5 percent, to $154.01. Vertex Pharmaceuticals fell $1.52, or 1.8 percent, to $84.14.

Elsewhere, specialty glass maker Corning lost $1.75, or 8.3 percent, to $19.22 after its sales were weaker than expected. Whirlpool, the appliance maker behind Maytag, KitchenAid and other brands, reported disappointing profit and sales. The company said its business was hurt by the strong dollar. The stock lost $6.61, or 3.6 percent, to $179.43.

Drug developer Sarepta Therapeutics plunged after a Food and Drug Administration panel said its muscular dystrophy drug eteplirsen shouldn't be approved. The panelists said evidence didn't show the drug is effective. The stock fell $3.93, or 26.3 percent, to $11.02.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline rose 5 cents, or 3.5 percent, to $1.57 a gallon. Heating oil added 4 cents, or 3.3 percent, to $1.33 a gallon. Natural gas fell 3 cents to $2.03 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The price of gold rose $3.20 to $1,243.40 an ounce and silver edged up 10 cents to $17.11 an ounce. Copper lost 1 cent to $2.24 a pound.

Britain's FTSE 100 rose 0.4 percent, while Germany's DAX and the CAC 40 in France each lost 0.3 percent. Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 0.5 percent and South Korea's Kospi rose 0.3 percent. The Hang Seng index in Hong Kong gained 0.5 percent.

Bond prices edged lower. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note rose to 1.93 percent from 1.92 percent a day earlier. The dollar rose to 111.41 yen from 111.28 yen. The euro rose to $1.1291 from $1.1261.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 51.23 points or ▲ 0.28% on Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,041.55 ▲ 51.23 ▲ 0.28%
Nasdaq____ 4,863.14 ▼ -25.14 ▼ -0.51%
S&P_500___ 2,095.15 ▲ 3.45 ▲ 0.16%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.70 ▼ -0.06 ▼ -2.10%

NYSE Volume 4,054,419,250
Nasdaq Volume 2,052,346,620

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,319.91 ▲ 35.39 ▲ 0.56%
DAX_____ 10,299.83 ▲ 40.24 ▲ 0.39%
CAC_40__ 4,559.40 ▲ 26.22 ▲ 0.58%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,250.90 ▼ -32.70 ▼ -0.62%
Shanghai_Comp 2,953.67 ▼ -11.03 ▼ -0.37%
Taiwan_Weight 8,563.05 ▼ -18.52 ▼ -0.22%
Nikkei_225___ 17,290.49 ▼ -62.79 ▼ -0.36%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,361.60 ▼ -45.67 ▼ -0.21%
Strait_Times.__ 2,874.72 ▼ -19.94 ▼ -0.69%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,750.40 ▼ -45.32 ▼ -0.67%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-slip-tech-slumps-following-apple-earnings-142427406.html

US stocks rise, shaking off tech slump, after Fed stands pat
Associated Press By MARLEY JAY

NEW YORK (AP) ”” U.S. stocks rose Wednesday after the Federal Reserve left its key interest rate unchanged, as investors expected. Energy companies climbed again as the price of oil came close to a six-month high. Technology stocks were battered following weak results from Apple and Twitter.

Stocks opened mostly lower in muted early trading, but they moved higher after the Fed released its decision on interest rates. Bond yields fell and investors bought high-dividend phone and utility companies instead. Thanks to the losses for tech stocks, the Nasdaq composite index fell for the fifth day in a row.

Investors didn't expect the Fed to raise interest rates this month, and they're starting to think that interest rates won't go up in June, the Fed's next meeting, either. But David Kelly, chief global strategist JPMorgan Chase, said that might be a problem because the Fed didn't make its intentions clear on Wednesday.

"There's nothing in this to tell us when the next rate hike is going to be," Kelly said. He thinks the market will react badly if the Fed raises interest rates without advising investors that it's coming.

"What they can't do is just coast into the June meeting having not given anybody any indication at all," Kelly said.

The Dow Jones industrial average picked up 51.23 points, or 0.3 percent, to 18,041.55. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 3.45 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,095.15. The Nasdaq composite index dropped 25.14 points, or 0.5 percent, to 4,863.14.

The Federal Reserve noted that economic growth in the U.S. has slowed down over the last month, but the job market is getting stronger. While the Fed also said the global economy slowed, its statement suggests it is becoming less concerned about the effects of the slowing global economy on the U.S.

Bond prices were rising before the Fed's announcement and moved even higher after its statement was released. Higher prices mean lower yields, and the yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note fell to 1.86 percent from 1.93 percent. Lower bond yields made telecommunications and utility stocks more appealing to investors seeking income. Verizon Communications gained $1.25, or 2.5 percent, to $51.69. NRG Energy added 43 cents, or 3 percent, to $14.98.

The price of crude oil started with big gains, turned lower, and then bounced back. It wound up at its highest price since early December. Benchmark U.S. crude oil rose $1.29, or 2.9 percent, to close at $45.33 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the international standard, added $1.44, or 3.1 percent, to $47.18 a barrel in London.

Among energy stocks, Anadarko Petroleum added $2.42, or 4.6 percent, to $54.78 and Diamond Offshore Drilling gained 98 cents, or 4.1 percent, to $24.63.

Tech stocks fell after Apple, the most valuable public company in the world, said iPhone sales declined in the first quarter. That hadn't happened since iPhones went on sale in 2007. Apple also reported its first decline in quarterly revenue since 2003 and forecast similar results in the current quarter. Its stock skidded $6.53, or 6.3 percent, to $97.82.

Microblogging site Twitter dropped $2.89, or 16.3 percent, to $14.86 after its first-quarter revenue fell short of expectations and its outlook disappointed investors. Its stock has fallen 71 percent in the last year.

Earnings reports were responsible for much of the day's action. Aerospace giant Boeing was the biggest gainer on the Dow average. The company reported mixed first-quarter results, with weaker-than-expected earnings but strong sales. The stock rose $3.84, or 2.9 percent, to $137.08.

Medical device maker Boston Scientific climbed to its highest price in 10 years after it after it swung to a profit in the first quarter, with earnings and sales that were better than expected. It also raised its projections for the year. The stock gained $2.20, or 11.2 percent, to $21.89.

Buffalo Wild Wings tumbled $15.62, or 10.8 percent, to $129 after the chain's sales fell short of analyst projections. Chipotle Mexican Grill fell $28.70, or 6.4 percent, to $417.22. Chipotle posted its first loss as a public company as sales plunged following an E. coli outbreak and Norovirus scare.

Tax preparer H&R Block slumped $3.23, or 13.6 percent, to $20.59 after the company said it handled fewer returns this year than it did in 2015 and announced a series of executive changes.

DreamWorks Animation rocketed $5.08, or 18.7 percent, to $32.20 on reports the company behind the "Shrek" and "Kung Fu Panda" franchises might be acquired by Comcast. Comcast stock rose 2 cents to $61.30.

Struggling Internet company Yahoo will add four directors backed by activist investment firm Starboard Value to its board. That ends a potential proxy fight between Yahoo and Starboard. The new directors include Starboard CEO Jeffrey Smith. Two current Yahoo directors won't run for new terms. Yahoo stock lost 16 cents to $36.95.

The price of gold rose $7 to $1,250.40 an ounce. Silver gained 18 cents, or 1 percent, to $17.29 an ounce. Copper fell 3 cents, or 1.1 percent, to $2.22 a pound.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline edged up 1 cent to $1.58 a gallon. Heating oil jumped 5 cents, or 3.5 percent, to $1.38 a gallon. Natural gas fell 4 cents, or 1.8 percent, to $2 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The CAC-40 in France finished 0.6 percent higher, and Britain's FTSE 100 was also up 0.6 percent. Germany's DAX rose 0.4 percent. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 closed 0.4 percent lower. Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.2 percent.

The dollar slipped to 111.34 yen from 111.41 yen. The euro rose to $1.1323 from $1.1291.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -57.12 points or ▼ -0.32% on Friday, April 29, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,773.64 ▼ -57.12 ▼ -0.32%
Nasdaq____ 4,775.36 ▼ -29.93 ▼ -0.62%
S&P_500___ 2,065.30 ▼ -10.51 ▼ -0.51%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.67 ▼ -0.03 ▼ -1.04%

NYSE Volume 4,677,933,000
Nasdaq Volume 2,525,519,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,241.89 ▼ -80.51 ▼ -1.27%
DAX_____ 10,038.97 ▼ -282.18 ▼ -2.73%
CAC_40__ 4,428.96 ▼ -128.40 ▼ -2.82%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,316.00 ▲ 26.60 ▲ 0.50%
Shanghai_Comp 2,938.32 ▼ -7.27 ▼ -0.25%
Taiwan_Weight 8,377.90 ▼ -95.97 ▼ -1.13%
Nikkei_225___ 16,666.05 ▼ -624.44 ▼ -3.61%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,067.05 ▼ -320.98 ▼ -1.50%
Strait_Times.__ 2,838.52 ▼ -23.78 ▼ -0.83%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,820.58 ▲ 30.60 ▲ 0.45%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-skid-weak-health-142838308.html

US stocks hit by health care woes but avoid bigger losses
Associated Press By MARLEY JAY

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks fell Friday as health care and technology companies continued to report weak first-quarter results, but thanks to some late buying, they managed to avoid major losses.

Stocks opened lower and fell further throughout the morning, extending a downturn from the day before. That followed a rout in European indexes. Late in the day bond prices rose again, sending yields lower and pushing investors to buy utility and phone company stocks.

Dan Suzuki, senior U.S. equities strategist at Bank of America, said investors don't like what they're seeing in the results from technology companies.

"A lot of investors have been disappointed by results from tech this earnings season," he said. So they are turning to bond-like stocks such as phone and utility companies, as well as small- and mid-cap stocks, which struggled in 2015.

"Everything that was working through last year has been an underperformer this year, and vice versa," he said.

The Dow Jones industrial average gave up 57.12 points, or 0.3 percent, to 17,773.64. It was down as much as 178 points earlier in the day. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 10.51 points, or 0.5 percent, to 2,065.30. The Nasdaq composite index lost 29.93 points, or 0.6 percent, to 4,775.36. That was its seventh decline in a row.

Health care companies took the biggest losses after a bout of weak earnings reports. Biotech drugmaker Gilead Sciences said its results were hurt by big discounts and rebates on its costly hepatitis C medicines, and its stock lost $8.79, or 9.1 percent, to $88.21. Rival biotech giant Amgen reported relatively solid results, but fell $2.26, or 1.4 percent, to $158.30.

Health insurer Molina Healthcare slashed its full-year guidance because of higher medical care costs in Ohio and Texas, expenses related to recent acquisitions, and pharmacy costs, especially in Puerto Rico. It plunged $12.46, or 19.4 percent, to $51.76.

Molecular diagnostics company Cepheid shed $6.86, or 19.4 percent, to $28.54 as analysts were disappointed with its revenue projections for the second quarter.

Tech stocks continued to slide. After its profit fell short of estimates, electronic storage company Seagate Technology lost $5.13, or 19.1 percent, to $21.77. Hard drive maker Western Digital dropped $5.19, or 11.3 percent, to $40.87. Apple, which is in a deep two-week slide, fell another $1.09, or 1.1 percent, to $93.75. Like the Nasdaq, Apple has fallen for seven days in a row.

Bond prices rose slightly, and yields continue to slip. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note fell to 1.82 percent from 1.83 percent. Utility companies made the biggest gains, as NextEra Energy added $1.11, or 1 percent, to $117.58.

While earnings hurt tech and health care companies, better results at consumer companies sent those stocks higher. E-commerce giant Amazon said its revenue jumped 28 percent in the first quarter, and the company turned a far bigger profit than analysts expected. Cloud-based Amazon Web Services performed well. Amazon rose $57.59, or 9.6 percent, to $656.59.

Consumer products maker Newell Brands gave a strong outlook for the year after its reported solid results in the first quarter, and its stock rose $2.12, or 4.9 percent, to $45.54. Online travel company Expedia reported a bigger adjusted profit and greater sales than expected, and its stock added $8.86, or 8.3 percent, to $115.77.

Digital TV listing company Rovi said it will buy digital video recording company TiVo for about $1.1 billion in cash and stock. TiVo gained 56 cents, or 5.9 percent, to $9.98 and Rovi rose 27 cents, or 1.6 percent, to $17.62.

Stocks in Europe took big losses. Official data showed the eurozone economy rose by a surprising 0.6 percent in the first quarter, but investors were concerned that inflation slipped in April. France's CAC 40 fell 2.8 percent and Germany's DAX lost 2.7 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 shed 1.3 percent.

The yen continued to gain strength, as it has done over the last few months. It jumped Thursday after the Bank of Japan held off on implementing any new economic stimulus measures. On Friday the dollar fell to 106.73 yen from 108.09 yen. Japanese markets were closed for a holiday Friday. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index fell 1.5 percent and Seoul's Kospi gave up 0.3 percent.

Metals prices continued to rise. Gold advanced $24.10, or 1.9 percent, to $1,290.50 an ounce and silver rose 23 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $17.82 an ounce. Gold is trading at 15-month highs. Copper picked up 5 cents, or 2.3 percent, to $2.28 a pound.

Benchmark U.S. crude lost 11 cents to $45.92 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, fell 1 cent to $48.13 a barrel in London.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline lost 1 cent to $1.58 a gallon. Heating oil fell 3 cents, or 1.9 percent, to $1.38 a gallon. Natural gas rose 10 cents, or 4.8 percent, to $2.18 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The euro rose to $1.1454 from $1.1351.

7583

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 117.52 points or ▲ 0.66% on Monday, May 2, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,891.16 ▲ 117.52 ▲ 0.66%
Nasdaq____ 4,817.59 ▲ 42.24 ▲ 0.88%
S&P_500___ 2,081.43 ▲ 16.13 ▲ 0.78%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.72 ▲ 0.05 ▲ 1.95%

NYSE Volume 3,824,833,000
Nasdaq Volume 2,749,500,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,241.89 ▼ -80.51 ▼ -1.27%
DAX_____ 10,123.27 ▲ 84.30 ▲ 0.84%
CAC_40__ 4,442.75 ▲ 13.79 ▲ 0.31%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,312.00 ▼ -4.00 ▼ -0.08%
Shanghai_Comp 2,938.32 ▼ -7.27 ▼ -0.25%
Taiwan_Weight 8,377.90 ▼ -95.97 ▼ -1.13%
Nikkei_225___ 16,147.38 ▼ -518.67 ▼ -3.11%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,067.05 ▼ -320.98 ▼ -1.50%
Strait_Times.__ 2,838.52 ▲ 0.00 ▲ 0.00%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,791.82 ▼ -28.76 ▼ -0.42%

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

US stocks rise as some tech companies recover
Associated Press By Ken Sweet, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- U.S. stock indexes moved solidly higher Monday afternoon, recovering some of last week's steep declines. Recently battered technology stocks such as Amazon.com and Microsoft all posted gains, helping end a seven-day losing streak in the Nasdaq composite.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 117.52 points, or 0.7 percent, to 17,891.16. The Standard & Poor's 500 index added 16.13 points, or 0.8 percent, to 2,081.43 and the Nasdaq rose 42.24 points, or 0.9 percent, to 4,817.59.

Notably, one major technology stock that did not participate in Monday's gains was Apple, which closed down 10 cents, or 0.1 percent, to $93.64. Apple has fallen eight days in a row, and has now lost 16 percent of its value in the last two weeks.

Technology stocks have been an unexpected drag on the market in the last week. Apple reported its first quarterly decline in profits in years, which sent ripples through the stock market. Investors have been moving into safer investments. The Dow Jones utility index, a collection of 15 dividend-paying utility companies, is up more than 14 percent this year.

"There's a risk-off sentiment in the market right now," said David Lebovitz, a global market strategist at J.P. Morgan Funds.

Overseas, Japan's Nikkei stock index fell more than 3 percent overnight as markets there reopened after a holiday. The market fell as Japanese investors continued to react negatively to the Bank of Japan's decision to leave interest rates unchanged. The Japanese yen also continues to climb sharply, which hurts Japanese exporters.

"It's a bit concerning. Investors are beginning to question whether monetary policy can really push Japan's economy forward and generate growth," Lebovitz said.

Among individual companies, Halliburton rose after a $34 billion merger with Baker Hughes was called off following antitrust concerns from the Justice Department. Halliburton rose 74 cents, or 1.8 percent, to $42.05. Baker Hughes fell 96 cents, or 2 percent, to $47.40.

Apollo Education Group, which runs the University of Phoenix, rose sharply after a group of investors raised their bid for the company. Apollo rose 97 cents, or 12.4 percent, to $8.77.

A private survey out Monday showed U.S. manufacturing expanded in April for the second straight month, suggesting that factories are adapting to a strong dollar and economic weakness overseas. The Institute for Supply Management said its manufacturing index came in at 50.8 last month, down from March's 51.8 reading but above the threshold of 50 that signals growth.

Benchmark U.S. crude oil fell $1.14 to close at $44.78 per barrel in New York. Brent crude, which is used to price international oils, fell $1.54 to close at $45.83 a barrel in London.

In other energy trading in New York, wholesale gasoline fell four cents to $1.56 a gallon, heating oil lose three cents to $1.36 a gallon and natural gas dropped 14 cents to $2.04 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 1.86 percent from 1.82 percent late Friday. The dollar slipped to 106.45 yen from 106.73 yen while the euro strengthened to $1.1523 from $1.1454.

Precious and industrial metals futures ended mixed. Gold rose $5.30 to $1,295.80 an ounce, silver fell 13 cents to $17.66 an ounce and copper lost two cents to $2.26 a pound.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -140.25 points or ▼ -0.78% on Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,750.91 ▼ -140.25 ▼ -0.78%
Nasdaq____ 4,763.22 ▼ -54.37 ▼ -1.13%
S&P_500___ 2,063.37 ▼ -18.06 ▼ -0.87%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.66 ▼ -0.06 ▼ -2.13%

NYSE Volume 4,162,140,000
Nasdaq Volume 2,883,107,250

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,185.59 ▼ -56.30 ▼ -0.90%
DAX_____ 9,926.77 ▼ -196.50 ▼ -1.94%
CAC_40__ 4,371.98 ▼ -70.77 ▼ -1.59%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,415.00 ▲ 103.00 ▲ 1.94%
Shanghai_Comp 2,992.64 ▲ 54.32 ▲ 1.85%
Taiwan_Weight 8,294.12 ▼ -83.78 ▼ -1.00%
Nikkei_225___ 16,147.38 ▼ -518.67 ▼ -3.11%
Hang_Seng.__ 20,676.94 ▼ -390.11 ▼ -1.85%
Strait_Times.__ 2,811.20 ▼ -27.32 ▼ -0.96%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,843.01 ▲ 51.19 ▲ 0.75%

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


Slump in Chinese manufacturing weighs on markets

Renewed concerns about economic growth in Europe and China weigh on markets, causing stocks to erase all of the previous day's gains
Associated Press By Ken Sweet, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Renewed concerns about economic growth abroad ”” specifically Europe and China ”” weighed on markets on Tuesday, causing stocks to erase all of the previous day's gains.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 140.25 points, or 0.8 percent, to 17,750.91. The Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 18.06 points, or 0.9 percent, to 2,063.37 and the Nasdaq composite lost 54.37 points, or 1.1 percent, to 4,763.22.

Stocks started lower and remained there most of the day, with the Dow moving down 100 to 200 points throughout the day.

The selling started in Asia, when a Chinese purchasing managers' index for manufacturing declined to 49.4 last month from 49.7 in March. A number below 50 indicates that manufacturing is contracting. Worries about China were largely responsible for a bout of turmoil in global financial markets early this year.

Those concerns were compounded after European officials trimmed their economic growth forecasts for the 19 countries that share the euro currency, citing an unpredictable global outlook marked by political uncertainty and weakness in emerging markets.

Although Europe's economy was surprisingly strong in the first quarter, when it regained the size it was before the 2008 financial crisis, EU Commissioner Pierre Moscovici said the recovery "remains uneven."

"It's a reminder that the global economy is not doing particularly well," said Ian Winer, director of equity trading at Wedbush Securities. Winer noted the sell-off in energy and metals, most notably oil and copper, which are economically sensitive commodities that would fall if Chinese factories were to idle.

The global economic worries caused more losses for two of the hardest-hit sectors in the U.S. stock market this year: energy and banks. Energy companies in the S&P 500 slumped 2.2 percent, the most in the index, and financial stocks fell 1.3 percent.

Chevron dropped $1.99, or 2 percent, to $101.32. JPMorgan Chase lost $1.23, or 2 percent, to $62.56. Goldman Sachs fell $3.04, or 1.8 percent, to $163.14.

Pfizer jumped 90 cents, or 3 percent, to $33.70 after the company reported solid first quarter earnings that beat analysts' estimates. Pfizer saw big sales gains in some of its newest drugs, including Lyrica and the vaccine Prevnar 13.

In energy, benchmark U.S. crude oil lost $1.13, or 2.5 percent, to close at $43.65 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, the international standard, fell 86 cents, or 1.9 percent, to close at $44.97 a barrel in London. In other energy trading in New York, wholesale gasoline fell 5 cents to $1.51 a gallon, heating oil fell two cents to $1.33 a gallon and natural gas rose four cents to $2.086 per 1,000 cubic feet.

U.S. government bond prices rose sharply. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 1.80 percent from 1.87 percent late Monday. The euro fell to $1.1508 from $1.1523. The dollar rose slightly to 106.47 yen from 106.45 yen.

Gold fell $4 to $1,291.80 an ounce. Silver fell 18 cents to $17.47 an ounce and copper fell 5 cents to $2.21 a pound.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -99.65 points or ▼ -0.56% on Wednesday, May 4, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,651.26 ▼ -99.65 ▼ -0.56%
Nasdaq____ 4,725.64 ▼ -37.58 ▼ -0.79%
S&P_500___ 2,051.12 ▼ -12.25 ▼ -0.59%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.64 ▼ -0.02 ▼ -0.71%

NYSE Volume 4,041,778,750
Nasdaq Volume 2,407,929,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,112.02 ▼ -73.57 ▼ -1.19%
DAX_____ 9,828.25 ▼ -98.52 ▼ -0.99%
CAC_40__ 4,324.23 ▼ -47.75 ▼ -1.09%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,335.60 ▼ -79.40 ▼ -1.47%
Shanghai_Comp 2,991.27 ▼ -1.37 ▼ -0.05%
Taiwan_Weight 8,185.47 ▼ -108.65 ▼ -1.31%
Nikkei_225___ 16,147.38 ▼ -518.67 ▼ -3.11%
Hang_Seng.__ 20,525.83 ▼ -151.11 ▼ -0.73%
Strait_Times.__ 2,773.07 ▼ -38.13 ▼ -1.36%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,824.50 ▼ -18.51 ▼ -0.27%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/weak-..._ylg=X3oDMTBhYWM1a2sxBGxhbmcDZW4tVVM-;_ylv=3#

Weak US hiring report sends stocks lower on Wall Street

U.S. and global stock indexes moved lower a second day Wednesday following a dismal report on job creation that gave investors concern over the state of the economy
Associated Press By Ken Sweet, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- U.S. and global stock indexes moved lower a second day Wednesday following a dismal report on job creation that gave investors concern over the state of the economy. The data followed a round of economic news out of China and Europe a day earlier that also suggested sluggish growth.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 99.65 points, or 0.6 percent, to 17,651.26. The Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 12.25 points, or 0.6 percent, to 2,051.12 and the Nasdaq composite fell 37.58 points, or 0.8 percent, to 4,725.64.

Stocks started lower and remained there throughout the day, following a survey by payroll processor ADP which showed U.S. companies hired workers at the slowest pace in three years last month.

ADP said private companies hired 156,000 workers in April, down from 194,000 in March. The figure was significantly worse than expected. The weak reading bodes poorly for the broader job market survey due out Friday from the Labor Department, which is one of the most closely watched reports on the economic calendar. Economists expect the government to report that U.S. employers created 200,000 jobs last month and that the unemployment rate remained held steady at 5 percent.

Other economic indicators out of Europe were disappointing on Wednesday. Retail sales fell 0.5 percent during March from the previous month. Investors had expected a more modest decline of 0.1 percent.

Financial information company Markit said its purchasing managers' index for the region, a gauge of business activity, slipped to 53 in April from 53.1 the previous month. Though still above the 50 threshold indicating expansion, the reading has fallen from the start of the year.

While stocks are well off the lows they hit in February, investors remain reluctant to make heavy bets back into the stock market. The S&P 500 has bounced off the 2,100-point mark several times in the last six months, most recently as last week. That means investors feel stocks are too expensive to make big bets, and are waiting to see more positive data or earnings, traders say.

"We've run out of gas here. ... We are going to need some sort of catalyst to move this market higher, but I don't know what that catalyst might be. Earnings have been OK, but not strong enough to say it's time to buy," said Rob Bernstone, a managing director in equity trading at Credit Suisse.

Among individual companies, Intercontinental Exchange, the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, jumped $17.51, or 7 percent, to $258.49 after the company announced it would not bid for the London Stock Exchange. The announcement came at the same time Intercontinental was reporting first quarter earnings, which were better than expected.

Travel company Priceline sank $101.60, or 7.5 percent, to $1,253.04 after the company warned that profits would slow in the second quarter.

Benchmark U.S. crude added 13 cents to close at $43.78 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, used to price international oils, fell 35 cents to close at $44.62 a barrel in London. In other energy trading in New York, wholesale gasoline fell two cents to $1.49 a barrel, heating oil fell half a penny to $1.33 a gallon and natural gas rose six cents to $2.14 per 1,000 cubic feet.

U.S. bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note edged down to 1.77 percent from 1.80 percent. The dollar rose to 106.93 yen from 106.41 yen late Tuesday. The euro fell to $1.1498 from $1.1505.

Gold fell $17.40 to $1,274.40 an ounce, silver fell 20 cents to $17.28 an ounce and copper fell 3 cents to $2.18 a pound.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 9.45 points or ▲ 0.05% on Thursday, May 5, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,660.71 ▲ 9.45 ▲ 0.05%
Nasdaq____ 4,717.09 ▼ -8.55 ▼ -0.18%
S&P_500___ 2,050.63 ▼ -0.49 ▼ -0.02%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.61 ▼ -0.04 ▼ -1.33%

NYSE Volume 3,998,210,750
Nasdaq Volume 2,503,428,000

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,117.25 ▲ 5.23 ▲ 0.09%
DAX_____ 9,851.86 ▲ 23.61 ▲ 0.24%
CAC_40__ 4,319.46 ▼ -4.77 ▼ -0.11%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,344.50 ▲ 8.90 ▲ 0.17%
Shanghai_Comp 2,997.84 ▲ 6.57 ▲ 0.22%
Taiwan_Weight 8,167.96 ▼ -17.51 ▼ -0.21%
Nikkei_225___ 16,147.38 ▼ -518.67 ▼ -3.11%
Hang_Seng.__ 20,449.82 ▼ -76.01 ▼ -0.37%
Strait_Times.__ 2,767.81 ▼ -5.26 ▼ -0.19%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,876.48 ▲ 51.98 ▲ 0.76%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/globa..._ylg=X3oDMTBhYWM1a2sxBGxhbmcDZW4tVVM-;_ylv=3#

Stocks close flat as investors wait for Friday's jobs report
Associated Press By KEN SWEET

NEW YORK (AP) ”” Stocks closed mostly unchanged on Thursday, as an earlier rally in oil prices faded and investors waited for the release of a closely watched jobs report on Friday.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 9.45 points, or less than 0.1 percent, to 17,660.71. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 0.49 of a point, less than 0.1 percent, to 2,050.63 and the Nasdaq composite lost 8.55 points, or 0.2 percent, to 4,717.09.

As the week comes to a close, the market's focus is turning to the U.S. jobs report for April due out Friday. Investors will be watching closely to see if it could have any impact on the Federal Reserve's plans for raising interest rates at its next policy meeting in June. Economists expect the report to show jobs grew by 200,000 last month while the unemployment rate stayed at 5 percent.

A private sector jobs report released by ADP on Wednesday showed that private employers created only 156,000 jobs last month, which was significantly below economists' estimates.

Ahead of Friday's numbers, investors remain reluctant to make any significant bets. Several traders and strategists have said there is no major catalyst to move the market higher at the moment.

"There's just too many unknowns right now, and there's nothing to get people going in the market. The jobs numbers may provide some guidance," said J.J. Kinahan, chief strategist at TD Ameritrade.

Crude oil prices gave up much of an early gain that had been driven by concerns that production could be impacted by a massive fire that swept through the Canadian oil sands hub of Fort McMurray, Alberta.

Benchmark U.S. crude oil rose 54 cents, or 1.2 percent, to $44.32 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, used to price international oils, was up 39 cents at $45.01 a barrel in London. Oil had been up nearly 4 percent earlier in the day.

Despite what turned out to be a relatively modest rise in oil prices, energy companies were still the best performing part of the market. The energy component of the S&P 500 rose 0.7 percent.

A number of companies fell after releasing earnings and forecasts that didn't impress investors. Electric car maker Tesla sank $11.03, or 5 percent, to $211.53 after reporting a much wider loss than Wall Street analysts were expecting. The company suffered parts delays for its new Model X SUV.

Cereal maker Kellogg sank $1.97, or 2.6 percent, to $75.05 after reporting declines in both sales and earnings in the first quarter. SeaWorld sank 98 cents, or 5 percent, to $18.49 after reporting a wider first-quarter loss as expenses climbed.

In other energy commodities, wholesale gasoline rose less than 1 cent to $1.49 a gallon, heating oil was unchanged at $1.33 and natural gas fell 7 cents to $2.076 per thousand cubic feet.

Bond prices rose, sending yields lower. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 1.74 percent from 1.78 percent a day earlier. The euro fell to $1.1404 from $1.1498 and the dollar rose to 107.28 yen from 106.93 yen.

In metals, gold fell $2.10 to $1,272.30 an ounce, silver rose 3 cents to $17.33 an ounce and copper fell 3 cents to $2.15 a pound.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 79.92 points or ▲ 0.45% on Friday, May 6, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,740.63 ▲ 79.92 ▲ 0.45%
Nasdaq____ 4,736.16 ▲ 19.06 ▲ 0.40%
S&P_500___ 2,057.14 ▲ 6.51 ▲ 0.32%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.63 ▲ 0.02 ▲ 0.84%

NYSE Volume 3,780,450,250
Nasdaq Volume 2,152,550,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,125.70 ▲ 8.45 ▲ 0.14%
DAX_____ 9,869.95 ▲ 18.09 ▲ 0.18%
CAC_40__ 4,301.24 ▼ -18.22 ▼ -0.42%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,358.60 ▲ 14.10 ▲ 0.26%
Shanghai_Comp 2,913.25 ▼ -84.59 ▼ -2.82%
Taiwan_Weight 8,146.43 ▼ -21.53 ▼ -0.26%
Nikkei_225___ 16,106.72 ▼ -40.66 ▼ -0.25%
Hang_Seng.__ 20,109.87 ▼ -339.95 ▼ -1.66%
Strait_Times.__ 2,730.80 ▼ -37.01 ▼ -1.34%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,898.11 ▲ 21.63 ▲ 0.31%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-slip-jobs-report-shows-hiring-slowdown-140958296--finance.html#

Stocks shake off earlier loss to close higher
Associated Press By KEN SWEET

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks closed modestly higher on Friday, ending three days of losses, after the U.S. government's disappointing jobs report added to speculation that the Federal Reserve might keep interest rates low for another year.

Investors were also weighing tepid U.S. earnings reports and persistent weakness in the global economy.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 79.92 points, or 0.5 percent, to 17,740.63. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 6.51 points, or 0.3 percent, to 2,057.14 and the Nasdaq composite rose 19.06 points, or 0.4 percent, to 4,736.16.

The three major indexes ended the week slightly lower, despite Friday's gains.

Stocks started the day lower after the Labor Department said U.S. employers created just 160,000 jobs last month, significantly below the 200,000 that economists were expecting.

While one month does not make a trend, there have been a few reports this week from around the world that suggested weakness in the global economy. A closely watched Chinese manufacturing survey showed production contracted last month, and European Union officials trimmed their forecasts for growth across the 19 countries that use the euro.

"Once again, we received evidence that the U.S. economy is just bumbling along and will most likely remain so until after the U.S. presidential election," said Tom di Galoma, a managing director of fixed income at Seaport Global.

As the day progressed, stocks turned higher in the early afternoon and stayed there the rest of the day. In a way, the bad news of the jobs report is good news for stock market investors, who have benefited from more than seven years of extremely low interest rates. Low interest rates make stocks look cheaper when compared to bonds.

Di Galoma and others said that the April jobs report significantly reduces the possibility that the Federal Reserve will interest rates in June or even later this year.

"In my view, a rate hike potential this year is nearing zero probability," he said.

That view appears to be widely held. Fed fund futures, which are securities that allow traders to bet on which way the Fed will move interest rates, show that a majority of investors do not expect the Fed to raise rates until February 2017.

"The weakening of jobs growth, should it persist as we think it will, will make the Fed's job more challenging this year, and any rate hikes will occur at a much slower pace than originally anticipated at the start of the year, and may not happen at all," said Rick Rieder, BlackRock's chief investment officer of fixed income.

Immediately after the release of the jobs report, bond prices jumped and interest rates moved sharply lower, but as the day wore on, the market reversed course. U.S. government bond prices ended lower, and the yield on the benchmark U.S. 10-year Treasury note rose to 1.78 percent from 1.74 percent the day before.

The euro rose to $1.1401 from $1.1398 and the dollar declined to 107.13 yen from 107.25 yen.

In company news, payment processor Square sank $2.83, or 22 percent, to $10.22. The company, run by Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, reported a larger than expected quarterly loss and reported sharply higher expenses.

In commodities, benchmark U.S. crude oil rose 34 cents to close at $44.66 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, used to price international oils, climbed 36 cents to close at $45.37 a barrel in London.

Wholesale gasoline rose less than 1 cent to $1.496 a gallon, heating oil rose 1 cent to $1.337 a gallon and natural gas rose 2.5 cents to $2.101 per thousand cubic feet.

Gold rose $21.70 to $1,294 an ounce, silver rose 20 cents to $17.53 an ounce and copper was unchanged at $2.15 a pound.

8495

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -34.72 points or ▼ -0.20% on Monday, May 9, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,705.91 ▼ -34.72 ▼ -0.20%
Nasdaq____ 4,750.21 ▲ 14.05 ▲ 0.30%
S&P_500___ 2,058.69 ▲ 1.55 ▲ 0.08%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.62 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.27%

NYSE Volume 3,779,869,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,655,173,120

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,114.81 ▼ -10.89 ▼ -0.18%
DAX_____ 9,980.49 ▲ 110.54 ▲ 1.12%
CAC_40__ 4,322.81 ▲ 21.57 ▲ 0.50%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,387.80 ▲ 29.20 ▲ 0.54%
Shanghai_Comp 2,832.11 ▼ -81.14 ▼ -2.79%
Taiwan_Weight 8,131.83 ▼ -14.60 ▼ -0.18%
Nikkei_225___ 16,216.03 ▲ 109.31 ▲ 0.68%
Hang_Seng.__ 20,156.81 ▲ 46.94 ▲ 0.23%
Strait_Times.__ 2,766.06 ▲ 35.26 ▲ 1.29%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,885.05 ▼ -13.06 ▼ -0.19%

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

US stocks finish a little higher as health care jumps
Associated Press By MARLEY JAY

NEW YORK (AP) ”” U.S. stocks finished just a bit higher Monday as gains for drug companies were almost canceled by sharp losses for metals and energy companies.

Coming off two weeks of losses, stocks traded in a narrow range. Drug company stocks, which have been under pressure recently over concerns they'll have trouble raising prices for medicines, moved sharply higher. The energy market was shaken up and the price of oil fell as Saudi Arabia replaced its oil minister. Metals companies tumbled on renewed worries about China's economy.

"The S&P 500 is kind of stuck in a range and it's been in that range, really, since the middle of March," said Randy Frederick, managing director of trading and derivatives at Charles Schwab. After Friday's weak jobs report and an uninspiring earnings season, Frederick thinks stocks will stay where they are for now.

The Dow Jones industrial average edged down 34.72 points, or 0.2 percent, to 17,705.91 as machinery maker Caterpillar and energy giant Chevron lost ground. The Standard & Poor's 500 index picked up 1.55 points to 2,058.69. The Nasdaq composite index rose 14.05 points, or 0.3 percent, to 4,750.21.

Health care stocks, one of the worst-performing areas of the market this year, made a broad rally. Botox maker Allergan jumped after reporting encouraging results from a late-stage clinical study of a treatment for uterine fibroids, a noncancerous growth in the uterus. The stock climbed $12.06, or 6 percent, to $213.71. Mallinckrodt, which has tumbled in recent months as investors worried about its ability to raise drug prices, added $3.45, or 6.1 percent, to $59.85.

Health care real estate investment trust HCP rose after a strong earnings report. HCP gained $1.44, or 4.2 percent, to $35.99. Health care products giant Johnson & Johnson picked up 98 cents to $113.72.

U.S. crude fell $1.22, or 2.7 percent, to $43.44 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the benchmark for international oil prices, fell $1.74, or 3.8 percent, to $43.63 a barrel in London. Among energy companies, Chevron gave up $1.51, or 1.5 percent, to $100.35 and ConocoPhillips fell $1.11, or 2.6 percent, to $41.65.

The energy market was unsettled after the government of Saudi Arabia replaced its longtime oil minister over the weekend. Ali al-Naimi held that position for 20 years and was a powerful voice within OPEC. He was dismissed as the government plans a series of reforms that are intended to overhaul the kingdom's economy as it deals with the effects of a steep drop in oil prices.

Reports showed that China's exports fell by 1.8 percent in April from a year earlier and imports plunged 10.9 percent. Both totals were weaker than analysts expected. China is a critical market for fuels and metals, and investors worried that the import and export data means demand is getting weaker.

"If the growth is slowing, that reduces the demand for all sorts of metals," said Frederick. He added that the Chinese yuan has weakened recently, and it could fall further if the Federal Reserve raises interest rates soon.

Gold dropped $27.40, or 2.1 percent, to $1,266.60 an ounce and silver lost 44 cents, or 2.5 percent, to $17.09 an ounce. Copper sank 5 cents, or 2.2 percent, to $2.11 a pound.

Gold producer Newmont Mining fell $2.30, or 6.7 percent, to $31.83. Gold and copper miner Freeport-McMoRan lost $1.27, or 10.8 percent, to $10.52 and aluminum producer Alcoa fell 58 cents, or 5.8 percent, to $9.46.

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts agreed to be taken private by coffee giant JAB Beech for about $1.35 billion, or $21 per share. The company's board approved the sale and shareholders will vote on it in June. Krispy Kreme's stock jumped $4.10, or 24.3 percent, to $20.96.

LendingClub tumbled $2.48, or 34.9 percent, to 4.62 after its chairman and CEO resigned. The company, an online marketplace that connects borrowers and investors, said Renaud Laplanche left after an internal review of the sale of $22 million in loans to an investor.

LendingClub said he violated company business practices and didn't fully disclose his actions during a company review.

Meat producer Tyson Foods raised its annual forecasts after its second-quarter results surpassed Wall Street estimates. Its stock added 99 cents, or 1.5 percent, to $68.24. Competitor Hormel Foods rose $1.19, or 3.1 percent, to $39.74.

CBS and Viacom slumped after a judge dismissed a case that challenged the mental competency of Sumner Redstone, who controls both companies. An ex-girlfriend had challenged the 92-year-old's ability to make decisions about his medical care. Viacom's fell 89 cents, or 2.2 percent, to $40.43 and CBS lost $1.68, or 2.9 percent, to $56.

Germany's DAX stock index jumped after figures showed factory orders climbed in March. February's figures were also revised higher. The DAX advanced 1.1 percent while the CAC-40 in France rose 0.5 percent. The FTSE 100 index of leading British shares dipped 0.2 percent. The Shanghai Composite Index sank 2.8 percent. Seoul's Kospi was off 0.4 percent while Tokyo's Nikkei 225 advanced 0.7 percent.

Bond prices continued to rise. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note fell to 1.75 percent from 1.78 percent late Friday. The dollar rose to 108.48 yen from 107.13 yen. The euro slipped to $1.1389 from $1.1401.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 222.44 points or ▲ 1.26% on Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,928.35 ▲ 222.44 ▲ 1.26%
Nasdaq____ 4,809.88 ▲ 59.67 ▲ 1.26%
S&P_500___ 2,084.39 ▲ 25.70 ▲ 1.25%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.62 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.23%

NYSE Volume 3,559,799,500
Nasdaq Volume 2,193,036,250

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,156.65 ▲ 41.84 ▲ 0.68%
DAX_____ 10,045.44 ▲ 64.95 ▲ 0.65%
CAC_40__ 4,338.21 ▲ 15.40 ▲ 0.36%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,403.90 ▲ 16.10 ▲ 0.30%
Shanghai_Comp 2,832.59 ▲ 0.48 ▲ 0.02%
Taiwan_Weight 8,156.29 ▲ 24.46 ▲ 0.30%
Nikkei_225___ 16,565.19 ▲ 349.16 ▲ 2.15%
Hang_Seng.__ 20,242.68 ▲ 85.87 ▲ 0.43%
Strait_Times.__ 2,741.15 ▼ -24.91 ▼ -0.90%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,909.40 ▲ 24.35 ▲ 0.35%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-jump-prospect-china-144029748.html

US stocks make biggest leap since March on China stimulus
Associated Press By MARLEY JAY

NEW YORK (AP) ”” U.S. stocks surged to their biggest gain in two months on Tuesday after the Chinese government moved to stimulate the world's second-largest economy. That gave a big boost to energy, chemicals and machinery companies.

For months investors have worried about the state of China's economy, which is slowing down after a quarter-century of rapid growth. The prospect of greater sales to China lifted companies that make basic building materials, chemicals, building and mining equipment, and aircraft. The price of oil matched a six-month high and companies that drill for oil and refine it also rose. All 10 industrial sectors of the Standard & Poor's 500 index finished higher.

Investors have been taking money out of stocks lately, said Bob Doll, chief equity strategist and senior portfolio manager at Nuveen Asset Management. He said they were glad to see China's government do something about its economy.

"It's just another small step on the way of China attempting to address the issue," he said. "This is a ray of sunshine which is needed."

The Dow Jones industrial average jumped 222.44 points, or 1.3 percent, to 17,928.35. The Standard & Poor's 500 gained 25.70 points, or 1.3 percent, to 2,048.39. The Nasdaq composite index rose 59.67 points, or 1.3 percent, to 4,809.88.

Stocks overseas traded mostly higher after China's cabinet approved measures to boost exports as Beijing struggles to reduce gluts in many industries and reverse an export decline that threatens to cause job losses. The moves include more bank lending, greater tax rebates, and support for export credits.

General Electric picked up 61 cents, or 2 percent, to $30.48 and aerospace giant Boeing rose $2.62, or 2 percent, to $134.72. Companies that make chemicals and other basic materials also rose. Dow Chemical gained 70 cents, or 1.4 percent, to $51.54 and Martin Marietta Materials rose $5.60, or 3.1 percent, to $187.85.

U.S. crude rose $1.22, or 2.8 percent, to $44.66 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the benchmark for international oil prices, gained $1.89, or 4.3 percent, to $45.52 a barrel in London. That canceled out losses for oil on Monday, and U.S. crude matched its highest price in six months.

Among energy companies, Exxon Mobil added $1.42, or 1.6 percent, to $89.99 and Hess climbed $3.24, or 5.9 percent, to $57.71.

Economic news from the U.S. was mixed. The Labor Department said job openings in March rose by the largest amount in eight months, but total hiring slowed down. The agency said job openings grew 2.7 percent to about 5.8 million. However the slower pace of hiring suggests employers were more reluctant to fill open positions as the economy grew at a slow pace.

Amazon reached an all-time high after it launched a self-publishing video platform called Video Direct. The move could make money for Amazon and budding filmmakers in the same way YouTube has created a community of online celebrities. Amazon climbed $23.50, or 3.5 percent, to $703.25.

International Flavors & Fragrances, which makes ingredients for the food, cosmetics and consumer products industries, climbed to an all-time high after it reported strong results for the first quarter. The stock rose $6.35, or 5.3 percent, to $126.24.

Allergan, the maker of Botox and other medicines said it will buy back up to $10 billion in stock with proceeds from sale of its generic drug business. That sale is expected to close later this year. The stock jumped $11.29, or 5.3 percent, to $225 and is up 12 percent this week.

Retailer Gap reported April sales that were far weaker than expected as its recent struggles appeared to get worse. The parent of Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic forecast a smaller profit than analysts had projected, and Gap said it is considering options for its overseas business. The stock fell $2.51, or 11.5 percent, to $19.30 and set its lowest price since early 2012.

SolarCity reported a larger first-quarter loss than Wall Street expected and cut its annual projections. The solar panel installer said bookings aren't as strong as it expected and regulations held back its business. The stock shed $4.69, or 20.8 percent, to $17.82.

Stocks overseas mostly traded higher. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 added 2.2 percent as the yen weakened, a boon for the nation's exporters. The dollar rose to 109.30 yen from 108.48 yen. The dollar has been very strong in recent years but has lost a bit of strength compared to the yen in recent months.

South Korea's Kospi added 0.8 percent and the Shanghai Composite was little changed. Germany's DAX and Britain's FTSE 100 both gained 0.7 percent and the CAC 40 in France added 0.4 percent.

Bond yields were stable and the yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note stayed at 1.75 percent. The euro declined to $1.1370 from $1.1389.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline gained 4 cents, or 3 percent, to $1.49 a gallon. Heating oil rose 5 cents, or 4 percent, to $1.34 a gallon. Natural gas rose 6 cents, or 2.9 percent, to $2.16 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Metals prices were little changed. Gold fell $1.80 to $1,264.80 an ounce. Silver held steady at $17.09 an ounce. Copper fell 1 cent to $2.09 a pound.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -217.23 points or ▼ -1.21% on Wednesday, May 11, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,711.12 ▼ -217.23 ▼ -1.21%
Nasdaq____ 4,760.69 ▼ -49.19 ▼ -1.02%
S&P_500___ 2,064.46 ▼ -19.93 ▼ -0.96%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.58 ▼ -0.03 ▼ -1.26%

NYSE Volume 3,780,001,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,901,411,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,162.49 ▲ 5.84 ▲ 0.09%
DAX_____ 9,975.32 ▼ -70.12 ▼ -0.70%
CAC_40__ 4,316.67 ▼ -21.54 ▼ -0.50%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,434.80 ▲ 30.90 ▲ 0.57%
Shanghai_Comp 2,837.04 ▲ 4.45 ▲ 0.16%
Taiwan_Weight 8,135.56 ▼ -20.73 ▼ -0.25%
Nikkei_225___ 16,579.01 ▲ 13.82 ▲ 0.08%
Hang_Seng.__ 20,055.29 ▼ -187.39 ▼ -0.93%
Strait_Times.__ 2,732.87 ▼ -8.28 ▼ -0.30%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,944.34 ▲ 34.94 ▲ 0.51%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-skid-macys-drags-143343606.html

Retailers lead a broad decline in stocks as Macy's plunges
Associated Press By MARLEY JAY

NEW YORK (AP) ”” A rout in retail stocks pulled U.S. indexes down on Wednesday. Macy's, the largest U.S. department store chain, slashed its annual profit forecast after it reported a steep drop in earnings. Office Depot and Staples took big losses after a judge blocked their plans to merge.

Macy's had its biggest one-day loss since 2008, and its troubles dragged down department store, clothing, jewelry and accessories companies. Coming off their biggest gain in two months, stocks were lower all day, and most parts of the market slumped. Health care stocks took some of the biggest losses.

Utilities companies traded higher as bond prices rose and yields fell, and energy companies rose with oil prices. The price of oil climbed after the U.S. Department of Energy surprised investors by reporting that oil stockpiles shrank last week, and production also fell.

Retailers have a lot to worry about, said Kate Warne, investment strategist for Edward Jones. Competition within the industry is getting more intense as stores deal with more Internet-based competition and sell bigger ranges of products to keep shoppers from going elsewhere. Meanwhile, higher oil prices could push up the cost of gas and crimp consumer spending.

"Consumers aren't spending the way they used to spend, especially on apparel, and they're not spending as much at the mall," Warne said.

The Dow Jones industrial average sank 217.23 points, or 1.2 percent, to 17,711.12. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 19.93 points, or 1 percent, to 2,064.46. The Nasdaq composite index lost 49.19 points, or 1 percent, to 4,760.69.

Macy's fell to its lowest price since December 2011 after it posted disappointing sales and said shoppers spent less on clothes and international tourists spent less. Macy's also sharply reduced its annual profit forecast. The stock sank $5.61, or 15.2 percent, to $31.38.

Retailers including Michael Kors, Nordstrom, Kohl's and Tiffany also took big losses. Watch and accessories maker Fossil Group also disclosed disappointing sales and said conditions have gotten worse. It cut its projections for the year, and its stock dropped $11.66, or 29.1 percent, to $28.44.

Office Depot and Staples plunged after calling off their proposed merger. A federal judge ruled that competition for office supplies would be reduced if the largest office-supply chain combined with the second-largest, supporting the government's effort to stop the $6.3 billion deal. Office Depot nosedived $2.46, or 40.4 percent, to $3.63 and reached its lowest price in three years. Staples skidded $1.90, or 18.3 percent, to $8.46.

Online rival Amazon, which is trading at all-time highs, rose $10.16, or 1.4 percent, to $713.23.

Already trading at its highest price in six months, benchmark U.S. crude rose again after the government reported a surprise decline of 3.4 million barrels in supplies for last week. Analysts were expecting an increase. U.S. oil production also fell, and is down 6 percent compared to a year ago.

U.S. crude rose $1.57, or 3.5 percent, to $46.23 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the international benchmark, jumped $2.08, or 4.6 percent, to $47.60 a barrel in London.

Energy companies also traded higher. ConocoPhillips rose 81 cents, or 1.9 percent, to $43.68 and Halliburton gained 70 cents, or 1.8 percent, to $39.54.

Disney posted weaker-than-expected earnings and sales. Its parks and consumer products divisions didn't do as well as analysts hoped, and the company said it's discontinuing its Disney Infinity video game line because the changing market is too risky. Its stock lost $4.31, or 4 percent, to $102.29.

Video game maker Electronic Arts' quarterly profit and sales were far stronger than expected, and it gave a strong forecast for its current fiscal year. The stock jumped $8.84, or 13.7 percent, to $73.38.

Drug companies traded lower as regulators continued to scrutinize their business practices. Merck and Johnson & Johnson both said the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York is looking into their relationships with pharmacy benefits management companies, which handle drug benefits for insurers and other health care beneficiaries.

Endo Pharmaceuticals, which makes the pain drug Percocet, disclosed a similar inquiry earlier this week and its stock lost $1.97, or 12.7 percent, to $13.55. Vertex Pharmaceuticals fell $5.45, or 6.1 percent, to $83.63.

Pet food maker Blue Buffalo Pet Products advanced after it reported strong quarterly results and boosted its sales forecast for the year. The stock added $1.93, or 8.1 percent, to $25.81.

Fast food chain Wendy's raised its annual projections after reporting strong first-quarter results, but cautioned that a key sales measurement won't meet its expectations in the second quarter. The stock gave up 99 cents, or 8.9 percent, to $10.19.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline rose 10 cents, or 6.4 percent, to $1.58 a gallon. Heating oil increased 6 cents, or 4.4 percent, to $1.40 a gallon. Natural gas rose 2 cents to $2.17 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The price of gold rose $10.70 to $1,275.50 an ounce. Silver gained 23 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $17.32 an ounce. Copper picked up 1 cent to $2.10 a pound.

Germany's DAX slid 0.7 percent and France's CAC 40 was 0.5 percent lower. Britain's FTSE 100 rose 0.1 percent. Japan's Nikkei 225 edged up 0.1 percent, while South Korea's Kospi fell 0.1 percent.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note fell to 1.73 percent from 1.76 percent. The dollar fell to 108.49 yen from 109.30 yen. The euro rose to $1.1425 from $1.1370.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 9.38 points or ▲ 0.05% on Thursday, May 12, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,720.50 ▲ 9.38 ▲ 0.05%
Nasdaq____ 4,737.33 ▼ -23.35 ▼ -0.49%
S&P_500___ 2,064.11 ▼ -0.35 ▼ -0.02%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.61 ▲ 0.03 ▲ 1.16%

NYSE Volume 3,768,451,750
Nasdaq Volume 2,020,635,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,104.19 ▼ -58.30 ▼ -0.95%
DAX_____ 9,862.12 ▼ -113.20 ▼ -1.13%
CAC_40__ 4,293.27 ▼ -23.40 ▼ -0.54%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,423.40 ▼ -11.40 ▼ -0.21%
Shanghai_Comp 2,835.86 ▼ -1.18 ▼ -0.04%
Taiwan_Weight 8,108.05 ▼ -27.51 ▼ -0.34%
Nikkei_225___ 16,646.34 ▲ 67.33 ▲ 0.41%
Hang_Seng.__ 19,915.46 ▼ -139.83 ▼ -0.70%
Strait_Times.__ 2,745.39 ▲ 12.52 ▲ 0.46%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,923.17 ▼ -21.17 ▼ -0.30%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-bounce-back-recent-143807888.html

US stocks finish little change after weak employment report

Stocks hardly budge after the US government said applications for unemployment benefits spiked last week
Associated Press By Marley Jay, AP Markets Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- U.S. stocks ended pretty much where they started Thursday after spending the day cycling up and down. Investors bought safe picks like phone companies and food makers after a surprisingly weak report on the job market.

Stocks started the day higher. Materials companies climbed after Monsanto, an agricultural giant, soared on reports it might be acquired. The market turned lower in late morning trading as investors worried about the Labor Department's report, which showed an unexpected jump in the number of people seeking unemployment benefits. Oil waverd between gains and losses, but finished higher for the sixth time in seven days.

"The market is following oil," said John Cannally, chief economic strategist for LPL Financial. Cannally thinks investors don't have a lot of confidence in the global economy right now, and will be watching subsequent reports out of China to see if there are more signs that the world's second-largest economy is continuing to slow down.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 9.38 points, less than 0.1 percent, to 17,720.50. The Standard & Poor's 500 index dipped 0.35 points to 2,064.11. The Nasdaq composite index fell 23.35 points, or 0.5 percent, to 4,737.33.

The Labor Department said applications for unemployment benefits rose to the highest level since February 2015. That comes after a disappointing jobs report for April. Applications rose by 20,000 to 294,000. Despite the increase, they have remained below 300,000 for more than a year.

The biggest gains went to phone companies, chemicals makers and consumer stocks. AT&T increased 37 cents to $39.55. Among consumer companies, Kraft Heinz rose $1.14, or 1.3 percent, to $86.34 and Coca-Cola added 37 cents to $45.83.

Monsanto led materials companies higher after Bloomberg News reported that German chemical and pharmaceutical company Bayer might make an offer for it. That follows a wave of consolidation in the chemicals industry: DuPont and Dow Chemical agreed to combine last year, and ChemChina agreed to buy Syngenta of Switzerland in March. Monsanto jumped $7.58, or 8.4 percent, to $97.92.

Benchmark U.S. oil, which is at its highest price since early November, gained 47 cents, or 1 percent, to $46.70 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the benchmark for international oil prices, rose 48 cents, or 1 percent, to $48.08 a barrel in London.

The International Energy Agency said it thinks the global oil surplus will shrink by the year's end, bringing supply and demand much closer to balance. The price of oil dropped from around $100 a barrel in mid-2014 to as low as $26 a barrel in February and has rallied since then.

Department store Kohl's said its sales dropped and its income was weighed down by high costs. The company's results suffered as it discounted some items to clear out inventory. The stock fell $3.55, or 9.2 percent, to $35.15.

Retailers have been struggling for months. Macy's slashed its profit forecast Wednesday following its quarterly report, and Gap posted worse-than-expected April sales on Monday.

Apple fell to its lowest price in almost two years. Its stock slid $2.17, or 2.3 percent, to $90.34.

Biotech drug companies slumped on continued scrutiny of their pricing policies. Valeant Pharmaceuticals International fell on reports the company has not reduced the price of some of its medications, something it said it would do earlier this year. The stock gave up $1.42, or 5.4 percent, to $24.93. Botox maker Allergan fell $6.69, or 3 percent, to $216.02 and multiple sclerosis treatment maker Biogen declined $4.54, or 1.7 percent, to $262.71. UnitedHealth, the largest U.S. health insurer, gave up 95 cents to $129.74 and Aetna lost $3.66, or 3.3 percent, to $108.60.

Data security company Infoblox surged $3.73, or 24.4 percent, to $19.04 after Bloomberg reported that a private equity firm offered to buy it.

Burger chain Jack in the Box reported strong results, including better sales at its Qdoba Mexican restaurants. Its stock jumped 9.88, or 15.2 percent, to $75.02.

Payment card company CPI Card Group reported disappointing results as shipments of chip-enabled cards were lower than expected. The company said the market is struggling in the U.S. and cut its guidance because credit card companies aren't buying and issuing as many of the cards as expected.

Its stock skidded $3.66, or 47.7 percent, to $4.01. The company's IPO priced at $10 per share in October.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline was little changed at $1.58 a gallon. Heating oil was little changed at $1.39 a gallon. Natural gas lost 2 cents to $2.16 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The price of gold dipped $4.30 to $1,271.20 an ounce. Silver lost 22 cents, or 1.2 percent, to $17.10 an ounce. Copper fell 3 cents, or 1.4 percent, to $2.07 a pound.

Germany's DAX fell 1.1 percent and the FTSE 100 in Britain was down 0.4 percent. France's CAC 40 lost 0.2 percent. Japan's Nikkei 225 stock index rose 0.4 percent and the Hang Seng index of Hong Kong dropped 0.7 percent. South Korea's Kospi lost 0.1 percent.

Bond prices fell and the yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note rose to 1.75 percent from 1.73 percent. The dollar edged up to 109.14 yen from 108.49 yen. The euro slipped to $1.1373 from $1.1425.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -185.18 points or ▼ -1.05% on Friday, May 13, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,535.32 ▼ -185.18 ▼ -1.05%
Nasdaq____ 4,717.68 ▼ -19.66 ▼ -0.41%
S&P_500___ 2,046.61 ▼ -17.50 ▼ -0.85%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.55 ▼ -0.06 ▼ -2.26%

NYSE Volume 3,570,471,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,657,084,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,138.50 ▲ 34.31 ▲ 0.56%
DAX_____ 9,952.90 ▲ 90.78 ▲ 0.92%
CAC_40__ 4,319.99 ▲ 26.72 ▲ 0.62%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,396.30 ▼ -27.10 ▼ -0.50%
Shanghai_Comp 2,827.11 ▼ -8.75 ▼ -0.31%
Taiwan_Weight 8,053.69 ▼ -54.36 ▼ -0.67%
Nikkei_225___ 16,412.21 ▼ -234.13 ▼ -1.41%
Hang_Seng.__ 19,719.29 ▼ -196.17 ▼ -0.99%
Strait_Times.__ 2,734.91 ▼ -10.48 ▼ -0.38%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,916.57 ▼ -6.60 ▼ -0.10%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-mostly-slide-retail-141348272.html#

US stocks take a late tumble as retail suffering continues

US stocks edge lower on the last day of a turbulent week
Associated Press By Marley Jay, AP Markets Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — A late slump Friday pulled U.S. stocks to their third straight weekly loss. Companies that make clothing, food and household goods dropped on more bad news from retailers, and energy companies fell with the price of oil.

Stocks started falling just before noon and continued to slump the rest of the day. Machinery and equipment companies took some of the biggest losses. Retailers fell again after Nordstrom and J.C. Penney became the latest department store operators to report plunging first-quarter sales. Bond prices jumped and yields fell, which hurt bank stocks.

"The rebound and recovery rally has largely run its course," said Mike Ryan, chief investment strategist for UBS Wealth Management Americas. With investors worrying about weak corporate profits, the health of the global economy and the Federal Reserve's plans, Ryan said "It's going to be more of a grind" in the coming months.

The Dow Jones industrial average gave up 185.18 points, or 1.1 percent, to 17,535.32. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 17.62 points, or 0.9 percent, to 2,046.49. The Nasdaq composite index lost 19.66 points, or 0.4 percent, to 4,717.68.

The S&P 500 has fallen 2.2 percent over the last three weeks, bringing the index back almost to breakeven for the year.

Wrapping up a brutal week, Nordstrom gave retailers yet another gut punch when it slashed its annual projections and said a key measure of sales fell for the first time in almost seven years. Nordstrom stock tumbled $6.07, or 13.4 percent, to $39.16 and hit a four-year low. J.C. Penney's and Dillard's also reported results that came up short of analysts' estimates.

A Commerce Department released Friday confirmed that consumers are spending more, just not at department stores. Sales at those stores have fallen 2 percent over the last year while online and catalog sales have jumped 10 percent. Nordstrom tumbled 19 percent this week, while Macy's and Kohl's, which reported first-quarter results earlier in the week, fell 17 percent and 14 percent, respectively.

"It's been a very challenging week for retailers," said Rob Samuels, a UBS Wealth Management strategist. He said consumers are spending money on home improvement goods and trips and other items, but they're not spending as much on clothes. And competition to department stores just keeps growing, as shoppers turn to smaller web-based brands.

"It's not just Amazon anymore," he said.

Consumer stocks slumped after advancing on Thursday. Wal-Mart gave up $1.91, or 2.8 percent, to $64.94 and Costco sank $2.22, or 1.5 percent, to $144.50. PepsiCo fell after investment firm Trian disclosed that it had sold its stake in the company. The beverage maker lost $1.92, or 1.8 percent, to $104.18.

U.S. government bond prices jumped in the afternoon, and the yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note dipped to 1.70 percent from 1.76 percent. When bond yields fall it tends to hurt banks, since rates on many kinds of long-term loans such as mortgages are tied to bond yields.

Wells Fargo slid 96 cents, or 2 percent, to $48.24. Bank of America declined 2 cents, or 1.8 percent, to $13.88 and Citigroup fell 89 cents, or 2 percent, to $43.11.

Benchmark U.S. oil fell 49 cents, or 1 percent, to $46.21 a barrel in New York, while Brent crude, the benchmark for international oil prices, lost 2 cents to $47.83 a barrel in London. That pulled energy stocks down. Exxon Mobil lost $1.01, or 1.1 percent, to $88.66 and Murphy Oil fell $1.21, or 4 percent, to $29.14.

The Commerce Department report showed that total retail sales in the U.S. improved in April, suggesting spending might have rebounded after a weak first quarter. Retail sales have climbed 3 percent over the last year.

Graphics chip and processor maker Nvidia surpassed Wall Street forecasts in the first quarter, and its stock jumped $5.41, or 15.2 percent, to $40.98.

Shake Shack's profit and sales beat estimates, in part because consumers snapped up its new fried chicken sandwich. The burger chain raised its estimates for sales and said it will open more stores than it previously planned. The stock gained $3.34, or 9.7 percent, to $37.60.

Metals prices were little changed. Gold rose $1.50 to $1,262.70 an ounce. Silver added 3 cents to $17.13 an ounce. Copper remained at $2.07 a pound.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline inched up to $1.59 a gallon. Heating oil rose 1 cent to $1.40 a gallon. Natural gas lost 6 cents, or 2.7 percent, to $2.10 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The euro fell to $1.1307 from $1.1373 and the dollar slid to 108.63 yen from 109.14 yen.

Germany's DAX rose 0.9 percent and the CAC-40 in France gained 0.3 percent. The FTSE 100 in Britain was 0.6 percent higher. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 255 index lost 1.4 percent and South Korea's Kospi shed 0.5 percent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 1 percent.

9215

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 175.39 points or ▲ 1.00% on Monday, May 16, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,710.71 ▲ 175.39 ▲ 1.00%
Nasdaq____ 4,775.46 ▲ 57.78 ▲ 1.22%
S&P_500___ 2,066.66 ▲ 20.05 ▲ 0.98%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.60 ▲ 0.04 ▲ 1.72%

NYSE Volume 3,482,675,750
Nasdaq Volume 1,716,970,000

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,151.40 ▲ 12.90 ▲ 0.21%
DAX_____ 9,952.90 ▲ 90.78 ▲ 0.92%
CAC_40__ 4,312.28 ▼ -7.71 ▼ -0.18%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,420.30 ▲ 24.00 ▲ 0.44%
Shanghai_Comp 2,850.86 ▲ 23.75 ▲ 0.84%
Taiwan_Weight 8,067.60 ▲ 13.91 ▲ 0.17%
Nikkei_225___ 16,466.40 ▲ 54.19 ▲ 0.33%
Hang_Seng.__ 19,883.95 ▲ 164.66 ▲ 0.84%
Strait_Times.__ 2,736.06 ▲ 1.15 ▲ 0.04%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,914.13 ▼ -2.44 ▼ -0.04%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-gain-early-trading-crude-oil-rises-143308077.html

US stocks climb in broad rally as crude oil rises
Associated Press By BERNARD CONDON

NEW YORK (AP) ”” A jump in oil prices and some deal news helped send stocks up broadly Monday, breaking a three-day losing streak.

Investors bought from the start of trading, pushing oil drillers and other energy stocks up sharply. A bullish oil report from Goldman Sachs helped send benchmark U.S. crude up 3.3 percent to its highest close in six months. All 10 sectors of the Standard and Poor's 500 index rose.

Major indexes were also boosted by news that billionaire Warren Buffett had invested in Apple, triggering a 3.7 percent jump in that stock. Apple is the most heavily weighted member of the S&P 500 and so a rise in its stock has an outsize impact on the index.

The S&P 500 rose 20.05 points, or 1 percent, to 2,066.66. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 175.39 points, or 1 percent, to 17,710.71. The Nasdaq composite index gained 57.78 points, or 1.2 percent, to 4,775.46

The report from Goldman argued that the glut in oil supplies has turned into a "deficit," and so prices could continue to rise. The sunny forecast, plus oil production troubles in Nigeria, pushed U.S. crude up $1.51 to $47.72 a barrel. A plunge in oil prices since mid-2014 has hammered energy company earnings, one reason why overall S&P 500 earnings have not risen since that year.

When oil prices climb, investors think the "earnings drought is at an end," said Tim Courtney, chief investment officer of Exencial Wealth Advisors. "Whatever happens to energy drives all the markets."

Energy shares in the S&P 500 rose 1.6 percent on Monday. Marathon Oil jumped 4 percent and Devon Energy also rose 4 percent.

In deal news, Tribune Publishing soared $2.61, or 23 percent, to $14.08 after USA Today owner Gannett raised its offer to buy the publisher. The new offer comes one week after Tribune, which owns the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune and other newspapers, adopted a "poison pill" plan to help it remain independent. Gannett rose 2.2 percent.

U.S. interest rate policy could impact stocks this week. In addition to planned remarks from several Federal Reserve officials, the Fed is scheduled on Wednesday to release minutes of its last meeting.

Investors will be looking for clues as to whether the central bank is likely to raise rates from low levels that have helped push up stocks and other assets since the financial crisis. A report on Friday showed retail sales rose a solid 3 percent last month compared with the previous year, suggesting the Fed may be more likely to raise rates.

Anna Rathbun, director of research for investment manager CBIZ Retirement Plan Services, said investors are jittery, notwithstanding Monday's climb.

If the Fed raised rates, "the question is, 'What then?'" she said. "Will stocks and commodity prices fall again?"

The central bank's next two-day policy meeting begins June 14.

In other stocks making moves, Memorial Resource Development rose 41 cents, or 3 percent, to $13.86 per share after rival natural gas producer Range Resources said it would buy Memorial for $3.3 billion. Range Resources plunged $4.32, or 10 percent, to $37.69.

Anacor Pharmaceuticals rocketed 57 percent to $100.67, a gain of $36.64, after drug giant Pfizer announced a deal to buy the maker of a topical eczema treatment for $5.2 billion. Pfizer rose 19 cents, or 0.6 percent, $33.38.

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway bought 9.8 million Apple shares in the first quarter, a stake worth nearly $1 billion, as the tech giant traded near its lowest price in almost two years, according to regulatory documents released Monday. Apple rose $3.36 to $93.88.

In overseas markets, Britain's FTSE 100 inched up 0.2 percent while the CAC-40 in France slipped 0.2 percent. Trading in Germany was closed for a holiday.

In other energy markets, Brent crude, used to price international oils, rose $1.14, or 2.4 percent, to $48.97 a barrel in London. In New York, wholesale gasoline rose 2 cents to $1.61 a gallon, heating oil rose 4 cents to $1.44 a gallon and natural gas fell 7 cents to $2.03 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Precious and industrial metals prices closed higher. Gold gained $1.50 to $1,274.20 an ounce, silver rose 2 cents to $17.15 an ounce and copper added 2 cents to $2.09 a pound.

U.S. government bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 1.76 percent from 1.70 percent. The dollar rose to 108.98 yen from 108.63 yen and the euro rose to $1.1320 from $1.1307.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -180.73 points or ▼ -1.02% on Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,529.98 ▼ -180.73 ▼ -1.02%
Nasdaq____ 4,715.73 ▼ -59.73 ▼ -1.25%
S&P_500___ 2,047.21 ▼ -19.45 ▼ -0.94%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.59 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.39%

NYSE Volume 4,085,861,750
Nasdaq Volume 2,212,251,250

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,167.77 ▲ 16.37 ▲ 0.27%
DAX_____ 9,890.19 ▼ -62.71 ▼ -0.63%
CAC_40__ 4,297.57 ▼ -14.71 ▼ -0.34%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,458.50 ▲ 38.20 ▲ 0.70%
Shanghai_Comp 2,843.68 ▼ -7.18 ▼ -0.25%
Taiwan_Weight 8,140.48 ▲ 72.88 ▲ 0.90%
Nikkei_225___ 16,652.80 ▲ 186.40 ▲ 1.13%
Hang_Seng.__ 20,118.80 ▲ 234.85 ▲ 1.18%
Strait_Times.__ 2,781.11 ▲ 45.05 ▲ 1.65%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,974.87 ▲ 60.74 ▲ 0.88%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-lower-morning-sizable-gains-142521893.html

Stocks sink, erasing gains from a rally the day before

US stocks fall across industries, erasing gains from a rally the previous day
Associated Press By Bernard Condon, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks fell across industries on Tuesday, erasing gains from a rally a day earlier, as investors sifted through economic reports for clues as to when the era of low interest rates may end.

Consumer goods companies and utilities fell the most. Kraft Heinz fell 4 percent and Consolidated Edison dropped 2 percent. Nine of the 10 sectors of the Standard and Poor's 500 index ended lower. Energy stocks rose as the price of crude oil rose to a seven-month high.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 180.73 points, or 1 percent, to 17,529.98. The S&P 500 index gave up 19.45 points, or 0.9 percent, to 2,047.21. The Nasdaq composite pulled back 59.73 points, or 1.3 percent, to 4,715.73.

Diane Jaffee, a senior portfolio manager at TCW Group, said investors are worried that a pickup in inflation suggests the Federal Reserve might raise interest rates soon, threatening the still-sluggish economy. The Fed next meets on rates in June.

"The specter of rising rates in June may be making investors queasy," said Jaffe. The economy is at a "tipping point."

The Labor Department reported Tuesday that the cost of living in April climbed by the most in more than three years. A separate report said builders are breaking ground on new homes at a faster past than last year.

Investors worry that reports like those could prompt the Fed to raise rates. That could hurt high-dividend stocks like utilities.

Adding to the jitters, Politico quoted Atlanta Fed President Dennis Lockhart saying that "action could be taken" at the Fed's June policy meeting.

Investors will get a better idea of the Fed's thinking on Wednesday when the central bank releases minutes from its last meeting in April.

Among stocks making big moves, LendingClub plunged 34 cents, or nine percent, to $3.60 after the Department of Justice opened an investigation. The company forced out its founder last week after an internal review found irregularities with the way loans were sold.

The stock traded as high as $25 a share in late 2014, shortly after the company went public.

Pandora Media rose 61 cents, or six percent, to $10.59 after hedge fund Corvex Management raised its stake and began advocating for a sale of the streaming music company. Corvex said that putting the company on the block is the best answer to rising competition from Spotify and Apple.

Another report showed U.S. industrial production posted the biggest increase in April since November 2014 after dropping the previous two months. Industrial output, which includes output at factories, mines and utilities, rose 0.7 percent from March.

Still, production is modest. The report said that factories are operating at 75.3 percent of capacity, well below their long-run average.

"We've got an economy in slow-down mode, with an increase in inflation," said James Abate, chief investment officer at Centre Funds. "That is the worst possible situation."

In Europe, stocks were mixed. France's CAC 40 fell 0.3 percent, while Germany's DAX shed 0.6 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 gained 0.3 percent.

In Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 1.1 percent as the yen continued to weaken, a plus for Japanese exporters. Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 1.2 percent.

U.S. crude rose 59 cents to $48.31 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, rose 31 cents to $49.28 a barrel in London. Wholesale gasoline rose 3 cents to $1.63 a gallon, heating oil also rose 3 cents to $1.47 a gallon and natural gas rose 2 cents to $2.05 per 1,000 cubic feet.

U.S. government bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 1.77 percent from 1.75 percent. The dollar rose to 109.07 yen from 108.98 yen and the euro fell to $1.1317 from $1.1320.

Precious and industrial metals futures closed mostly higher. Gold rose $2.70 to $1,276.90 an ounce and silver gained 10 cents to $17.25 an ounce. Copper was flat at $2.09 a pound.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -3.36 points or ▼ -0.02% on Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 17,526.62 ▼ -3.36 ▼ -0.02%
Nasdaq____ 4,739.12 ▲ 23.39 ▲ 0.50%
S&P_500___ 2,047.63 ▲ 0.42 ▲ 0.02%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.68 ▲ 0.10 ▲ 3.75%

NYSE Volume 4,050,487,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,865,123,620

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,165.80 ▼ -1.97 ▼ -0.03%
DAX_____ 9,943.23 ▲ 53.04 ▲ 0.54%
CAC_40__ 4,319.30 ▲ 21.73 ▲ 0.51%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,420.50 ▼ -38.00 ▼ -0.70%
Shanghai_Comp 2,807.51 ▼ -36.17 ▼ -1.27%
Taiwan_Weight 8,159.68 ▲ 19.20 ▲ 0.24%
Nikkei_225___ 16,644.69 ▼ -8.11 ▼ -0.05%
Hang_Seng.__ 19,826.41 ▼ -292.39 ▼ -1.45%
Strait_Times.__ 2,777.11 ▼ -4.00 ▼ -0.14%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,982.63 ▲ 7.76 ▲ 0.11%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stock...ing-ahead-fed-minutes-142004563--finance.html

Stocks end mostly unchanged after key Fed minutes released
Associated Press By BERNARD CONDON

NEW YORK (AP) ”” New signs that interest rates may be heading higher sent stocks flitting between gains and losses Wednesday, but the major indexes ended up closing pretty much where they started.

Stocks held onto gains through the first part of the day, but in the afternoon the Federal Reserve released minutes of its last meeting suggesting it was more open to raising rates than many had thought. Caught unaware, investors started dumping utilities and other high dividend payers that had been in favor for much of the year.

Bond prices fell sharply, sending long-term interest rates higher.

By the close, the Standard and Poor's 500 index managed to eke out a gain, up 0.42 points, just 0.02 percent higher, to 2,047.63. The Dow Jones industrial average slipped 3.36 points, less 0.1 percent, to 17,526.62. The Nasdaq composite climbed 23.39 points, or 0.5 percent, to 4,739.12.

Utilities fell 1.9 percent on the Fed news, but banks rose because they can make more money on loans if rates go higher. JPMorgan Chase jumped 4 percent and Goldman Sachs climbed 3 percent.

"The Fed is clearly in the driver's seat" of the stock market, said Ernie Cecilia, chief investment officer of Bryn Mawr Trust. It's impacting prices "more than any other kind of input out there."

The minutes of the Fed's last meeting showed a widely held view among policymakers that it "likely would be appropriate" to raise rates at its June meeting as long as the economy and labor markets continue to strengthen and inflation shows signs of accelerating.

Some investors are worried that a rise in rates will hurt a sluggish U.S. economy that grew just 0.5 percent in the first quarter.

"There is little room for error," said Tom Cassidy, chief investment officer at Univest Wealth Management Division. "When you're growing slowly, any hiccup could result in a recession."

Among stocks making big moves, Target plunged $5.61, or 7.6 percent, to $68 after reporting that sales had slowed. The company also gave a forecast that disappointed investors.

Shares of many other retailers followed the company lower in what is shaping up to be a miserable year for the sector. Wal-Mart dropped $1.95, or 3 percent, to $63.15 and Costco Wholesale lost $2.31, or 1.6 percent, to $141.29.

Lowe's bucked the trend, rising $2.53, or 3 percent, to $78.60 on surging first-quarter profits and higher comparable-store sales. The home improvement chain also raised its outlook for the year as it benefits from a strengthening U.S. housing market.

In overseas markets, Germany's DAX and France's CAX 40 each rose 0.5 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 was unchanged. Japan's Nikkei 225 index was flat. Hong Kong's Hang Seng lost 1.5 percent.

U.S. crude oil fell 12 cents, or 0.2 percent, to close at $48.19 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, dropped 35 cents, or 0.7 percent, to $48.93 a barrel in London.

In other trading, wholesale gasoline rose 1 cent to $1.65 a gallon, heating oil gained 2 cents to $1.48 a gallon and natural gas fell 5 cents to $2 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 1.86 percent from 1.71 percent late Tuesday, a large move. The dollar rose to 110 yen from 109.07 yen. The euro fell to $1.1229 from $1.1317.

Precious and industrial metals futures closed broadly lower. Gold fell $2.50 to $1,274.40 an ounce, silver lost 12 cents to $17.13 an ounce and copper dropped 1 cent to $2.08 a pound.