NYSE Dow Jones finished today at:

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 134.29 points or ▲ 0.73% on Thursday, July 14, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,506.41 ▲ 134.29 ▲ 0.73%
Nasdaq____ 5,034.06 ▲ 28.33 ▲ 0.57%
S&P_500___ 2,163.75 ▲ 11.32 ▲ 0.53%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.25 ▲ 0.07 ▲ 3.22%

NYSE Volume 3,411,006,500
Nasdaq Volume 1,529,936,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,654.47 ▼ -15.93 ▼ -0.24%
DAX_____ 10,068.30 ▲ 137.59 ▲ 1.39%
CAC_40__ 4,385.52 ▲ 50.26 ▲ 1.16%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,491.80 ▲ 21.50 ▲ 0.39%
Shanghai_Comp 3,054.02 ▼ -6.67 ▼ -0.22%
Taiwan_Weight 8,866.36 ▲ 8.61 ▲ 0.10%
Nikkei_225___ 16,385.89 ▲ 154.46 ▲ 0.95%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,561.06 ▲ 238.69 ▲ 1.12%
Strait_Times.__ 2,906.92 ▼ -3.73 ▼ -0.13%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,080.33 ▲ 16.01 ▲ 0.23%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-rise-early-trading-142522352.html

US stocks rise for a 5th day on solid earnings reports

NEW YORK (AP) ”” Solid earnings reports Thursday drove the stock market to another record high.

Stocks rose from the start of trading after JPMorgan Chase released results that were better than analysts expected. Companies are expected to report earnings dropped again in the April-June period, but a few big ones that have released numbers so far have beaten low expectations, encouraging investors.

The gains were broad, with nine of the 10 industry sectors of the Standard and Poor's 500 index showing gains. Banks rose the most, 0.9 percent.

"It's really early in earnings season, but so far so good," said Brad Sorensen, director of the Schwab Center for Financial Research. He added, "Optimism is starting to creep into the market."

Investors pulled money out of conservative assets like gold and Treasury bonds, sending yields on the bonds sharply higher. They also sold stocks of utility companies, considered a haven because of their safe and steady dividends.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 134.29 points, or 0.7 percent, to 18,506.41. The S&P 500 gained 11.32 points, or 0.5 percent, to 2,163.75. The Nasdaq composite increased 28.33 points, or 0.6 percent, to 5,034.06.

The Dow and S&P 500 remain at record highs, but the Nasdaq is barely positive for the year.

The U.S. gains followed rallies in Germany, France and Japan, with stock indexes in each of those countries rising more than 1 percent.

British stocks initially rose, then gave up the gains after the Bank of England surprised investors by holding off on cutting interest rates despite the hit to the British economy from last month's vote to leave the European Union. The British pound soared on the news.

U.S. stocks have been on a rocky ride since the start of the year. They fell sharply in January and early February on fears that a slowdown in Chinese economic growth would drag the rest of the world into recession, then rose again, the fell after the shock of Britain's vote.

But a strong U.S. jobs report last Friday, hopes that Japan's ruling party will flood its market with even more money and signs of political stability in Britain as its new prime minister takes over have lifted investor spirits.

Brad McMillan, chief investment officer at the Commonwealth Financial Network, said the recent scares may have flushed out sellers, setting up the market for even bigger gains.

"Anyone inclined to sell did so" earlier, he said, "and now the market is dominated by buyers."

Still, McMillan is worried that prices may have gotten ahead of fundamentals.

Corporate earnings are the biggest driver of stock prices, and they're looking weak overall, notwithstanding Thursday's batch of solid reports. Per share earnings in the S&P 500 are expected to fall 5.5 percent from the year earlier period, the fourth quarter in a row of drops, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Among companies making big moves on Thursday, Japanese messaging app Line surged 27 percent on its first day of trading, a gain of $8.74 to $41.58. Line has more users than Facebook or Twitter in Japan.

KFC owner Yum Brands climbed $2.53, or 3 percent, to $88.27 after reporting better-than-expected profit late Wednesday.

Delta Air Lines rose $1.42, or 3.6 percent, to $40.98 after also reporting second-quarter profits that beat expectations. Lower fuel prices have helped airlines post big profits.

JPMorgan Chase rose 96 cents, or 1.5 percent to $64.12. In addition to topping profit forecasts, investors were encouraged by strong trading revenue for the quarter. Citigroup and Wells Fargo report results on Friday.

In Europe, Germany's DAX was up 1.4 percent and the CAC-40 in France rose 1.2 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 slipped 0.2 percent.

In Japan, the Nikkei closed nearly 1 percent higher as the yen weakened against the dollar. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index rose 1.1 percent.

Prices of U.S. government fell, pushing the yield on the 10-year Treasury note to 1.53 percent from 1.48 percent.

The British pound rose to $1.3330 from $1.3160 a day earlier. The euro rose to $1.1123 from $1.1114 and the dollar rose to 105.43 yen from 104.33 yen.

Benchmark U.S. crude rose 93 cents to close at $45.68 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, a standard for international oil prices, rose $1.11 to close at $47.37 a barrel in London.

In other energy trading in New York, wholesale gasoline rose 4 cents to $1.41 a gallon, heating oil rose 3 cents to $1.41 a gallon and natural gas slipped a penny to $2.73 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Precious and industrial metals prices were mixed. Gold fell $11.40 to $1,332.20 an ounce, silver lost 9 cents to $20.32 an ounce and copper was flat at $2.24 a pound.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 10.14 points or ▲ 0.05% on Friday, July 15, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,516.55 ▲ 10.14 ▲ 0.05%
Nasdaq____ 5,029.59 ▼ -4.47 ▼ -0.09%
S&P_500___ 2,161.74 ▼ -2.01 ▼ -0.09%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.30 ▲ 0.06 ▲ 2.45%

NYSE Volume 3,078,251,500
Nasdaq Volume 1,484,859,880

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,669.24 ▲ 14.77 ▲ 0.22%
DAX_____ 10,066.90 ▼ -1.40 ▼ -0.01%
CAC_40__ 4,372.51 ▼ -13.01 ▼ -0.30%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,510.10 ▲ 18.30 ▲ 0.33%
Shanghai_Comp 3,054.30 ▲ 0.28 ▲ 0.01%
Taiwan_Weight 8,949.85 ▲ 83.49 ▲ 0.94%
Nikkei_225___ 16,497.85 ▲ 111.96 ▲ 0.68%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,659.25 ▲ 98.19 ▲ 0.46%
Strait_Times.__ 2,925.35 ▲ 18.43 ▲ 0.63%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,072.88 ▼ -7.45 ▼ -0.11%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-rising-wall-street-6th-144432674.html

Stocks end little changed after mixed day

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks ended more or less where they started on Friday as a five-day rally ran out of steam.

The market was down most of the day after disappointing bank earnings weighed on financial company shares. Investors also sold retailers and other consumer-focused stocks. But by the close, the Dow Jones industrial average managed to squeeze out a gain to set another record high.

U.S. government bonds fell, sending their yields higher.

“The market is taking a breather,” said Anna Rathbun, research director at CBIZ Retirement Plan Services. “Investors are taking gains.”

The Dow edged up 10.14 points, or 0.1 percent, to 18,516.55. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index slipped 2.01 points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,161.74. Six of the 10 sectors in that index ended lower.

The Nasdaq composite lost 4.47 points, or 0.1 percent, to end at 5,029.59.

All three indexes ended the week up, their third in a row.

Earnings remained a focus for investors. Wells Fargo fell $1.23, or 2.5 percent, to $47.71 after the consumer banking giant reported a drop in second-quarter earnings.

Earnings per share for the entire S&P 500 are expected to have dropped 5.3 percent last quarter compared to a year ago, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. That would be the fourth quarter in a row of falling profits, rare outside of a recession.

Bill Strazzullo, chief market strategist at Bell Curve Trading, expects stocks will continue to climb in future weeks, but he’s worried. He thinks the gains have more to do with easy money policies by central banks in the U.S., Europe and Japan than any improvement in fundamentals.

“The market isn’t really trading on economic growth and earnings. It’s being propped up by wildly accommodative monetary policy,” he said. “The music will eventually stop and stock markets around the world will fall significantly.”

Trading was subdued in Europe after a man drove a truck into crowds celebrating Bastille Day along the beachfront of Nice, killing at least 84 people.

France’s CAC-40 was down 0.3 percent while Germany’s DAX was flat. Britain’s FTSE 100 rose 0.2 percent.

Travel-related stocks fell in the wake of the attack. Cruise operator Royal Caribbean lost $1.49, or 2.1 percent, to $70.39. Delta Air Lines fell $1, or 2.4 percent, to $39.98.

Among other stocks making big moves, Herbalife rose $5.89, or 10 percent, to $65.25 after it agreed to pay a $200 million settlement over allegations that it deceived consumers, but avoided a more serious charge that it was operating as a pyramid scheme. The deal puts an end to a Federal Trade Commission investigation of the nutritional supplements company that had stretched over two years.

In economic news, the Labor Department reported consumer prices rose a modest 1 percent in June from a year ago, suggesting that the Federal Reserve may take its time raising interest rates from the record lows that have helped push stocks higher. The Fed’s target for inflation is 2 percent.

The Commerce Department reported that retail sales rose a robust 2.7 percent in June from a year earlier. Consumer spending accounts for about two-thirds of economic output in the U.S., much higher than in many other developed countries.

In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.7 percent. The Hang Seng index in Hong Kong climbed 0.5 percent and South Korea’s Kospi index added 0.4 percent.

Benchmark U.S. crude rose 27 cents to close at $45.95 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, a standard for international oil prices, climbed 24 cents to $47.61 a barrel.

In other energy trading in New York, wholesale gasoline rose 1 cent to $1.42 a gallon, heating oil fell 1 cent to $1.40 a gallon and natural gas rose 3 cents to $2.76 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 1.59 percent from 1.54 percent, a big move. The euro fell to $1.1064 from $1.1123 and the dollar rose to 105.55 yen from 105.43 yen.

Precious and industrial metals prices fell. Gold fell $4.80 to $1,327.40 an ounce, silver lost 16 cents to $20.17 an ounce and copper declined 1 cent to $2.23 a pound.

5410

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 16.5 points or ▲ 0.09% on Monday, July 18, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,533.05 ▲ 16.50 ▲ 0.09%
Nasdaq____ 5,055.78 ▲ 26.19 ▲ 0.52%
S&P_500___ 2,166.89 ▲ 5.15 ▲ 0.24%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.30 ▲ 0.00 ▲ 0.00%

NYSE Volume 2,997,180,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,485,015,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,695.42 ▲ 26.18 ▲ 0.39%
DAX_____ 10,063.13 ▼ -3.77 ▼ -0.04%
CAC_40__ 4,357.74 ▼ -14.77 ▼ -0.34%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,538.90 ▲ 28.80 ▲ 0.52%
Shanghai_Comp 3,043.56 ▼ -10.73 ▼ -0.35%
Taiwan_Weight 9,008.21 ▲ 58.36 ▲ 0.65%
Nikkei_225___ 16,497.85 ▲ 111.96 ▲ 0.68%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,803.18 ▲ 143.93 ▲ 0.66%
Strait_Times.__ 2,928.76 ▲ 3.41 ▲ 0.12%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,105.95 ▲ 33.07 ▲ 0.47%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stock...y-trading-wall-street-143644389--finance.html

Stocks inch higher, send S&P 500 to another record

NEW YORK (AP) ”” Stocks ticked higher Monday as investors looked past this weekend's failed coup attempt in Turkey and nudged the Standard & Poor's 500 index to another record.

The S&P 500 rose 5.15 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,166.89. It was the fifth time in the last six days that the index set a closing high. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 16.50, or 0.1 percent, to 18,533.05. The Nasdaq composite rose 26.19, or 0.5 percent, to 5,055.78.

The stock market has been on a mostly upward swing since February, notwithstanding a few setbacks, after shrugging off worries about fragile economies overseas, weaker profits at home and sundry other challenges. Add one more to the list: Friday's military uprising in Turkey.

Currency traders had the first chance to react to the attempted coup, which caught investors' attention after most stock markets were closed late Friday, and the initial reaction was one of fear. But by the time stock markets around the world opened for trading Monday, most reacted with a shrug, and the Turkish lira recovered some of its steep losses.

"The market is looking at things with a half-full lens these days, and there's some basis for the market to take this in stride," said Matthew Peron, head of global equity at Northern Trust Asset Management.

The coup attempt was quickly halted. Plus, economic reports around the world have been coming in better than analysts expected. "There is a firmer footing to the global economy, and this isn't enough to knock that narrative," Peron said.

Technology stocks led the way, rising 0.7 percent after SoftBank Group agreed to buy British chip designer ARM Holdings for $32 billion. ARM's U.S.-listed shares soared $19.09, or 40.6 percent, to $66.17.

Financial stocks gained after Bank of America reported earnings that were better than analysts were expecting. Banks have been struggling with low interest rates, which limit the profits they can earn from making loans.

Bank of America nevertheless reported a smaller decline in earnings than analysts forecast, due in part to higher trading revenue and cost cuts. Its stock rose 45 cents, or 3.3 percent, to $14.11.

The day atop the leaderboard for tech and bank stocks marks a turnaround from their performance earlier this year. Financial stocks are the only sector of the S&P 500's 10 that are still down for 2016, while technology has made one of the smallest gains.

For much of the year, investors have flocked instead to industries seen as offering a steadier ride. These are also ones that tend to pay the biggest dividends. Telecom stocks are up 22.1 percent, versus the S&P 500's 6 percent rise, for example.

Much of that demand likely came from investors seeking alternatives to bonds, which are paying only small amounts of interest. The Federal Reserve raised the target for its benchmark short-term interest rate in December for the first time since 2006, but economists have since been pushing out their predictions for when the next increase may occur.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury ticked higher Monday, to 1.58 percent from 1.55 percent late Friday.

Hasbro was the day's worst-performing stock in the S&P 500, despite reporting better-than-expected quarterly earnings. It fell $5.68, or 6.6 percent, to $79.82 after it said revenue growth at its boys' toy unit grew more slowly than analysts expected. The unit is Hasbro's largest, accounting for 40 percent of its total revenue.

Netflix stock dropped sharply in after-hours trading after the video service said it added fewer subscribers last quarter than expected. The company blamed cancellations by subscribers facing price increases after a two-year rate freeze expired. The stock sank $16.50, or 16.7 percent, to $82.15 after-hours.

A slew of other companies are scheduled to report their quarterly earnings this week, including nearly a fifth of the S&P 500 index. Analysts have dim expectations, with forecasts for a fourth consecutive decline in earnings, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Many investors will be paying more attention to what companies have to say about upcoming earnings trends than how they did during the spring. Analysts are expecting earnings for the S&P 500 to return to growth in the current quarter, and investors hope to hear CEOs say at least that conditions are improving, if not good.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 25.96 points or ▲ 0.14% on Tuesday, July 19, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,559.01 ▲ 25.96 ▲ 0.14%
Nasdaq____ 5,036.37 ▼ -19.41 ▼ -0.38%
S&P_500___ 2,163.78 ▼ -3.11 ▼ -0.14%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.27 ▼ -0.03 ▼ -1.22%

NYSE Volume 2,952,075,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,589,508,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,697.37 ▲ 1.95 ▲ 0.03%
DAX_____ 9,981.24 ▼ -81.89 ▼ -0.81%
CAC_40__ 4,330.13 ▼ -27.61 ▼ -0.63%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,533.90 ▼ -5.00 ▼ -0.09%
Shanghai_Comp 3,036.60 ▼ -6.97 ▼ -0.23%
Taiwan_Weight 9,034.87 ▲ 26.66 ▲ 0.30%
Nikkei_225___ 16,723.31 ▲ 225.46 ▲ 1.37%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,673.20 ▼ -129.98 ▼ -0.60%
Strait_Times.__ 2,919.54 ▼ -9.22 ▼ -0.31%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,154.83 ▲ 48.88 ▲ 0.69%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stock-indexes-pull-back-142937469.html

Dow inches to record high in mixed day for stock indexes

NEW YORK (AP) ”” Stocks ended mixed Tuesday as investors let up on the accelerator after a three-week rally sent indexes to all-time highs.

The Dow Jones industrial average inched 25.96 points higher, or 0.1 percent, for its eighth consecutive gain to set another record at 18,559.01. But the Standard & Poor's 500 index, which more mutual funds at the core of 401(k) accounts benchmark themselves against, pulled back from its record high. It lost 3.11, or 0.1 percent, to 2,163.78. The Nasdaq composite fell 19.41, or 0.4 percent, to 5,036.37.

A mixed set of corporate earnings helped keep the market in a tight range through the day. The S&P 500 was down for the entire day but never by more than 0.4 percent. About 10 stocks fell on the New York Stock Exchange for every seven that rose.

Netflix was one of the decliners to pull down the S&P 500. It lost $12.97, or 13.1 percent, to $85.84 after the video streaming service reported adding fewer subscribers last quarter than it expected. The tumble continued a sharp turnaround for Netflix, whose stock has struggled in recent months after more than doubling in 2015, the biggest gain in the S&P 500.

Philip Morris International fell $3.11, or 3 percent, to $99.89 after reporting weaker quarterly results than analysts expected. Smokers in North Africa, Japan, Argentina and elsewhere bought fewer cigarettes, leading to a 5 percent drop in shipments from a year earlier.

Better-than-expected earnings from Johnson & Johnson, meanwhile, helped to prop up the Dow Jones industrial average, which has just 30 stocks. The health care giant rose $2.11, or 1.7 percent, to $125.25 after it raised its forecast for profits this year.

"For investors, the most important questions are: When is the recession coming, and am I paying too much for stocks?" said Linda Duessel, senior equity strategist at Federated Investors. "Everything else is noise, and there's so much noise."

Duessel does not see a recession on the horizon, and she says stock prices can remain high because government bonds and other alternatives look even less attractive.

A report on the housing industry was the latest to show better-than-expected data for the U.S. economy, joining updates earlier this month on retail sales and job growth. Home construction strengthened more in June than economists expected, particularly in the Northeast and West. The June reading on housing starts from the Commerce Department was the highest since February, though down from a year earlier.

The International Monetary Fund said Tuesday that indicators are pointing to a pickup in the U.S. economy following a weaker-than-expected first quarter. But it also lowered its forecast for global growth this year, down to 3.1 percent from 3.2 percent, due to the United Kingdom's recent vote to leave the European Union.

As for whether stocks are expensive, one big part of the answer is how much profit companies are producing. Stock prices tend to track earnings trends over the long term, and profits have been on the downswing for the last year. Analysts expect S&P 500 companies to say their earnings per share fell 5 percent in the spring quarter from the same period a year earlier, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. Wall Street expects profit growth to resume in the second half of the year.

Overseas, Japan's Nikkei 225 index jumped 1.4 percent on a weaker yen and a Pokemon-powered rally in Nintendo shares. France's CAC 40 was down 0.6 percent, and Germany's DAX shed 0.8 percent.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 1.55 percent from 1.59 percent late Monday.

Precious and industrial metals prices ended the day mixed. Gold rose $3.00 to $1,332.30 per ounce. Silver fell 7 cents to $20.01, and copper rose nearly 3 cents to $2.26 per pound.

The price of crude oil fell 59 cents to $44.65 a barrel. Brent crude lost 30 cents, or 0.6 percent, to $44.66 a barrel in London. Wholesale gasoline fell 1 cent to $1.38 a gallon, heating oil edged up less than 1 cent to $1.38 a gallon and natural gas rose less than 1 cent to $2.73 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The euro fell to $1.1015 from $1.1068 late Monday, and the British pound fell to $1.3093 from $1.3260. The dollar slipped to 106.09 Japanese yen from 106.12 yen.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 36.02 points or ▲ 0.19% on Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,595.03 ▲ 36.02 ▲ 0.19%
Nasdaq____ 5,089.93 ▲ 53.56 ▲ 1.06%
S&P_500___ 2,173.02 ▲ 9.24 ▲ 0.43%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.30 ▲ 0.02 ▲ 1.01%

NYSE Volume 3,196,547,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,778,106,000

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,728.99 ▲ 31.62 ▲ 0.47%
DAX_____ 10,142.01 ▲ 160.77 ▲ 1.61%
CAC_40__ 4,379.76 ▲ 49.63 ▲ 1.15%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,565.90 ▲ 32.00 ▲ 0.58%
Shanghai_Comp 3,027.90 ▼ -8.70 ▼ -0.29%
Taiwan_Weight 9,007.68 ▼ -27.19 ▼ -0.30%
Nikkei_225___ 16,681.89 ▼ -41.42 ▼ -0.25%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,882.48 ▲ 209.28 ▲ 0.97%
Strait_Times.__ 2,945.74 ▲ 26.20 ▲ 0.90%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,172.67 ▲ 17.84 ▲ 0.25%

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

A technology surge tips stock indexes to new highs

NEW YORK (AP) – Stocks took another modest step further into record territory Wednesday after several companies reported profits that were stronger than expected, if not strong. Technology stocks led the way following an encouraging report from Microsoft.

Both the Standard & Poor’s 500 index and Dow Jones industrial average set all-time highs, and the Dow marked its ninth consecutive day of gains. It’s the longest winning streak for the measure of blue-chip stocks since 2013, and it’s been a decidedly slow-and-steady one. All but one of those days had a gain of less than 1 percent.

“The problem is: Where do we go from here?” asked Randy Frederick, managing director of trading and derivatives at Charles Schwab. “I have the tendency to believe the upside is somewhat limited,” in part because stock prices have been rising faster than corporate earnings in recent years.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 9.24 points, or 0.4 percent, to close at 2,173.02. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 36.02, or 0.2 percent, to 18,595.03. The Nasdaq composite rose 53.56, or 1.1 percent, to 5,089.93.

Companies are in the middle of telling investors how much they earned in the spring, and analysts are forecasting yet another decline from year-ago levels. The low expectations have made it easier for companies to come in above forecasts.

Microsoft surged to one of the biggest increases in the S&P 500 in the first day of trading after it reported quarterly results that easily beat analysts’ expectations. The technology giant’s stock jumped $2.82, or 5.3 percent, to $55.91 after it said momentum in its cloud-computing business helped it to return to a profit in its fiscal fourth quarter.

That drove the technology sector up 1.4 percent, much more than the rest of the market.

The best-performing stock in the S&P 500 was Cintas, which jumped $9.43, or 9.7 percent, to $106.85. The company, which provides uniforms, restroom supplies and other products for offices, also reported quarterly earnings above analysts’ expectations.

So far this reporting season, earnings for nearly two out of three companies have come in above analysts’ expectations, according to S&P Global Markets Intelligence. That’s what usually happens, because analysts tend to lower their earnings forecasts for companies as each reporting season approaches.

Several reports on the U.S. economy have also come in better than expected in recent weeks, which has helped drive the run for stocks to a record.

Markets have become calm enough that the VIX, an index that measures investors’ expectations of future volatility in the stock market, fell 2.2 percent and is near its lowest level since 2014.

The S&P 500 has been on a steady ride higher since setting a record on July 1, with no days where it has swung by 1 percent during that span. That’s a sharp turnaround from the end of June, when the S&P 500 swung at least that much in six straight days, with one fear-inducing drop of 3.6 percent.

The market’s calm has also meant less demand for gold and Treasurys, traditional go-to investments during periods of fear. The price of gold fell $13 to $1,319.30 per ounce. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which moves in the opposite direction of its price, rose to 1.58 percent from 1.56 percent late Tuesday.

The weakest areas of the stock market Tuesday were sectors that tend to be big dividend payers, such as utilities, which lost 0.5 percent. These types of stocks had led the market for much of 2016 as investors sought alternatives to low-yielding bonds.

Twenty-First Century Fox fell 75 cents, or 2.7 percent, to $27.00 amid widespread reports that its Fox News business will soon cut ties with its head, Roger Ailes, following allegations of sexual harassment. Fox News is a key profit maker for the company.

The price of U.S. crude oil rose 29 cents to $44.94 per barrel. Brent crude, the international benchmark, rose 51 cents to $47.17 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline fell 1 cent to $1.36 a gallon, heating oil rose 2 cents to $1.41 a gallon and natural gas fell 7 cents to $2.66 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Silver fell 39 cents to $19.61 per ounce, and copper fell less than a cent to $2.25 per pound.

European markets were mostly higher, while Asia’s day was mixed. Germany’s DAX rose 1.6 percent after Volkswagen reported earnings that were better than analysts were expecting. France’s CAC 40 climbed 1.1 percent, and Japan’s Nikkei 225 index dipped 0.2 percent.

The euro fell to $1.1005 from $1.1015 late Tuesday, and the dollar rose to 106.87 Japanese yen from 106.09 yen.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -77.8 points or ▼ -0.42% on Thursday, July 21, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,517.23 ▼ -77.80 ▼ -0.42%
Nasdaq____ 5,073.90 ▼ -16.03 ▼ -0.31%
S&P_500___ 2,165.17 ▼ -7.85 ▼ -0.36%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.30 ▲ 0.00 ▲ 0.17%

NYSE Volume 3,405,430,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,750,604,000

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,699.89 ▼ -29.10 ▼ -0.43%
DAX_____ 10,156.21 ▲ 14.20 ▲ 0.14%
CAC_40__ 4,376.25 ▼ -3.51 ▼ -0.08%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,588.70 ▲ 22.80 ▲ 0.41%
Shanghai_Comp 3,039.01 ▲ 11.11 ▲ 0.37%
Taiwan_Weight 9,056.56 ▲ 48.88 ▲ 0.54%
Nikkei_225___ 16,810.22 ▲ 128.33 ▲ 0.77%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,000.49 ▲ 118.01 ▲ 0.54%
Strait_Times.__ 2,940.48 ▼ -5.26 ▼ -0.18%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,214.05 ▲ 41.38 ▲ 0.58%

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

Stocks pull back, halting a record-setting win streak

NEW YORK (AP) – Stocks fell Thursday after a mixed set of earnings reports put at least a temporary halt to the market’s record-setting run. Airlines had some of the sharpest drops on worries that falling fares will hurt their profits.

The Dow Jones industrial average sank, breaking a nine-day winning streak, its longest in three years. It lost 77.80 points, or 0.4 percent, to 18,517.23.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index fell 7.85, or 0.4 percent, to 2,165.17. The Dow and S&P 500 have been setting a series of all-time highs this week. The Nasdaq composite sank 16.03, or 0.3 percent, to 5,073.90.

“It’s surprising how strong the market has been,” said Rich Weiss, senior portfolio manager at American Century Investments. Not only are companies in the midst of reporting another quarter of weaker earnings, U.S. economic growth is still only modest, and it’s even weaker elsewhere in the world.

“The only logical explanation is that it’s a horse race and that, relative to the other horses, the U.S. equity market is looking more attractive” than foreign stocks, bonds and other investments, Weiss said.

Stock markets overseas were mixed after the European Central Bank left interest rates at record lows but also said that it could add stimulus as it assesses the impact of the United Kingdom’s recent vote to leave the European Union.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury yield fell to 1.55 percent from 1.58 percent late Wednesday.

Southwest Airlines was the worst-performing stock in the S&P 500 and fell $4.71, or 11.2 percent, to $37.32. It reported weaker earnings growth than analysts expected and said a key revenue trend will turn down in the current quarter.

That helped drag down stocks across the airline industry. Delta Air Lines, United Continental Holdings and American Airlines Group all lost 2.7 percent or more.

Intel sank $1.42, or 4 percent, to $34.27 after reporting slower revenue growth for the latest quarter than analysts expected.

Electric-car maker Tesla lost $7.86, or 3.4 percent, to $220.50 after investors weren’t impressed with CEO Elon Musk’s “master plan” for the company, which was posted on Tesla’s website late Wednesday. Tesla is under scrutiny after one of its cars driving in Autopilot mode crashed in May, killing the driver.

Energy stocks fell with the price of oil. U.S. crude sank $1 to settle at $44.75 per barrel. Brent fell 97 cents to $46.20 a barrel in London. Wholesale gasoline fell 1 cent to $1.36 a gallon, heating oil fell 3 cents to $1.37 a gallon and natural gas rose 3 cents to $2.69 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The best-performing stock in the S&P 500 was eBay, which jumped $2.94, or 10.9 percent, to $29.93 after reporting stronger-than-expected results for the latest quarter.

Utility stocks also largely held up, rising 0.6 percent. They and other dividend-paying stocks have been at the forefront of the stock market’s rise this year, as investors searched for steadier returns and anything that produces income given how low bond yields are.

Utilities are up 20.2 percent so far this year, versus a 5.9 percent gain for the S&P 500. Some analysts see that as a worrying sign and want to see improvement in areas of the market that are more closely tied to the health of the economy, such as financials or companies that sell non-essential goods and services to consumers, before becoming more optimistic.

Gold rose $11.70 ounce to $1,331 an ounce, silver rose 20 cents to $19.82 an ounce and copper rose less than a cent to $2.26 a pound.

France’s CAC 40 index fell 0.1 percent, Britain’s FTSE 100 fell 0.4 percent, and Germany’s DAX index rose 0.1 percent. Japan’s Nikkei 225 added 0.8 percent, and South Korea’s Kospi slipped 0.2 percent.

The dollar fell to 105.86 Japanese yen from 106.87 late Wednesday, and the euro rose to $1.1013 from $1.1005.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 53.62 points or ▲ 0.29% on Friday, July 22, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,570.85 ▲ 53.62 ▲ 0.29%
Nasdaq____ 5,100.16 ▲ 26.26 ▲ 0.52%
S&P_500___ 2,175.03 ▲ 9.86 ▲ 0.46%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.29 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.43%

NYSE Volume 3,011,740,500
Nasdaq Volume 1,547,111,380

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,730.48 ▲ 30.59 ▲ 0.46%
DAX_____ 10,147.46 ▼ -8.75 ▼ -0.09%
CAC_40__ 4,381.10 ▲ 4.85 ▲ 0.11%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,574.30 ▼ -14.40 ▼ -0.26%
Shanghai_Comp 3,012.82 ▼ -26.19 ▼ -0.86%
Taiwan_Weight 9,013.14 ▼ -43.42 ▼ -0.48%
Nikkei_225___ 16,627.25 ▼ -182.97 ▼ -1.09%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,964.27 ▼ -36.22 ▼ -0.16%
Strait_Times.__ 2,945.35 ▲ 4.87 ▲ 0.17%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,226.05 ▲ 12.00 ▲ 0.17%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-st...-another-listless-day-141819691--finance.html

Another creep higher sends S&P 500 to record high, again

NEW YORK (AP) — Another day, another lazy drift higher for stocks and another record high.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 9.86 points, or 0.5 percent, to 2,175.03 on Friday. It surpassed its prior record set Wednesday by 0.09 percent, the latest nudge higher for a market that has taken a decidedly slow-and-steady path to all-time highs in recent weeks. Telecom and utility stocks led the way, as they have for much of this year.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 53.62 points, or 0.3 percent, to 18,570.85. The Nasdaq composite rose 26.26, or 0.5 percent, to 5,100.16. The gains sent all three indexes to their fourth consecutive winning week, their longest streak since March.

Many doubts still hang over the market, including the continued drop for corporate earnings and a U.S. economy that is growing only modestly. But various earnings and economic reports have come in better than expected, and the S&P 500 is up nearly 9 percent since June 27.

Southwestern Energy had the biggest gain in the S&P 500 following its own better-than-expected earnings report. It lost money in the latest quarter, but less than analysts estimated. The producer of natural gas and oil also raised its forecast for production this year, and its stock jumped $1.26, or 9.5 percent, to $14.47.

American Airlines Group likewise rose despite reporting a drop in earnings. It climbed $1.40, or 4 percent, to $36.36 after reporting better results than analysts expected.

The telecom and utilities sectors each rose 1.3 percent to lead the market. They have been at the forefront of the market’s rise this year because they pay some of the biggest dividends, and investors are scrounging for income given the low interest rates paid by bonds.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note held steady at 1.56 percent, while the yield on the 30-year Treasury bond ticked down to 2.28 percent from 2.29 percent late Thursday.

Honeywell International fell $3.05, or 2.6 percent, to $115.61. The company reported stronger earnings than analyst expected, but it also lowered its forecast for full-year sales. It helped hold the industrial sector to the weakest gains of the day among the 10 sectors that make up the S&P 500, up 0.1 percent.

Fridays’ gains were the latest in a steady march higher for stocks. The S&P 500 has not had a day where it moved by 1 percent, up or down, in the last two weeks. It’s a sharp turnaround from the end of June, when worries about the United Kingdom’s vote to leave the European Union sent the S&P 500 to six straight days where it swung at least 1 percent.

The biggest loss for the S&P 500 over that span was Thursday’s drop of 0.4 percent. And investors quickly snapped up stocks the following day.

“I think people are a little more sensitized, where any tick lower in the market creates this ‘buy-on-the-dip’ mentality,” said Brian Jacobsen, chief portfolio strategist at Wells Fargo Funds Management. “I think it’s interesting; a half-a-percent move down feels like a 5 percent move.”

Next week could be more exciting. The Bank of Japan and Federal Reserve both hold policy meetings. Record-low interest rates and big stimulus programs from central banks have pushed stocks higher since the financial crisis.

Japan’s economy is barely growing. Economists are speculating about whether its central bank may push more stimulus next week.

The U.S. economy is in better shape than other advanced economies, and few expect the Federal Reserve to make a big move at its meeting. But if it highlights the better-than-expected recent economic reports, economists may move up their predictions for when the Fed could next raise interest rates.

The Fed pulled rates off their record low in December but has held pat since then.

European stock markets were mixed. Germany’s DAX index dipped 0.1 percent, France’s CAC 40 index rose 0.1 percent and Britain’s FTSE 100 rose 0.5 percent. Japan’s Nikkei 225 index fell 1.1 percent, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng dipped 0.2 percent and South Korea’s Kospi index lost 0.1 percent.

The price of U.S. crude fell 56 cents, or 1.2 percent to settle at $44.19 a barrel. Brent crude, the global benchmark, fell 51 cents, or 1.1 percent, to $45.69 a barrel in London. Wholesale gasoline rose 1 cent to $1.36 a gallon, heating oil fell 1 cent to $1.36 a gallon and natural gas rose 9 cents to $2.78 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Precious and industrial metals prices ended lower. Gold fell $7.60 to $1,323.40 an ounce, silver fell 13 cents to $19.69 an ounce and copper lost 2 cents to close at $2.24 a pound.

The pound sank against the dollar on expectations for more stimulus from the Bank of England. It fell to $1.3093 from $1.3203. The dollar ticked up to 106.17 Japanese yen from 105.86 yen, and the euro dipped to $1.0961 from $1.1013.

6018

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -77.79 points or ▼ -0.42% on Monday, July 25, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,493.06 ▼ -77.79 ▼ -0.42%
Nasdaq____ 5,097.63 ▼ -2.53 ▼ -0.05%
S&P_500___ 2,168.48 ▼ -6.55 ▼ -0.30%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.29 ▲ 0.00 ▼ -0.17%

NYSE Volume 3,042,856,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,642,957,620

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,710.13 ▼ -20.35 ▼ -0.30%
DAX_____ 10,198.24 ▲ 50.78 ▲ 0.50%
CAC_40__ 4,388.00 ▲ 6.90 ▲ 0.16%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,607.50 ▲ 33.20 ▲ 0.60%
Shanghai_Comp 3,015.83 ▲ 3.01 ▲ 0.10%
Taiwan_Weight 8,991.67 ▼ -21.47 ▼ -0.24%
Nikkei_225___ 16,620.29 ▼ -6.96 ▼ -0.04%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,993.44 ▲ 29.17 ▲ 0.13%
Strait_Times.__ 2,929.85 ▼ -15.50 ▼ -0.53%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,317.31 ▲ 91.26 ▲ 1.26%

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

Stocks pull back after 4 weeks of gains; Yahoo slips

NEW YORK (AP) ”” Stocks fell moderately on Monday as investors took a break after four weeks of gains that brought the market to record highs.

Energy companies fell more than the rest of the market as the price of oil took another turn lower. Yahoo fell after Verizon Communications announced it would buy most of Yahoo’s internet businesses for $4.83 billion.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 77.79 points, or 0.4 percent, to 18,493.06. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index lost 6.55 points, or 0.3 percent, to 2,168.48 and the Nasdaq composite lost 2.53 points, or 0.1 percent, to 5,097.63.

It’s common for a market that has run up quickly to retreat. With the slow summer trading season and lack of economic news, traders say there are few reasons to be buying the market right now.

“This is a broad, but benign, sell-off,” said Ryan Larson, head of U.S. equity trading for RBC Global Asset Management.

Larson pointed out the recent price-to-earnings ratio on the S&P 500, or the amount money that investors are paying for each dollar of earnings, which was trading at nearly 20. That’s far above the 14-16 times that investors are typically comfortable with.

“It’s another reason why the market looks fatigued at the moment,” he said.

This week, while heavy on individual company earnings, is light on economic data. Later this week the Bank of Japan and Federal Reserve will hold policy meetings. With Japan’s economy barely growing, economists are speculating about whether its central bank may push more stimulus, likely lowering its interest rate further into negative territory when it announces its decision on Friday.

The U.S. economy is in better shape than other advanced economies, but expectations are that the Fed will hold interest rates steady and look to raise interest rates later this year. Securities that bet on which way the Fed will move interest rates show only a 10 percent chance of a rate increase this week. The Fed’s two-day meeting starts Tuesday.

Technology companies will dominate quarterly earnings news this week, including results from Apple, Amazon, Google and Facebook. Their reports are also likely to heavily impact trading this week.

In individual company news, Yahoo fell $1.06, or 2.7 percent, to $38.32 after the company announced that Verizon would buy Yahoo’s advertising, media and email businesses for $4.83 billion, ending a five-month auction. Verizon will add Yahoo to its portfolio of recently purchased media companies, including AOL.

Once finished, Yahoo will be a shell of its former self, existing mainly as a holding company for its Alibaba and Yahoo Japan investments, as well as its patent portfolio. Verizon fell 23 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $55.87.

Oil prices continued on their month-long slide. The price of crude fell $1.06, or 2.4 percent, to close at $43.13 a barrel. U.S. crude oil is down 12 percent this month. Brent crude, the global benchmark, dropped 97 cents, or 2.1 percent, to close at $44.72 a barrel in London.

The 2 percent drop in oil prices dragged down major energy companies. Chevron lost $2.59, or 2.5 percent, to $103.07 and Exxon Mobil gave up $1.81, or 2 percent, to $92.20, the two biggest drops in the Dow Jones industrial average.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline fell 3 cents to $1.33 a gallon, heating oil fell 3 cents to $1.32 a gallon and natural gas also fell 3 cents to close at 2.75 per 1,000 cubic feet.

U.S. government bond prices didn’t move much. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note held steady at 1.57 percent. The dollar fell to 105.85 yen from 106.17 yen. The euro rose to $1.0989 from $1.0961.

The price of gold fell $3.90 to $1,319.50 an ounce, silver fell 4 cents to $19.65 an ounce and copper fell 2 cents to $2.22 a pound.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -19.31 points or ▼ -0.10% on Tuesday, July 26, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,473.75 ▼ -19.31 ▼ -0.10%
Nasdaq____ 5,110.05 ▲ 12.42 ▲ 0.24%
S&P_500___ 2,169.18 ▲ 0.70 ▲ 0.03%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.28 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.31%

NYSE Volume 3,402,505,500
Nasdaq Volume 1,930,975,620

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,724.03 ▲ 13.90 ▲ 0.21%
DAX_____ 10,247.76 ▲ 49.52 ▲ 0.49%
CAC_40__ 4,394.77 ▲ 6.77 ▲ 0.15%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,612.60 ▲ 5.10 ▲ 0.09%
Shanghai_Comp 3,050.17 ▲ 34.34 ▲ 1.14%
Taiwan_Weight 9,024.79 ▲ 33.12 ▲ 0.37%
Nikkei_225___ 16,383.04 ▼ -237.25 ▼ -1.43%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,129.73 ▲ 136.29 ▲ 0.62%
Strait_Times.__ 2,933.44 ▲ 3.59 ▲ 0.12%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,310.39 ▼ -6.92 ▼ -0.09%

http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70...l Markets/id-b054000682ce49a69d919c0c7476ed05

Stocks close flat as investors monitor company earnings
By KEN SWEET, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) ”” Stocks had a muddled session on Tuesday, as investors worked through a large batch of corporate earnings from a range of companies including Gilead Sciences, McDonald's and Texas Instruments.

McDonald's shares had their biggest one-day percentage decline since the financial crisis, weighing heavily on the Dow Jones industrial average.

The Dow closed down 19.31 points, or 0.1 percent, to 18,473.75. The Standard & Poor's 500 index was effectively flat, rising 0.7 of a point, or 0.03 percent, to 2,169.18 and the Nasdaq composite rose 12.42 points, or 0.2 percent, to 5,110.05.

The decline in the Dow was due to McDonald's, which fell $5.69, or 4.5 percent, to $121.71. Because the Dow is price-weighted and McDonald's is among the most expensive of the 30 stocks that make it up, the company's shares have an outsized influence on the index.

McDonald's reported disappointing growth in the U.S. Sales rose a meager 1.8 percent from a year ago, even with the restaurant chain rolling out an all-day breakfast menu.

Wall Street is in the midst of its busiest week for corporate earnings, with 203 members of the S&P 500 reporting their results. So far, earnings have been better than what analysts had anticipated. Roughly 68 percent of all companies who have reported their results have beaten expectations, according to FactSet.

"You've seen better earnings, especially from companies that do a lot of business internationally," said Kate Warne, investment strategist for Edward Jones. "It is part of what's powered the market higher in July."

In particular, this week is a big one for tech earnings. Apple and Twitter reported after the closing bell Tuesday and Google, Amazon and Facebook release their results later this week.

Apple shares jumped $3.68, or 4 percent, to $101.03 in aftermarket trading. While the company reported a 27 percent drop in quarterly earnings from a year earlier, the results still beat analysts' expectations.

Twitter, however, plunged more than 10 percent in aftermarket trading after the company's results missed expectations and the company cut its guidance for the year.

The market's rally this month has given some investors pause. After an initial wobble in the days following Britain's vote in late June to leave the European Union, the S&P 500 has surged 3.3 percent. Now the index is trading at 19 times expected earnings, which is historically high compared to the 14 to 16 times the index typically trades at.

"We have moved very far, very fast after the U.K. vote," said David Lebovitz, a global market strategist at JP Morgan Asset Management. "We are going to need a bit of time to find the market's new neutral spot after this run-up."

The Federal Reserve started two-day policy meeting on Tuesday. Economists do not expect the nation's central bank to raise interest rates from their current rate of 0.25 percent to 0.5 percent, but will be looking for any signals that policymakers are looking to raise rates later this year.

An interest rate decision is expected Wednesday afternoon.

In other company earnings, Texas Instruments rose $5.20, or 8 percent, to $71.42 after the technology company's quarterly results were better than anticipated. The company also issued a strong forecast for the third quarter.

Consumer and industrial products manufacturer 3M fell $1.97, or 1.1 percent, to $177.66 after the maker of Post-Its and Scotch Tape said it was trimming its sales forecast for the year.

Drugmaker Gilead Sciences fell $7.50, or 8.5 percent, to $81.05 after the company cut its full-year sales. While the company saw sales gains in its HIV drugs, the company said it was facing pricing pressure and slower-than-expected demand for its most important drug Harvoni, which cures Hepatitis C, and its other Hep-C drugs like Solvaldi.

Benchmark U.S. crude fell 21 cents to close at $42.92 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, used to price international oils, rose 15 cents to close at $44.87 a barrel in London.

In other energy commodities, heating oil rose less than 1 cent to $1.33 a gallon, wholesale gasoline futures rose 1 cent to $1.35 a gallon and natural gas fell 4 cents to $2.71 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note fell to 1.56 percent from 1.57 percent. The dollar declined to 104.62 yen from 105.85. The euro edged up to $1.0987 from $1.0989.

Gold rose $1.30 to $1,320.80 an ounce, silver rose 4 cents to $19.68 an ounce and copper rose less than a penny to $2.23 a pound.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -1.58 points or ▼ -0.01% on Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,472.17 ▼ -1.58 ▼ -0.01%
Nasdaq____ 5,139.81 ▲ 29.76 ▲ 0.58%
S&P_500___ 2,166.58 ▼ -2.60 ▼ -0.12%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.23 ▼ -0.05 ▼ -2.28%

NYSE Volume 3,935,951,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,970,925,000

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,750.43 ▲ 26.40 ▲ 0.39%
DAX_____ 10,319.55 ▲ 71.79 ▲ 0.70%
CAC_40__ 4,446.96 ▲ 52.19 ▲ 1.19%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,615.00 ▲ 2.40 ▲ 0.04%
Shanghai_Comp 2,992.00 ▼ -58.17 ▼ -1.91%
Taiwan_Weight 9,063.39 ▲ 38.60 ▲ 0.43%
Nikkei_225___ 16,664.82 ▲ 281.78 ▲ 1.72%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,218.99 ▲ 89.26 ▲ 0.40%
Strait_Times.__ 2,941.49 ▲ 8.05 ▲ 0.27%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,301.90 ▼ -8.49 ▼ -0.12%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-rise-helped-jump-142016013.html

US stocks edge mostly lower despite a big gain for Apple

NEW YORK (AP) ”” Stocks ended Wednesday's trading slightly lower as shares of energy companies and consumer goods makers outweighed gains in technology companies like Apple.

Investors also worked through the Federal Reserve's latest policy statement. The Fed didn't make any changes to interest rates but left the door open for increases later this year.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 1.58 points, less than 0.1 percent, to 18,472.17. The Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 2.60 points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,166.58. The technology-heavy Nasdaq composite rose 29.76 points, or 0.6 percent, to 5,139.81.

Apple jumped $6.36, or 6.6 percent, to $103.03. While the company reported lower revenue and iPhone sales, it still earned $10.5 billion last quarter, well above analysts' estimates. Apple had been one of the biggest drags on the market this year as investors became concerned that its years of massive growth were coming to an end. Apple nearly erased its loss for the year.

"The expectations for Apple were abysmal," said Daniel Morgan, a portfolio manager at Synovus Trust Company who owns Apple shares. "Everyone is waiting for later this year, when Apple releases new products."

Apple, one of the 30 stocks in the Dow Jones industrial average, is the first of the major technology companies to report this week. Investors got results from Facebook after the close of trading Wednesday, which will be followed by Amazon and Google later this week.

Facebook shares jumped 8 percent to $131.05 in aftermarket trading after the company's quarterly results easily surpassed analysts' expectations on both sales and profit. The company said roughly 1.71 billion people now use Facebook at least once a month, up 15 percent from a year earlier.

Coca-Cola, another component of the Dow, fell $1.48, or 3.3 percent, to $43.40 after the beverage giant trimmed its sales outlook for the year, citing weak demand in China and other international markets. Coke has faced headwinds in the U.S. and internationally as more consumers move away from sugary drinks.

Twitter, which also reported its results late Tuesday, plunged $2.68, or 15 percent, to $15.77. The social media company reported another loss and said user adoption rates continue to slow. Roughly 313 million people regularly used Twitter last quarter, a fraction of the 1.7 billion people who use Facebook regularly.

"It's really now becoming a question on whether Twitter as a concept is something financially viable," Morgan said. "Fundamentally, is this going to work?"

The Federal Reserve voted to keep interest rates unchanged while noting that "near-term risks" to the economy have "diminished." The Fed said the U.S. job market has rebounded, with strong job gains in June following weak growth in May. Investors will get another policy decision by one of the world's central banks on Friday, when the Bank of Japan is likely to vote to increase its economic stimulus efforts.

Benchmark U.S. crude fell $1, or roughly 2.3 percent, to close at $41.92 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, continuing its month-long decline. Brent crude, used to price international oils, fell $1.40 to $43.47 a barrel in London.

Energy stocks were among the biggest decliners as oil prices fell. Marathon Oil, Transocean and Hess Corporation all fell roughly 4 percent or more.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 1.51 percent from 1.56 percent, most of the gains coming after the Fed's announcement. The dollar rose to 105.23 yen from 104.63 yen and the euro fell to $1.1054 from $1.0986.

In metals, the price of gold rose $5.90 to $1,326.70 an ounce, silver rose 31 cents to $20 an ounce and copper fell 4 cents to $2.19 a pound.

In other energy commodities, heating oil fell 3 cents to $1.30 a gallon, wholesale gasoline futures fell 2 cents to $1.32 a gallon and natural gas fell 4 cents to $2.67 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -15.82 points or ▼ -0.09% on Thursday, July 28, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,456.35 ▼ -15.82 ▼ -0.09%
Nasdaq____ 5,154.98 ▲ 15.17 ▲ 0.30%
S&P_500___ 2,170.06 ▲ 3.48 ▲ 0.16%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.23 ▲ 0.00 ▲ 0.04%

NYSE Volume 3,653,419,750
Nasdaq Volume 1,833,893,380

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,721.06 ▼ -29.37 ▼ -0.44%
DAX_____ 10,274.93 ▼ -44.62 ▼ -0.43%
CAC_40__ 4,420.58 ▼ -26.38 ▼ -0.59%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,636.70 ▲ 21.70 ▲ 0.39%
Shanghai_Comp 2,994.32 ▲ 2.32 ▲ 0.08%
Taiwan_Weight 9,076.64 ▲ 13.25 ▲ 0.15%
Nikkei_225___ 16,476.84 ▼ -187.98 ▼ -1.13%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,174.34 ▼ -44.65 ▼ -0.20%
Strait_Times.__ 2,918.62 ▼ -22.87 ▼ -0.78%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,306.35 ▲ 4.45 ▲ 0.06%

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

Stocks post slight gains as investors work through earnings

NEW YORK (AP) ”” Stocks had another day of meager gains on Thursday as investors worked through a new batch of mixed company earnings, including results from Facebook, Ford and Whole Foods.

Cautious investors are looking ahead to a meeting of the Bank of Japan on Friday which is expected to result in an announcement of more stimulus for the world’s third-largest economy.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 15.82 points, or 0.1 percent, to 18,456.35. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 3.48 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,170.06 and the Nasdaq composite rose 15.17 points, or 0.3 percent, to 5,154.98.

After the market’s run-up this month, investors have mostly been in wait-and-see mode this week. While it’s been a busy week for corporate earnings, and individual stocks have moved a lot, the overall market has been relatively quiet. Market strategists have said that stocks have gotten expensive in recent days, and many investors are waiting for earnings to play out before making any major moves.

Once again, technology companies were front and center. Facebook shares rose $1.66, or 1.3 percent, to $125. The social networking company reported earnings that more than doubled from a year earlier, topping analysts’ views, as well as a 15 percent rise in monthly users. However the shares had been much higher earlier in the session.

NetSuite jumped $16.84, or 18 percent, to $108.41 after computer software giant Oracle announced it was buying the company for $9.3 billion. NetSuite and Oracle both specialize in high-end software, but NetSuite specializes more in cloud computing while Oracle is heavy on mainframe database software. Oracle rose 26 cents, or 0.6 percent, to $41.19 on the news.

Investors got results from Google’s parent company, Alphabet, and Amazon after the market close Thursday. Amazon rose 2 percent and Alphabet rose 3 percent as both companies’ results beat analysts’ expectations.

Investors are now hoping for new stimulus efforts from the Bank of Japan, which is expected to vote Friday on expanding monetary policy measures aimed at reviving sputtering growth in Asia’s second-biggest economy. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has announced 28 trillion yen ($266 billion) in extra government spending to jumpstart growth, but details are uncertain.

Bond prices fell slightly, having jumped a day earlier following a decision by the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates steady. Investors are now looking to the September meeting. Securities that allow investors to bet on which way the Fed will move rates show a 25 percent chance that the Fed will increase rates at that meeting.

“We think September has a good chance of a rate hike, and this week’s announcement confirmed that,” said Kristina Hooper, head of U.S. investment strategies at Allianz Global Investors.

Hooper added that there are some investors who believe the Fed will not raise rates so close to a presidential election, but she does not see it as a major factor.

The yield on the benchmark U.S. 10-year note was 1.51 percent, up from 1.50 percent the day before.

In other trading, Whole Foods Market fell $3.03, or 9 percent, to $30.61 after the high-end supermarket chain reported that sales declined in the quarter, as the company faces more competition from other supermarkets who have been increasing their organic produce options.

Ford lost $1.13, or 8 percent, to $12.71 after the company reported a 9 percent drop in profits as sales slowed in the U.S. and struggled in China. The company warned that its full-year guidance might need to be cut.

In currencies, the euro rose to $1.1073 from $1.1023 and the dollar was unchanged at 105.45 yen.

In the energy market, benchmark U.S. crude fell 78 cents to close at $41.14 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, used to price international oils, lost $1.40 to close at $43.47 a barrel in London.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline fell 2 cents to $1.31 a gallon, heating oil fell 2 cents to $1.27 a gallon and natural gas rose 4 cents to $2.67 per 1,000 cubic feet.

In the metals markets, gold rose $5.60 to $1,332.30 an ounce, silver rose 20 cents to $20.19 an ounce and copper rose 2 cents to $2.21 a pound.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -24.11 points or ▼ -0.13% on Friday, July 29, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,432.24 ▼ -24.11 ▼ -0.13%
Nasdaq____ 5,162.13 ▲ 7.15 ▲ 0.14%
S&P_500___ 2,173.60 ▲ 3.54 ▲ 0.16%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.18 ▼ -0.05 ▼ -2.11%

NYSE Volume 3,952,279,750
Nasdaq Volume 1,950,548,250

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,724.43 ▲ 3.37 ▲ 0.05%
DAX_____ 10,337.50 ▲ 62.57 ▲ 0.61%
CAC_40__ 4,439.81 ▲ 19.23 ▲ 0.44%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,644.00 ▲ 7.30 ▲ 0.13%
Shanghai_Comp 2,979.34 ▼ -14.98 ▼ -0.50%
Taiwan_Weight 8,984.41 ▼ -92.23 ▼ -1.02%
Nikkei_225___ 16,569.27 ▲ 92.43 ▲ 0.56%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,891.37 ▼ -282.97 ▼ -1.28%
Strait_Times.__ 2,868.69 ▼ -49.93 ▼ -1.71%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,348.13 ▲ 41.78 ▲ 0.57%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-fall-bank-japans-stimulus-142250892.html

Stocks close mostly higher, helped by technology, oil

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks ended slightly higher on Friday, helped by better-than-expected quarterly results from Google's parent Alphabet and retailer Amazon and a modest recovery in oil prices.

However, the gains were held back by disappointing results from Exxon Mobil as well as news out of the Bank of Japan, which did not announce as much stimulus as many had hoped.

The Dow Jones industrial average closed down 24.11 points, or 0.1 percent, to 18,432.24.

The Dow was held back partly by a drop in the oil giant Exxon Mobil. The company reported its smallest quarterly profit in 17 years, well below what analysts were looking for, due to the continuing weakness in oil prices. Its major competitor, Chevron, fared slightly better. While earnings dropped sharply from a year ago, Chevron's results still beat analysts' expectations.

Exxon fell $1.25, or 1.4 percent, to $88.95. Chevron climbed 69 cents, or 0.7 percent, to $102.48 after being down earlier in the day.

Broader market indicators ended higher. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 3.54 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,173.60 and the Nasdaq composite increased 7.15 points, or 0.1 percent, to 5,162.13.

Wall Street is finishing out its busiest week of corporate earnings, which was dominated by mostly strong results from technology companies including Apple, Facebook, Alphabet, Amazon and others.

Alphabet, the parent company of Google, jumped $25.50, or 3.3 percent, to $791.34. The company reported earnings of $8.42 a share, well above the $8.04 that analysts were looking for.

Amazon rose $6.20, or 1 percent, to $758.81. The online retail giant reported a profit of $1.78 per share, well above the $1.11 a share that analysts expected. Amazon reported it sold $30.4 billion in goods in the quarter, up 31 percent from a year earlier.

The strong results from Amazon and Google, as well as the results from other tech companies, helped lift the technology-heavy Nasdaq 1.2 percent this week, while the Dow lost 0.8 percent. The S&P 500 closed the week down slightly. It was the first weekly loss for the S&P 500 after four weeks of gains.

So far, corporate profits appear to be coming well ahead of what were very low expectations. Earnings in the S&P 500 so far are down 2.4 percent from a year ago, which is better than the 5.2 percent decline expected when earnings season started, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.

"Expectations were exceptionally low for the second quarter. While consumers goods and technology has been better than expected, the energy sector continues to show challenges," said Kate Moore, chief equity strategist for BlackRock.

Investors remain cautious, however. The run-up earlier this month made stocks more expensive than investors are historically comfortable with. The S&P 500 is trading at 18.5 times its expected earnings for the next year, noticeable above the 12-14 times investors typically look for.

The presidential election will continue to grow as an issue for markets in the next several months. Investors dislike uncertainty, and the unexpectedly close presidential election and mostly unknown policies of Donald Trump puts them on edge.

Next week another fifth of the S&P 500 will report their results, including Proctor & Gamble, General Motors, Kraft Heinz, 21st Century Fox and Allstate, among many others.

Moore also pointed out the July jobs report, released August 5, will give investors direction since the June and May jobs reports showed two clashing directions for the U.S. economy.

Japan's central bank ended a policy meeting Friday by announcing it will expand purchases of exchange traded funds from financial institutions to help inject more cash into the world's third-largest economy and pursue its 2 percent inflation target. But the measures fell short of hopes for more aggressive action. That helped the yen surge as investors priced in fewer yen in circulation. The dollar dropped to 102.03 yen from 105.45 yen.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the benchmark U.S. 10-year Treasury note falling to 1.46 percent from 1.51 percent the day before.

In energy trading, benchmark U.S. crude reversed earlier losses and was up 46 cents to close at $41.60 on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, used to price international oils, fell 24 cents to $42.46 a barrel in London.

Heating oil rose less than 1 cent to $1.28 a gallon, wholesale gasoline futures rose 1 cent to $1.32 a gallon and natural gas fell was little changed at $2.88 per thousand cubic feet.

In other currencies, the euro rose to $1.1179 from $1.1073 the day before and the British pound rose to $1.3239 from $1.3148.

The price of gold closed up $16.70 to $1,349 an ounce, silver rose 16 cents to $20.31 an ounce and copper rose a penny to $2.222 a pound.

6544

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -27.73 points or ▼ -0.15% on Monday, August 1, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,404.51 ▼ -27.73 ▼ -0.15%
Nasdaq____ 5,184.20 ▲ 22.06 ▲ 0.43%
S&P_500___ 2,170.84 ▼ -2.76 ▼ -0.13%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.23 ▲ 0.05 ▲ 2.38%

NYSE Volume 3,494,311,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,748,412,250

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,693.95 ▼ -30.48 ▼ -0.45%
DAX_____ 10,330.52 ▼ -6.98 ▼ -0.07%
CAC_40__ 4,409.17 ▼ -30.64 ▼ -0.69%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,670.10 ▲ 26.10 ▲ 0.46%
Shanghai_Comp 2,953.39 ▼ -25.95 ▼ -0.87%
Taiwan_Weight 9,080.71 ▲ 96.30 ▲ 1.07%
Nikkei_225___ 16,635.77 ▲ 66.50 ▲ 0.40%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,129.14 ▲ 237.77 ▲ 1.09%
Strait_Times.__ 2,892.52 ▲ 23.83 ▲ 0.83%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,356.63 ▲ 8.50 ▲ 0.12%

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

US stocks slip as falling oil prices punish energy companies

NEW YORK (AP) – U.S. stocks wobbled and finished mostly lower Monday as the price of oil continued to nosedive thanks to the strong dollar. Energy companies took the biggest losses as U.S. crude hovered around $40 a barrel, its lowest price in almost four months, and materials companies also traded lower.

Every oil, gas and pipeline company on the Standard & Poor’s 500 finished lower as a slump in the price of oil and other fuels extended into a third week. The losses for energy and mining, chemical and building companies canceled out gains for technology and health care companies. A survey showed U.S. manufacturing continued to grow in July, but did so at a slower pace than the month before. That, too, is linked to strength in the dollar.

“Manufacturing and oil have moved in lockstep for the better part of five years,” said Steve Chiavarone, associated portfolio manager for Federated Investors.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 27.73 points, or 0.2 percent, to 18,404.51. The S&P 500 lost 2.76 points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,170.84. The Nasdaq composite gained 22.06 points, or 0.4 percent, to 5,184.20. The Nasdaq rose last week while the other major indexes fell. The Dow and S&P 500 set all-time highs recently and the Nasdaq is within 1 percent of the record it set in July 2015.

A survey by the Institute for Supply Management said U.S. factories expanded for the fifth month in a row, although its survey reading was lower in July than it was in June and factory employment decreased. A survey of manufacturing in Europe showed a similar result, and two surveys showed manufacturing activity in China was relatively weak in July.

The dollar has been gaining strength in over the last few years, and while it appeared to level off recently, it appears to be picking up again because investors are realizing the Federal Reserve may raise interest rates later this year. Chiavarone said that’s starting to hurt oil prices and slow down U.S. manufacturing. When the dollar gets stronger, oil falls because it’s priced in dollars.

Benchmark U.S. crude lost $1.54, or 3.7 percent, to $40.06 a barrel in New York, while Brent crude, which is used to price international oils, gave up $1.39, or 3.2 percent, to $42.14 a barrel in London. The price of oil has fallen 13 percent in a little more than two weeks and during the day it traded below $40 a barrel for the first time since April 8. Exxon Mobil fell $3.09, or 3.5 percent, to $86.85, its biggest loss since January. Chevron shed $3.37, or 3.3 percent, to $99.11.

Ionis Pharmaceuticals rose after it said a drug designed to treat spinal muscular atrophy in infants worked in a late-stage clinical study. It also said drugmaker Biogen exercised an option to develop the drug globally and will pay Ionis $75 million. Biogen plans to start seeking marketing approval for the drug, nusinersen, in the next few months. Ionis surged $8.82, or 30.2 percent, to $38.01 and Biogen gained $11.90, or 4.1 percent, to $301.83, more than any other S&P 500 stock.

Those moves helped pull health care stocks higher. Technology and consumer stocks also gained ground, and the S&P 500 consumer company and tech indexes reached annual highs. Netflix rose $3.12, or 3.4 percent, to $94.37 and Apple added $1.84, or 1.8 percent, to $106.05.

The dollar edged up to 102.35 yen from 102.03 yen. The euro fell to $1.1169 from $1.1179.

Bond prices fell and the yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note rose to 1.52 percent from 1.45 percent, reversing a slide in bond yields on Friday. That’s also a sign more investors are expecting higher interest rates.

Tesla agreed to buy SolarCity for $2.6 billion in stock. More than a month ago it offered to buy the company for about $2.5 billion, and investors had hoped for a bigger offer. SolarCity has 45 days to seek better offers. Tesla CEO Elon Musk owns more than 20 percent of both companies, and SolarCity is run by his cousin Lyndon Rive. The deal won’t go through unless it’s approved by a majority of shareholders other than Musk.

SolarCity also cut its guidance Monday. Its stock fell $1.98, or 7.4 percent, to $24.72 and Tesla Motors lost $4.78, or 2 percent, to $230.01.

Caesars Entertainment said it agreed to sell its social and mobile games business to a Chinese consortium for $4.4 billion. Its stock advanced 46 cents, or 6.7 percent, to $7.36.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -90.74 points or ▼ -0.49% on Tuesday, August 2, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,313.77 ▼ -90.74 ▼ -0.49%
Nasdaq____ 5,137.73 ▼ -46.46 ▼ -0.90%
S&P_500___ 2,157.03 ▼ -13.81 ▼ -0.64%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.29 ▲ 0.05 ▲ 2.37%

NYSE Volume 3,835,661,750
Nasdaq Volume 1,968,713,880

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,645.40 ▼ -48.55 ▼ -0.73%
DAX_____ 10,144.34 ▼ -186.18 ▼ -1.80%
CAC_40__ 4,327.99 ▼ -81.18 ▼ -1.84%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,622.10 ▼ -48.00 ▼ -0.85%
Shanghai_Comp 2,971.28 ▲ 17.89 ▲ 0.61%
Taiwan_Weight 9,068.76 ▼ -11.95 ▼ -0.13%
Nikkei_225___ 16,391.45 ▼ -244.32 ▼ -1.47%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,129.14 ▲ 0.00 ▲ 0.00%
Strait_Times.__ 2,856.67 ▼ -35.85 ▼ -1.24%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,329.20 ▼ -27.43 ▼ -0.37%

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

US stocks take biggest losses in nearly a month

NEW YORK (AP) ”” U.S. stocks took their biggest loss in almost a month on Tuesday as investors worried about the health of the U.S. economy and sold shares in retailers and car companies. Machinery companies also fell and the price of oil continued to decline.

Travel companies fell after cruise line operator Royal Caribbean cut its projections for the year, and automakers and suppliers fell after car companies reported lower U.S. sales for the month of July. Banks finished lower as investors worried about the health of banks in Europe. While stocks set all-time records as recently as July 22, they've been trading in a very narrow range for the last few weeks. Since stocks aren't making big gains, investors are sensitive to signs of trouble for the U.S. economy, like weaker sales of autos or last week's disappointing GDP report.

"The market had just rallied... and now it's sort of paused," said Jim Paulsen, the chief investment strategist for Wells Capital Management. "Any weak reports get magnified," he said.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 90.74 points, or 0.5 percent, to 18,313.77. The Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 13.81 points, or 0.6 percent, to 2,157.03. The Nasdaq composite slid 46.46 points, or 0.9 percent, to 5,137.73. The Dow has fallen for seven days in a row, and Tuesday was the worst day for U.S. stocks since July 5.

Auto companies reported lower U.S. sales in July as a heatwave kept buyers at home. General Motors said its sales fell 2 percent and Ford said sales fell 3 percent. After six straight years of growth, auto sales have reached record levels and are starting to plateau. GM stock shed $1.37, or 4.4 percent, to $29.93 and Ford lost 54 cents, or 4.3 percent, to $11.94. Car retailers CarMax and AutoNation and supplier BorgWarner all fell.

Cruise line operator Royal Caribbean cut its forecasts for the year as the strong dollar continues to hurt its results. That left Royal Caribbean's stock down $4.51, or 6.3 percent, to $67.35. Other consumer companies like retailers Nordstrom and Kohl's and office supply chain Staples all stumbled.

Citigroup retreated 43 cents, or 1 percent, to $42.99 and Morgan Stanley fell 50 cents, or 1.8 percent, to $28. Bank stocks in Europe tumbled for the second day in a row. The losses extended to banks that were effectively given a clean bill of health by the European Banking Authority in last Friday's stress tests.

Industrial and transport companies struggled. Delta said a revenue measurement fell in July and its stock lost $3.09, or 7.8 percent, to $36.39 and American Airlines lost $2.09, or 5.9 percent, to $33.51. Emerson Electric, which makes valves and process controls systems, posted disappointing quarterly results. It gave up $2.75, or 4.9 percent, to $53.03. Tech stocks also lost ground. Apple fell $1.57, or 1.5 percent, to $104.48 and electronic storage company Seagate Technology slid $1.78, or 5.5 percent, to $30.65 despite a solid quarterly report.

Oil prices continued to drop, extending a slide that has lasted more than two weeks. Benchmark U.S. crude fell 55 cents, or 1.4 percent, to $39.51 in New York. U.S. crude hadn't closed under $40 a barrel since April 8. Brent crude, which is used to price international oils, sank 34 cents to $41.80 a barrel London.

Drugstore chain and pharmacy benefits manager CVS Health raised its 2016 forecasts as specialty drug prices kept rising and deals for Omnicare and Target's pharmacy and clinic unit boosted its results. Its stock rose $4.57, or 4.9 percent, to $98.06.

Discovery Communications, the company behind TLC, Animal Planet and other channels, reported profit that was larger than analysts expected as its U.S. business strengthened. Its stock gained $1.65, or 6.7 percent, to $26.42.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline rose 1 cent to $1.31 a gallon. Heating oil held steady at $1.26 a gallon. Natural gas fell 4 cents to $2.73 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The price of gold rose $13, or 1 percent, to $1,372.60 an ounce, and silver jumped 20 cents, or 1 percent, to $20.70 an ounce. Copper added 1 cent to $2.21 a pound.

Germany's DAX and France's CAC 40 both lost 1.8 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 fell 0.7 percent. Japan's Nikkei 225 lost 1.5 percent. While the Japanese government approved a new economic stimulus package worth about $275 billion, investors were skeptical the measure will work. South Korea's Kospi lost 0.5 percent to 2,019.70. China's Shanghai Composite Index edged up 0.6 percent.

Bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note edged up to 1.55 percent from 1.52 percent. The dollar fell to 100.88 yen from 102.35 yen and the euro rose to $1.1227 from $1.1169.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 41.23 points or ▲ 0.23% on Wednesday, August 3, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,355.00 ▲ 41.23 ▲ 0.23%
Nasdaq____ 5,159.74 ▲ 22.00 ▲ 0.43%
S&P_500___ 2,163.79 ▲ 6.76 ▲ 0.31%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.29 ▲ 0.01 ▲ 0.26%

NYSE Volume 3,708,448,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,813,891,380

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,634.40 ▼ -11.00 ▼ -0.17%
DAX_____ 10,170.21 ▲ 25.87 ▲ 0.26%
CAC_40__ 4,321.08 ▼ -6.91 ▼ -0.16%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,551.40 ▼ -70.70 ▼ -1.26%
Shanghai_Comp 2,978.46 ▲ 7.18 ▲ 0.24%
Taiwan_Weight 9,001.71 ▼ -67.05 ▼ -0.74%
Nikkei_225___ 16,083.11 ▼ -308.34 ▼ -1.88%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,739.12 ▼ -390.02 ▼ -1.76%
Strait_Times.__ 2,827.58 ▼ -29.09 ▼ -1.02%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,277.40 ▼ -51.80 ▼ -0.71%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-inch-higher-payroll-142555664.html

US stocks tick higher as energy prices jump

NEW YORK (AP) ”” U.S. stocks edged higher Wednesday as energy companies climbed with the price of oil. Banks also rose, and investors sold traditionally safe stocks. A survey showed that hiring by private companies continued at a solid but uninspiring clip in July.

Stocks opened lower but gradually recovered to finish at their highest levels of the day. The price of oil jumped after the U.S. government said gasoline stockpiles shrank last week. A survey showed private U.S. business payrolls grew by 179,000 in July as retailers and shipping firms hired more workers. That suggests hiring is still healthy, but that wasn't enough to excite investors.

"So much of this (economic) recovery could be correctly categorized as slow but steady," said Mike Baele, senior portfolio manager with U.S. Bank's private client reserve. "It's all better than last year, for the most part, but it's also all below expectations."

The Dow Jones industrial average broke a seven-day losing streak and added 41.23 points, or 0.2 percent, to 18,355. The Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 6.76 points, or 0.3 percent, to 2,163.79. The Nasdaq composite rose 22 points, or 0.4 percent, to 5,159.74.

The employment survey by payroll processor ADP suggests employers continue to hire new workers and at a faster pace than they were this spring, when hiring slowed sharply. Still, growth has been sluggish this year. The Labor Department will release a report Friday that includes hiring by government as well as private companies. Experts think it will show a gain of about 175,000 jobs.

The price of crude oil jumped after the U.S. government said stockpiles of gasoline shrank by more than 3 million barrels last week. S&P Global Platts said that was far more than expected, and that total oil production also decreased slightly. That helped oil bounce back from the slump that's taken it from $50 a barrel in early June down to around $40.

Benchmark U.S. crude added $1.32, or 3.3 percent, to $40.83 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, which is used to price international oils, rose $1.30, or 3.1 percent, to $43.10 a barrel in London.

That translated into big gains for energy companies. Williams Cos. rose $1.71, or 7.1 percent, to $25.67 and Devon Energy gained $1.88, or 5.2 percent, to $38.

Financial stocks also traded higher. Insurance company American International Group jumped following a strong second-quarter report. AIG stock rose $3.96, or 7.3 percent, to $58.10. Intercontinental Exchange, the owner of the New York Stock Exchange and other stock markets, said it will split its stock 5-for-1 and buy back $1 billion in shares. Its stock rose $14.09, or 5.3 percent, to $278.02.

Earnings reports continued to stream in. Luxury clothing, handbag and accessories company Kate Spade skidded $3.67, or 18.2 percent, to $16.47 after it disclosed weak results and lowered its estimates for the year. Kate Spade said travelers aren't spending as much money at stores that depend on shopping by tourists.

Footwear maker Crocs plunged after its second-quarter sales fell $25 million short of analyst estimates. Crocs projected a bigger shortfall in the current quarter, and the company said it expects overall revenue to shrink this year. Its stock gave up $2.56, or 23.3 percent, to $8.44.

Fitness tracker maker Fitbit rebounded after its quarterly results came in stronger than expected. The stock rose $1.77, or 13.4 percent, to $14.93. The stock is still down 50 percent this year, and a year ago it was trading around $50 per share.

Etsy climbed $1.13, or 8.9 percent, to $13.84. The online crafts marketplace said sales were better than expected and raised its sales and other projections for the year.

Zagg, a mobile device accessory company that bought smartphone charger company Mophie earlier this year, reported an unexpected profit and sales that were stronger than estimates. Among other factors, it said the "Pokemon Go" craze boosted its sales as players needed to recharge their phones more often. The stock rose 67 cents, or 10.5 percent, to $7.03.

The price of gold fell $8.30 to $1,356.10 an ounce. Silver fell 23 cents, or 1.1 percent, to $20.47 an ounce. Copper lost 1 cent to $2.20 a pound.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline rose 4 cents to $1.35 a gallon. Heating oil added 3 cents to $1.29 a gallon. Natural gas gained 11 cents to $2.84 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -2.95 points or ▼ -0.02% on Thursday, August 4, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,352.05 ▼ -2.95 ▼ -0.02%
Nasdaq____ 5,166.25 ▲ 6.51 ▲ 0.13%
S&P_500___ 2,164.25 ▲ 0.46 ▲ 0.02%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.25 ▼ -0.04 ▼ -1.66%

NYSE Volume 3,504,631,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,773,588,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,740.16 ▲ 105.76 ▲ 1.59%
DAX_____ 10,227.86 ▲ 57.65 ▲ 0.57%
CAC_40__ 4,345.63 ▲ 24.55 ▲ 0.57%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,563.40 ▲ 12.00 ▲ 0.22%
Shanghai_Comp 2,982.43 ▲ 3.97 ▲ 0.13%
Taiwan_Weight 9,024.71 ▲ 23.00 ▲ 0.26%
Nikkei_225___ 16,254.89 ▲ 171.78 ▲ 1.07%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,832.23 ▲ 93.11 ▲ 0.43%
Strait_Times.__ 2,831.96 ▲ 4.38 ▲ 0.15%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,298.08 ▲ 20.68 ▲ 0.28%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-slightly-lower-missing-141955150.html

US stocks barely budge ahead of monthly jobs report

NEW YORK (AP) ”” U.S. stocks wavered Thursday and finished barely higher as an interest rate cut by the Bank of England, a move intended to shore up the British economy, wasn’t enough to get investors out of their recent cautious mode.

Technology companies continued to make the biggest gains, as they’ve done over the last few months. Oil prices rose for the second day in a row, something that hadn’t happened for almost three weeks. Bank stocks fell the most, as the interest rate cut suggests they won’t be able to make as much money on lending. While the Bank of England’s moves sent European stocks higher, investors in U.S. stocks moved carefully as they waited for Friday’s jobs report.

Quincy Krosby, market strategist at Prudential Financial, said investors were playing it safe as they waited for the Labor Department’s July employment report. Hiring in June was stronger than expected, but that followed shockingly weak job growth in May.

“The market has been surprised before and wants to make sure that they’re prepared in either direction,” Krosby said. “To get the market to move higher you need an underpinning of stronger economic growth.”

The Dow Jones industrial average slipped 2.95 points to 18,352.05. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index inched up 0.46 points to 2,164.25. The Nasdaq composite rose 6.51 points, or 0.1 percent, to 5,166.25.

The Bank of England cut interest rates to new lows and unveiled a raft of stimulus measures that include resuming a bond-buying program to pump money into the economy and offering cheap loans to banks. The measures seemed to exceed investors’ expectations, and the bank said the measures could be expanded later if it proves necessary.

The Bank of England is trying to counter the shock of Britain’s vote in late June to leave the European Union. Britain’s central bank hadn’t cut interest rates since the financial crisis.

The pound fell to $1.3116 from $1.3317 on Wednesday. Bank shares also lost ground, as lower interest rates reduce the amount of money they can make from lending.

Technology stocks have done better than the broader market in the spring and summer, and on Thursday they were led higher by companies including Facebook and communications chipmaker Broadcom. Facebook rose $1.85, or 1.5 percent, to $124.36, and Broadcom gained $2.88, or 1.8 percent, to $166.99.

Materials companies made some of the biggest gains after strong earnings from Ball Corp. and Westrock. Ball, which makes metal and plastic packaging for food and drink companies, jumped $8.41, or 12 percent, to $78.51 and packaging company WestRock rose $1.77, or 4.2 percent, to $43.72.

Benchmark U.S. crude rose $1.10, or 2.7 percent, to $41.93 a barrel in New York after a 3-percent climb Wednesday. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oil prices, added $1.19, or 2.8 percent, to $44.29 a barrel in London.

The Labor Department said applications for unemployment aid rose to 269,000 last week, a level close to historical lows and a positive sign for the job market. The number of Americans collecting unemployment benefits has fallen more than 5 percent in last year, but the pace of hiring and economic growth slowed in the first half of 2016.

Mobile payments company Square climbed after it reported strong second-quarter results and raised its projections for the year. The stock rose 88 cents, or 8.4 percent, to $11.32.

Travel website operator TripAdvisor reported lower revenue growth and profit margins in the second quarter, disappointing analysts. The company also cited terrorism as among the events that are making it harder to predict how its business will perform in the near future. Its stock lost $5.90, or 8.5 percent, to $63.59.

Theme park operator SeaWorld said its revenue fell in the second quarter as guest numbers from Latin America dropped off amid economic turmoil there and bad weather. Its stock gave up $1.96, or 13.2 percent, to $12.88.

Callaway Golf jumped after sporting goods giant Nike surprised Wall Street by saying it will stop making golf equipment like clubs, golf balls and bags. Nike said it will focus on apparel and shoes instead. Callaway climbed 42 cents, or 4 percent, to $11.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline rose 2 cents to $1.37 a gallon. Heating oil added 4 cents to $1.33 a gallon. Natural gas fell 1 cent to $2.83 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 191.48 points or ▲ 1.04% on Friday, August 5, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,543.53 ▲ 191.48 ▲ 1.04%
Nasdaq____ 5,221.12 ▲ 54.87 ▲ 1.06%
S&P_500___ 2,182.87 ▲ 18.62 ▲ 0.86%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.31 ▲ 0.06 ▲ 2.44%

NYSE Volume 3,611,481,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,865,460,380

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,793.47 ▲ 53.31 ▲ 0.79%
DAX_____ 10,367.21 ▲ 139.35 ▲ 1.36%
CAC_40__ 4,410.55 ▲ 64.92 ▲ 1.49%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,585.60 ▲ 22.20 ▲ 0.40%
Shanghai_Comp 2,976.70 ▼ -5.73 ▼ -0.19%
Taiwan_Weight 9,092.12 ▲ 67.41 ▲ 0.75%
Nikkei_225___ 16,254.45 ▼ -0.44 ▲ 0.00%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,146.09 ▲ 313.86 ▲ 1.44%
Strait_Times.__ 2,828.17 ▼ -3.79 ▼ -0.13%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,308.42 ▲ 10.34 ▲ 0.14%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-jump-strong-jobs-144517936.html

US stocks rise to record highs after strong jobs report

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks jumped to record highs Friday after a strong jobs report for the month of July gave investors more confidence that the economy is still growing. Financial and technology stocks soared and investors sold the safe assets they have favored for most of this year.

The Labor Department said U.S. employers added 255,000 jobs in July, far more than investors expected and the second straight month of strong gains after shaky reports this spring. Stocks made their biggest gain in almost a month. Banks traded higher as investors anticipated higher interest rates and bigger profits on mortgages and other loans. The Nasdaq composite closed at a record high as tech stocks continued to climb. Consumer companies also made big gains. Investors sold bonds, precious metals, and phone and utility companies, safe investments that soared earlier this year as investors worried about the health of the economy.

"It looks like the economy is improving, it looks like corporate earnings are on the upswing," said Sam Stovall, U.S. equity strategist for S&P Capital IQ. That marks a change from earlier this year, he said, when investors worried the U.S. would fall into a recession and tech companies would suffer as businesses cut spending. But tech stocks have come back to lead the market higher over the last few months.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 191.48 points, or 1 percent, to 18,543.53. The Standard & Poor's 500 index climbed 18.62 points, or 0.9 percent, to 2,182.87. The Nasdaq advanced 54.87 points, or 1.1 percent, to 5,221.12.

The strong jobs report suggests that Britain's vote to leave the European Union in late June didn't have much effect on hiring plans for U.S. companies. The unemployment rate remained at 4.9 percent and hourly pay continued to rise. The hiring spree follows an even larger surge in June and represents a turnaround from weak job growth in the first half of this year, including disappointing job gains in April and May.

Banks rose the most, as higher interest rates boost their profits on lending. Bank of America rose 57 cents, or 3.9 percent, to $15.05 and Citigroup added $1.88, or 4.3 percent, to $45.72.

Kate Warne, an investment strategist for Edward Jones, said the report reassured investors but won't vanquish their fears entirely.

"With an election where both candidates are likely to talk about how badly the economy is doing and how disappointing growth has been, investors as a whole are more anxious than the job picture would suggest," she said.

The Federal Reserve has been saying for months that it intends to raise interest rates if the economy's strength warrants it. July's report provides more evidence the economy is doing well, boosting the chances that interest rates will go up. But Warne said investor views on the economy and the Fed will keep fluctuating.

"When the Fed indicates that they're data dependent, that means investors are going to be data dependent as well," she said.

Bond prices fell and the yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note jumped to 1.59 percent from 1.50 percent.

Kraft Heinz, the company behind Oscar Mayer bologna, Jell-O pudding and Velveeta cheese, also traded higher after it reported a larger profit than analysts expected. Its stock picked up $3.25, or 3.8 percent, to $88.79.

After Bristol-Myers Squibb said one of its cancer drugs failed in a clinical trial, its stock suffered its biggest slump since 2000. Meanwhile rival drugmaker Merck soared by the most in seven years. Bristol-Myers sank $12.04, or 16 percent, to $63.28 after saying its drug Opdivo did not halt progression of non-small cell lung cancer in the study.

Merck makes a drug called Keytruda that also stimulates patients' immune systems to fight lung cancer. The company, which took in $533 million from Keytruda this year, rose $6.02, or 10.4 percent, to $63.86. Merck was the largest gainer among S&P 500 stocks, and Bristol-Myers Squibb took the largest loss.

Security software maker FireEye tumbled after it reported weak sales, cut its forecasts and announced job cuts. Its stock plunged $2.02, or 12.1 percent, to $14.73. Rival software firm Symantec disclosed a larger profit and better sales than expected in its fiscal first quarter, and its full-year profit forecast was stronger than expected. Its stock climbed 86 cents, or 4.1 percent, to $21.89.

7181

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -14.24 points or ▼ -0.08% on Monday, August 8, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,529.29 ▼ -14.24 ▼ -0.08%
Nasdaq____ 5,213.14 ▼ -7.98 ▼ -0.15%
S&P_500___ 2,180.89 ▼ -1.98 ▼ -0.09%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.30 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.48%

NYSE Volume 3,273,731,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,552,465,000

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,809.13 ▲ 15.66 ▲ 0.23%
DAX_____ 10,432.36 ▲ 65.15 ▲ 0.63%
CAC_40__ 4,415.46 ▲ 4.91 ▲ 0.11%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,625.70 ▲ 40.10 ▲ 0.72%
Shanghai_Comp 3,004.28 ▲ 27.58 ▲ 0.93%
Taiwan_Weight 9,150.26 ▲ 58.14 ▲ 0.64%
Nikkei_225___ 16,650.57 ▲ 396.12 ▲ 2.44%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,494.76 ▲ 348.67 ▲ 1.57%
Strait_Times.__ 2,870.78 ▲ 42.61 ▲ 1.51%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,348.30 ▲ 39.88 ▲ 0.55%

http://staging.hosted.ap.org/dynami...ME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-08-08-16-58-17

US stock indexes close slightly lower; oil rises

By ALEX VEIGA
AP Business Writer

A mostly listless day of trading left U.S. stock indexes little changed Monday, hovering just below the record highs they set late last week.

Drug company and consumer-focused stocks weighed on the market, while energy companies surged, getting a lift from a pickup in crude oil prices.

The slight pullback came as investors took advantage of the milestones reached Friday by the Standard & Poor's 500 index and Nasdaq composite to pocket some gains. Strong U.S. jobs data left traders feeling more confident in the economy heading into this week.

"It's a little bit of profit-taking," said JJ Kinahan, chief strategist at TD Ameritrade. "We're coming off a good employment number and we know the consumer's been strong."

The Dow Jones industrial average slipped 14.24 points, or 0.1 percent, to 18,529.29. The S&P 500 index dipped 1.98 points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,180.89. The Nasdaq shed 7.98 points, or 0.2 percent, to 5,213.14.

The stock market hit record highs on Friday after the Labor Department said U.S. employers added 255,000 jobs in July - far more than investors expected. The hiring spree, which followed an even bigger surge in June, gave investors more confidence that the economy is still growing.

The major stock indexes appeared headed for another day of gains early on, as markets in Asia and Europe shrugged off new data showing China's exports and imports declined again last month. A report indicating industrial production in Germany grew at a better-than-expected rate in June helped lift markets overseas.

U.S. markets initially wavered between small gains and losses, but ultimately remained slightly down the rest of the day.

Two drugmakers weighed on the market early on.

Shares in Bristol-Myers Squibb were hammered after plunging on Friday following news that the drugmaker's cancer treatment Opdivo failed in a study aimed at extending its usage for lung cancer patients. The stock lost $2.98, or 4.7 percent, to $60.30.

Meanwhile, Allergan slid 2.2 percent after the Botox-maker's second-quarter revenue fell short of Wall Street's forecasts. The stock lost $5.54 to $248.31.

A pickup in oil prices drove several oil and natural gas companies higher.

Marathon Oil added 38 cents, or 2.7 percent, to $14.25, while Tesoro rose $2.76, or 3.7 percent, to $77.47. Chesapeake Energy gained 12 cents, or 2.5 percent, to $5.01.

Benchmark U.S. crude rose $1.22, or 2.9 percent, to close at $43.02 per barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, gained $1.12, or 2.5 percent, to close at $45.39 per barrel in London.

Investors also had their eye on some corporate deal news.

Wal-Mart Stores slipped 0.6 percent after the retail giant agreed to buy fast-growing online retail newcomer Jet.com for $3 billion in cash and another $300 million in stock. The deal underscores how serious Wal-Mart is about challenging online leader Amazon. Shares in Wal-Mart shed 42 cents to $73.34.

Mattress Firm vaulted more than twofold after the mattress retailer agreed to be acquired by furniture seller Steinhoff International in a deal valued at $3.8 billion, including debt. The stock gained $34.01 to $63.75.

Investors should get more insight into the health of the economy at the end of this week, when the government reports July's retail sales figures.

"That's probably the most important data point this week," said Quincy Krosby, market strategist at Prudential Financial. "We're looking for a strong retail report that again confirms that the U.S. consumer is strong and doing their job of helping the economy."

Major stock indexes in Europe eked out gains.

Germany's DAX rose 0.6 percent, while France's CAC 40 gained 0.1 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 index added 0.2 percent.

Earlier, markets in Asia moved mostly higher despite the discouraging economic data out of China. Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 1.6 percent, while the Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.9 percent. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 surged 2.4 percent. Sydney's S&P-ASX 200 added 0.4 percent, while Seoul's Kospi rose 0.9 percent. India's Sensex added 0.2 percent. Benchmarks in Taiwan, New Zealand and Thailand also rose, while Singapore declined.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline slipped a penny to $1.36 a gallon, while heating oil rose 3 cents to $1.34 a gallon. Natural gas fell 2 cents to $2.75 per 1,000 cubic feet.

In metals trading, the price of gold fell $3.10, or 0.2 percent, to $1,341.30 an ounce. Silver dipped 1 cent, or 0.1 percent, to $19.81 an ounce. Copper added a penny, or 0.5 percent, to $2.17 a pound.

Bond prices were little changed. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note held at 1.59 percent. In currency markets, the dollar rose to 102.47 yen from Friday's 101.75 yen. The euro edged down to $1.1083 from $1.1091.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 3.76 points or ▲ 0.02% on Tuesday, August 9, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,533.05 ▲ 3.76 ▲ 0.02%
Nasdaq____ 5,225.48 ▲ 12.34 ▲ 0.24%
S&P_500___ 2,181.74 ▲ 0.85 ▲ 0.04%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.26 ▼ -0.04 ▼ -1.83%

NYSE Volume 3,310,762,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,598,625,620

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,851.30 ▲ 42.17 ▲ 0.62%
DAX_____ 10,692.90 ▲ 260.54 ▲ 2.50%
CAC_40__ 4,468.07 ▲ 52.61 ▲ 1.19%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,636.70 ▲ 11.00 ▲ 0.20%
Shanghai_Comp 3,025.68 ▲ 21.40 ▲ 0.71%
Taiwan_Weight 9,155.08 ▲ 4.82 ▲ 0.05%
Nikkei_225___ 16,764.97 ▲ 114.40 ▲ 0.69%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,465.61 ▼ -29.15 ▼ -0.13%
Strait_Times.__ 2,870.78 ▲ 42.61 ▲ 1.51%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,363.16 ▲ 14.86 ▲ 0.20%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-edge-higher-early-143618581.html

US stocks eke out small gains; Nasdaq sets record close

U.S. stocks recovered from a late-afternoon slide to eke out small gains Tuesday, nudging the Nasdaq composite to its second record close in less than a week.

The three major stock indexes, all of which set new highs last Friday, rebounded from a slight decline on Monday.

Investors focused on the latest batch of company earnings, bidding up health care, telecommunications and consumer-focused companies most.

Energy was the biggest laggard, as crude oil prices closed lower, backtracking after an early rally. Traders also sold off shares in big department store chains after The Gap reported lower sales figures.

With nearly 90 percent of S&P 500 companies having already reported, earnings this quarter have been OK, while revenue growth has not been as bad as expected, said Bob Doll, chief equity strategist at Nuveen Asset Management.

"We're slowly turning the corner and exiting (the) earnings recession," Doll said. "The worst quarter, year-over-year, was the first quarter. While the second quarter wasn't great, it was less bad. The third and fourth quarters will continue that."

The Dow Jones industrial average added 3.76 points, or 0.02 percent, to 18,533.05. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 0.85 points, or 0.04 percent, to 2,181.74. The Nasdaq composite index gained 12.34 points, or 0.2 percent, to 5,225.48. That's up less 0.1 percent from its most recent high last Friday.

For the year, the Dow is now up 6.4 percent, while the S&P is up 6.7 percent and the Nasdaq is up 4.4 percent.

The stock market has bounced back in recent weeks, buoyed by strong job growth in the U.S., improved company earnings and persistently low inflation and interest rates.

"That all equals support for the market, but then the reality is where do we go from here?" said Mike Baele, senior portfolio manager with U.S. Bank's Private Client Reserve.

On Tuesday, U.S. stocks got a boost early on from a rally in European markets and in Asia, where most of the indexes closed higher.

Data out of China showing that consumer price growth declined in July for the third month in a row helped fuel expectations among investors that Beijing will pump out more stimulus in a bid to soften the slowdown in the world's second-largest economy.

In the U.S., stock indexes edged higher until about mid-afternoon, when crude oil prices reversed course after an early surge. The indexes wavered between small gains and losses the rest of the day before they turned higher in the final minutes of trading.

Traders bid up shares in several companies that posted strong quarterly results.

Endo International vaulted 21.8 percent a day after the medical device maker reported that it returned to profit in the second quarter. The Dublin-based company's shares gained $3.97 to $22.16.

Valeant Pharmaceuticals surged 25.4 percent after the Canadian drugmaker reaffirmed its earnings outlook for the year, despite reporting a wider second-quarter loss. The company also said it is undergoing a restructuring. The stock added $5.71 to $28.16.

Chemicals company Chemours and solar energy seller Vivint Solar also rose after posting better-than-expected earnings. Chemours added 99 cents, or 10.6 percent, to $10.30. Vivint gained 30 cents, or 9.4 percent, to $3.49.

Retailers didn't fare as well.

Gap sank 6.3 percent after reporting lower sales in the second quarter and in July. The stock dropped $1.61 to $24.01. Kohl's also fell, shedding $1.67, or 4.2 percent, to $37.70. Target slid $2.39, or 3.2 percent, to $72.61.

Home furnishing store Wayfair slumped 19.6 percent after posting a wider-than-expected loss in the second quarter. The stock slid $9.45 to $38.80.

Investors shrugged off a Labor Department report indicating that American workers' productivity unexpectedly fell in the second quarter.

An early rally in U.S. crude oil prices evaporated. Benchmark U.S. crude fell 25 cents, or 0.6 percent, to close at $42.77 per barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, slid 41 cents, or 0.9 percent, to close at $44.98 per barrel in London.

The slide in oil weighed on several oil and gas companies. NRG Energy fell 69 cents, or 5.1 percent, to $12.83, while Southwestern Energy shed 51 cents, or 3.6 percent, to $13.61. Chesapeake Energy also declined, losing 20 cents, or 4 percent, to $4.81.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -37.39 points or ▼ -0.20% on Wednesday, August 10, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,495.66 ▼ -37.39 ▼ -0.20%
Nasdaq____ 5,204.58 ▼ -20.90 ▼ -0.40%
S&P_500___ 2,175.49 ▼ -6.25 ▼ -0.29%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.23 ▼ -0.03 ▼ -1.33%

NYSE Volume 3,223,991,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,593,226,380

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,866.42 ▲ 15.12 ▲ 0.22%
DAX_____ 10,650.89 ▼ -42.01 ▼ -0.39%
CAC_40__ 4,452.01 ▼ -16.06 ▼ -0.36%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,628.20 ▼ -8.50 ▼ -0.15%
Shanghai_Comp 3,018.75 ▼ -6.93 ▼ -0.23%
Taiwan_Weight 9,200.42 ▲ 45.34 ▲ 0.50%
Nikkei_225___ 16,735.12 ▼ -29.85 ▼ -0.18%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,492.43 ▲ 26.82 ▲ 0.12%
Strait_Times.__ 2,875.57 ▲ 4.79 ▲ 0.17%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,349.61 ▼ -13.55 ▼ -0.18%

http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70...l Markets/id-dbdf62e7488249518845562ae589051b

US stocks close modestly lower as oil slumps
By ALEX VEIGA, AP Business Writer

A sharp sell-off in energy companies pulled U.S. stock indexes modestly lower Wednesday, wiping out small gains from the day before.

Another slide in crude oil prices weighed on the energy sector. Banking, health care and technology companies also declined, while consumer-focused stocks and phone companies posted gains.

Investors mostly focused on company earnings from retailers, restaurant chains and other companies.

"We're still down year-over-year for the quarter, but there's a growing conviction that the headwinds from the energy bust and strong dollar are increasingly fading," said David Lefkowitz, senior equity strategist at UBS Wealth Management Americas.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 37.39 points, or 0.2 percent, to 18,495.66. The Standard & Poor's 500 index shed 6.25 points, or 0.3 percent, to 2,175.49. The Nasdaq composite index lost 20.90 points, or 0.4 percent, to 5,204.58.

In the absence of major economic news, in what is a seasonally slow period for the markets, investors have been monitoring company earnings for clues about how the second half of the year is shaping up for corporate America.

A strong jobs report last Friday boosted investors' confidence in the U.S. economy. Traders are looking ahead to Friday, when the government delivers its latest monthly retail sales figures.

Most companies have already delivered their quarterly report cards, and earnings and revenue have been relatively good. Some 90 percent of the companies in the S&P 500 index have already reported second-quarter results, and roughly 65 percent posted earnings that beat Wall Street's expectations, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Even so, earnings overall are expected to be down 2.1 percent, dragged down by the energy sector, which has been struggling with a steep drop in oil prices.

A report showing a bigger-than-expected increase in U.S. oil stockpiles last week weighed on the price of crude, reversing an early gain.

Benchmark U.S. crude fell $1.06, or 2.5 percent, to close at $41.71 per barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, slid 93 cents, or 2.1 percent, to close at $44.05 per barrel in London.

Several companies reported disappointing quarterly results or outlooks on Wednesday.

Michael Kors slid 2.8 percent after the clothing company forecast weaker sales for the current quarter and lowered its outlook for sales at established stores. The stock fell $1.40 to $48.71.

Perrigo sank 9.6 percent after the pharmaceuticals company cut its guidance for the year, citing growing competition and falling prescription drug prices. The stock lost $9.09 to $86.

Traders sought shade from SunPower after the solar products and service company tumbled 30.2 percent. The company said its power plant business is struggling amid growing competition and project delays. The stock lost $4.47 to $10.31.

Investors bid up shares in several companies that reported strong earnings.

Yelp jumped 12.8 percent after the online business review portal reported strong quarterly results. The stock added $4.19 to $36.83.

Clothing company Ralph Lauren surged 8.5 percent after it too delivered strong quarterly results. The stock gained $8.07 to $103.14.

"The earnings beats that we're getting are, to a large extent, being driven by better revenue performance," Lefkowitz said.

Markets overseas were mixed.

In Europe, Germany's DAX and France's CAC 40 each dipped 0.4 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 rose 0.2 percent.

Earlier, Japan's Nikkei 225 lost 0.2 percent despite a report showing private sector machinery orders rebounded in June from May. Hong Kong's Hang Seng edged up 0.1 percent, while Australia's S&P ASX 200 fell 0.2 percent. South Korea's Kospi added less than 0.1 percent. Stocks in Taiwan and Singapore also were higher, but markets in China, Indonesia and New Zealand declined.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline slipped 4 cents to $1.30 a gallon, while heating oil lost a penny to $1.32 a gallon. Natural gas fell 5 cents, or 2.1 percent, to $2.56 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Among metals, the price of gold rose $5.20, or 0.4 percent, to $1,351.90 an ounce. Silver added 32 cents, or 1.6 percent, to $20.17 an ounce. Copper gained 2 cents, or 1 percent, to $2.17 a pound.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 1.51 percent from 1.55 late Tuesday. In currency markets, the dollar weakened to 101.29 yen from 101.90 on Tuesday, while the euro strengthened to $1.1175 from $1.1107.