NYSE Dow Jones finished today at:

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -46.23 points or ▼ -0.25% on Thursday, September 8, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,479.91 ▼ -46.23 ▼ -0.25%
Nasdaq____ 5,259.48 ▼ -24.44 ▼ -0.46%
S&P_500___ 2,181.30 ▼ -4.86 ▼ -0.22%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.32 ▲ 0.09 ▲ 3.84%

NYSE Volume 3,701,555,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,815,368,120

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,858.70 ▲ 12.12 ▲ 0.18%
DAX_____ 10,675.29 ▼ -77.69 ▼ -0.72%
CAC_40__ 4,542.20 ▼ -15.46 ▼ -0.34%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,484.60 ▼ -36.50 ▼ -0.66%
Shanghai_Comp 3,095.95 ▲ 4.03 ▲ 0.13%
Taiwan_Weight 9,262.89 ▲ 3.82 ▲ 0.04%
Nikkei_225___ 16,958.77 ▼ -53.67 ▼ -0.32%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,919.34 ▲ 177.53 ▲ 0.75%
Strait_Times.__ 2,894.48 ▲ 0.83 ▲ 0.03%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,534.73 ▼ -36.38 ▼ -0.48%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-st...lide-european-markets-143307291--finance.html

US stock indexes notch modest losses; oil prices surge

A slide in technology and consumer-focused companies helped pull U.S. stock indexes modestly lower Thursday, offsetting strong energy sector gains.

A broad swath of retailers, from department stores to fast-food chains, also notched losses, while most of the big gainers were oil production and drilling companies.

They got a boost from a report indicating fuel stockpiles fell precipitously last week. The price of U.S. crude also jumped on the report, and closed nearly 5 percent higher.

U.S. bond yields also surged, as traders reacted to the European Central Bank's decision to leave its key interest rates unchanged and hold off on extending a stimulus program.

Still, in the absence of any major new economic data, the stock indexes continued a recent pattern of mostly sluggish trading.

"It's been many, many days since we've had a substantive move either to the upside or the downside in the market," said Erik Davidson, chief investment officer for Wells Fargo Private Bank. "It still feels like a holiday week."

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 46.23 points, or 0.3 percent, to 18,479.91. The Standard & Poor's 500 index slid 4.86 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,181.30.

The sell-off in technology stocks weighed on the Nasdaq composite index, which fell 24.44 points, or 0.5 percent, to 5,259.48. The tech-heavy index set all-time highs on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Apple slid 2.6 percent a day after the consumer electronics giant introduced its newest slate of products, including a new iPhone that doesn't come with an analog headphone jack. The stock shed $2.84 to $105.52.

Investors also got a dash of tech sector deal news. Hewlett Packard Enterprise agreed to spin off part of its business software unit to Micro Focus in a deal valued at $8.8 billion. The pact calls for HP Enterprise to remain majority owner of the new company. Shares in HP Enterprise slid 71 cents, or 3.2 percent, to $21.38.

Separately, Intel said it will spin its cybersecurity business into a new company called McAfee for $3.1 billion in cash. Private equity firm TPG will invest $1.1 billion in the new company and own a majority stake. Intel slipped 2 cents to $36.44.

All told, technology stocks were the biggest decliner in the S&P 500, shedding 0.9 percent. The sector is up 9.1 percent this year.

"The tech sector has been strong and outside of today continues to be strong," said Willie Delwiche, an investment strategist at Baird.

Investors hammered retailers Tractor Supply and Pier 1 Imports.

Tractor Supply slumped 16.9 percent after the farming and hardware goods retailer said its business is being hurt by poor economic conditions in rural, energy-producing areas where it does most of its business, and other factors. The stock was the biggest decliner in the S&P 500 index, shedding $14.15 to $69.38.

Pier 1 Imports tumbled 15 percent after the home decor retailer gave weak quarterly guidance and said its president and CEO will leave the company at the end of the year. The stock slid 72 cents to $4.08.

Several oil drilling and production companies rose on the latest oil stockpiles figures, pushing the S&P 500's energy sector 1.7 percent higher. The sector is up 17.4 percent this year.

Chesapeake Energy rose 93 cents, or 13.7 percent, to $7.74, the biggest gainer in the S&P 500 index. Diamond Offshore Drilling gained $1.43, or 9 percent, to $17.40. Murphy Oil climbed $1.90, or 6.8 percent, to $29.75.

Traders also bid up crude oil prices. Benchmark U.S. crude rose $2.12, or 4.7 percent, to close at $47.62 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, gained $2.01, or 4.2 percent, to $49.99 in London.

The news out of the European Central Bank helped ease demand for U.S. bonds, driving their prices lower and pushing yields higher. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 1.60 percent from 1.54 percent late Wednesday.

"They're not adding more stimulus, and that maybe makes people feel less like they need to pile into U.S. bonds," said Delwiche.

At a news conference, ECB President Mario Draghi seemed relatively confident about the economy and less inclined to hint at more stimulus than some analysts had expected. He urged governments to do their part.

Despite Draghi's more confident tone, the ECB will have to take more stimulus action at its October or December meetings, analysts said.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -394.46 points or ▼ -2.13% on Friday, September 9, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,085.45 ▼ -394.46 ▼ -2.13%
Nasdaq____ 5,125.91 ▼ -133.57 ▼ -2.54%
S&P_500___ 2,127.81 ▼ -53.49 ▼ -2.45%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.39 ▲ 0.07 ▲ 2.88%

NYSE Volume 4,201,242,500
Nasdaq Volume 2,139,453,250

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,776.95 ▼ -81.75 ▼ -1.19%
DAX_____ 10,573.44 ▼ -101.85 ▼ -0.95%
CAC_40__ 4,491.40 ▼ -50.80 ▼ -1.12%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,440.50 ▼ -44.10 ▼ -0.80%
Shanghai_Comp 3,078.85 ▼ -17.10 ▼ -0.55%
Taiwan_Weight 9,164.88 ▼ -98.01 ▼ -1.06%
Nikkei_225___ 16,965.76 ▲ 6.99 ▲ 0.04%
Hang_Seng.__ 24,099.70 ▲ 180.36 ▲ 0.75%
Strait_Times.__ 2,873.33 ▼ -21.15 ▼ -0.73%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,468.60 ▼ -66.13 ▼ -0.88%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stock-indexes-slide-morning-143704529.html

US stocks slump as traders fear higher interest rates

Investor jitters over the possibility the Federal Reserve is ready to raise interest rates this year roiled Wall Street Friday, handing the stock market its worst day in more than two months.

The Dow Jones industrial average sank nearly 400 points, its worst single-day loss since June. The broad slump wiped out two months of gradual gains, jolting the market out of a mostly flat course over the past several weeks.

Phone and utilities stocks, which investors have sought out this year for their high dividends, fell far more than the rest of the market. Energy companies, which have also gained a lot this year, took a drubbing as the price of crude oil fell.

Remarks by a Fed bank president early Friday fueled growing speculation among traders that the central bank could be ready to lift its key interest rate for the first time since December 2015. Ultra-low interest rates have been a key driver of an extended stock market rally.

"We have a good probability that we're getting it by the end of the year," said JJ Kinahan, chief strategist at TD Ameritrade.

The Dow lost 394.46 points, or 2.1 percent, to 18,085.45. The Standard & Poor's 500 index slid 53.49 points, or 2.5 percent, to 2,127.81. The Nasdaq composite index lost 133.57 points, or 2.5 percent, to 5,125.91.

The three indexes notched their biggest losses since June 24, just after Britain voted to leave the European Union. They S&P 500 also had its worst week since early February.

Friday's swoon was a swift reversal for the market. The Nasdaq set record highs on two consecutive days earlier this week. And the Dow and S&P 500 hit new highs last month.

The signs of a rough day appeared early Friday as the market opened lower. Then investors got wind of the remarks by Fed Bank of Boston President Eric Rosengren, who said a case could be made for the central bank to raise its key interest rate sooner rather than later.

The Fed is scheduled to hold a policy meeting later this month. In recent weeks, few Fed observers have expected the Fed to lift rates this month, speculating that a December hike is more likely.

"We have been in that camp, still believe it will be a December move, rather than a September move," said Bill Northey, chief investment officer of the Private Client Group at U.S. Bank. "But September cannot be ruled out at this point."

The prospect of rising interest rates sent bond prices lower, pushing the yield on the 10-year Treasury to its highest level since late June. It climbed to 1.67 percent from 1.60 percent late Thursday.

As bond yields rose, investors sold off high-dividend stocks like utilities and phone companies. Those stocks have been in favor among investors seeking income while interest rates and bond yields remained ultra-low. AT&T fell $1.48, or 3.6 percent, to $39.71, while Verizon slid $1.78, or 3.3 percent, to $51.82.

Oil prices closed lower after rallying a day earlier. Benchmark U.S. crude fell $1.74, or 3.7 percent, to close at $45.88 a barrel. Brent crude, used to price international oils, slid $1.98, or 4 percent, to close at $48.01 a barrel.

Falling oil prices hurt several oil and gas production and drilling companies. Diamond Offshore Drilling led the decliners in the S&P 500, losing $1.80, or 10.3 percent, to $15.60. Transocean shed 64 cents, or 6.1 percent, to $9.83, while Marathon Oil slid $1.07, or 6.4 percent, to $15.67.

Not all stocks had a rough day.

Strong quarterly results helped lift furniture and housewares retailer Restoration Hardware and fiber optic components supplier Finisar. Restoration Hardware gained $1.34, or 3.8 percent, to $36.63. Finisar added $2.97, or 12.8 percent, to $26.20.

Disappointment over Thursday's decision by the European Central Bank to keep monetary policy unchanged continued to weigh on European markets. Germany's DAX fell 1 percent, while France's CAC 40 lost 1.1 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 was down 1.2 percent.

In Asia, concerns over North Korea's latest nuclear test hit stocks in South Korea. The Kospi index fell 1.3 percent. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 rebounded from an initial drop to finish little changed, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 0.8 percent.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline fell 6 cents to $1.36 a gallon. Heating oil lost 5 cents to $1.43 a gallon. Natural gas slipped a penny to $2.80 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Among metals, gold slid $7.10 to $1,334.50 an ounce, while silver fell 31 cents to $19.37 an ounce. Copper dipped a penny to $2.09 a pound.

In currency markets, the dollar rose to 102.70 yen from 102.49 on Thursday. The euro slipped to $1.1226 from $1.1257.

90197

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 239.62 points or ▲ 1.32% on Monday, September 12, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,325.07 ▲ 239.62 ▲ 1.32%
Nasdaq____ 5,211.89 ▲ 85.98 ▲ 1.68%
S&P_500___ 2,159.04 ▲ 31.23 ▲ 1.47%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.39 ▲ 0.01 ▲ 0.21%

NYSE Volume 3,976,304,500
Nasdaq Volume 1,957,290,380

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,700.90 ▼ -76.05 ▼ -1.12%
DAX_____ 10,431.77 ▼ -141.67 ▼ -1.34%
CAC_40__ 4,439.80 ▼ -51.60 ▼ -1.15%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,319.10 ▼ -121.40 ▼ -2.23%
Shanghai_Comp 3,021.98 ▼ -56.88 ▼ -1.85%
Taiwan_Weight 8,947.06 ▼ -106.63 ▼ -1.18%
Nikkei_225___ 16,672.92 ▼ -292.84 ▼ -1.73%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,290.60 ▼ -809.10 ▼ -3.36%
Strait_Times.__ 2,873.33 ▼ -21.15 ▼ -0.73%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,279.76 ▼ -188.84 ▼ -2.53%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-st...stors-seek-safe-picks-144112869--finance.html

US stocks leap as investors hope for steady interest rates

NEW YORK (AP) ”” U.S. stocks surged Monday after a Federal Reserve official said the central bank shouldn't raise interest rates too soon, which came as a big relief to investors. After a market nosedive on Friday, investors bought safe investments like household goods makers and phone companies. Technology companies also jumped.

Stocks started the day lower following Friday's drop, but they soon rallied. Investors were pleased when Lael Brainard, a member of the Federal Reserve board, said the Fed shouldn't raise interest rates quickly because that could hurt the economy. The biggest gains went to safe investments that pay big dividends, as they are more enticing to investors when interest rates and bond yields are low.

Stocks had plunged Friday following remarks from another Fed official that suggested interest rates could go up next week.

David Kelly, chief global strategist for JPMorgan Funds, said he thinks Federal Reserve policymakers seem "noncommittal" and aren't sure if they should raise interest rates now or not. In his opinion, the Fed's cautious attitude toward raising interest rates even a little is causing strong market reactions.

"The more cautious they are, the more sensitive the market becomes," he said. "What's one quarter of one percent? It's nothing."

The Dow Jones industrial average jumped 239.62 points, or 1.3 percent, to 18,325.07. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 31.23 points, or 1.5 percent, to 2,159.04. The Nasdaq composite surged 85.98 points, or 1.7 percent, to 5,211.89.

The gains in the main three U.S. indexes made up for more than half of Friday's losses.

As investors sought safe-play picks, retail giant Wal-Mart rose $1.64, or 2.3 percent, to $71.94 and Procter & Gamble gained $2.01, or 2.3 percent, to $88.25. Phone companies also rose and AT&T gained $1, or 2.5 percent, to $40.71. Those stocks took some of the biggest losses Friday.

HP agreed to buy Samsung's printer business for $1.05 billion, and HP stock rose 54 cents, or 3.9 percent, to $14.49. That helped take technology stocks higher. Elsewhere, Apple rose $2.31, or 2.2 percent, to $105.44 and communications chip maker Broadcom picked up $3.70, or 2.3 percent, to $164.48.

Canadian companies Agrium and Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan agreed to combine into the world's largest crop nutrient company. The companies value their combined business at $36 billion, and Potash shareholders will own a majority of stock in the new company. Potash stock lost 21 cents, or 1.2 percent, to $16.76 and Agrium dipped $2.57, or 2.7 percent, to $92.64.

Markets overseas took sharp losses following the rout in the U.S. Friday. Germany's DAX fell 1.3 percent while the CAC-40 in France also lost 1.2 percent. The FTSE 100 index of leading British shares gave up 1.1 percent. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 index lost 1.7 percent and South Korea's Kospi slid 2.3 percent. In Hong Kong the Hang Seng shed 3.4 percent.

U.S. stocks had plunged late last week after Federal Reserve Bank of Boston President Eric Rosengren said there's a case to be made the U.S. central bank should raise rates sooner rather than later. Rosengren and Brainard have both been reluctant to raise rates too quickly.

Investors are not sure if the central bank will raise interest rates, and they're not sure the economy is healthy enough to handle that. Higher rates threaten stocks by making interest-paying savings accounts and bonds more attractive to investors. They could also ding corporate earnings by raising companies' borrowing costs.

Irish drugmaker Perrigo added $6.52, or 7.3 percent, to $95.23 after activist investment firm Starboard Value bought a 4.6 percent stake in the company. Starboard Value said Perrigo needs to boost profit margins for some of divisions, and notes that the company's stock hasn't done well since Perrigo rejected an offer from competitor Mylan NV. Perrigo said it will review Starboard's comments.

U.S. crude rose 41 cents to $46.29 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the benchmark for international oil trading, climbed 31 cents to $48.32 a barrel in London.

Energy Transfer Pipeline fell $1.19, or 3 percent, to $37.95. On Friday a federal judge ruled that the company can build a $3.8 billion pipeline intended to carry oil from North Dakota to Illinois. That sent the company's stock higher. But the federal government stepped in to temporarily stop part of the project, and several agencies said they will reconsider their decisions supporting it.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -258.32 points or ▼ -1.41% on Tuesday, September 13, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,066.75 ▼ -258.32 ▼ -1.41%
Nasdaq____ 5,155.25 ▼ -56.63 ▼ -1.09%
S&P_500___ 2,127.02 ▼ -32.02 ▼ -1.48%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.47 ▲ 0.08 ▲ 3.17%

NYSE Volume 4,101,338,500
Nasdaq Volume 1,991,207,620

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,665.63 ▼ -35.27 ▼ -0.53%
DAX_____ 10,386.60 ▼ -45.17 ▼ -0.43%
CAC_40__ 4,387.18 ▼ -52.62 ▼ -1.19%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,310.00 ▼ -9.10 ▼ -0.17%
Shanghai_Comp 3,023.51 ▲ 1.53 ▲ 0.05%
Taiwan_Weight 8,940.83 ▼ -6.23 ▼ -0.07%
Nikkei_225___ 16,729.04 ▲ 56.12 ▲ 0.34%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,215.76 ▼ -74.84 ▼ -0.32%
Strait_Times.__ 2,818.38 ▼ -54.95 ▼ -1.91%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,249.23 ▼ -30.53 ▼ -0.42%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-skid-weaker-forecast-sends-142638370.html

Stocks tumble on worries about the Fed and economic growth

NEW YORK (AP) ”” U.S. stocks abruptly changed course again Tuesday and took large losses. Investors worried about the possibility of a weaker global economy and tried to anticipate the Federal Reserve's plans for interest rates. Energy companies fell with the price of oil after a leading industry group said demand for oil is down more than it previously thought.

Stocks sank over the first few hours of trading and never regained their footing. The price of oil fell 3 percent after the International Energy Agency's remarks about oil demand. The group expects weaker growth because of a more pronounced slowdown in the global economy.

Bond yields jumped and phone company dropped. Apple was one of the few bright spots after T-Mobile said preorders for Apple's newest iPhones are strong.

After two months of unusual calm on the markets, stocks have whipsawed over the last few days. They plunged Friday and recovered about half those losses on Monday, only to drop lower Tuesday. Confusion over the Fed's intentions has been a major factor.

Randy Frederick, vice president of trading and derivatives at Charles Schwab, said investors don't know what the Fed will do at its meeting next Tuesday and Wednesday and the market may remain volatile until then.

"Some of the things they said Friday scared people," he said. "Monday they tried to calm them down. Now they're in a quiet period so we don't know what they're thinking."

The Dow Jones industrial average gave up 258.32 points, or 1.4 percent, to 18,066.75. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 32.02 points, or 1.5 percent, to 2,127.02. The Nasdaq composite lost 56.63 points, or 1.1 percent, to 5,155.26.

The IEA, which represents 29 oil-producing countries, is predicting slower growth in demand for oil because of a more pronounced economic slowdown during the third quarter of the year, among other factors. The price of oil has plunged over the last two years as an enormous supply glut built up while growth in demand slowed.

Investors have been worried about a possible slowdown in economic growth. Those fears were a big reason stocks tumbled in January and early February.

U.S. crude fell $1.39, or 3 percent, to $44.90 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the benchmark for international oil prices, slid $1.22, or 2.5 percent, to $47.10 a barrel in London.

Exxon Mobil sank $2.08, or 2.4 percent, to $85.21 and Marathon Oil stumbled $1.13, or 7.3 percent, to $14.34.

Anadarko Petroleum agreed to pay $2 billion to buy Freeport-McMoRan's deepwater assets in the Gulf of Mexico. Activist investor Carl Icahn, who bought a stake in Freeport-McMoRan last year, has pushed the company to spin off its oil and gas business so it can focus on copper mining. Anadarko stock dipped 20 cents to $57.59 and Freeport-McMoRan fell 93 cents, or 8.4 percent, to $10.15.

Of the 30 stocks on the Dow average, only Apple traded higher. It rose $2.51, or 2.4 percent, to $107.95 after T-Mobile said preorders for Apple's newest iPhones, introduced last week, are the strongest it has seen so far.

U.S. government bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 1.73 percent from 1.67 percent. The yield on the 30-year Treasury bond also jumped. Both yields are the highest they've been since late June, right before Britain voted to leave the European Union.

Only 20 stocks in the S&P 500 index traded higher. Some of the largest losses went to phone companies, which sank as higher bond yields made them less appealing as income-producing investments. Verizon shed $1.12, or 2.1 percent, to $51.45 and AT&T fell 74 cents, or 1.8 percent, to $39.97.

Among the few gainers was chipmaker Intersil, which agreed to be bought by Renesas of Japan. Renesas' offer values Intersil at $22.50 per share, or $3.05 billion. Intersil climbed $1.94, or 9.8 percent, to $21.70.

Weight Watchers International slumped 68 cents, or 6.6 percent, to $9.68 after the weight loss company said CEO James Chambers will step down at the end of the month. Weight Watchers more than doubled after the company announced an alliance with Oprah Winfrey, who bought a 10 percent stake and joined the company's board of directors. The stock has given up some of its gains lately.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline lost 1 cent to $1.38 a gallon. Heating oil sank 2 cents to $1.42 a gallon. Natural gas fell 1 cent to $2.91 per 1,000 cubic feet.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -31.98 points or ▼ -0.18% on Wednesday, September 14, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,034.77 ▼ -31.98 ▼ -0.18%
Nasdaq____ 5,173.77 ▲ 18.52 ▲ 0.36%
S&P_500___ 2,125.77 ▼ -1.25 ▼ -0.06%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.44 ▼ -0.03 ▼ -1.09%

NYSE Volume 3,632,867,500
Nasdaq Volume 1,851,192,380

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,673.31 ▲ 7.68 ▲ 0.12%
DAX_____ 10,378.40 ▼ -8.20 ▼ -0.08%
CAC_40__ 4,370.26 ▼ -16.92 ▼ -0.39%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,326.60 ▲ 16.60 ▲ 0.31%
Shanghai_Comp 3,002.85 ▼ -20.66 ▼ -0.68%
Taiwan_Weight 8,902.30 ▼ -38.53 ▼ -0.43%
Nikkei_225___ 16,614.24 ▼ -114.80 ▼ -0.69%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,190.64 ▼ -25.12 ▼ -0.11%
Strait_Times.__ 2,809.35 ▼ -9.03 ▼ -0.32%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,210.72 ▼ -38.51 ▼ -0.53%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-tick-higher-quiet-start-142108363.html

Stocks shed early gain as energy and consumer companies fall

NEW YORK (AP) ”” U.S. stocks surrendered early gains and finished mostly lower Wednesday as energy companies skidded with the price of oil. Apple led technology companies higher. The mixed finish came after three days of big, erratic moves.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 96 points about an hour after trading began, but those gains slipped away as the day wore on. The price of oil fell about 3 percent for the second day in a row and energy companies fell with it. Household goods companies also slipped. Bond yields decreased after a big gain the day before, and high-dividend utility stocks made gains.

Investors have sent stocks in different directions as they wonder if the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates next week, and they're also speculating about the health of the global economy.

Bonds also reflected that confusion as they changed direction again. Yields fell and prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 1.70 percent. A day earlier it jumped to 1.73 percent, the highest in almost three months.

David Lefkowitz, senior equity strategist at UBS Wealth Management Americas, said investors aren't sure what the Federal Reserve and central banks in Europe and Japan will do. But he said they're expecting higher interest rates, or at least less economic stimulus.

"There's now a growing consensus that perhaps we're looking at a rising interest rate environment rather than a falling one," he said.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 31.98 points, or 0.2 percent, to 18,034. The Standard & Poor's 500 index dipped 1.25 points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,125.77. The Nasdaq composite climbed 18.52 points, or 0.4 percent, to 5,173.77.

After four months of public negotiations, seed and weedkiller maker Monsanto agreed to be bought by German drug and farm chemical company Bayer for $57 billion in cash. Bayer makes a wide range of crop protection chemicals that kill weeds, bugs and fungus, while Monsanto is known for its seeds business and the weedkiller Glyphosate. It rose 66 cents to $106.76.

Benchmark U.S. crude lost $1.32, or 2.9 percent, to finish at $43.58 a barrel in New York. That came after a 3 percent drop on Tuesday. The international standard, Brent crude, fell $1.25, or 2.7 percent, to $45.85 a barrel in London.

Energy companies also as well. Chevron gave up $1.01, or 1 percent, to $98.42 and Murphy Oil lost $1, or 3.8 percent, to $25.14.

Drugstore chains Walgreens fell $1.27, or 1.5 percent, to $80.98 and CVS Health shed $1.49, or 1.6 percent, to $89.44.

Apple picked up $3.88, or 3.6 percent, to $111.83, for its second day of big gains. Apple rose Tuesday after T-Mobile said it's getting strong preorders for the new iPhones. Apple gets most of its revenue from the iPhone, and those sales, while still enormous, have finally started to decline in the last year. That's hurt Apple stock, which traded above $130 a little more than a year ago.

Stocks are at their lowest levels in two months after big losses Friday and Tuesday. In between came a big gain on Monday.

"We're just kind of reverting back to a normal level of volatility," Lefkowitz said. "We got almost lulled to sleep because things were so unusually quiet in the last six weeks of the summer."

Dermatology drug developer Vitae Pharmaceuticals soared to $20.85 after it agreed to be bought by Allergan, the maker of Botox. The deal values Vitae at $21 per share, or $606 million. Vitae, which doesn't have any approved products, closed at $8.10 on Tuesday. Allergan rose $4.71, or 2 percent, to $244.81.

Ford dipped 24 cents, or 1.9 percent, to $12.14 after it said its pretax profit will fall this year. Ford also said its results will weaken further in 2017 as the company invests more money in electric and autonomous cars and its costs rise. The automaker expects results to start improving in 2018.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store gave up $10.55, or 7 percent, to $139.98 after investors weren't impressed with the restaurant chain's projections for the current fiscal year.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline lost 2 cents to $1.36 a gallon. Heating oil fell 4 cents, or 2.9 percent, to $1.38 a gallon. Natural gas gave up 2 cents to $2.89 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The price of gold gained $2.40 to $1,326.10 an ounce. Silver rose 9 cents to $19.07 an ounce. Copper climbed 5 cents, or 2.5 percent, to $2.16 a pound.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 177.71 points or ▲ 0.99% on Thursday, September 15, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,212.48 ▲ 177.71 ▲ 0.99%
Nasdaq____ 5,249.69 ▲ 75.92 ▲ 1.47%
S&P_500___ 2,147.26 ▲ 21.49 ▲ 1.01%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.47 ▲ 0.03 ▲ 1.19%

NYSE Volume 3,332,686,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,889,754,000

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,730.30 ▲ 56.99 ▲ 0.85%
DAX_____ 10,431.20 ▲ 52.80 ▲ 0.51%
CAC_40__ 4,373.22 ▲ 2.96 ▲ 0.07%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,337.10 ▲ 10.50 ▲ 0.20%
Shanghai_Comp 3,002.85 ▼ -20.66 ▼ -0.68%
Taiwan_Weight 8,902.30 ▼ -38.53 ▼ -0.43%
Nikkei_225___ 16,405.01 ▼ -209.23 ▼ -1.26%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,335.59 ▲ 144.95 ▲ 0.63%
Strait_Times.__ 2,805.52 ▼ -3.83 ▼ -0.14%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,196.24 ▼ -14.48 ▼ -0.20%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-move-higher-apple-pulls-tech-companies-142913823.html

US stocks jump as Apple pulls tech companies up again

NEW YORK (AP) -- U.S. stocks changed course again Thursday and climbed as Apple led a big gain for technology companies and energy companies recovered some of their recent losses. Investors looked over a series of mixed economic reports as they sought clues about the Federal Reserve's intentions and the health of the economy.

Technology companies made the largest gains as Apple rose for the fourth consecutive day. It's up 12 percent this week on growing optimism about early sales of its newest iPhones.

Energy companies bounced back after two rough days, though the price of oil rose only a small amount. Health care and phone company stocks also climbed. Bond yields wobbled and finished little changed, a sign investors aren't sure what will happen with interest rates.

It was the fourth big move for the market in the last five days as investors try to anticipate whether the Fed will raise interest rates next week. Based on weaker producer prices and manufacturing and less spending by shoppers, they appeared to conclude rates will stay where they are for now.

Karyn Cavanaugh, senior market strategist for Voya Investment Strategies, said investors are sending stocks higher because they think the reports will make the Fed less likely to raise rates now. Some investors fear that that would hurt the economy.

"They're not going to raise interest rates in September," she said. "It was kind of a mixed bag, but the bottom line is that the data's not great."

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 177.71 points, or 1 percent, to 18,212.48. The Standard & Poor's 500 index jumped 21.49 points, or 1 percent, to 2,147.26. The Nasdaq composite gained 75.92 points, or 1.5 percent, to 5,249.69.

Apple rose to its highest price in 10 months on reports of strong preorders for the new iPhones it introduced last week. The stock added $3.80, or 3.4 percent, to $115.57. Other technology companies also rose. Microsoft gained 93 cents, or 1.7 percent, to $57.19 and Intel picked up 94 cents, or 2.6 percent, to $36.56.

Strong gains for technology and health care companies have the Nasdaq on pace for its best week since late June.

Benchmark U.S. crude rose 33 cents to $43.91 per barrel in New York. It fell almost 6 percent in the last two days. Brent crude, used to price international oils, added 74 cents, or 1.6 percent, to $46.59 a barrel in London. Among energy stocks, Marathon Petroleum rose $1.87, or 4.5 percent, to $43.74 and Chevron gained $1.08, or 1.1 percent, to $99.50.

Investors pored over a series of economic reports. The Labor Department said producer prices fell in August as gas and food prices declined. Lower producer prices reduce inflation, and the Fed has said it wants to see evidence inflation is edging upward before it raises rates. Inflation has remained consistently low in recent years.

Reports by the Commerce Department and the Federal Reserve, respectively, showed that retail sales fell last month and factory production decreased as well.

Bond prices wobbled. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note remained at 1.70 percent.

Among companies in the news, Goodyear Tire & Rubber climbed after the company boosted its dividend and said it plans to return $4 billion to shareholders over the next few years. The stock rose $1.58, or 5.1 percent, to $32.39.

Aerie Pharmaceuticals surged $9.48, or 44.9 percent, to $30.61 after the company reported positive results from a late-stage trial of Roclatan, an experimental glaucoma drug.

AMC Networks fell $1.44, or 2.8 percent, to $50.53 after Stifel Nicolaus analyst Benjamin Mogil downgraded the company because competition is growing and ratings for its hit "The Walking Dead" may weaken as the show enters its seventh season.

Wells Fargo lost 37 cents to $46.15. Regulators said last week that the bank opened more than 2 million accounts that customers may not have authorized and transferred money into those accounts without their approval. The company agreed to pay a $185 million fine and says it will cut back on aggressive sales targets, but the controversy is damaging its reputation.

The stock is mired in a five-day losing streak that has pulled its value down 7.5 percent.

The price of gold fell $8.10 to $1,318 an ounce and silver lost 3 cents to $19.04 an ounce. Copper remained at $2.16 a pound.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -88.68 points or ▼ -0.49% on Friday, September 16, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,123.80 ▼ -88.68 ▼ -0.49%
Nasdaq____ 5,244.57 ▼ -5.12 ▼ -0.10%
S&P_500___ 2,139.16 ▼ -8.10 ▼ -0.38%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.45 ▼ -0.02 ▼ -0.89%

NYSE Volume 4,961,944,500
Nasdaq Volume 2,964,067,500

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,710.28 ▼ -20.02 ▼ -0.30%
DAX_____ 10,276.17 ▼ -155.03 ▼ -1.49%
CAC_40__ 4,332.45 ▼ -40.77 ▼ -0.93%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,396.70 ▲ 59.60 ▲ 1.12%
Shanghai_Comp 3,002.85 ▼ -20.66 ▼ -0.68%
Taiwan_Weight 8,902.30 ▼ -38.53 ▼ -0.43%
Nikkei_225___ 16,519.29 ▲ 114.28 ▲ 0.70%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,335.59 ▲ 144.95 ▲ 0.63%
Strait_Times.__ 2,827.45 ▲ 21.93 ▲ 0.78%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,250.51 ▲ 54.27 ▲ 0.75%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-european-shares-slide-led-141418951.html

Stocks decline, hurt by declines in banks; Waiting for Fed

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks were moderately lower Friday, pushed down, in part, by the price of oil. Investors continue to remain on edge regarding the possibility of the Federal Reserve raising interest rates at its meeting next week.

Banks also fell, led by a plunge in Deutsche Bank after the giant German lender said it wouldn't settle with the Department of Justice over its handling of mortgage securities in the run-up to the 2008 financial crisis.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 88.68 points, or 0.5 percent, to 18,123.80. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 8.10 points, or 0.4 percent, to 2,139.16 and the Nasdaq composite fell 5.12 points, or 0.1 percent, to 5,244.57.

The U.S.-listed shares of Deutsche Bank dropped $1.38, or 9 percent, to $13.38 after the bank said it did not intend to pay the $14 billion settlement that the U.S. government asked for. Federal regulators have been looking to settle with Deutsche Bank, as it has done with the other major Wall Street firms like Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase & Co., for its role in the mortgage bubble and financial crisis.

Other European banks fell as well. Royal Bank of Scotland Group fell 30 cents, or 6 percent, to $4.86.

The news out of Deutsche Bank dragged European stocks lower, with Germany's DAX closing down 1.5 percent, France's CAC-40 index down 0.9 percent and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 index down 0.3 percent.

Stocks have been volatile this week, with the Dow moving more than 100 points four out of five days. Most of the volatility has come as investors prepare for next week's Fed meeting. While most investors do not expect a rate increase, there is a small but noticeable likelihood there will be one.

"By the Fed's own criteria, everything is in place for them to raise rates. But still, people don't think they are going to raise rates, so the market is in conflict," said David Kelly, chief global investment strategist at JP Morgan Asset Management.

In other company news, pharmaceutical company Novavax plunged $7.05, or 85 percent, to $1.29 after the company said its experimental vaccine failed in late-stage clinical testing. Novavax has no active products on the market and this drug was their furthest in development.

Intel rose $1.11, or 3 percent, to $37.67 after the company raised its revenue forecasts, citing stronger-than-expected demand for personal computers.

The S&P 500 is adding a new industry to its traditional groups for the first time since the dotcom era. The benchmark stock index will now have a real estate sector, which will be split off from the financial services component. The new industry component will be effective at the end of trading Friday. After the split, the S&P 500 will have 11 industry sectors.

The 10 current sectors of the S&P 500 are: financial services, information technology, energy, industrials, consumer discretionary companies, materials, telecommunications, consumer staples, health care and utilities.

Benchmark U.S. crude lost 88 cents to $43.03 per barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, fell 82 cents to $45.77 per barrel. Heating oil fell 1 cent to $1.41 a gallon, wholesale gasoline rose 3 cents to $1.46 a gallon and natural gas rose 2 cents to $2.948 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note was mostly unchanged at 1.69 percent. The euro fell to $1.1151 from $1.246 and the dollar rose to 102.42 yen from 102.16 yen.

In metals, gold fell $7.80 to $1,310.20 an ounce, silver fell 18 cents to $18.86 an ounce and copper was unchanged at $2.16 a pound.

0771

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -3.63 points or ▼ -0.02% on Monday, September 19, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,120.17 ▼ -3.63 ▼ -0.02%
Nasdaq____ 5,235.03 ▼ -9.54 ▼ -0.18%
S&P_500___ 2,139.12 ▼ -0.04 ▲ 0.00%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.44 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.29%

NYSE Volume 3,138,187,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,749,335,880

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,813.55 ▲ 103.27 ▲ 1.54%
DAX_____ 10,373.87 ▲ 97.70 ▲ 0.95%
CAC_40__ 4,394.19 ▲ 61.74 ▲ 1.43%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,393.70 ▼ -3.00 ▼ -0.06%
Shanghai_Comp 3,026.05 ▲ 23.20 ▲ 0.77%
Taiwan_Weight 9,152.88 ▲ 250.58 ▲ 2.81%
Nikkei_225___ 16,519.29 ▲ 114.28 ▲ 0.70%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,550.45 ▲ 214.86 ▲ 0.92%
Strait_Times.__ 2,852.14 ▲ 24.69 ▲ 0.87%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,278.12 ▲ 27.61 ▲ 0.38%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-rise-tech-machinery-142852524.html

US stocks can't hang onto gains, finish lower

NEW YORK (AP) ”” U.S. stocks wobbled and finished mostly lower Monday as investors waited for central bank meetings in the United States and Japan. Health care and technology companies took some of the biggest losses while banks rose.

Investors were indecisive as leaders of the Federal Reserve and Bank of Japan prepared to meet, and stocks swung several times between gains and losses. The Dow rose as much as 131 points early on, then fell as much as 30 points in the afternoon. Banks, utility companies and machinery makers rose. Bond yields edged higher and the dollar weakened.

Russ Koesterich, head of asset allocation with BlackRock's Global Allocation Fund, said investors don't expect the Fed to raise interest rates. However he said investors have more questions about the Bank of Japan's plans.

"They could decide to introduce more stimulus, but it could take a lot of different forms," he said. "One of the questions ... is not only what will they do, but what would the market like to see?"

While advancing stocks far outnumbered decliners, the Dow Jones industrial average dipped 3.63 points, or less than 0.1 percent, to 18,120.17. The Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 0.04 points to 2,139.12. The Nasdaq composite fell 9.54 points, or 0.2 percent, to 5,235.03.

The Federal Reserve will meet Tuesday and announce its latest decision on interest rates the following day. Banks got a boost as some investors hoped that interest rates will rise, which would allow banks to make more money from lending. JPMorgan Chase rose 37 cents to $66.19 and Wells Fargo regained 58 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $46.01.

Technology products distributor Tech Data jumped after it said it will buy the technology solutions business of Avnet for $2.6 billion in cash and stock. Tech Data says the deal will give it operations in 35 countries. Its stock rose $15.46, or 22.3 percent, to $84.80 and Avnet gained $2.68, or 6.8 percent, to $41.89.

Meanwhile, network control company Infoblox agreed to be bought by Vista Equity Partners for $26.50 per share, or $1.51 billion. It surged $3.52, or 15.4 percent, to $26.35.

Despite those gains, the broader technology sector gave up an early advance and finished mostly lower. Apple, which surged last week and reached its highest price this year, lost $1.34, or 1.2 percent, to $113.58 and Intel fell 51 cents, or 1.4 percent, to $37.16.

Health care stocks also lagged the market. Merck fell 95 cents, or 1.5 percent, to $61.33 after rival Sanofi said it sued company. Sanofi says Merck infringed on patents protecting its insulin drug Lantus. Eye drug maker Regeneron Pharmaceuticals fell $5.80, or 1.4 percent, to $402.83.

Sarepta Therapeutics soared $20.79, or 73.9 percent, to $48.94 after the Food and Drug Administration granted tentative approval to its drug Exondys 51, a treatment for a type of muscular dystrophy. The drug treats Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a rare and deadly inherited disease that causes muscle weakness and eventually the loss of all basic movement. It usually causes death by age 25.

The FDA had hesitated to approve the drug because advisers said there was little evidence it worked. Its approval is based on a study of only 12 patients, and the FDA is ordering Sarepta to run a larger study.

Isle of Capri Casinos agreed to be bought by Eldorado Resorts for $23 per share, or $950 million in cash and stock. Combined, the companies own 21 casinos and race tracks. Isle of Capri stock jumped $5.11, or 30.2 percent, to $22.04 while Eldorado Resorts stock lost 41 cents, or 2.9 percent, to $13.84.

Health website operator WebMD slumped after it said CEO David Schlanger is leaving the company by mutual agreement. Schlanger is being replaced by President Steven Zatz, who is in charge of WebMD's advertising and sponsorship business. WebMD fell $2.95, or 5.7 percent, to $49.02 and it is down 27 percent since May 25.

General Motors gained 75 cents, or 2.4 percent, to $31.72 after an analyst said auto sales, which are at record highs, should remain strong for several years. Analyst Adam Jonas of Morgan Stanley raised his rating on GM to "Overweight" and raised his price target to $37 a share from $29.

Benchmark U.S. crude added 27 cents to $43.30 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, rose 18 cents to $45.95 a barrel in London.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 9.79 points or ▲ 0.05% on Tuesday, September 20, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,129.96 ▲ 9.79 ▲ 0.05%
Nasdaq____ 5,241.35 ▲ 6.33 ▲ 0.12%
S&P_500___ 2,139.76 ▲ 0.64 ▲ 0.03%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.43 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.61%

NYSE Volume 3,114,538,750
Nasdaq Volume 1,665,680,500

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,830.79 ▲ 17.24 ▲ 0.25%
DAX_____ 10,393.86 ▲ 19.99 ▲ 0.19%
CAC_40__ 4,388.60 ▼ -5.59 ▼ -0.13%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,397.30 ▲ 3.60 ▲ 0.07%
Shanghai_Comp 3,023.00 ▼ -3.05 ▼ -0.10%
Taiwan_Weight 9,161.58 ▲ 8.70 ▲ 0.10%
Nikkei_225___ 16,492.15 ▼ -27.14 ▼ -0.16%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,530.86 ▼ -19.59 ▼ -0.08%
Strait_Times.__ 2,854.69 ▲ 2.55 ▲ 0.09%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,308.45 ▲ 30.33 ▲ 0.42%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/machinery-makers-lead-us-stocks-higher-early-trading-143852443.html

US stocks creep higher as Federal Reserve meeting starts

NEW YORK (AP) -- U.S. stocks inched higher Tuesday in another cautious day of trading as investors kept an eye on central banks in the U.S. and Japan. Health care and household goods companies led the way while energy companies slipped.

Major market indexes were higher all day, but returned most of those gains at the close of trading. They rose just enough cancel out Monday's small losses.

Drug companies helped health care stocks make some modest gains, while Exxon Mobil fell on reports it's being investigated by securities regulators. Bond yields slipped and the dollar was little changed as investors waited decisions from the Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan.

Since investors doubt the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates Wednesday, they may focus instead on the Fed's statement and a press conference led by Fed Chair Janet Yellen.

"The Fed, until they raise rates, are going to be the primary focus of the markets," said J.J. Kinahan, chief market strategist at TD Ameritrade. "The only reason people may take their eye off of that is the election."

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 9.79 points, or 0.1 percent, to 18,129.96. The Standard & Poor's 500 index added 0.64 points to 2,139.76. The Nasdaq composite picked up 6.33 points, or 0.1 percent, to 5,241.35.

On the New York Stock Exchange, more stocks fell than rose. That was the reverse of Monday, when major indexes fell but more stocks were up than down.

Tuesday was the start of two-day meetings for the Fed and Bank of Japan. While investors didn't expect an increase in U.S. interest rates, the Japanese central bank is expected to take new steps to boost the nation's ailing economy. That could include an increase in its stimulus program or a further cut in the deposit rate as a way to encourage banks to lend money.

Gilead Sciences gained $2.79, or 3.5 percent, to $81.78 after the hepatitis C drugmaker completed a $5 billion debt offering. Gilead said it may use the cash to make a deal, and Jefferies & Co. analyst Brian Abrahams said he thinks the company is getting close to at least one acquisition. Elsewhere, Merck rose 61 cents, or 1 percent, to $61.94.

Ascena Retail Group, the parent of Ann Taylor, Lane Bryant and Dress Barn, dropped to a six-year low after the company reported weak quarterly results and gave a forecast that fell short of investor expectations. Ascena bought Ann Taylor a year ago and also struggled with discounts from competitors and shaky demand. Its stock lost $2.43, or 29.9 percent, to $5.69.

Allergan, the maker of Botox, announced yet another acquisition as it agreed to buy Tobira Therapeutics. Tobira is studying drugs that treat symptoms of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, a disease that triggers inflammation that can lead to cirrhosis, cancer and liver failure.

Tobira stock has tumbled this year after it reported mixed results from a mid-stage trial of one of its drugs. The shares finished at $4.74 on Monday, but Allergan agreed to pay $28.35 per share upfront, and could pay another $49.84 if Tobira's drugs succeed in clinical testing, win regulatory approved, and meet sales targets.

Tobira shares skyrocketed to $38.91 and Allergan fell $6.62, or 2.7 percent, to $238.67.

The Commerce Department said the pace of home construction slowed down in August as fewer homes were built in the South. Monthly housing figures can be volatile and housing starts have grown this year, but the report hurt shares of homebuilders. PulteGroup gave up 58 cents, or 2.9 percent, to $19.29 and Lennar, which reported strong quarterly results, shed $1.59, or 3.5 percent, to $43.50.

Hotel chains Marriott and Starwood climbed after regulators in China approved the $14.41 billion deal that will bring them together to create the world's largest hotel chain. Marriott, which is buying Starwood, said it expects to complete the deal Friday. Its stock added $1.60, or 2.3 percent, to $69.94 and Starwood rose $1.81, or 2.4 percent, to $76.90.

Royal Caribbean Cruises added $2.93, or 4.5 percent, to $68.41 after the company raised its quarterly dividend to 48 cents from 37.5 cents.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note fell to 1.69 percent from 1.71 percent. The dollar rose to 101.84 yen from 101.81 yen. The euro slipped to $1.1157 from $1.1178.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 163.74 points or ▲ 0.90% on Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,293.70 ▲ 163.74 ▲ 0.90%
Nasdaq____ 5,295.18 ▲ 53.83 ▲ 1.03%
S&P_500___ 2,163.12 ▲ 23.36 ▲ 1.09%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.40 ▼ -0.03 ▼ -1.28%

NYSE Volume 3,670,180,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,942,244,120

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,834.77 ▲ 3.98 ▲ 0.06%
DAX_____ 10,436.49 ▲ 42.63 ▲ 0.41%
CAC_40__ 4,409.55 ▲ 20.95 ▲ 0.48%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,429.40 ▲ 32.10 ▲ 0.59%
Shanghai_Comp 3,025.87 ▲ 2.87 ▲ 0.10%
Taiwan_Weight 9,228.50 ▲ 66.92 ▲ 0.73%
Nikkei_225___ 16,807.62 ▲ 315.47 ▲ 1.91%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,669.90 ▲ 139.04 ▲ 0.59%
Strait_Times.__ 2,850.74 ▼ -3.95 ▼ -0.14%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,281.17 ▼ -27.28 ▼ -0.37%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-rise-oil-prices-142637649.html

US stocks jump after Fed leaves interest rates unchanged

NEW YORK (AP) ”” U.S. stocks climbed Wednesday as investors were relieved that the Federal Reserve once again left interest rates unchanged. That sent dividend-paying stocks higher, while energy companies jumped with the price of oil.

Stocks made a big gain after the Fed's decision, which ended about weeks of confusion for investors. With the central bank confirming that it will raise interest rates slowly, bond yields dropped and utility and phone companies rose. The price of oil rose after the U.S. government said energy stockpiles shrank last week.

In the last two weeks, a few Fed leaders gave differing opinions on whether the central bank should raise interest rates now. That surprised investors, and stocks gyrated for a few days before settling down to tiny moves this week.

"If we had not received these mixed messages, I don't think anybody would have been surprised," said Sam Stovall, U.S. equity strategist for S&P Capital IQ.

The Dow Jones industrial average added 163.74 points, or 0.9 percent, to 18,293.70. The Standard & Poor's 500 index picked up 23.36 points, or 1.1 percent, to 2,163.12. The Nasdaq composite rose 53.83 points, or 1 percent, to a record 5,295.18.

Oil prices jumped as fuel stockpiles shrank and investors hoped that supply gluts are easing, which would allow prices to rise. The Energy Information Administration said oil inventories dropped by 6.2 million barrels and gasoline inventories decreased by 2.5 million barrels last week.

S&P Global Platts says analysts expected oil inventories to grow and gasoline stockpiles to shrink by a smaller amount.

Benchmark U.S. crude added $1.29, or 2.9 percent, to $45.34 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, rose 95 cents, or 2.1 percent, to $46.83 a barrel in London. That helped energy companies, and Anadarko Petroleum rose $2.78, or 4.8 percent, to $61.06 while Chevron added $1.93, or 2 percent, to $99.63.

The Federal Reserve said the economy has gotten a bit stronger after some shaky results in the spring, and that the argument for raising interest rates has also gotten stronger. However the central bank said it wants to see more improvement in the job market before raising rates.

The Fed raised interest rates in December and hasn't made another move since. The benchmark interest rate was cut to zero in late 2008 and at its current pace it will take many years for rates to get back to pre-financial crisis levels.

Investors were surprised earlier this month when Fed official Eric Rosengren, who has been reluctant to raise rates, suggested he might be willing to raise rates this month. For several days stocks made big moves up and down as investors wondered if that would happen. In the end, Rosengren was one of three Fed voters who wanted to raise rates Wednesday. Seven members voted to leave rates where they are.

By Fed standards, that's a divided result. Investors doubt the Fed will take action in November, when it meets right before the presidential election, but they think there's a good chance rates will rise in December.

The Dow was up about 30 points before the Fed's decision was announced. The ruling boosted dividend-paying companies while bond prices changed course and moved higher. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 1.66 percent from 1.69 percent.

Software maker Adobe Systems climbed after it raised its forecasts for the year. Adobe also reported solid third-quarter results. Its stock climbed $7.16, or 7.1 percent, to $107.78.

FedEx boosted its forecasts for the year as it projected a record holiday season, and the shipping company posted better first-quarter results than analysts had expected. The stock rose $11.21, or 6.9 percent, to $173.86.

Japan's central bank made some technical changes that give it more influence over long-term interest rates. It said it will continue trying to stimulate the Japanese economy until inflation is higher than 2 percent a year, but it didn't reduce interest rates any further. Some analysts thought the central bank would take further steps to bolster economic growth, which would have weakened the yen. The dollar fell to 100.44 yen from 101.84 yen.

Student lender Navient fell 51 cents, or 3.7 percent, to $13.28 after federal regulators began investigating one of its shareholders. The Securities and Exchange Commission said hedge fund manager Leon Cooperman and Omega Advisors illegally traded on insider information by buying shares of a natural gas company before it sold a natural gas facility, which sent its stock soaring. Cooperman denied the charges.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 98.76 points or ▲ 0.54% on Thursday, September 22, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,392.46 ▲ 98.76 ▲ 0.54%
Nasdaq____ 5,339.52 ▲ 44.34 ▲ 0.84%
S&P_500___ 2,177.18 ▲ 14.06 ▲ 0.65%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.35 ▼ -0.04 ▼ -1.83%

NYSE Volume 3,505,441,500
Nasdaq Volume 1,869,778,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,911.40 ▲ 76.63 ▲ 1.12%
DAX_____ 10,674.18 ▲ 237.69 ▲ 2.28%
CAC_40__ 4,509.82 ▲ 100.27 ▲ 2.27%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,466.30 ▲ 36.90 ▲ 0.68%
Shanghai_Comp 3,042.31 ▲ 16.44 ▲ 0.54%
Taiwan_Weight 9,235.26 ▲ 6.76 ▲ 0.07%
Nikkei_225___ 16,807.62 ▲ 315.47 ▲ 1.91%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,759.80 ▲ 89.90 ▲ 0.38%
Strait_Times.__ 2,846.06 ▼ -4.68 ▼ -0.16%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,311.71 ▲ 30.54 ▲ 0.42%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-gain-moderately-oil-commodity-141755956.html

Stocks gain moderately, led by high-dividend sectors

NEW YORK (AP) ”” Stocks posted solid gains on Thursday as investors, comfortable that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates low, bought up stocks that pay big dividends.

Real estate companies rose as investors looked for income, as did telecom stocks, which also typically pay higher-than-average dividends.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 98.76 points, or 0.5 percent, to 18,392.46. The Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 14.06 points, or 0.7 percent, 2,177.18 and the Nasdaq composite climbed 44.34 points, or 0.8 percent, to 5,339.52.

The newly created real estate component of the S&P 500 climbed 1.9 percent, far more than any other sector. The group is made up largely of real estate investment trusts, which enjoy certain tax benefits by paying out much of their income as dividends.

Telecommunications stocks, which also carry a higher-than-average dividend, also rose more than the rest of the market. AT&T rose 54 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $41.11. Verizon Communications rose 48 cents, or 1 percent, to $52.35.

Trading followed a pattern that has become familiar in the last several months. After hesitating or worrying that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates, investors piled into high-dividend stocks following yet another Fed decision to stand pat on interest rates. The two best performing parts of the S&P 500 this year are utilities and telecoms, up 18 percent and 15 percent respectively.

"It's another example of the issues facing investors right now, particularly pension funds and retirement funds, that they are all chasing yield in the same places," said Ian Winer, co-head of equities trading at Wedbush Securities.

Winer said he remains concerned how much more stocks can increase in the short-term, with the U.S. presidential election coming and third-quarter company earnings reports around the corner.

"There's plenty of data that doesn't support the market here, but what else are you going to invest in?" he said.

The Federal Reserve kept its key interest rate unchanged Wednesday but signaled it is likely to raise it later this year. The Fed said the U.S. job market has strengthened and economic activity has picked up but business investment is soft and inflation too low. The central bank said risks to its economic outlook are "roughly balanced."

The Fed's decision to keep rates low also caused bond prices to rise and the U.S. dollar to fall against other major currencies, which in turn helped boost prices of commodities, which are denominated in dollars.

The yield on the U.S. Treasury 10-year note fell to 1.62 percent from 1.67 percent the day before.

U.S. benchmark crude rose 98 cents to close at $46.32 a barrel, while Brent crude, used to price international oils, gained 82 cents to close at $47.65 a barrel. In other energy commodities, heating oil rose 2.5 cents to $1.45 a gallon, wholesale gasoline rose less than 1 cent to $1.40 a gallon and natural gas fell 7 cents to $2.99 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Energy companies followed oil prices higher. Murphy Oil rose $1.14, or 4.3 percent, to $27.55 and Transocean rose 51 cents, or 5.6 percent, to $9.65.

Other commodities also rose, which helped out materials stocks. In metals, gold climbed $13.30, or 1 percent, to $1,344.70 an ounce, silver rose 33 cents to $20.10 an ounce and copper increased 4 cents to $2.19 a pound.

Freeport-McMoRan, the mining giant, jumped 44 cents, or 4.2 percent, to $10.98.

The dollar edged up to 100.89 yen from 100.51 yen. The euro rose to $1.1204 from $1.1173.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -131.01 points or ▼ -0.71% on Friday, September 23, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,261.45 ▼ -131.01 ▼ -0.71%
Nasdaq____ 5,305.75 ▼ -33.78 ▼ -0.63%
S&P_500___ 2,164.69 ▼ -12.49 ▼ -0.57%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.34 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.59%

NYSE Volume 3,289,845,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,732,262,380

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,909.43 ▼ -1.97 ▼ -0.03%
DAX_____ 10,626.97 ▼ -47.21 ▼ -0.44%
CAC_40__ 4,488.69 ▼ -21.13 ▼ -0.47%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,518.60 ▲ 52.30 ▲ 0.96%
Shanghai_Comp 3,033.90 ▼ -8.42 ▼ -0.28%
Taiwan_Weight 9,284.62 ▲ 49.36 ▲ 0.53%
Nikkei_225___ 16,754.02 ▼ -53.60 ▼ -0.32%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,686.48 ▼ -73.32 ▼ -0.31%
Strait_Times.__ 2,856.95 ▲ 10.89 ▲ 0.38%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,296.74 ▼ -14.97 ▼ -0.20%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-move-slightly-lower-quiet-135414558.html

Stocks move lower as energy, technology stocks fall

NEW YORK (AP) -- U.S. stock indexes closed moderately lower on Friday following three days of gains. Several technology stocks traded heavily, including Yahoo, Twitter and Facebook. Energy stocks fell along with a steep decline in the price of oil.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 131.01 points, or 0.7 percent, to 18,261.45. The Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 12.49 points, or 0.6 percent, to 2,164.69 and the Nasdaq composite index lost 33.78, or 0.6 percent, to 5,305.75.

Stocks posted solid gains this week, with the S&P 500 up 1.2 percent, as investors were relieved that the Federal Reserve decided to keep rates at their current low level. The next time the Fed could raise rates is November, but the general impression among investors is the central bank will not raise rates until December, long after the general election.

"As much as market fundamentals matter, the Fed and its decisions continue to dominate markets," said Kristina Hooper, head of U.S. investment strategies at Allianz Global Investors.

Several technology stocks made big moves as investors worked through company-specific news on Facebook, Twitter and Yahoo.

Facebook fell $2.12, or 1.6 percent, to $127.96 after The Wall Street Journal reported that the company was overstating how long users were watching video ads, raising concerns that a portion of Facebook's ad revenue may be at risk.

Yahoo fell $1.35, or 3.1 percent, to $42.80 after the company admitted the data of 500 million users was stolen by a foreign agent, much more than it previously acknowledged. While Yahoo has previously agreed to sell most of its assets to Verizon, there were concerns that this development may cause Verizon to go back to the negotiation table.

Twitter soared $3.99, or 21 percent, to $22.62 after business network CNBC reported that the company is in deal talks with Salesforce and Google's parent company Alphabet for a possible sale.

While stocks rose solidly this week, most of the gains were in relatively safe, dividend-rich companies that investors favor when they're uncertain about the economy. The Dow Jones utility index was up 3.3 percent this week, and the newly created real estate component of the S&P 500, made up of mostly real estate investment trusts, rose 4.3 percent.

Oil prices fell sharply after reports that Saudi Arabia was unable to reach an agreement with Iran to cut production. U.S. benchmark crude oil futures closed down $1.84 to $44.48 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, used to price international oils, fell $1.76 to $45.89 a barrel.

In other energy trading, heating oil fell 5 cents to $1.41 per gallon, wholesale gasoline fell 2 cents to $1.38 a gallon and natural gas fell 3.5 cents to $2.955 per thousand cubic feet.

Energy companies were hit hard on the reports, and the energy component of the S&P 500 lost 1.3 percent, much more than the broader market. Transocean, the ocean rig operator, fell 55 cents, or 6 percent, to $9.10.

In metals, gold fell $3.00 to $1,341.70 an ounce, silver fell 29 cents to $19.81 an ounce and copper rose less than 1 cent to $2.201 a pound.

The yield on the U.S. Treasury 10-year note was little changed at 1.62 percent. The euro rose to $1.1231 from $1.204 and the dollar edged up to 101.09 yen from 100.89 yen.

1366

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -166.62 points or ▼ -0.91% on Monday, September 26, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,094.83 ▼ -166.62 ▼ -0.91%
Nasdaq____ 5,257.49 ▼ -48.26 ▼ -0.91%
S&P_500___ 2,146.10 ▼ -18.59 ▼ -0.86%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.33 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.60%

NYSE Volume 3,182,620,500
Nasdaq Volume 1,631,781,620

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,818.04 ▼ -91.39 ▼ -1.32%
DAX_____ 10,393.71 ▼ -233.26 ▼ -2.19%
CAC_40__ 4,407.85 ▼ -80.84 ▼ -1.80%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,519.10 ▲ 0.50 ▲ 0.01%
Shanghai_Comp 2,980.43 ▼ -53.47 ▼ -1.76%
Taiwan_Weight 9,194.52 ▼ -90.10 ▼ -0.97%
Nikkei_225___ 16,544.56 ▼ -209.46 ▼ -1.25%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,317.92 ▼ -368.56 ▼ -1.56%
Strait_Times.__ 2,849.94 ▼ -7.01 ▼ -0.25%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,258.98 ▼ -5.89 ▼ -0.08%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/health-care-bank-stocks-pull-142816625.html

US stocks slide as banks tumble on Deutsche Bank worries

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks slumped Monday, and banks took the biggest losses. Deutsche Bank plunged as investors worried about the financial health of Germany's largest bank. Pfizer pulled drugmakers down after it announced it won't break up into two companies.

Stocks fell for the second day in a row. Banks were hurt by a drop in bond yields, which means lower interest rates and smaller profits on loans. Consumer companies fell as home improvement retailers were affected by a slowdown in sales of new homes.

European banks tumbled after the German magazine Focus said Deutsche Bank won't get a government bailout if it asks for one. Its report, published Friday, cited "government circles" as its source.

"There's some stress in the banking industry there, and questions about whether governments have the will to step in," said Steve Chiavarone, associated portfolio manager for Federated Investors.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 166.62 points, or 0.9 percent, to 18,094.83. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 18.59 points, or 0.9 percent, to 2,146.10. The Nasdaq composite dropped 48.26 points, or 0.8 percent, to 5,257.49. Stocks are coming off two weeks of solid gains, and the Nasdaq set all-time highs twice last week.

Focus' article, published Friday, also said the German government won't help the Deutsche Bank by intervening with U.S. officials who want it to pay $14 billion to end an investigation into its sale of mortgage-backed securities. The bank's U.S.-listed shares tumbled 90 cents, or 7.1 percent, to $11.85. The stock is down 51 percent this year.

Other banks also tumbled. Goldman Sachs took the largest loss among Dow stocks and sank $3.65, or 2.2 percent, to $161.48. Citigroup shed $1.26, or 2.7 percent, to $45.89.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note fell to 1.58 percent from 1.62 percent. That also affects banks, as lower bond yields mean lower interest rates and smaller profits on lending.

Stocks overseas also weakened. The DAX in Germany dropped 2.2 percent and France's CAC 40 fell 1.8 percent. In Britain, the FTSE 100 was down 1.3 percent. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 edged down 1.3 percent. South Korea's Kospi slipped 0.3 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng lost 1.7 percent.

Home Depot and Lowe's sank after the government said sales of new homes fell almost 8 percent in August. That followed a big jump the month before. While sales of new homes have risen over the last year, there simply aren't a lot of houses on the market.

Home Depot shed $2.34, or 1.8 percent, to $125.45 and Lowe's fell $1.54, or 2.1 percent, to $70.81.

Pfizer, one of the largest drug companies in the world, traded lower after it said it will not split into two smaller companies. Some of its investors had supported that plan in the hope it would bolster the value of their stock and accelerate growth, but lately the Viagra maker has been signaling that it probably wouldn't break up. Its stock fell 62 cents, or 1.8 percent, to $33.64.

Oil prices bounced higher as investors monitor a meeting of oil producers in Algeria. Benchmark U.S. crude rose $1.45, or 3.3 percent, to $45.93 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the international benchmark, rose $1.46, or 3.2 percent, to $47.35 a barrel in London. Oil exploration companies rose the most. Transocean climbed 42 cents, or 4.6 percent, to $9.52 and Noble Energy added 60 cents, or 1.8 percent, to $33.62.

Specialty chemicals maker Chemtura climbed after it agreed to be bought by Germany's Lanxess. Lanxess is paying $33.50 per share for Chemtura, a 19-percent premium, and the companies valued the deal at $2.5 billion. Chemtura stock gained $4.46, or 15.8 percent, to $32.64.

Several companies started the week with deal news. CBOE Holdings, the parent company of the Chicago Board of Exchange, will buy stock exchange operator Bats Global Markets. The companies valued the deal at $3.2 billion, or $32.50 in cash and stock per share of Bats. Bats stock jumped 20 percent Friday as investors hoped that a deal was imminent, and it fell $1.45, or 4.6 percent, to $30.35. CBOE stock lost $3.71, or 5.3 percent, to $66.59.

Casual clothing retailer Lands' End skidded after the departure of its CEO. Federica Marchionni left Dolce & Gabbana to join Lands' End less than two years ago but was unable to stop a decline in sales. Lands' End stock lost $2.54, or 14.1 percent, to $15.46.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 133.47 points or ▲ 0.74% on Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,228.30 ▲ 133.47 ▲ 0.74%
Nasdaq____ 5,305.71 ▲ 48.22 ▲ 0.92%
S&P_500___ 2,159.93 ▲ 13.83 ▲ 0.64%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.28 ▼ -0.05 ▼ -2.02%

NYSE Volume 3,408,944,750
Nasdaq Volume 1,715,353,380

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,807.67 ▼ -10.37 ▼ -0.15%
DAX_____ 10,361.48 ▼ -32.23 ▼ -0.31%
CAC_40__ 4,398.68 ▼ -9.17 ▼ -0.21%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,493.70 ▼ -25.40 ▼ -0.46%
Shanghai_Comp 2,998.17 ▲ 17.74 ▲ 0.60%
Taiwan_Weight 9,194.52 ▼ -90.10 ▼ -0.97%
Nikkei_225___ 16,683.93 ▲ 139.37 ▲ 0.84%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,571.90 ▲ 253.98 ▲ 1.09%
Strait_Times.__ 2,860.23 ▲ 10.29 ▲ 0.36%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,252.92 ▼ -11.95 ▼ -0.16%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-open-higher-led-142633518.html

Tech and consumer companies lead US stocks higher

NEW YORK (AP) ”” U.S. stocks rebounded Tuesday and climbed after a survey showed consumer confidence is at a nine-year high, a sign Americans will keep spending in the months to come. Technology and consumer stocks made the largest gains.

The market opened lower after two days of losses but quickly recovered. The consumer confidence report gave major indexes a boost and they locked in a big gain by early afternoon.

Technology companies jumped, and solid results from cruise line operator Carnival sent travel-related companies higher. Energy companies slumped with oil prices as hopes for an international cut in fuel production faded.

U.S. consumer confidence reached its highest level this month since August 2007, according to the Conference Board. The group said its index rose to 104.1 as consumers grew more optimistic about the labor market. The result was better than expected.

Katie Nixon, chief investment officer for Northern Trust, said it’s even more important right now because government spending, exports, and capital spending by businesses are all limited.

“Everything’s riding on the consumer right now,” she said. Recently investors have worried about consumer spending because of disappointing auto sales and retail sales.

After its slow start, the Dow Jones industrial average jumped 133.47 points, or 0.7 percent, to 18,228.30. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index picked up 13.83 points, or 0.6 percent, to 2,159.93. The Nasdaq composite gained 48.22 points, or 0.9 percent, to 5,305.71.

Economists had expected consumer confidence would fall in September. That’s partly because of disappointing reports on car and retail sales earlier this month. Investors have been wondering if consumers would spend enough to keep the economy growing at a steady pace.

Travel companies made some of the biggest gains on the S&P 500 after cruise operator Carnival reported a solid profit and strong revenue in the third quarter and raised its forecast for its full-year results. Carnival rose $1.88, or 4 percent, to $48.35 while competitor Royal Caribbean added $3.38, or 4.8 percent, to $74.35. Southwest Airlines climbed $1.67, or 4.5 percent, to $38.54 and booking site Expedia gained $4.01, or 3.7 percent, to $113.10.

Amazon rose $16.95, or 2.1 percent, to $816.11 as consumer stocks made big moves. Netflix, which has slumped this year after its stock doubled in 2015, regained $2.51, or 2.7 percent, to $97.07. Microsoft helped pull tech stocks higher as it picked up $1.05, or 1.8 percent, to $57.95. IBM advanced $2.79, or 1.8 percent, to $156.77.

Oil prices fell after investors were disappointed again that OPEC countries didn’t make a deal to limit production. A representative for Iran said there probably won’t be any such agreement this week and that oil-producing nations should discuss the issue in November.

U.S. crude fell $1.26, or 2.7 percent, to $44.67 a barrel in New York. The international standard, Brent crude, lost $1.38, or 2.9 percent, to $45.97 a barrel in London. Oil prices rose 3 percent on Monday. Devon Energy lost $1.26, or 3.2 percent, to $38.38 and ConocoPhillips sank 59 cents, or 1.5 percent, to $39.43.

American Express gained 86 cents, or 1.4 percent, to $64.28. A federal appeals court ruled late Monday that the company didn’t violate antitrust laws by preventing stores from asking customers to use one credit card over another and steering consumers to another type of payment. On Tuesday, the company said it will buy back as much as 150 million shares of its stock and raised its dividend to 32 cents from 29 cents.

Oil and natural gas company Rice Energy said it will buy Vantage Energy for $2.7 billion including debt. Rice Energy fell $2.14, or 7.9 percent, to $25. Part of Vantage’s business will become part of a separate Rice company called Rice Midstream Partners, and shares of that partnership rose $1.21, or 5.7 percent, to $22.52.

Bond prices continued to rise. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 1.56 percent from 1.58 percent. Bond yields have been slipping for more than a week as investors waited for the Federal Reserve to make a decision on interest rates. Last Wednesday the Fed announced it was leaving rates where they are for now.

Geo Group and Corrections Corp. of America slumped after Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton said during the presidential debate Monday night that states should stop doing business with private prisons. In August the federal government said the Justice Department would stop doing business with those prison companies. Corrections Corp. lost $1.18, or 7.4 percent, to $14.78 and Geo Group slid 94 cents, or 3.8 percent, to $23.68.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 110.94 points or ▲ 0.61% on Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,339.24 ▲ 110.94 ▲ 0.61%
Nasdaq____ 5,318.55 ▲ 12.84 ▲ 0.24%
S&P_500___ 2,171.37 ▲ 11.44 ▲ 0.53%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.29 ▲ 0.01 ▲ 0.39%

NYSE Volume 3,852,848,750
Nasdaq Volume 1,743,278,250

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,849.38 ▲ 41.71 ▲ 0.61%
DAX_____ 10,438.34 ▲ 76.86 ▲ 0.74%
CAC_40__ 4,432.45 ▲ 33.77 ▲ 0.77%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,500.20 ▲ 6.50 ▲ 0.12%
Shanghai_Comp 2,987.86 ▼ -10.31 ▼ -0.34%
Taiwan_Weight 9,194.52 ▼ -90.10 ▼ -0.97%
Nikkei_225___ 16,465.40 ▼ -218.53 ▼ -1.31%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,619.65 ▲ 47.75 ▲ 0.20%
Strait_Times.__ 2,858.01 ▼ -2.22 ▼ -0.08%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,290.45 ▲ 37.53 ▲ 0.52%

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/stock-indexes-edge-higher-early-trading-42416552

Energy Stocks Surge on Oil Deal Hopes, Sending Market Higher

Energy companies powered to big gains Wednesday, leading the broader stock market higher, on reports that OPEC nations were moving closer to an agreement to cut oil production.

Stocks switched between gains and losses for most of the day, and most industries did not move much. Energy companies surged at 2 p.m. Eastern time on reports that a deal was close. A two-year slump in oil prices has decimated profits at energy companies. The energy sector made its biggest gain since January.

After stock trading closed, OPEC said it had reached a preliminary deal to reduce production for the first time in eight years.

"It just creates a lot of optimism that the worst is over for investors," said Brian Youngberg, energy analyst at Edward Jones.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 110.94 points, or 0.6 percent, to 18,339.24. The Standard & Poor's 500 index added 11.44 points, or 0.5 percent, to 2,171.37. The Nasdaq composite edged up 12.84 points, or 0.2 percent, to 5,138.55.

A little more than two years ago, a barrel of oil cost around $100. But a huge supply glut built up as the U.S. and other countries produced more and more oil and the global economy slowed, which hurt demand. Oil hit a low of $26 a barrel in February and has traded between $40 a $50 a barrel since April, but investors doubt the price will rise further without limits on production. OPEC produces more than a third of the world's oil.

"The industry needs higher oil prices," said Youngberg.

Benchmark U.S. crude jumped $2.38, or 5.3 percent, to $47.05 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the international standard, rose $2.72, or 5.9 percent, to $48.69 a barrel in London.

Exxon Mobil picked up $3.66, or 4.4 percent, to $86.90 and Chevron leaped $3.17, or 3.2 percent, to $102.15.

Oil prices jumped 3 percent Monday and then fell 3 percent Tuesday as hopes for a production deal rose and fell, and oil repeatedly changed course Wednesday as well.

Mining and industrial companies also climbed. The Dow was aided by a big gain for heavy machinery maker Caterpillar, which climbed $3.71, or 4.5 percent, to $86.59.

Phone companies suffered some of the largest declines. AT&T fell 61 cents, or 1.5 percent, to $40.85 after a UBS analyst downgraded the company to "Neutral" from "Buy." Analyst John Hodulik said profits will get squeezed as the companies offer trade-in deals to try to win customers. He cut his profit forecast for Verizon, which lost 43 cents to $52.06.

AT&T has climbed 19 percent this year and Verizon has risen 13 percent as investors sought stocks that pay big dividends while bond yields remain low.

Nike's profit and sales were stronger than analysts expected, but the athletic apparel maker's stock slipped $2.09, or 3.8 percent, to $53.25 as investors worried about challenges including slower orders in North America. Credit Suisse analyst Christian Buss said orders in that market are growing at their slowest pace in five years as competition increases. Nike is down 15 percent this year, more than any other stock on the Dow Jones industrial average.

Stockholders in SABMiller approved its combination with AB InBev. That vote was one of the last hurdles in the giant beer merger, which has already been cleared by regulators. AB InBev stock rose $1.56, or 1.2 percent, to $133.44. As part of the deal, Molson Coors will gain full ownership of its joint venture with SABMiller, MillerCoors. Its stock climbed $2.08, or 1.9 percent, to $109.61.

Mattress maker Tempur Sealy International tumbled after the company said third-quarter sales aren't meeting its expectations. It cut its guidance and said it expects revenue to fall as much as 3 percent this year. That suggests sales of no more than $3.12 billion, while FactSet says analysts expected $3.23 billion on average. Tempur Sealy stock dropped $16.68, or 22.4 percent, to $57.77.

Deutsche Bank traded higher after the German bank said it will sell a life insurance subsidiary and emphasized it is not seeking government aid. The company is selling its Abby Life unit to Phoenix Life Holdings for about $1.2 billion. Investors have been worrying about Deutsche Bank's ability to pay a $14 billion claim from the U.S. government. Its U.S.-listed stock, which is down by half this year, rose 38 cents, or 3.2 percent, to $12.30 Wednesday.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline jumped 8 cents, or 6 percent, to $1.48 a gallon. Heating oil gained 8 cents, or 5.8 percent, to $1.49 a gallon. Natural gas fell 4 cents to $2.95 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Bond prices slipped. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 1.57 percent from 1.56 percent. The dollar rose to 100.75 yen from 100.27 yen and the euro inched down to $1.1214 from $1.1221.

Gold fell $6.70 to $1,323.70 an ounce. Silver shed 4 cents to $19.12 an ounce. Copper added 2 cents to $2.19 per pound.

The CAC-40 in France added 0.8 percent while Germany's DAX rose 0.7 percent. In Britain, the FTSE 100 gained 0.6 percent. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 index fell 1.3 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng was unchanged. Seoul's Kospi added 0.9 percent.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -195.79 points or ▼ -1.07% on Thursday, September 29, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,143.45 ▼ -195.79 ▼ -1.07%
Nasdaq____ 5,269.15 ▼ -49.39 ▼ -0.93%
S&P_500___ 2,151.13 ▼ -20.24 ▼ -0.93%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.28 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.57%

NYSE Volume 4,203,260,500
Nasdaq Volume 1,864,879,500

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,919.42 ▲ 70.04 ▲ 1.02%
DAX_____ 10,405.54 ▼ -32.80 ▼ -0.31%
CAC_40__ 4,443.84 ▲ 11.39 ▲ 0.26%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,558.20 ▲ 58.00 ▲ 1.05%
Shanghai_Comp 2,998.48 ▲ 10.62 ▲ 0.36%
Taiwan_Weight 9,270.90 ▲ 76.38 ▲ 0.83%
Nikkei_225___ 16,693.71 ▲ 228.31 ▲ 1.39%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,739.47 ▲ 119.82 ▲ 0.51%
Strait_Times.__ 2,885.71 ▲ 27.70 ▲ 0.97%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,343.45 ▲ 53.00 ▲ 0.73%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stock...145515427.html?_fsig=uKnqt9I7QE27t41MbzoWcQ--

Stocks skid as drugmakers fall, then bank woes deepen losses

NEW YORK (AP) ”” U.S. stocks skidded Thursday as drug companies and banks absorbed large losses. Drugmakers faced scrutiny over price increases, while banks fell as investors worried about the stability of Deutsche Bank and other financial institutions.

Stocks were slightly lower in morning trading, and they fell hard at 12:30 p.m. Eastern time on renewed concerns about Germany's largest bank. EpiPen maker Mylan fell after legislators called for an investigation of the company. The price of oil continued to rise, which sent oil drilling and equipment companies higher. Stocks gave up most of their gains from the last two days.

Quincy Krosby, market strategist for Prudential Financial, said investors don't trust Deutsche Bank's statements about its financial health and they are worried what will happen to the bank and to the broader financial system if Deutsche Bank runs low on capital.

"The market begins to worry about Deutsche Bank and then the relationships Deutsche Bank has with other banks here in the United States," she said.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 195.79 points, or 1.1 percent, to 18,143.45. The Standard & Poor's 500 index sank 20.24 points, or 0.9 percent, to 2,151.13. The Nasdaq composite dropped 49.39 points, or 0.9 percent, to 5,269.15.

Mylan slumped after a group of senators asked the Department of Justice to investigate whether the drugmaker broke the law when it classified its emergency allergy shot EpiPen as a generic drug, which allowed Mylan to make lower rebate payments to states. Mylan gave up $1.75, or 4.4 percent, to $38.47. The stock is down 21 percent since mid-August as the company has come under criticism for repeatedly raising EpiPen's price over the last decade.

Other drug companies traded lower as investors worry that the government will take action to rein in drug price increases. Merck fell $1.39, or 2.2 percent, to $61.91. Amgen fell $4.26, or 2.5 percent, to $165.45.

Financial stocks slumped on renewed worries about Deutsche Bank. U.S. regulators are seeking $14 billion to settle legal claims over its sales of mortgage securities. It's also unclear whether the German government would support the bank if it runs low on capital. Deutsche Bank has said it isn't seeking government aid.

Deutsche Bank's U.S.-listed shares have lost more than half their value this year. On Thursday they tumbled 82 cents, or 6.7 percent, to $11.48 in heavy trading. JPMorgan Chase slid $1.06, or 1.6 percent, to $65.65 and Goldman Sachs shed $4.50, or 2.8 percent, to $158.95.

Oil prices continued to rise after a 5 percent surge the day before. Energy prices had jumped after the nations of OPEC, which collectively produce more than third of the world's oil, agreed to a small cut in production. The decision was a surprise, but something investors had long hoped for. The deal won't be finalized until November.

U.S. crude picked up 78 cents, or 1.7 percent, to $47.83 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the international benchmark, added 55 cents, or 1 percent, to $49.24 a barrel in London.

Companies that drill for oil rose sharply as investors expected them to benefit from higher prices for crude. Devon Energy added $1.46, or 3.5 percent, to $43.04.

Companies that provide rigs and other equipment to drillers also rose as investors expected that higher prices for crude will encourage more drilling. Helmerich & Payne rose $2.48, or 4 percent, to $65.26. Companies that refine oil fell on the prospect they will have to pay more money for the oil they refine. Marathon Petroleum fell $2.90, or 6.8 percent, to $39.74 and Valero Energy lost $3.40, or 6.2 percent, to $51.71.

ConAgra Foods climbed after its profit surpassed analysts' forecasts, thanks in part to lower costs. The company has sold several brands to focus on product lines like Chef Boyardee and Hebrew National, and it's getting ready to split into two companies. ConAgra rose $3.12, or 7.2 percent, to $46.25.

CBS and Viacom rose after Sumner Redstone's National Amusements, which controls both companies, said it wants them to combine again. CBS and Viacom had merged in 1999 and split up in 2006. Viacom, which recently replaced its CEO and then announced its interim CEO will leave in November, rose $1.21, or 3.3 percent, to $37.77 and CBS rose 42 cents to $54.57.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 164.7 points or ▲ 0.91% on Friday, September 30, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,308.15 ▲ 164.70 ▲ 0.91%
Nasdaq____ 5,312.00 ▲ 42.85 ▲ 0.81%
S&P_500___ 2,168.27 ▲ 17.14 ▲ 0.80%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.34 ▲ 0.06 ▲ 2.68%

NYSE Volume 4,145,156,500
Nasdaq Volume 2,017,076,500

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,899.33 ▼ -20.09 ▼ -0.29%
DAX_____ 10,511.02 ▲ 105.48 ▲ 1.01%
CAC_40__ 4,448.26 ▲ 4.42 ▲ 0.10%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,525.20 ▼ -33.00 ▼ -0.59%
Shanghai_Comp 3,004.70 ▲ 6.22 ▲ 0.21%
Taiwan_Weight 9,166.85 ▼ -104.05 ▼ -1.12%
Nikkei_225___ 16,449.84 ▼ -243.87 ▼ -1.46%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,297.15 ▼ -442.32 ▼ -1.86%
Strait_Times.__ 2,869.47 ▼ -16.24 ▼ -0.56%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,361.09 ▲ 17.64 ▲ 0.24%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-rebound-consumer-companies-142214390.html

Stocks say 'nevermind'; reverse recent losses as banks jump

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks climbed Friday as banks made a rapid recovery following a steep fall a day ago. Investors hoped Deutsche Bank and the financial system in general were in better shape than they had feared.

Banks made the biggest gains Friday as Germany's largest bank tried to reassure investors about its financial health. Investors hope Deutsche Bank will be able to negotiate down the massive cost of settling a U.S. investigation into mortgage securities. Energy companies rose as the price of oil continued to move higher, and strong earnings from Costco sent consumer stocks higher.

Deutsche Bank is the largest lender in Germany, and investors are concerned about not only its plunging stock price, but the potential effect on the financial system if Deutsche Bank gets into serious trouble and the German government does not help it. Those fears faded on Friday.

"People came to the realization that this isn't likely to be a big systemic risk that ripples through the financial sector," said Nate Thooft, head of global asset allocation for Manulife Asset Management.

The Dow Jones industrial average jumped 164.70 points, or 0.9 percent, to 18,308.15. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rebounded 17.14 points, or 0.8 percent, to 2,168.27. The Nasdaq composite rose 42.85 points, or 0.8 percent, to 5,312.

The Department of Justice wants Deutsche Bank to pay $14 billion to end an investigation into mortgage-backed securities, and the stock jumped Friday after a report that the bank could settle the case with a smaller payment. Deutsche Bank's U.S.-listed stock rose $1.61, or 14 percent, to $13.09. The stock has been pummeled this year and is trading near all-time lows.

Financial stocks tumbled Thursday afternoon following reports that some hedge funds were moving their business out of Deutsche Bank. On Friday, bank stocks and the broader market regained almost all of those losses.

Thooft said he does not think banks are in great danger, but he said there are causes for concern, including the health of Italy's banks. Meanwhile, with interest rates so low and regulation getting tighter, there are plenty of reasons for investors to avoid bank stocks.

That didn't stop the financial sector, the weakest sector in the market this year, from rallying on Friday. Among U.S. banks, JPMorgan Chase added 94 cents, or 1.4 percent, to $66.59 and Citigroup gained $1.43, or 3.1 percent, to $47.23.

Benchmark U.S. crude oil rose 41 cents to $48.24 a barrel in New York, and it rose 8 percent over the last three days. Brent crude, the international standard, slipped 18 cents to $49.06 a barrel in London.

Oil prices surged this week after the nations of OPEC, which collectively produce more than one-third of the world's oil, surprised investors with an agreement on a small cut in production. Investors hope energy companies will book larger profits as a result. Chevron jumped $1.65, or 1.6 percent, to $102.92 and EOG Resources rose $1.66, or 1.7 percent, to $96.71.

Warehouse club operator Costco Wholesale jumped $5.02, or 3.4 percent, to $152.51 after it reported a profit that was larger than analysts expected. Companies that make and sell household necessities also climbed. Procter & Gamble gained $1.52, or 1.7 percent, to $89.75 and Wal-Mart rose $1.39, or 2 percent, to $72.12.

Cognizant Technology Solutions tumbled after the information technology consulting and outsourcing firm said it's investigating possible bribes paid to officials in India. Cognizant said it's looking into potential violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and has informed the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Cognizant also said its president Gordon Coburn resigned. The stock fell $7.37, or 13.4 percent, to $47.63.

Major stock indexes set records this quarter thanks mostly to tech stocks. The S&P 500 technology index climbed 12 percent over the last three months. Apple, the most valuable company in the S&P 500, surged 18 percent, partly on indications of strong sales for the newest iPhones. Microsoft, the next-largest company, rose 13 percent and another tech giant, Google parent Alphabet, leaped 14 percent.

Bond prices sank. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 1.60 percent from 1.56 percent. Stocks that pay high dividends, like utilities and real estate and phone companies, traded lower.

1874

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -54.3 points or ▼ -0.30% on Monday, October 3, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,253.85 ▼ -54.30 ▼ -0.30%
Nasdaq____ 5,300.87 ▼ -11.13 ▼ -0.21%
S&P_500___ 2,161.20 ▼ -7.07 ▼ -0.33%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.34 ▲ 0.00 ▼ -0.04%

NYSE Volume 3,110,588,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,569,721,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,983.52 ▲ 84.19 ▲ 1.22%
DAX_____ 10,511.02 ▲ 0.00 ▲ 0.00%
CAC_40__ 4,453.56 ▲ 5.30 ▲ 0.12%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,564.80 ▲ 39.60 ▲ 0.72%
Shanghai_Comp 3,004.70 ▲ 6.22 ▲ 0.21%
Taiwan_Weight 9,234.20 ▲ 67.35 ▲ 0.73%
Nikkei_225___ 16,598.67 ▲ 148.83 ▲ 0.90%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,584.43 ▲ 287.28 ▲ 1.23%
Strait_Times.__ 2,870.84 ▲ 1.37 ▲ 0.05%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,372.49 ▲ 11.40 ▲ 0.15%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-fall-early-trading-led-142228581.html

Stocks fall broadly, led by drops in real estate, utilities

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks fell in light trading Monday as investors dumped former darlings of the market, real estate companies and utilities.

Indexes slumped from the start of trading and remained down throughout the day as investors continue to speculate about when the Federal Reserve is likely to raise interest rates as the economy strengthens. A report earlier in the day showed U.S. manufacturing picking up.

The selling was modest, but broad. Eight of the 11 sectors of the Standard and Poor's 500 index closed down for the day.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 54.30 points, or 0.3 percent, to 18,253.85. The S&P 500 index lost 7.07 points, or 0.3 percent, to 2,161.20. The Nasdaq composite declined 11.13 points, or 0.2 percent, to 5,300.87.

Investors hungry for income-producing assets have been buying utilities and real estate companies for their steady dividends. But those stocks become less attractive if interest rates and bond yields climb.

On Monday, stocks of real estate companies lost 1.8 percent. Utilities shed 1.4 percent.

In an election year when both candidates for U.S. president are talking tough about trade, renewed fears over Britain's exit from the European Union may have also added to the jitters, said Rob Haworth, senior investment strategist at U.S. Bank Wealth Management.

British Prime Minister Theresa May said that the formal process by which Britain leaves the European Union, dubbed "Brexit," will start by March. That sent the British pound down sharply. May signaled that she would prioritize controls on immigration over access to the European single market.

"There was a hope in the market that Brexit didn't mean Brexit," said Haworth. But now, "we have a timetable."

Bucking the downward trend in the market were some stocks involved in the latest of a string of deal-making.

Janus Capital surged $1.69, or 12 percent, to $15.70 after announcing it would merge with a London-based investment company, Henderson Group.

Outdoor gear retailer Cabela's shot up $8.25, or 15 percent, to $63.18 on news it is being bought by Bass Pro Shops for $4.5 billion.

Ernie Cecilia, chief investment officer at Bryn Mawr Trust, said companies are making deals because they have few other ways of lifting sales in a slow growth, low inflation world.

"If you can't raise prices," Cecilia said, "how else are you going to grow?"

The price of oil continued its climb from last week, which normally would help drillers and other energy companies. Benchmark U.S. crude oil rose 57 cents to close at $48.81 a barrel.

In the end, though, even energy companies fell, losing 0.2 percent.

Among stocks making big moves, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals slumped 31 cents, or 5 percent, to $6.04. The cancer drug developer announced that it would cut almost a quarter of its workforce and look for a new CEO.

Federal Realty Investment trust lost $5.85, or nearly 4 percent, to $148.08, one of the biggest declines in the S&P 500.

A number of economic reports are due out this week, culminating Friday with the government's monthly jobs survey. Strong jobs numbers might encourage Federal Reserve to raise interest rates this year.

In energy trading, Brent crude, the international standard, rose 70 cents to close at $50.89 a barrel in London. Wholesale gasoline edged up 1 cent to $1.47 a gallon, heating oil rose 1 cent to $1.55 a gallon and natural gas increased 2 cents to $2.923 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 1.62 percent from 1.60 percent. The euro fell to $1.1217 from $1.1237 and the dollar rose to 101.55 yen from 101.41 yen.

Precious and industrial metals prices closed lower. Gold fell $4.40 to $1,312.70 an ounce, silver lost 35 cents to $18.87 an ounce and copper slipped 2 cents to $2.19 a pound.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -85.4 points or ▼ -0.47% on Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,168.45 ▼ -85.40 ▼ -0.47%
Nasdaq____ 5,289.66 ▼ -11.22 ▼ -0.21%
S&P_500___ 2,150.49 ▼ -10.71 ▼ -0.50%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.41 ▲ 0.07 ▲ 3.04%

NYSE Volume 3,710,346,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,655,907,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 7,074.34 ▲ 90.82 ▲ 1.30%
DAX_____ 10,619.61 ▲ 108.59 ▲ 1.03%
CAC_40__ 4,503.09 ▲ 49.53 ▲ 1.11%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,569.90 ▲ 5.10 ▲ 0.09%
Shanghai_Comp 3,004.70 ▲ 6.22 ▲ 0.21%
Taiwan_Weight 9,287.77 ▲ 53.57 ▲ 0.58%
Nikkei_225___ 16,735.65 ▲ 136.98 ▲ 0.83%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,689.44 ▲ 105.01 ▲ 0.45%
Strait_Times.__ 2,884.64 ▲ 13.80 ▲ 0.48%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,352.46 ▼ -20.03 ▼ -0.27%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-wavering-between-gains-losses-early-trading-142913205.html

Stocks fall broadly on Wall Street along with bonds and gold

NEW YORK (AP) ”” Stocks fell broadly on Tuesday, led by sharp drops in utilities and phone companies. U.S. government bond prices also slumped, and gold had its worse day in nearly three years.

Investors are nervous about the timing and the pace of any increase in the super-low interest rates controlled by the Federal Reserve, and comments from central bank officials recently have added to their jitters.

Stocks rose from the open, but the gains quickly faded and the selling spread across industries. By the end of trading, ten of the 11 sectors of the Standard and Poor's 500 index were down. It was the second day of broad declines, a weak start to a new quarter after solid returns in recent months.

Bank stocks bucked the downward trend in the market and moved higher. Citigroup rose 1.5 percent. Higher interest rates will mean higher profits from lending for banks.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 85.40 points, or 0.5 percent, to 18,168.45. The S&P 500 fell 10.71 points, or 0.5 percent, to 2,150.49. The Nasdaq composite fell 11.22 points, or 0.2 percent, to 5,289.66.

A big driver of the day's trading was rates, with investors closely watching the yield of the benchmark 10-year Treasury note, which has risen as the price of the note has dropped. The yield on Tuesday rose to 1.69 percent, up more than a tenth of a percentage point in less than a week.

As the yields have risen, investors who had poured money into steady dividend payers like phone and real estate companies and utilities as alternatives to bonds have been selling because bonds are becoming more attractive as a source of income. Utilities have fallen 7 percent since Sept. 22, after soaring 21 percent in the first six months of the year.

"Some people have gotten into areas of the market that act like pseudo-bonds, stocks masquerading as bonds," and now are shifting money out, said Tim Courtney, chief investment officer of Excencial Wealth Advisors. "The markets are reacting very badly to the increases."

On Monday, a key manufacturing gauge in the U.S. showed surprisingly strength. Then an official at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, a "hawk" who believes the central bank should be raising rates, reiterated her position in a Bloomberg interview.

Investors are looking ahead to a report on job creation out Friday to better gauge how soon the Fed will act. The Fed is expected by most investors to wait until December to raise rates.

Bill Strazzullo, chief market strategist at Bell Curve Trading, said investors are hoping for a continued "goldilocks" situation of modest economic growth.

"The best thing for the market right now is for the economy to be strong enough to dispel the fear of recession," he said, "but not too strong that it accelerate the Fed tightening process."

The price of gold dropped sharply as investors anticipated that rates would keep rising. Higher rates diminish the appeal of gold, which investors tend to favor when they fear that low rates will encourage inflation. Gold slumped $43, or 3.3 percent, to $1,269.70 an ounce.

Among stocks making news, Newell Brands rose 65 cents, or 1.2 percent, to $51.60 after announcing it will sell 10 percent of its businesses, including part of its outdoor segment and its consumer storage unit. The company owns Mr. Coffee, Paper Mate, Elmer's and other brands.

The U.S.-listed shares of Deutsche Bank rose 35 cents, or 2.7 percent, to $13.33. Germany's biggest bank has been under pressure since it revealed the U.S. Justice Department had proposed at $14 billion payment to settle an investigation into the bank's dealings in risky mortgage bonds. Its shares have been rising recently on a news report Friday that a lower fine was in the offing.

In overseas markets, Britain's FTSE 100 jumped 1.3 percent, just shy of its all-time high of 7,122, as the pound continues to sink after the country's prime minister gave a clear timetable on Sunday for exiting the European Union. The pound is now near a 31-year low of $1.2741. A weaker pound makes the products and services of FTSE-listed multinationals cheaper abroad, boosting earnings.

Germany's DAX was 1 percent higher while the CAC-40 in France rose 1.1 percent.

In other metals trading, silver fell $1.09, or 5.8 percent, to $17.78 an ounce and copper fell 3 cents to $2.17 a pound.

U.S. benchmark crude oil fell 12 cents to close at $48.69 a gallon. Brent crude, the international standard, slipped 2 cents to close at $50.87 a barrel in London. Wholesale gasoline rose 3 cents to $1.50 a gallon, heating oil was little changed at $1.55 a gallon and natural gas increased 4 cents to $2.963 per 1,000 cubic feet.

In currency markets, the euro slipped to $1.1197 from $1.1215 and the dollar rose to 102.81 yen from 101.57 yen.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 112.58 points or ▲ 0.62% on Wednesday, October 5, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 18,281.03 ▲ 112.58 ▲ 0.62%
Nasdaq____ 5,316.02 ▲ 26.36 ▲ 0.50%
S&P_500___ 2,159.73 ▲ 9.24 ▲ 0.43%
30_Yr_Bond____ 2.44 ▲ 0.03 ▲ 1.25%

NYSE Volume 3,866,515,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,722,318,500

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 7,033.25 ▼ -41.09 ▼ -0.58%
DAX_____ 10,585.78 ▼ -33.83 ▼ -0.32%
CAC_40__ 4,489.95 ▼ -13.14 ▼ -0.29%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,537.00 ▼ -32.90 ▼ -0.59%
Shanghai_Comp 3,004.70 ▲ 6.22 ▲ 0.21%
Taiwan_Weight 9,272.28 ▼ -15.49 ▼ -0.17%
Nikkei_225___ 16,819.24 ▲ 83.59 ▲ 0.50%
Hang_Seng.__ 23,788.31 ▲ 98.87 ▲ 0.42%
Strait_Times.__ 2,881.79 ▼ -2.85 ▼ -0.10%
NZX_50_Index_ 7,271.16 ▼ -81.30 ▼ -1.11%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-rise-broadly-morning-trading-142729043.html

Banks, energy companies lead stock market higher

NEW YORK (AP) -- The stock market broke two days of losses on Wednesday with solid gains as investors piled into shares of banks and energy companies.

Stocks jumped from the start on a rise in the price of crude oil, with banks joining the rally after a strong report on the service sector suggested the Federal Reserve may raise interest rates soon. Banks can benefit when rates rise because it allows them to charge more for their loans. Bank of America rose 2 percent.

The yield on government bonds rose again, and investors dumped phone and real estate companies, sending them down nearly 2 percent. Investors find them less attractive as a source of income relative to bonds when yields are rising.

The Dow Jones industrial average climbed 112.58 points, or 0.6 percent, to 18,281.03. The Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 9.24 points, or 0.4 percent, to 2,159.73. The Nasdaq composite rose 26.36 points, or 0.5 percent, to 5,316.02.

The price of U.S. benchmark crude closed near $50 a barrel, its highest price since late June, after a U.S. government report said energy stockpiles shrank last week, a surprise to most analysts. Chesapeake Energy rose 43 cents to $6.80, a 6.8 percent gain, the biggest in the S&P 500 index.

Investors have been pushing crude sharply higher since OPEC announced a preliminary deal last week that would limit production, and the price is now nearly double its February low of $26.

A private report showed that U.S. service companies grew last month at the fastest pace in nearly a year. The Institute for Supply Management said that its services index jumped to 57.1 in September, the highest point since October last year, the latest in a string of indicators that the economy is gaining strength.

Investors took that as a sign that the Federal Reserve is more likely to raise rates from super-low levels this year, and pushed yields on government bonds higher. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 1.71 percent from 1.69 percent, and is now up about a tenth of percentage point since the start of the week, a big move.

Investors had been buying high-dividend stocks like utilities and phone and real estate companies as an alternative source of income to bonds, but are now having second thoughts as yields rise.

"Interest rates have been incredibly low, maybe artificially low, and everyone was chasing something with income, and they were blindly chasing them," said Eric Ervin, chief executive of Reality Shares, an investment firm. The rush out of the one-time high flyers, he added, is a "sign of normality."

Among stocks making big moves, Constellation Brands rose $2.75, or 1.7 percent, to $168.60 after it reported strong sales of beers like Corona and Modelo in its latest quarter. It raised its projections for sales growth for its beer business.

Consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton fell $1.19, or 3.8 percent, to $30.31. Federal prosecutors said a contractor for the National Security Agency had been arrested on charges that he illegally removed highly classified information, and The New York Times reported that the contractor worked for Booz Allen. The firm said it had fired an employee who had been arrested by the FBI.

In Europe, the major indexes fell. Britain's FTSE 100 lost 0.6 percent and France's CAC 40 retreated 0.3 percent. Germany's DAX also dropped 0.3 percent.

The euro rose to $1.1217 from $1.1197 and the dollar rose to 103.63 yen from 102.81.

Precious and industrial metals futures closed lower. Gold lost $1.10 to $1,268.60 an ounce, silver fell 8 cents to $17.70 an ounce and copper was little changed at $2.16 a pound.

The price of U.S. benchmark crude rose $1.14, or 2.3 percent, to end at $49.83 a barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, gained 99 cents, or 1.9 percent, to close at $51.86 a barrel in London

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline slipped 1 cent to $1.49 a gallon, heating oil rose 3 cents to $1.58 a gallon and natural gas rose 8 cents to $3.041 per 1,000 cubic feet.