NYSE Dow Jones finished today at:

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 1.98 points or ▲ 0.01% on Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 19,123.58 ▲ 1.98 ▲ 0.01%
Nasdaq____ 5,323.68 ▼ -56.24 ▼ -1.05%
S&P_500___ 2,198.81 ▼ -5.85 ▼ -0.27%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.02 ▲ 0.07 ▲ 2.27%

NYSE Volume 5,449,406,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,861,654,880

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,783.79 ▲ 11.79 ▲ 0.17%
DAX_____ 10,640.30 ▲ 19.81 ▲ 0.19%
CAC_40__ 4,578.34 ▲ 26.88 ▲ 0.59%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,502.40 ▼ -18.10 ▼ -0.33%
Shanghai_Comp 3,250.03 ▼ -32.89 ▼ -1.00%
Taiwan_Weight 9,240.71 ▲ 48.33 ▲ 0.53%
Nikkei_225___ 18,308.48 ▲ 1.44 ▲ 0.01%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,789.77 ▲ 52.70 ▲ 0.23%
Strait_Times.__ 2,905.17 ▲ 26.03 ▲ 0.90%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,896.95 ▼ -4.80 ▼ -0.07%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/major-indexes-set-records-energy-150046541.html

Stocks end mostly lower, despite gains in banks, oil
[Associated Press]
MARLEY JAY and KEN SWEET

NEW YORK (AP) ”” Stocks moved mostly lower Wednesday as gains in blue-chip energy companies and banks were not enough to make up for losses in the broader market.

The bond market took heavy losses, with the 10-year U.S. Treasury note rising to its highest level in a year and a half. The higher yields sent bond substitutes like utilities, telecommunications and real estate stocks sharply lower.

Oil stocks climbed after OPEC nations, which collectively produce more than one-third of the world's oil, agreed to trim production for the first time in eight years.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 5.85 points, or 0.3 percent, to 2,198.81 and the Nasdaq composite dropped 56.24 points, or 1.1 points, to 5,323.68.

The 30-member Dow Jones industrial average closed up 1.98 points, or 0.01 percent, to 19,123.58. The gain was attributable to big increases in a handful of Dow components, mainly Goldman Sachs, Chevron and DuPont.

The bond and energy markets saw the most drama on Wednesday. Bond prices fell sharply yet again and the 10-year note's yield rose to 2.38 percent from 2.29 percent on Tuesday, a major move for that market. That yield is now trading at its highest level since July 2015.

The election of Donald Trump as the country's next president has sent investors fleeing out of safe-play assets like bonds, gold and dividend-paying stocks this month and into riskier investments like small companies, which would benefit the most from a growing domestic economy.

The Russell 2000 index, which is made up of mostly small to mid-sized companies, soared 11 percent in November. That's the biggest one-month gain for that index in five years.

Investors believe Trump's promises to cut taxes, invest heavily in infrastructure, and cut back regulation will help grow the economy and might even cause inflation, which has been almost non-existent since the financial crisis. U.S. government bonds quickly become less appealing to investors in a healthy, growing economy and in an inflationary environment.

"We have elected a pro-growth president who is going to move very quickly to make some drastic changes, and investors are trying to figure out what to do with that," said Tom di Galoma, head of Treasury trading at Seaport Global Holdings.

Di Galoma said he sees the 10-year note's yield hitting 3 percent by year end, a level not seen in nearly three years.

In energy, OPEC members finalized a deal that will cut their oil output by 1.2 million barrels a day starting in January. Preliminary terms of the deal were announced in September. It's the first time in eight years that the cartel has agreed to cut production. Russia, another major oil-producing country that is not part of OPEC, also agreed to cut its output.

The price of U.S. crude surged $4.21, or 9.3 percent, to close at $49.44 a barrel in New York. That's the biggest one-day gain since February. Brent crude, the international benchmark, gained $4.09, or 8.8 percent, to $50.47 a barrel in London.

Crude dropped almost 4 percent Tuesday as investors felt a deal was becoming less likely.

Other energy commodities also jumped sharply. Heating oil rose 11 cents to $1.57 a gallon, wholesale gasoline rose 11 cents to $1.49 a gallon and natural gas rose 3 cents to $3.35 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Higher oil prices mean more revenue for companies that extract or sell oil, and energy companies made big gains Wednesday. Exxon Mobil picked up $1.40, or 1.6 percent, to $87.30 and Chevron rose $2.22, or 2 percent, to $111.56.

More specialized oil companies, particularly drillers and oil exploration companies and companies who support drillers, soared. Marathon Oil leaped $3.11, or 20.1 percent, to $18.06. Ocean rig operator Transocean jumped $1.88, or 17 percent, to $12.90.

Banks rose as members of President-elect Donald Trump's economic team discussed ways to make it easier for banks to lend more money, which could lead to larger profits for financial institutions.

Steven Mnuchin, Trump's proposed nominee for Treasury secretary, said the administration wants to make changes to the 2010 Dodd-Frank law because it makes it harder for banks to lend. The law was passed to prevent another financial crisis, but critics say it went too far and stopped banks from making loans that people and businesses need to spend and hire.

Goldman Sachs rose $7.54, or 3.6 percent, to $219.29 and JPMorgan Chase added $1.25, or 1.6 percent, to $80.17.

The dollar rose. It climbed to 114.22 yen from 112.33 yen. The euro fell to $1.0599 from $1.0647.

In the metals market, gold dropped $16.90 to $1,173.90 an ounce, silver fell 26 cents to $16.48 an ounce and copper rose 2 cents to $2.633 a pound.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 68.35 points or ▲ 0.36% on Thursday, December 1, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 19,191.93 ▲ 68.35 ▲ 0.36%
Nasdaq____ 5,251.11 ▼ -72.57 ▼ -1.36%
S&P_500___ 2,191.08 ▼ -7.73 ▼ -0.35%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.10 ▲ 0.08 ▲ 2.59%

NYSE Volume 5,040,164,500
Nasdaq Volume 2,164,046,250

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,752.93 ▼ -30.86 ▼ -0.45%
DAX_____ 10,534.05 ▼ -106.25 ▼ -1.00%
CAC_40__ 4,560.61 ▼ -17.73 ▼ -0.39%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,560.40 ▲ 58.00 ▲ 1.05%
Shanghai_Comp 3,273.31 ▲ 23.27 ▲ 0.72%
Taiwan_Weight 9,263.53 ▲ 22.82 ▲ 0.25%
Nikkei_225___ 18,513.12 ▲ 204.64 ▲ 1.12%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,878.23 ▲ 88.46 ▲ 0.39%
Strait_Times.__ 2,928.58 ▲ 23.41 ▲ 0.81%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,932.74 ▲ 35.79 ▲ 0.52%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/dow-reaches-record-rising-oil-150356603.html

Oil and banks take Dow to new highs, but tech companies dive
[Associated Press]
MARLEY JAY

NEW YORK (AP) ”” Technology companies plunged Thursday, and high-dividend stocks also took hefty losses as bond yields rose to their highest level in more than a year. But more big gains for blue-chip banking and oil stocks pulled the Dow Jones industrial average to a record high.

Big names like Facebook and Oracle fell as technology companies took their biggest losses in two months. Rising bond yields pushed income-seeking investors away from real estate and utility companies. Health care stocks also slumped.

Banks continued to soar as investors expect them to make bigger profits on loans as interest rates rise. Oil prices climbed for the second day after the countries of OPEC agreed to trim oil production next year.

Karyn Cavanaugh, senior market strategist for Voya Investment Strategies, said a focus on President-elect Donald Trump's trade policies might be hurting tech stocks. On Thursday Trump toured a Carrier factory in Indiana after announcing the company will keep some operations at the facility instead of moving them to Mexico. He warned of consequences for companies that send jobs out of the country.

"If you're going to bring jobs back to America and make stuff here, tech is going to be pretty vulnerable," she said. "If there's going to be a trade war, tech is pretty vulnerable."

The Dow gained 68.35 points, or 0.4 percent, to 19,191.93, its highest close on record. The Standard & Poor's 500 index dropped 7.73 points, or 0.4 percent, to 2,191.08. The Nasdaq composite fell 72.57 points, or 1.4 percent, to 5,251.11.

Stock indexes set records after the presidential election last month, but lately they have wobbled as different industries were pulled in opposite directions. Banks and industrial and materials companies are rising while tech stocks have weakened.

Bond prices continued to tumble, sending benchmark yields higher. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.44 percent from 2.38 percent, its highest since July 2015. That sent bank stocks higher because higher bond yields are linked to higher interest rates, which allow banks to make more money from lending.

Goldman Sachs jumped $7.34, or 3.3 percent, to $226.63 and JPMorgan Chase picked up $1.62, or 2 percent, to $81.79. Goldman is trading at its highest price since December 2007.

Facebook skidded $3.32, or 2.8 percent, to $115.10 and chipmaker Analog Devices dropped $5.23, or 7 percent, to $69.01. Microsoft lost $1.06, or 1.8 percent, to $59.20.

After a big gain Wednesday, the dollar slipped to 114.04 yen from 114.22 yen. The euro rose to $1.0645 from $1.0599. In the last few weeks the dollar has reached a 13-year high compared to other currencies. A strong dollar hurts profits and sales for companies that do a lot of business overseas, and the technology companies on the S&P 500 get almost 60 percent of their revenue outside the U.S.

Oil prices rallied again and reached their highest level since mid-October. Benchmark U.S. crude picked up $1.62, or 3.3 percent, to close at $51.06 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the standard for pricing international oils, added $2.10, or 4.1 percent, to $53.94 a barrel in London. Chevron gained $1.73, or 1.6 percent, to $113.29 and Phillips 66 rose $1.90, or 2.3 percent, to $84.98.

The price of oil soared 9 percent Wednesday after the members of OPEC, which collectively produce more than one-third of the world's oil, agreed to a small cut in production starting in January. The price of oil has mostly traded between $40 and $50 a barrel since early April. It dipped as low as $26 a barrel in February.

A big post-election rally has faded in the last few days, but Cavanaugh said she thinks major indexes will move higher. She noted that corporate earnings grew in the third quarter for the first time in more than a year, and U.S. manufacturing has been recovering.

"We've been so starved for anything that could even resemble growth," she said. "If the U.S. is doing better, then that's going to help the whole entire global economy do better."

Auto sales climbed in November and broke out of a recent slump. U.S. auto sales broke records last year and there have been some signs recently that demand is waning, but on Thursday, a Toyota executive said he thought sales could set a new record in 2016.

GM and Ford climbed after they reported stronger sales growth than analysts expected. Ford gained 47 cents, or 3.9 percent, to $12.43 and General Motors rose $1.90, or 5.5 percent, to $36.43.

Parker-Hannifin, which makes motion and control products, said it will pay about $4 billion to buy Clarcor, a company that makes mobile, industrial and environmental filtration products. The deal values Clarcor at $83 per share and its stock jumped $12.13, or 17.2 percent, to $82.58 while Parker-Hannifin rose $4.54, or 3.3 percent, to $143.47.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline rose 6 cent to $1.55 a gallon. Heating oil added 7 cents to $1.65. Natural gas gained 15 cents to $3.51 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold fell $4.50 to $1,169.30 an ounce. Silver rose 2 cents to $16.51 an ounce. Copper picked up 1 cent to $2.64 a pound.

European stock indexes fell. Germany's DAX lost 1 percent and in Britain, the FTSE 100 fell 0.5 percent. The CAC 40 in France shed 0.4 percent. Japan's Nikkei 225 jumped 1.1 percent and the Kospi of South Korea was little changed. The Hang Seng index in Hong Kong gained 0.4 percent.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -21.51 points or ▼ -0.11% on Friday, December 2, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 19,170.42 ▼ -21.51 ▼ -0.11%
Nasdaq____ 5,255.65 ▲ 4.55 ▲ 0.09%
S&P_500___ 2,191.95 ▲ 0.87 ▲ 0.04%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.06 ▼ -0.03 ▼ -1.10%

NYSE Volume 3,769,950,750
Nasdaq Volume 1,781,392,120

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,730.72 ▼ -22.21 ▼ -0.33%
DAX_____ 10,513.35 ▼ -20.70 ▼ -0.20%
CAC_40__ 4,528.82 ▼ -31.79 ▼ -0.70%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,502.60 ▼ -57.80 ▼ -1.04%
Shanghai_Comp 3,243.84 ▼ -29.47 ▼ -0.90%
Taiwan_Weight 9,189.49 ▼ -74.04 ▼ -0.80%
Nikkei_225___ 18,426.08 ▼ -87.04 ▼ -0.47%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,564.82 ▼ -313.41 ▼ -1.37%
Strait_Times.__ 2,919.37 ▼ -9.21 ▼ -0.31%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,904.85 ▼ -27.89 ▼ -0.40%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-start-higher-big-dividend-150647279.html

Rally Ebbs as Investors Seek Safety After Weak Wage Data
By marley jay, ap markets writer

Investors made a small move back to safer assets Friday afternoon after the government's November jobs report showed continued hiring, but weak wages.

Indexes finished little changed as real estate and household goods companies rose, but banks, which have soared since the presidential election, took losses.

Most stocks finished higher, and the biggest gains went to companies that pay big dividends, similar to bonds. Investors also bought bonds, and prices rose and yields fell.

The dollar also weakened as investors expected less inflation. Thanks to a loss from Goldman Sachs, which closed at a nine-year high on Thursday, the Dow Jones industrial average dipped after closing at a record high a day ago.

The jobs report called into question some of investors' hopes about the state of the economy, and they reversed some of the moves they've made since the presidential election three weeks ago.

"It suggests that inflationary pressures maybe aren't building as quickly, at least on the wage side, as some had supposed," said Russ Koesterich, head of asset allocation for BlackRock's Global Allocation Fund. He said investors want to see a combination of strong wage growth and stimulus spending to boost the economy in 2017. The weak wage figures throw that into doubt.

"You're less likely to see inflation build if people aren't getting paid more because they can't afford to spend more," said Koesterich.

The Dow lost 21.51 points, or 0.1 percent, to 19,170.42. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 0.87 points to 2,191.95. The Nasdaq composite added 4.55 points, or 0.1 percent, to 5,255.65.

The weak finish appeared to mark an end, at least for now, of the post-election rally for U.S. stocks. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq fell this week after a three-week rally took them to record highs. The Dow finished little changed.

The Labor Department said U.S. employers added 178,000 jobs in November as hiring remained steady. Investors have long expected that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates later this month, and the jobs report did nothing to dispel that notion. But fewer people looked for work and hourly wages slipped.

Bond prices, which have been falling sharply since the presidential election, rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.30 percent from 2.45 percent.

Lower bond yields pushed investors to buy utility and real estate companies and consumer goods makers, which are often compared to bonds because of their big dividend payments. When bond yields fall, those stocks become more appealing to investors seeking income. General Growth Properties rose 62 cents, or 2.5 percent, to $25.46 and Exelon rose 84 cents, or 2.6 percent, to $33.01. PepsiCo climbed $1.57, or 1.6 percent, to $100.60.

The drop in bond yields also affected banks because yields are linked to long-term interest rates. Lower interest rates mean banks can't make as much money from lending. Goldman Sachs fell $3.27, or 1.4 percent, to $223.36 and Citigroup gave up $1.25, or 2.2 percent, to $56.02.

The financial sector of the S&P 500 is the highest it's been since 2008, up 13 percent since the presidential election.

Benchmark U.S. crude added 62 cents, or 1.2 percent, to $51.68 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the standard for pricing international oils, picked up 52 cents, or 1 percent, to $54.46 a barrel in London. The price of oil surged 12 percent this week after OPEC countries agreed to trim the production of oil next year. That was the biggest weekly rise in oil prices since February 2011.

The dollar fell to 113.67 yen. The euro rose to $1.0660 from $1.0645.

Starbucks shares slid $1.30, or 2.2 percent, to $57.21 after the coffee chain said Howard Schultz will step down as CEO in April. He will remain chairman, and Starbucks said he will focus on new ideas like high-end shops. President and Chief Operating Officer Kevin Johnson will become CEO. Schultz gave up the CEO title in 2000, and investors feel Starbucks struggled until he became CEO again in 2008.

Human resources software company Workday gave a weak forecast. CEO Aneel Bhusri said some customers have recently delayed completing large deals, partly because of "global uncertainties such as Brexit, the U.S. presidential election, and pending elections in other G8 countries." Workday's stock tumbled $10.20, or 12.5 percent, to $71.40.

Gold rose $8.40 to $1,177.80 an ounce. Silver jumped 33 cents, or 2 percent, to $16.83 an ounce. Copper lost 2 cents to $2.63 a pound.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline picked up 1 cent to $1.56 a gallon. Heating oil added 1 cent to $1.66 a gallon. Natural gas lost 7 cents, or 2 percent, to $3.44 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The CAC-40 in France fell 0.7 percent and the FTSE 100 index in Britain finished 0.3 percent lower. Germany's DAX fell 0.2 percent. The Nikkei 225 index in Japan shed 0.5 percent and South Korea's Kospi lost 0.7 percent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng retreated 1.4 percent.

7369

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 45.82 points or ▲ 0.24% on Monday, December 5, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 19,216.24 ▲ 45.82 ▲ 0.24%
Nasdaq____ 5,308.89 ▲ 53.24 ▲ 1.01%
S&P_500___ 2,204.71 ▲ 12.76 ▲ 0.58%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.06 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.16%

NYSE Volume 3,863,862,750
Nasdaq Volume 1,690,319,500

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,746.83 ▲ 16.11 ▲ 0.24%
DAX_____ 10,684.83 ▲ 171.48 ▲ 1.63%
CAC_40__ 4,574.32 ▲ 45.50 ▲ 1.00%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,458.00 ▼ -44.60 ▼ -0.81%
Shanghai_Comp 3,204.71 ▼ -39.13 ▼ -1.21%
Taiwan_Weight 9,160.66 ▼ -28.83 ▼ -0.31%
Nikkei_225___ 18,274.99 ▼ -151.09 ▼ -0.82%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,505.55 ▼ -59.27 ▼ -0.26%
Strait_Times.__ 2,943.05 ▲ 23.68 ▲ 0.81%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,854.71 ▼ -50.14 ▼ -0.73%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/dow-h...stocks-continue-climb-152156272--finance.html

Bank stocks help Dow to another record; tech stocks recover
[Associated Press]
MARLEY JAY

NEW YORK (AP) ”” U.S. stocks resumed their climb Monday as investors bought stocks that stand to benefit from economic growth, like banks, as well as technology companies, which have been mostly left out of a post-election rally. The Dow Jones industrial set another record high.

Energy companies rose as the price of oil reached its highest level since July 2015. Small-company stocks continued to outpace the rest of the market. Technology companies have fallen since the election as big names like Facebook and Alphabet have lost ground. But that changed Monday.

Samantha Azzarello, global market strategist for JPMorgan Asset Management, said investors have been steadily moving money away from safe-play stocks over the past year and favoring companies that stand to do the best when economic growth picks up steam, as it did in the third quarter. Azzarello said investors expect that trend to continue.

"We've had 2 to 2.5 percent growth in the U.S. and we expect that to pop even higher if we get fiscal stimulus," she said.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 45.82 points, or 0.2 percent, to 19,216.24. Earlier it went as high as 19,274. The Standard & Poor's 500 index climbed 12.76 points, or 0.6 percent, to 2,204.71. The Nasdaq composite added 53.24 points, or 1 percent, to 5,308.89.

Stocks of small and mid-sized companies rose sharply. The Russell 2000 index jumped 23.53 points, or 1.8 percent, to 1,337.79. Thanks to a big rally in November, the Russell is up 18 percent this year, more than twice as much as the S&P 500, which tracks large U.S. companies. Smaller companies, which are more domestically focused than large multinationals, could stand to benefit more than larger ones from a pickup in U.S. growth.

Banks resumed their post-election rally and are trading at their highest levels since early 2008. Goldman Sachs gained $5.19, or 2.3 percent, to $228.55, a nine-year high. While stocks traded lower overall last week, banks are on a four-week winning streak since the election.

Microsoft added 97 cents, or 1.6 percent, to $60.22 customer-management software developer Salesforce.com climbed $3.43, or 3.5 percent, to $70.80. Tech stocks are down about 1 percent since the election as investors have wondered about the effects of President-elect Donald Trump's potential trade policies. The stocks had also reached all-time highs earlier this year.

Oil prices rose for the fourth day in a row. The price of oil has surged since OPEC countries finalized a deal that will trim oil production starting in January. Benchmark U.S. oil rose 11 cents to $51.79 per barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, gained 48 cents to $54.94 a barrel in London.

That sent energy companies higher. Valero Energy gained $3.06, or 5 percent, to $64.52 and ConocoPhillips picked up 76 cents, or 1.6 percent, to $48.88.

Consumer-focused companies also did better than the rest of the market. Amazon jumped $19.02, or 2.6 percent, to $759.36. On Monday the online retail giant said it is testing a grocery store model that works without checkout lines.

Health care stocks took the biggest losses. Health insurer UnitedHealth, a Dow component that has soared since the election, shed $3.10, or 1.9 percent, to $157.63 and drugmaker Merck fell 88 cents, or 1.4 percent, to $60.25.

U.S. government bond prices recovered from a sharp drop earlier in the day and finished just a bit lower. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note edged up to 2.40 percent from 2.39 percent late Friday.

Italian voters rejected proposed changes to the nation's constitution on Sunday, causing political and economic uncertainty for Europe's fourth-largest economy. Premier Matteo Renzi said he would resign. UniCredit, the biggest bank in Italy, lost 3 percent in Milan. Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the country's third-biggest lender, slumped 4 percent. The bank failed a stress test this year and has been in negotiations with investors to raise money to shore up its financial position.

Italian stocks didn't move much overall, and the FTSE MIB index slipped 0.2 percent.

Azzarello of JPMorgan said that's because investors are getting used to political surprises. "After Brexit and after the U.S. election, markets are now braced for expecting the most extreme outcome when it comes to politics," she said.

Other major European indexes finished higher. Germany's DAX added 1.6 percent and France's CAC-40 gained 1 percent. In London the FTSE 100 advanced 0.2 percent. Asian stocks mostly fell. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 retreated 0.8 percent. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong lost 0.3 percent.

Also on Sunday, the Army Corps of Engineers denied a permit for the Dakota Access oil pipeline in North Dakota. The Standing Rock Sioux tribe and its supporters say the proposed route for the pipeline threatens the tribe's water source and cultural sites. It's the last major piece of construction on the $3.8 billion pipeline. The companies involved in the pipeline criticized the decision and it's not clear if the Trump administration will try to overturn the decision after Trump takes power in January.

The companies connected to the pipeline traded lower Monday. Energy Transfer Partners lost 59 cents, or 1.7 percent, to $33.79 and Sunoco Logistics shed 43 cents, or 1.9 percent, to $22.75. Those two companies recently agreed to combine.

The dollar rose to 113.75 yen from 113.67 yen. The euro rose to $1.0770 from $1.0660.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline remained at $1.56 a gallon and heating oil was unchanged at $1.66 a gallon. Natural gas jumped 22 cents, or 6.3 percent, to $3.65 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold fell $1.30 to $1,176.50 an ounce. Silver rose 7 cents to $16.90 an ounce. Copper jumped 7 cents, or 2.8 percent, to $2.70 a pound.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 35.54 points or ▲ 0.18% on Tuesday, December 6, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 19,251.78 ▲ 35.54 ▲ 0.18%
Nasdaq____ 5,333.00 ▲ 24.11 ▲ 0.45%
S&P_500___ 2,212.23 ▲ 7.52 ▲ 0.34%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.08 ▲ 0.03 ▲ 0.85%

NYSE Volume 3,838,179,750
Nasdaq Volume 1,871,613,620

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,779.84 ▲ 33.01 ▲ 0.49%
DAX_____ 10,775.32 ▲ 90.49 ▲ 0.85%
CAC_40__ 4,631.94 ▲ 57.62 ▲ 1.26%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,486.60 ▲ 28.60 ▲ 0.52%
Shanghai_Comp 3,199.65 ▼ -5.06 ▼ -0.16%
Taiwan_Weight 9,250.77 ▲ 90.11 ▲ 0.98%
Nikkei_225___ 18,360.54 ▲ 85.55 ▲ 0.47%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,675.15 ▲ 169.60 ▲ 0.75%
Strait_Times.__ 2,949.12 ▲ 6.07 ▲ 0.21%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,910.36 ▲ 55.65 ▲ 0.81%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/mixed-open-us-stocks-wall-151454735.html

Phone and bank stocks push indexes higher; Dow at record
[Associated Press]
KEN SWEET

NEW YORK (AP) ”” Stocks posted slight gains on Tuesday, sending the Dow Jones industrial average to another record, helped by shares of telecommunications companies such as Verizon, Sprint and AT&T.

Small companies and bank stocks also rose as investors continue to speculate that U.S. economic growth will pick up under the incoming Trump administration.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 35.54 points, or 0.2 percent, to 19,251.78, a record high close. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 7.52 points, or 0.3 percent, to 2,212.23 and the Nasdaq composite rose 24.11 points, or 0.5 percent, to 5,333.

Telecommunications stocks were among the biggest gainers, helped by a myriad of company-specific news. Dow member Verizon climbed 61 cents, or 1 percent, to $50.36 and AT&T rose 72 cents, or 2 percent, to $39.35. Overall, the telecom sector of the S&P 500 rose 1.5 percent.

AT&T rose following reports that its newly launched DirectTV Now service was attracting more subscribers than anticipated, while Verizon rose as the company sold a group of data centers for $3.6 billion.

Separately, Sprint and T-Mobile gained after President-elect Donald Trump said that Japanese company Softbank, which owns the majority of Sprint, was going to invest $50 billion in the U.S. to create 50,000 jobs over the next four years. However, it's not clear if Softbank's announcement is new. T-Mobile shares rose on speculation that it could be acquired in de-regulatory Trump White House, possibly by SoftBank.

Sprint jumped 12 cents, or 1.5 percent, to $8.17, while T-Mobile rose 97 cents, or roughly 2 percent, to $55.99.

Bank stocks also continued to perform well, as they have since the election. The financial services sector of the S&P 500 closed up 1 percent, far more than the broader market. The Russell 2000 index, which is made up of mostly smaller companies, rose 1.1 percent to a new record as well.

Boeing's stock dropped briefly after President-elect Trump said he believed the U.S. government should cancel its order for a new Air Force One plane, claiming the project is too expensive. The Air Force has not contracted out the new Air Force One plane, due in 2021, yet. However Boeing does have a $170 million viability contract with the Air Force to determine the capabilities of the next version of Air Force One. Boeing had been down as much as 1 percent earlier in the day, only to close mostly unchanged at $152.24.

A rally in oil prices petered out after four days of gains driven by OPEC's deal to cut production next year. Benchmark U.S. crude closed down 86 cents to $50.93 in New York. Brent crude, the international standard, shed $1.01 to $53.93 a barrel in London. While oil prices were solidly lower, energy companies were trading mostly flat to only slightly lower.

Heating oil fell 2 cents to $1.64 a gallon, wholesale gasoline fell 2 cents to $1.54 a gallon and natural gas fell 2 cents to $3.64 per 1,000 cubic feet.

In other company-specific news, Chipotle Mexican Grill dropped $29.90, or 7.5 percent, to $366.37 after the company's CEO said he was "nervous" about hitting full-year forecasts and that the company's turnaround is going slower than expected. Chipotle has struggled since an E. coli outbreak last year.

In Europe, Italy's stock market jumped 4.2 percent, a day after slipping in the wake of the failure of a constitutional referendum that forced the resignation of that country's premier. France's CAC 40 added 1.3 percent, Britain's FTSE 100 was up 0.5 percent and Germany's DAX rose 0.8 percent.

U.S. government bond prices rose slightly. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.39 percent from 2.40 percent late Monday.

In currencies, the euro fell against the dollar to $1.0715 versus $1.077 the day before and the dollar rose against the yen to 114.05 from 113.75 yen.

In the metals markets, gold fell $6.40 to $1,170.10 an ounce, silver fell 9 cents to $16.81 an ounce and copper fell 2 cents to $2.68 a pound.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 297.84 points or ▲ 1.55% on Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 19,549.62 ▲ 297.84 ▲ 1.55%
Nasdaq____ 5,393.76 ▲ 60.76 ▲ 1.14%
S&P_500___ 2,241.35 ▲ 29.12 ▲ 1.32%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.03 ▼ -0.05 ▼ -1.72%

NYSE Volume 4,477,452,500
Nasdaq Volume 2,000,484,620

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,902.23 ▲ 122.39 ▲ 1.81%
DAX_____ 10,986.69 ▲ 211.37 ▲ 1.96%
CAC_40__ 4,694.72 ▲ 62.78 ▲ 1.36%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,535.40 ▲ 48.80 ▲ 0.89%
Shanghai_Comp 3,222.24 ▲ 22.59 ▲ 0.71%
Taiwan_Weight 9,263.89 ▲ 13.12 ▲ 0.14%
Nikkei_225___ 18,496.69 ▲ 136.15 ▲ 0.74%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,800.92 ▲ 125.77 ▲ 0.55%
Strait_Times.__ 2,959.84 ▲ 10.72 ▲ 0.36%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,889.77 ▼ -20.59 ▼ -0.30%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/losses-drugmakers-pull-us-stocks-mostly-lower-150350322--finance.html

A broad rally drives Dow, S&P 500 indexes to record highs
[Associated Press]
MARLEY JAY

NEW YORK (AP) ”” The Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor's 500 indexes soared to their biggest gains since the presidential election on Wednesday and set all-time highs. Investors bought stocks that do well in times of faster economic growth, like technology and industrial companies, but they also snapped up stocks that pay large dividends.

Stocks moved steadily higher throughout the day after a mixed open. Phone and real estate companies made the largest gains, but the rally moved into high gear in the afternoon, as airlines, railroads and trucking companies soared.

Investors took the rally in transportation stocks as a sign of optimism about economic growth. Technology and consumer-focused companies also jumped. Biotech drug companies took steep losses after President-elect Donald Trump said he wants to reduce drug prices.

The transportation sector reached an all-time high for the first time in two years. Julian Emanuel, an equity strategist for UBS, said investors were pleased to see that record because they see it as a sign businesses will start spending more, which would bolster economic growth.

"The consumer has really been the engine of the economy," he said. "The missing piece has been the corporate side, the industrial side."

The Dow Jones industrial average jumped 297.84 points, or 1.5 percent, to 19,549.62. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 29.12 points, or 1.3 percent, to 2,241.35. The Nasdaq composite recovered from an early loss to rise 60.76 points, or 1.1 percent, to 5,393.76. That was about five points short of its all-time high.

The Russell 2000 index of small-company stocks also recovered from an early loss and set its own a record as it gained 11.84 points, or 0.9 percent, to 1,364.51.

U.S. government bond prices rose, sending yields lower. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.34 percent from 2.39 percent. Bond yields have risen sharply since the summer but have slipped in the last few days.

The lower bond yields have helped stocks that are seen as bond substitutes, like real estate investment trusts. Their big dividends are attractive to investors who want income, so when bond yields fall, investors often turn to those stocks. Industrial real estate company Prologis rose $1.62, or 3.2 percent, to $52.32 and Verizon picked up $1.02, or 2 percent, to $51.38.

AT&T also jumped as a Senate antitrust panel scrutinized its planned $85.4 billion purchase of Time Warner, the parent of HBO. Legislators asked if the deal would improve competition and reduce prices for consumers, as the companies say it will. AT&T gained $1.10, or 2.8 percent, to $40.45 and Time Warner edged up 8 cents to $93.98.

A wide array of companies that stand to benefit from faster economic growth also climbed. Home improvement retailer Lowe's rose $3.94, or 5.4 percent, to $76.40 and truck maker Paccar jumped $3.20, or 5 percent, to $67.63. U.S. Steel added $1.54, or 4.3 percent, to $37.49.

IBM led technology companies higher as it rose $4.44, or 2.8 percent, to $164.79. Hard drive maker Western Digital climbed $5.30, or 8.3 percent, to $69.15 after it extended a patient licensing deal with Samsung.

In an interview with Time magazine, which named him Person of the Year, the president-elect said he wants to reduce drug prices. He did not say how his administration plans to do that. Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton campaigned on reducing drug prices, and drug company stocks had rallied since the election as investors felt that was less likely to happen under Trump.

The Nasdaq biotechnology index tumbled 2.9 percent, as those companies make costly medications and might stand to lose the most under tighter price regulations. Amgen lost $3.92, or 2.7 percent, to $141.19 and Vertex Pharmaceuticals sank $2.80, or 3.6 percent, to $75.32.

Abbott Laboratories moved to terminate its purchase of diagnostic test maker Alere. Abbott agreed to buy Alere in February for about $5.8 billion, or $56 per share. But since then, Alere has recalled a key monitoring device and delayed a financial statement, and it's being investigated over its overseas business. Alere said Abbott's lawsuit is without merit.

Alere stock dropped $3.19, or 8 percent, to $36.67 and Abbott stock added 6 cents to $38.48.

Benchmark U.S. crude oil lost $1.16, or 2.3 percent, to $49.77 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the international standard, slid 93 cents, or 1.7 percent, to $53 a barrel in London. Energy companies traded higher Wednesday, although they rose less than the rest of the market.

European stock indexes jumped as investors anticipated that the European Central Bank will extend its bond-buying stimulus program Thursday. The stimulus is designed to boost growth and inflation. European stock indexes climbed. Germany's DAX gained 2 percent and the FTSE 100 in Britain rose 1.8 percent. The CAC 40 of France picked up 1.4 percent.

The dollar fell to 113.85 yen from 114.05 yen. The euro rose to $1.0759 from $1.0715.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline lost 3 cents to $1.51 per gallon. Heating oil slipped 2 cents to $1.62 a gallon. Natural gas fell 3 cents to $3.60 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold rose $7.40 to $1,177.50 an ounce. Silver jumped 47 cents to $17.28 an ounce. Copper dipped 4 cents to $2.64 a pound.

Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 0.7 percent and the South Korean Kospi inched up 0.1 percent. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong gained 0.5 percent.

 

[daytradeprofit]

Dow Jones hıt new records yesterday ,wil the next step be above 20,000 points ,Or maybe it's the end of the journey?

I have spoken several times over the past year for the years 1998-1999 imagination
If this is so - and there are signs for that!
There is a situation, and it is not small, we are close to exhaustion increases, which means that between January and March, could start corrective movement.
It could be mid-January, or alternatively the middle of the end of March 2018,
It is still too early to tell, but I'm not so calm, so I wrote it.
we Should begin to keep a finger on the trigger

 

[Toyota Lexcen]

every chance it could run to 20,000 by christmas

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 65.19 points or ▲ 0.33% on Thursday, December 8, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 19,614.81 ▲ 65.19 ▲ 0.33%
Nasdaq____ 5,417.36 ▲ 23.59 ▲ 0.44%
S&P_500___ 2,246.19 ▲ 4.84 ▲ 0.22%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.09 ▲ 0.06 ▲ 1.85%

NYSE Volume 4,178,003,000
Nasdaq Volume 2,137,638,500

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,931.55 ▲ 29.32 ▲ 0.42%
DAX_____ 11,179.42 ▲ 192.73 ▲ 1.75%
CAC_40__ 4,735.48 ▲ 40.76 ▲ 0.87%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,599.00 ▲ 63.60 ▲ 1.15%
Shanghai_Comp 3,215.37 ▼ -6.88 ▼ -0.21%
Taiwan_Weight 9,375.86 ▲ 111.97 ▲ 1.21%
Nikkei_225___ 18,765.47 ▲ 268.78 ▲ 1.45%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,861.84 ▲ 60.92 ▲ 0.27%
Strait_Times.__ 2,958.86 ▼ -0.98 ▼ -0.03%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,916.01 ▲ 26.24 ▲ 0.38%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-indexes-back-away-record-150920325.html

Gains for banks and materials lead stocks to all-time highs
[Associated Press]
MARLEY JAY

NEW YORK (AP) ”” After a quiet start, major U.S. stock indexes again set all-time highs Thursday afternoon as the market built on a surge the previous day. Banks continued to lead the way as bond yields jumped, and small-company stocks soared again.

Bond yields in the U.S. and Europe, particularly in heavily indebted countries, jumped after the European Central Bank surprised investors by saying it will reduce the size of its monthly bond purchases. That sent interest rates higher, which makes it more profitable for banks to lend money.

Energy companies rose with the price of oil and companies that make chemicals and other basic materials also climbed. Industrial companies and makers of household goods slipped, which held stocks back from even larger gains.

"Bond yields are creeping higher as these central banks are easing off the pedal a bit," said John Canally, an investment strategist for LPL Financial.

The Dow Jones industrial average climbed 65.19 points, or 0.3 percent, to 19,614.81. It rose as much as 115 points around 2 p.m. The Standard & Poor's 500 index picked up 4.84 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,246.19.

The Nasdaq composite had lagged behind the other major indexes over the last two weeks, but it rebounded along with technology companies and rose 23.59 points, or 0.4 percent, to 5,417.36.

The Russell 2000 index of small-company stocks jumped 21.87 points, or 1.6 percent, to 1,386.37.

The European Central extended its bond-buying economic stimulus program, as investors expected. It will spend about $579 billion through the end of 2017. But starting in March it will begin spending less on bonds.

While the bank said it's not getting ready to phase out its stimulus program, Canally, of LPL Financial, said investors are starting to think about the time when the ECB will gradually stop buying bonds and will start raising interest rates in response to a healthier economy.

"(It's) a big 180 from where we were a couple of months ago, where the market was pricing in negative rates for a long period of time," he said. Government bond prices in Spain, Italy and Portugal fell, and yields rose sharply.

U.S. government bond prices also fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.41 percent from 2.34 percent. That drove banks stocks up since higher interest rates will allow banks to charge more for lending money. Goldman Sachs, which has surged 33 percent since the presidential election and is trading near its all-time high, rose $5.89, or 2.5 percent, to $241.45 and Bank of America picked up 38 cents, or 1.7 percent, to $22.95.

European stocks climbed for the second day in a row. Germany's DAX jumped 1.8 percent and French CAC 40 added 0.9 percent. The FTSE 100 in Britain rose 0.4 percent.

Specialty chemicals maker DuPont helped lead materials companies higher as it added 86 cents, or 1.2 percent, to $74.68. Competitor Albemarle gained $3, or 3.4 percent, to $91.80.

Benchmark U.S. crude rose $1.07, or 2.1 percent, to $50.84 per barrel in New York. Brent crude, the international standard, added 89 cents, or 1.7 percent, to $53.89 a barrel in London.

CVS Health, a drugstore operator and pharmacy benefits manager, dropped $2.42, or 3 percent, to $78.11 as retailers of household goods weakened. Church & Dwight fell $1.09, or 2.4 percent, to $43.79 and Mondelez, the maker of Oreos and other snack foods, fell 61 cents, or 1.5 percent, to $41.33.

Athletic apparel maker Lululemon raised its annual profit forecast after its third-quarter results came in above Wall Street projections. Its stock jumped $9, or 15 percent, to $68.84.

Tailored Brands, the parent of Men's Wearhouse, soared after the company said it made progress in improving the performance of its struggling Jos. A. Bank business. The company reported strong quarterly results and jumped $7.51, or 39.7 percent, to $26.44. A year and a half ago it was trading around $60, but it has tumbled the company tried to reduce Jos. A. Bank's dependence on discounts.

Warehouse club operator Costco reported a mixed quarter, but Wall Street found some encouraging trends in its business and shares recovered some of their recent losses. Kelly Bania of BMO Capital Markets said the company might raise membership fees to deal with weaker sales, while Edward Kelly of Credit Suisse said the company's growth should get stronger thanks to a new credit card and continued consumer spending.

Costco rose $3.74, or 2.4 percent, to $157.59.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline was little changed at $1.50 a gallon. Heating oil gained 1 cent to $1.63 a gallon. Natural gas jumped 9 cents, or 2.6 percent, to $3.70 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The dollar rose to 114.20 yen from 113.85 yen. The euro slipped to $1.0603 from $1.0759.

Gold lost $5.10 to $1,172.40 an ounce. Silver fell 18 cents to $17.10 an ounce. Copper slid 2 cents to $2.63 a pound.

In Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 surged 1.5 percent and the Kospi in South Korea jumped 2 percent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index gained 0.3 percent.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 142.04 points or ▲ 0.72% on Friday, December 9, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 19,756.85 ▲ 142.04 ▲ 0.72%
Nasdaq____ 5,444.50 ▲ 27.14 ▲ 0.50%
S&P_500___ 2,259.53 ▲ 13.34 ▲ 0.59%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.15 ▲ 0.07 ▲ 2.24%

NYSE Volume 3,855,575,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,955,846,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,954.21 ▲ 22.66 ▲ 0.33%
DAX_____ 11,203.63 ▲ 24.21 ▲ 0.22%
CAC_40__ 4,764.07 ▲ 28.59 ▲ 0.60%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,615.80 ▲ 16.80 ▲ 0.30%
Shanghai_Comp 3,232.88 ▲ 17.52 ▲ 0.54%
Taiwan_Weight 9,392.68 ▲ 16.82 ▲ 0.18%
Nikkei_225___ 18,996.37 ▲ 230.90 ▲ 1.23%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,760.98 ▼ -100.86 ▼ -0.44%
Strait_Times.__ 2,956.13 ▼ -2.73 ▼ -0.09%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,893.30 ▼ -22.71 ▼ -0.33%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/health-stocks-rebound-us-indexes-150658185.html

Record-setting stock streak hits sixth day on broad gains
[Associated Press]
MARLEY JAY

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose for the sixth day in a row Friday as major indexes continued to set records. The biggest gains went to companies that have been mostly left out of the post-election rally, including health care companies and makers of household goods.

Stocks were solidly higher throughout the day and jumped an hour before the close of trading. Coca-Cola and Pfizer both gained 2.5 percent. Investors have mostly avoided consumer goods makers and health companies in recent weeks. Instead they've bought banks and machinery companies, which could benefit more from a faster-growing economy.

"What we're seeing today is investors who are fearful they'll be left behind," said Kate Warne, investment strategist for Edward Jones. "So it may not be surprising that they're buying less aggressive stocks and sectors."

The Dow Jones industrial average climbed 142.04 points, or 0.7 percent, to 19,756.85. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 13.34 points, or 0.6 percent, to 2,259.53. The Nasdaq composite gained 27.14 points, or 0.5 percent, to 5,444.50. The Russell 2000 index of smaller-company stocks edged up 1.71 points, or 0.1 percent, to 1,388.07.

The S&P 500's six-day winning streak is its longest in two and a half years.

Among household goods companies, PepsiCo gained $1.42, or 1.4 percent, to $103.57. Energy drink maker Monster Beverage also rose, as did drugstore chains CVS and Walgreens.

Coca-Cola climbed as investors reacted positively to the company's CEO transition plans. Coke said Muhtar Kent will give up his CEO title in May, and Chief Operating Officer James Quincey, a 20-year veteran of the company, will become CEO.

Drug companies bounced back from their recent losses. Those stocks, especially biotechnology companies, were hit hard this week after President-elect Donald Trump said he wants to reduce drug prices. Bristol-Myers Squibb gained $1.81, or 3.3 percent, to $57.04 and Botox maker Allergan rose $3.78, or 2 percent, to $192.25.

Overall, health care companies are nearly flat since Nov. 8.

Technology stocks rose for the sixth consecutive day and completed their best week in a year. They've slightly lagged the market since Election Day. Chipmaker Broadcom rose $8.38, or 4.9 percent, to $179.09 after reporting earnings that were far above expectations. The company also doubled its quarterly dividend. Apple gained $1.83, or 1.6 percent, to $113.95. Google parent Alphabet reversed its post-election losses and picked up $14.28, or 1.8 percent, to $809.45.

U.S. government bond prices slipped again. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note inched up to 2.47 percent, its highest in about 18 months, from 2.41 percent late Thursday. That yield is used to set interest rates on many kinds of loans including mortgages.

Next week the Federal Reserve will meet for the last time in 2016. Investors expect the central bank to raise its key interest rate, and Wall Street will look for clues about the Fed's plans for future interest rates.

"They're hoping that the Fed continues with the current message: that they'll be patient, that they're watching the economy, and that they see the risks as balanced," said Warne.

Banks made small gains. The S&P 500 financial index has climbed 18.5 percent since Nov. 9, twice as much as any other sector. The S&P 500 overall is up 3.1 percent. Banks are trading at their highest prices since early 2008.

Benchmark U.S. crude oil jumped 66 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $51.50 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the international standard, added 44 cents to $54.33 a barrel in London.

Gold lost $10.50 to $1,161.90 an ounce. Silver fell 13 cents to $16.97 an ounce. Copper picked up 2 cents to $2.65 per pound. Gold reached a 10-month low Friday, and that helped pull mining companies lower. Basic materials makers also struggled.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline was little changed at $1.51 a gallon. Heating oil picked up 1 cent to $1.64 a gallon. Natural gas gained 5 cents, or 1.4 percent, to $3.75.

European stocks had an even stronger week than their U.S. counterparts after the European Central Bank said it will spend another $579 billion to stimulate the economy by buying bonds, but said it will buy slightly smaller amounts of bonds each month. It said the danger of deflation, which damages growth, had passed.

The blue-chip Euro Stoxx 50 jumped 6 percent for the week. Germany's DAX rose 0.2 percent Friday and finished the week up 6.6 percent. The CAC 40 in France rose 0.6 percent and the British FTSE 100 added 0.3 percent.

The dollar jumped to 115.23 yen from 114.07 yen. The euro fell to $1.0551 from $1.0613.

Japan's Nikkei 225 gained 1.2 percent as the yen fell. The weaker yen is good news for Japanese exporters. Among other Asian indexes, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index fell 0.4 percent.

South Korea's Kospi index slid 0.3 percent after legislators voted to impeach President Park Geun-hye over a corruption scandal. She has denied allegations she colluded with a confidante who extorted companies and manipulated state affairs. South Korea's prime minister will lead the country until a high court rules if Park must resign.

7986

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 39.58 points or ▲ 0.20% on Monday, December 12, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 19,796.43 ▲ 39.58 ▲ 0.20%
Nasdaq____ 5,412.54 ▼ -31.96 ▼ -0.59%
S&P_500___ 2,256.96 ▼ -2.57 ▼ -0.11%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.16 ▲ 0.01 ▲ 0.25%

NYSE Volume 4,018,156,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,848,935,120

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,890.42 ▼ -63.79 ▼ -0.92%
DAX_____ 11,190.21 ▼ -13.42 ▼ -0.12%
CAC_40__ 4,760.77 ▼ -3.30 ▼ -0.07%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,619.10 ▲ 3.30 ▲ 0.06%
Shanghai_Comp 3,152.97 ▼ -79.91 ▼ -2.47%
Taiwan_Weight 9,349.94 ▼ -42.74 ▼ -0.46%
Nikkei_225___ 19,155.03 ▲ 158.66 ▲ 0.84%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,433.02 ▼ -327.96 ▼ -1.44%
Strait_Times.__ 2,952.19 ▼ -3.94 ▼ -0.13%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,876.04 ▼ -17.26 ▼ -0.25%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-indexes-hold-near-record-151938161.html

Oil spurt drives Dow to record despite drop for most stocks
Associated Press By STAN CHOE

NEW YORK (AP) ”” Stocks mostly fell on Monday, but a spurt in oil prices helped push the energy sector higher and the Dow Jones industrial average to another record.

The Dow rose 39.58 points, or 0.2 percent, to extend its record set on Friday. The Standard & Poor's 500 index, which is the benchmark for many more investors than the Dow, pulled back from its own record, also set on Friday, and dipped 2.57 points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,256.96. The Nasdaq composite fell 31.96, or 0.6 percent, to 5,412.54.

The Dow was able to make the lone gain among the big three indexes partly thanks to Exxon Mobil and Chevron. They rose with oil, which touched its highest price since the summer of 2015 after OPEC persuaded Russia and 10 other oil
producing nations to announce production cuts over the weekend.

Energy stocks in the S&P 500 rose 0.7 percent, and they were among the six sectors to rise of the 11 that make up the index.

Still, nine stocks fell on the New York Stock Exchange for every five that rose, and the day's loss marked the end of a six-day winning streak for the S&P 500, its longest such run since June 2014.

Some investors say they're taking a more cautious, wait-and-see approach following the market's strong run over the last month. The S&P 500 has climbed 5.4 percent since the presidential election on expectations that proposed tax cuts will lead to higher profits for businesses and less regulation may create stronger economic growth.

"Unless and until we see hard evidence of the economy picking up, we're going to take these profits as a gift and pocket them," says Rich Weiss, senior portfolio manager at American Century. Mutual funds that he oversees have been paring back their stock investments in recent days and weeks as the price tags for them have shot higher.

Donald Trump's surprise presidential election victory has also driven expectations for inflation higher, which have helped to drive bond yields upward. Inflation is one of bond investors' biggest fears, and they're demanding higher yields in order to compensate for the perceived increase in risk.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose above 2.50 percent to its highest level since autumn 2014 before settling back at 2.47 percent on Monday, where it was on late Friday.

When the Federal Reserve wraps up its two-day policy meeting on Wednesday, investors almost universally expect it to raise short-term interest rates for just the second time in a decade.

The central bank has held interest rates at close to zero since the Great Recession in hopes of driving economic growth, though the low rates have also squeezed savers looking for income from bank accounts and bonds.

The price of U.S. benchmark crude rose $1.33, or 2.6 percent, to settle at $52.83 per barrel in New York. The price of Brent crude, the international standard, rose $1.36, or 2.5 percent, to close at $55.69 a barrel in London.

That helped Exxon Mobil to rise $1.98, or 2.2 percent, to $90.98. Chevron rose $1.34, or 1.2 percent, to $117.15, and ConocoPhillips rose 61 cents, or 1.2 percent, to $51.38.

The biggest loss in the S&P 500 came from Alexion Pharmaceuticals, which dropped $16.99, or 12.9 percent, to $115.08 after the company named an interim CEO and a new chief financial officer. The biopharmaceutical company is in the midst of an investigation into its sales practices.

Viacom had the second-biggest decline in the index. The media company, which owns Paramount, Comedy Central and MTV, fell $3.63, or 9.4 percent, to $34.99. National Amusements, which controls both Viacom and CBS, said it's no longer looking to combine the two.

Lockheed Martin fell $6.42, or 2.5 percent, to $253.11 after President-elect Trump tweeted that the cost of its F-35 fighter jet program "is out of control." Last week, Trump criticized Boeing for the cost of the next Air Force One. That tweet briefly caused Boeing stock to drop, though it quickly turned back higher.

Natural gas dropped 23.9 cents, or 6.4 percent, to settle at $3.507 per 1,000 cubic feet, giving up some of its big gains from the past month. Natural gas, which often rises with expectations of colder temperatures and increased electricity usage, rose last week to its highest price in two years.

Wholesale gasoline rose 4 cents to $1.54 per gallon, and heating oil rose 3 cents to $1.67 a gallon.

Gold rose $3.90, or 0.3 percent, to $1,165.80 per ounce. Silver rose 22 cents to $17.19 an ounce and copper fell 3 cents to $2.62 per pound.

The dollar fell against many of its rivals, including the British pound and Canadian dollar. The euro rose to $1.0630 from $1.0551, and the dollar fell to 115.12 yen from 115.23 yen.

In Europe, Britain's FTSE 100 stock index fell 0.9 percent and Germany's DAX shed 0.1 percent. France's CAC 40 was down 0.1 percent. In Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 index rose 0.8 percent South Korea's Kospi index inched up 0.1 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 1.4 percent.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 114.78 points or ▲ 0.58% on Tuesday, December 13, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 19,911.21 ▲ 114.78 ▲ 0.58%
Nasdaq____ 5,463.83 ▲ 51.29 ▲ 0.95%
S&P_500___ 2,271.72 ▲ 14.76 ▲ 0.65%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.15 ▼ -0.02 ▼ -0.47%

NYSE Volume 3,821,007,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,984,099,500

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,968.57 ▲ 78.15 ▲ 1.13%
DAX_____ 11,284.65 ▲ 94.44 ▲ 0.84%
CAC_40__ 4,803.87 ▲ 43.10 ▲ 0.91%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,600.70 ▼ -18.40 ▼ -0.33%
Shanghai_Comp 3,155.04 ▲ 2.07 ▲ 0.07%
Taiwan_Weight 9,382.14 ▲ 32.20 ▲ 0.34%
Nikkei_225___ 19,250.52 ▲ 95.49 ▲ 0.50%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,446.70 ▲ 13.68 ▲ 0.06%
Strait_Times.__ 2,955.23 ▲ 3.04 ▲ 0.10%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,850.21 ▼ -25.83 ▼ -0.38%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/stock-indexes-open-record-highs-150950524.html

Dow nears 20,000 as energy companies and tech stocks climb
[Associated Press]
MARLEY JAY

NEW YORK (AP) ”” Major U.S. stock indexes set records again Tuesday as energy companies continued to climb following international deals that will cut oil production. Big-name technology companies like Apple and IBM also traded higher as the Dow Jones industrial average closed above 19,900 for the first time.

The Dow finished at an all-time high for the seventh consecutive trading day. The biggest gain went to IBM, while Apple and Exxon Mobil also finished near the top.

Energy companies rose for the ninth day out of the last 10 as investors anticipated steadier oil prices and larger profits. Technology companies also jumped. They had mostly lagged the market during its post-election rally, but have moved higher in the last few days.

J.J. Kinahan, TD Ameritrade's chief strategist, said stocks have surged since the presidential election because after a long campaign, investors have a better idea which policies the country will adopt.

"The biggest questions hanging over us are gone," he said.

The Dow Jones industrial average climbed 114.78 points, or 0.6 percent, to 19,911.21. The blue-chip index went as high as 19,953. The Standard & Poor's 500 index picked up 14.76 points, or 0.7 percent, to 2,271.72. The Nasdaq composite climbed 51.29 points, or 0.9 percent, to 5,463.83.

Energy companies rose for the fifth consecutive day. Exxon Mobil climbed $1.60, or 1.8 percent, to $92.58 and Noble Energy advanced $1.80, or 4.5 percent, to $41.64.

OPEC countries agreed on Nov. 30 to trim oil production next year, and over the weekend a group of 11 other nations also agreed to make cuts. Those reductions are intended to prop up the price of oil following a two-year slump. U.S. crude is up 17 percent since the OPEC deal was announced, which has taken it to its highest price in almost a year and a half, and the S&P 500 energy index is up 10 percent.

Benchmark U.S. crude rose 15 cents to $52.98 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the international standard, added 3 cents to $55.72 a barrel in London.

Technology companies jumped as a group of tech executives, including the CEOs of Apple and Microsoft, prepare to meet with President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday. Kinahan said investors in technology companies may be looking forward to tax changes that will encourage them to bring more cash back to the U.S. and invest it in their businesses or return it to shareholders.

On Tuesday Apple added $1.89, or 1.7 percent, to $115.19. IBM was the biggest gainer on the Dow, as it picked up $2.79, or 1.7 percent, to $168.29.

Consumer-focused companies rose more than the rest of the market. Online retailer Amazon rose $14.22, or 1.9 percent, to $774.34 and home improvement retailer Home Depot jumped $1.96, or 1.5 percent, to $136.54. Newell Brands, which owns brands including Rubbermaid, Elmer's and Mr. Coffee, picked up 82 cents, or 1.8 percent, to $47.30.

Some companies that have performed very well over the last five weeks lost ground. Basic materials and industrial companies traded slightly lower. Banks, which have soared since the election, rose less than the rest of the market.

Larger companies did much better than smaller ones. The Russell 2000 index of small company stocks, which has soared since the election, was essentially flat.

Japanese brewer Asahi Group said it will pay $7.8 billion to buy five beer brands in Eastern Europe from Anheuser-Busch InBev, the maker of Budweiser. The brands include Pilsner Urquell. In October AB InBev bought rival SABMiller, and during those negotiations Asahi bought a group of Western European brands including Peroni and Grolsch. AB InBev picked up $1.36, or 1.3 percent, to $105.05.

Investors expect the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates when it ends a policy meeting Wednesday. The central bank last raised interest rates a year ago. It's kept rates very low since the 2008 financial crisis, but its leaders have suggested the U.S. economy is improving enough that it is time to start gradually raising rates. Low interest rates have helped drive stock prices higher, but they punish savers who look for income from bank accounts and bonds.

U.S. government bond prices rose slightly. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note dipped to 2.47 percent from 2.48 percent, its highest level since June 2015.

The dollar rose to 115.23 yen from 115.12 yen. The euro fell to $1.0622 from $1.0630.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline edged up 1 cent to $1.55 a gallon. Heating oil remained at $1.67 a gallon. Natural gas lost 3 cents to $3.47 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Gold fell $6.80 to $1,159 an ounce. Silver lost 21 cents, or 1.2 percent, to $16.98 an ounce. Copper fell 2 cents to $2.60 a pound.

The FTSE MIB in Italy jumped 2.5 percent and UniCredit, the largest Italian lender, soared 16 percent after it said it will unload $18.8 billion in soured loans, raise billions in cash, and cut thousands more jobs.

Germany's DAX rose 0.8 percent and the French CAC-40 was gained 0.9 percent. In Britain, the FTSE 100 rose 1.1 percent. Blue-chip stocks also led the way in Europe.

Tokyo's Nikkei 225 rose 0.5 percent. The Kospi in South Korea climbed 0.4 percent and the Hang Seng of Hong Kong added 0.1 percent.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -118.68 points or ▼ -0.60% on Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 19,792.53 ▼ -118.68 ▼ -0.60%
Nasdaq____ 5,436.67 ▼ -27.16 ▼ -0.50%
S&P_500___ 2,253.28 ▼ -18.44 ▼ -0.81%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.15 ▲ 0.00 ▲ 0.06%

NYSE Volume 4,365,605,500
Nasdaq Volume 1,855,653,620

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,949.19 ▼ -19.38 ▼ -0.28%
DAX_____ 11,244.84 ▼ -39.81 ▼ -0.35%
CAC_40__ 4,769.24 ▼ -34.63 ▼ -0.72%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,639.70 ▲ 39.00 ▲ 0.70%
Shanghai_Comp 3,140.53 ▼ -14.51 ▼ -0.46%
Taiwan_Weight 9,368.52 ▼ -13.62 ▼ -0.15%
Nikkei_225___ 19,253.61 ▲ 3.09 ▲ 0.02%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,456.62 ▲ 9.92 ▲ 0.04%
Strait_Times.__ 2,954.06 ▼ -1.17 ▼ -0.04%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,797.86 ▼ -52.35 ▼ -0.76%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-slip-ahead-federal-meeting-rates-151907845--finance.html

Stocks fall after Fed rate hike, dollar and bond yields jump
By Stan Choe | AP

NEW YORK ”” Stocks had their worst day in two months after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates Wednesday on the back of a strengthening job market and surprised investors by increasing its forecast for rate hikes next year. The dollar’s value jumped against other currencies, and bond yields climbed to their highest levels in years.

The rate increase, which was only the Fed’s second in the last decade, was widely expected across the market. But investors were surprised to see the Fed project three more increases for 2017, up from a prior forecast of two. Higher rates can slow corporate profits and economic growth.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index fell 18.44 points, or 0.8 percent, to 2,253.28, its biggest percentage loss since mid-October. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 118.68 points, or 0.6 percent, to 19,792.53. The Nasdaq composite fell 27.16, or 0.5 percent, to 5,436.67.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note touched its highest level in more than two years and sat at 2.57 percent late Wednesday, up sharply from 2.47 percent a day earlier. Bond yields have been in an upward trend for the last month, and the yield on the two-year Treasury reached its highest level since the summer of 2009. It was trading at 1.27 percent late Wednesday, up from 1.17 percent.

The dollar jumped more than 1 percent against several of its rivals, including the euro and the Japanese yen.

The Fed raised its key short-term rate by a quarter of a percentage point to a range of 0.50 percent to 0.75 percent. Following the rate increase announcement, Fed Chair Janet Yellen stressed that changes to its projections were modest.

Analysts also said investors shouldn’t panic about the prospect for more increases for interest rates, which are still very low by historical standards. Plus, the Fed doesn’t always follow through with projections. Just look at a year ago, says Rich Taylow, client portfolio manager at American Century.

“Remember that last year, they said they would increase rates four times,” Taylor says. “Then they said two, and then by June, it was one, and we just got that one 15 minutes ago.”

Inflation expectations have climbed since Donald Trump’s surprise victory in last month’s election, but inflation still remains relatively tame. That’s part of why Taylor continues to expect only a gradual rise in interest rates.

Investors reacted to the Fed’s announcement Wednesday by selling stocks that would be most hurt by higher interest rates.

Dividend-paying stocks had been big winners in recent years as investors turned to them in search of income given record-low bond yields. The worry is that traditional bond investors who had defected to dividend stocks will return to bonds now that yields are rising again.

Utility stocks in the S&P 500 fell 2 percent, and real-estate stocks fell 1.9 percent.

Energy stocks had the sharpest declines among the 11 sectors that make up the S&P 500 and fell 2.1 percent, dropping along with the price of oil. Benchmark U.S. crude fell $1.94 to settle at $51.04 per barrel in New York. Brent crude, the international standard, lost $1.82 to $53.90 a barrel in London.

Four stocks fell for every one that rose on the New York Stock Exchange, including Wells Fargo. The bank dropped $1.14, or 2 percent, to $54.70 after federal regulators placed restrictions on the bank due to concerns about its “living will,” which lays out its plan of action in the event of a failure.

Hertz Global Holdings fell $2.09, or 8.3 percent, to $23.04 after the struggling car rental company named a new chief executive officer. The company’s three longest-serving directors will also leave the board next month.

Among the few gainers for the day was Neustar, which jumped $5.80, or 21 percent, to $33.45 after a group of private investors said it would buy the communications company for $33.50 per share in cash.

In Europe, Britain’s FTSE 100 stock index dipped 0.3 percent, while Germany’s DAX fell 0.4 percent and France’s CAC 40 lost 0.7 percent.

In Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 finished nearly unchanged, while South Korea's Kospi and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index also were up marginally.

Among commodities, natural gas rose nearly 7 cents to settle at $3.54 per 1,000 cubic feet. Wholesale gasoline fell nearly 2 cents to settle at $1.53 a gallon.

Gold rose $4.70 to settle at $1,163.70 an ounce. Silver rose 24 cents to settle at $17.22 an ounce, and copper rose less than a penny to settle at $2.60 per pound.

The dollar climbed to 116.37 Japanese yen from 115.23 late Tuesday. The euro fell to $1.0557 from $1.0622 late Tuesday. The British pound fell to $1.2596 from $1.2667.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 59.71 points or ▲ 0.30% on Thursday, December 15, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 19,852.24 ▲ 59.71 ▲ 0.30%
Nasdaq____ 5,456.85 ▲ 20.18 ▲ 0.37%
S&P_500___ 2,262.03 ▲ 8.75 ▲ 0.39%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.15 ▼ 0.00 ▼ -0.13%

NYSE Volume 4,130,639,000
Nasdaq Volume 1,974,601,380

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 6,999.01 ▲ 49.82 ▲ 0.72%
DAX_____ 11,366.40 ▲ 121.56 ▲ 1.08%
CAC_40__ 4,819.23 ▲ 49.99 ▲ 1.05%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,595.00 ▼ -44.70 ▼ -0.79%
Shanghai_Comp 3,117.68 ▼ -22.85 ▼ -0.73%
Taiwan_Weight 9,360.35 ▼ -8.17 ▼ -0.09%
Nikkei_225___ 19,273.79 ▲ 20.18 ▲ 0.10%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,059.40 ▼ -397.22 ▼ -1.77%
Strait_Times.__ 2,930.77 ▼ -23.29 ▼ -0.79%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,748.62 ▼ -49.24 ▼ -0.72%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/banks-lead-us-stock-indexes-150749133.html

Banks lead stock indexes higher, and US dollar soars
[Associated Press]
Stan Choe, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- A surge in banks and other financial stocks that stand to benefit from higher interest rates pushed indexes to the edge of record highs Thursday. The dollar rose sharply against other currencies and the price of gold sank on expectations that the Federal Reserve will follow up Wednesday's rate increase with several more next year.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 8.75 points, or 0.4 percent, to 2,262.03. It made up about half its loss from the prior day, which was its worst in two months.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 59.71 points, or 0.3 percent, to 19,852.24. The Nasdaq composite rose 20.18 points, or 0.4 percent, to 5,456.85. All three indexes are within half a percent of their record highs.

"I think the market is just going through a period of rational exuberance," says Brian Jacobsen, chief portfolio strategist at Wells Fargo Funds Management. "The prospect for faster economic growth and the normalization of interest rates ”” these aren't bad things for the stock market."

The Federal Reserve raised short-term interest rates Wednesday by a quarter of a percentage point on the back of a strengthening economy. It was only the second rate increase in a decade, and the Fed indicated three more may be on the way in 2017.

That helped goose the dollar's value, which has been climbing against other currencies for the past couple years. The ICE U.S. Dollar index, which tracks the value of the dollar against the euro, Japanese yen and four other currencies, rose to its highest level since 2002.

Higher rates can also help banks reap bigger profits from making loans, and financial stocks jumped to the biggest gain of the 11 sectors that make up the S&P 500 index, 1 percent.

Bank of America rose 49 cents, or 2.2 percent, to $23.16, and Zions Bancorp. gained 84 cents, or 2 percent, to $43.04.

Stocks that pay big dividends lagged behind the rest of the market on fears that higher interest rates will push income investors away from them and back into bonds. Real-estate stocks in the S&P 500 fell 0.7 percent.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.60 percent from 2.57 percent late Wednesday and reached its highest level in more than two years. The two-year Treasury yield held steady at 1.27 percent.

Higher yields mean newly issued bonds pay higher interest, but they also pull down prices of existing bonds sitting in investors' portfolios and bond funds.

Roughly four stocks rose for every three that fell on the New York Stock Exchange, and nine of the 11 sectors that make up the S&P 500 index rose.

Eli Lilly was one of the top-performing stocks in the index after rising $3.70, or 5.5 percent, to $71.37. The drugmaker gave a stronger-than-expected profit forecast for next year.

Pier 1 Imports surged $2.09, or 32.3 percent, to $8.57 after reporting stronger-than-expected earnings for the latest quarter and raised its forecast for full-year results.

The worst-performing stock in the S&P 500 was Yahoo, which fell $2.50, or 6.1 percent, to $38.41 after disclosing a breach that affected more than a billion user accounts, the largest such attack in history.

Gold dropped to its lowest price in 10 months. Higher interest rates often hurt the price of gold, which investors tend to flock to when they're worried about the prospect of higher inflation and too-low interest rates. Gold fell $33.90, or 2.9 percent, to settle at $1,129.80 per ounce.

Silver fell $1.26 to settle at $15.96 an ounce, and copper dipped by less than a penny to $2.60 per pound.

Benchmark U.S. crude slipped 14 cents to settle at $50.90 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, the international standard, rose 12 cents to $54.02 a barrel in London. Natural gas fell 10.6 cents to $3.434 per 1,000 cubic feet, and wholesale gasoline rose nearly a penny to $1.54 per gallon. Heating oil was little changed at $1.64 a gallon.

In European stock markets, Germany's DAX rose 1.1 percent, France's CAC 40 gained 1 percent and Britain's FTSE 100 rose 0.7 percent. In Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 index gained 0.1 percent, Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 1.8 percent and South Korea's Kospi was virtually flat.

The dollar rose to 117.93 Japanese yen from 116.37 late Wednesday, following up on a 1 percent jump. The euro fell to $1.0424 from $1.0557, and the British pound fell to $1.2436 from $1.2596.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -8.83 points or ▼ -0.04% on Friday, December 16, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 19,843.41 ▼ -8.83 ▼ -0.04%
Nasdaq____ 5,437.16 ▼ -19.69 ▼ -0.36%
S&P_500___ 2,258.07 ▼ -3.96 ▼ -0.18%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.18 ▲ 0.04 ▲ 1.24%

NYSE Volume 5,915,246,000
Nasdaq Volume 2,331,899,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 7,011.64 ▲ 12.63 ▲ 0.18%
DAX_____ 11,404.01 ▲ 37.61 ▲ 0.33%
CAC_40__ 4,833.27 ▲ 14.04 ▲ 0.29%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,589.70 ▼ -5.30 ▼ -0.09%
Shanghai_Comp 3,122.98 ▲ 5.30 ▲ 0.17%
Taiwan_Weight 9,326.78 ▼ -33.57 ▼ -0.36%
Nikkei_225___ 19,401.15 ▲ 127.36 ▲ 0.66%
Hang_Seng.__ 22,020.75 ▼ -38.65 ▼ -0.18%
Strait_Times.__ 2,937.86 ▲ 7.09 ▲ 0.24%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,760.24 ▲ 11.62 ▲ 0.17%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stock-indexes-inch-higher-bond-yields-relax-150826487--finance.html

Weak tech, bank stocks pull indexes back from record highs
[Associated Press]
STAN CHOE

NEW YORK (AP) — Falling technology and financial stocks pulled U.S. indexes back from the edge of record highs on Friday. Bond yields gave up some of their big gains from the last few days, and the dollar downshifted from its sharp climb against other currencies.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 3.96 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,258.07. It had wobbled up and down through the day, never rising by more than 0.3 percent or falling by more than 0.3 percent.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 8.83 points, or less than 0.1 percent, to 19,843.41. The Nasdaq composite fell 19.69, or 0.4 percent, to 5,437.16 after climbing above its record closing level earlier in the day. All three indexes remain within 1 percent of their record highs.

Friday's moves close a week where stocks slowed their sharp ascent since last month's presidential election, and bond yields and the dollar continued their big gains. A driving force was the Federal Reserve's move on Wednesday to raise interest rates for only the second time in a decade and indicate several more increases may be in store for 2017.

The dollar gave back a smidgen of its gains on Friday. The ICE U.S. Dollar index, which measures the dollar against six other currencies, dipped 0.2 percent. The index remains close to its highest level in 14 years.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury likewise regressed a bit Friday, dipping to 2.59 percent from 2.60 percent late Thursday. It's still near its highest level since 2014.

Friday's drop in yields helped drive stocks that pay big dividends higher. They often trade in the opposite direction of interest rates on expectations that income investors will buy them when bond yields are dropping. Those sectors had struggled in recent days.

Utility stocks and real-estate investment trusts both rose 1.2 percent on Friday, the largest gains among the 11 sectors that make up the S&P 500.

Banks and other financial stocks fell in a rare off-day. The sector has been cruising since last month's election on expectations that higher interest rates will boost their profits.

Financial stocks in the S&P 500 fell 0.9 percent. Bank of America fell 50 cents, or 2.2 percent, to $22.66, and Regions Financial fell 32 cents, or 2.2 percent, to $14.20.

Technology stocks in the S&P 500 fell 0.8 percent. Software giant Oracle fell $1.76, or 4.3 percent, to $39.10 after reporting revenue for its latest quarter that fell short of analysts' expectations.

Despite drops for the S&P 500 and other indexes, more stocks rose on the New York Stock Exchange than fell.

Among them was Chipotle Mexican Grill, which jumped $9.72, or 2.5 percent, to $392.07. The restaurant chain said four new directors will join its board as part of an agreement with activist investor Bill Ackman's Pershing Square.

Jabil Circuit rose $2.58, or 12 percent, to $24.15 after reporting stronger earnings for its latest quarter than analysts expected.

Big gains since last month's election mean stocks generally are more expensive relative to their earnings, a key gauge investors use to measure whether the market is overpriced.

The S&P 500 is trading at about 19 times its earnings per share over the last 12 months, according to FactSet. That compares with its average price-earnings ratio of 15.6 over the last 15 years and is an indication that stocks are, if not expensive, no longer cheap. And that, in turn, implies lower future returns than the big gains investors have enjoyed since the Great Recession's end.

"I do think we're in a low-return environment," says Bernie Williams, chief investment officer for USAA's Wealth Management Investment Solutions. "Of course, we thought that at the start of this year, too, and here we are up 10 percent."

In foreign stock markets, Japan's Nikkei 225 gained 0.7 percent, South Korea's Kospi rose 0.3 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.2 percent. In Europe, Germany's DAX rose 0.3 percent, France's CAC 40 rose 0.3 percent and Britain's FTSE 100 rose 0.2 percent.

Crude oil rose $1 to settle at $51.90 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the international standard, rose $1.19 to close at $55.21 a barrel in London. Natural gas slipped nearly 2 cents to settle at $3.415 per 1,000 cubic feet, wholesale gasoline rose 1.5 cents to $1.56 a gallon and heating oil rose 3 cents to $1.67 a gallon.

Gold recovered a bit after falling to its lowest price in 10 months on Thursday. It rose $7.60 to settle at $1,137.40 an ounce. Silver rose nearly 26 cents to $16.22 an ounce, and copper fell 3.6 cents to $2.56 a pound.

The euro rose to $1.0433 from $1.0424, the British pound rose to $1.2476 from $1.2436 and the dollar climbed to 118.01 Japanese yen from 117.93 yen.


8799

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 39.65 points or ▲ 0.20% on Monday, December 19, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 19,883.06 ▲ 39.65 ▲ 0.20%
Nasdaq____ 5,457.44 ▲ 20.28 ▲ 0.37%
S&P_500___ 2,262.53 ▲ 4.46 ▲ 0.20%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.12 ▼ -0.06 ▼ -1.98%

NYSE Volume 3,205,228,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,594,719,620

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 7,017.16 ▲ 5.52 ▲ 0.08%
DAX_____ 11,426.70 ▲ 22.69 ▲ 0.20%
CAC_40__ 4,822.77 ▼ -10.50 ▼ -0.22%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,612.80 ▲ 23.10 ▲ 0.41%
Shanghai_Comp 3,118.08 ▼ -4.90 ▼ -0.16%
Taiwan_Weight 9,239.32 ▼ -87.46 ▼ -0.94%
Nikkei_225___ 19,391.60 ▼ -9.55 ▼ -0.05%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,832.68 ▼ -188.07 ▼ -0.85%
Strait_Times.__ 2,913.08 ▼ -24.78 ▼ -0.84%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,786.25 ▲ 26.01 ▲ 0.38%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-indexes-edge-higher-tech-150933698.html

Big dividend payers lead indexes higher in quiet trading

By MARLEY JAY AP Markets Writer

NEW YORK

With the Christmas holiday and the end of 2016 coming into view, U.S. stocks edged higher Monday as bond yields dropped and investors who sought income moved money into phone company and real estate stocks.

Technology and industrial companies rose, while energy companies skidded and health care stocks continued to lag the rest of the market. Disney climbed after a strong opening weekend for "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," its second movie in the revived "Star Wars" franchise.

Trading volume was the lowest since mid-October, except for the abbreviated trading session after the Thanksgiving holiday. Stocks were on track for larger gains early in the day and the Nasdaq was briefly on pace for a record high, but investor enthusiasm waned by the afternoon.

David Lefkowitz, senior equity strategist at UBS Wealth Management Americas, said that stocks have surged since the presidential election and investors might be more cautious in the weeks to come as they wait for details of President-elect Donald Trump's policy agenda.

"We're going to have to move from the grand vision of things to actually getting some of these policies done," he said.

Bond yields have surged to multi-year highs in recent days, but they moved lower Monday. That helped companies that pay large dividends, as they are often compared to bonds and are more appealing to investors when yields fall.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 39.65 points, or 0.2 percent, to 19,883.06. The Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 4.46 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,262.53. The Nasdaq composite added 20.28 points, or 0.4 percent, to 5,457.44. The Russell 2000 index of small-company stocks rose 7.49 points, or 0.5 percent, to 1,371.68.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note slid to 2.54 percent from 2.60 percent late Friday. That sent interest rates lower and affects the profits banks make from mortgages and other loans. Bank stocks lagged the market.

Income-seeking investors turned their attention to groups of stocks that pay large dividends, similar to bonds. That sparked gains for real estate, phone and utility companies. Health care facility investor HCP gained $1.16, or 4 percent, to $30.30 and power company NRG Energy rose 55 cents, or 4.5 percent, to $12.85.

Government bond yields have climbed over the last few months and have jumped since the election. Last week the yield on the 10-year note rose to its highest level in more than two years.

Both technology and industrial stocks are trading around all-time highs and continued to rise Monday. Microsoft added $1.32, or 2.1 percent, to $63.62 and software maker Adobe advanced $1.74, or 1.7 percent, to $105.29. Industrial companies also did better than the broader market. Boeing rose $1.68, or 1.1 percent, to $156.18. United Technologies, which makes elevators, jet engines and other products, picked up $2.30, or 2.1 percent, to $110.82.

Crude oil inched up 22 cents to $52.12 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the international standard, gave up 29 cents to $54.92 a barrel in London. Energy companies took small losses. They're trading at their highest prices in about 18 months after a big six-week rally. Noble Energy lost 91 cents, or 2.2 percent, to $40.25 and Baker Hughes skidded 66 cents, or 1 percent, to $65.73.

Disney climbed after "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" brought in an estimated $155 million in worldwide ticket sales in its first weekend. That was better than expected and the second-best December movie opening ever, after "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" last year. Disney rose $1.39, or 1.3 percent, to $105.30.

Insurance company Allied World Assurance will be bought by Fairfax Financial Holdings of Canada for $54 a share in cash and stock, or $4.7 billion. Its stock jumped $5.99, or 13.1 percent, to $51.76.

Electronic trading firm Virtu Financial slipped 65 cents, or 4 percent, to $15.55 after President-elect Trump said he plans to nominate the company's founder and chairman, Vincent Viola, for the position of secretary of the Army. Viola, an Army veteran, is a former chairman of the New York Stock Exchange and owns the NHL's Florida Panthers. He's the second head of a publicly-traded company expected to take a role in Trump's administration, following Rex Tillerson, the CEO of Exxon Mobil, who has been nominated for secretary of state.

Former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon and CKE Restaurants CEO Andy Puzder are also expected to join the administration, as are Goldman Sachs President Gary Cohn and billionaire investor Wilbur Ross.

Virtu went public last April in an IPO that priced at $19 a share. Its market capitalization is around $600 million.

The dollar fell to 117.24 yen from 118.01 yen late Friday. The euro fell to $1.0404 from $1.0433.

Gold rose $5.30 to $1,142.70 an ounce. Silver lost 13 cents to $16.09 an ounce. Copper sank 7 cents, or 2.5 percent, to $2.50 a pound.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline rose 1 cent to $1.56 a gallon. Heating oil remained at $1.67 a gallon. Natural gas fell 2 cents to $3.39 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The FTSE 100 index in Britain added 0.1 percent while Germany's DAX rose 0.2 percent. In France the CAC-40 was 0.2 percent lower. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 index slipped 0.1 percent while in South Korea the Kospi edged 0.2 percent lower and Hong Kong's Hang Seng shed 0.9 percent

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 91.56 points or ▲ 0.46% on Tuesday, December 20, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 19,974.62 ▲ 91.56 ▲ 0.46%
Nasdaq____ 5,483.94 ▲ 26.50 ▲ 0.49%
S&P_500___ 2,270.76 ▲ 8.23 ▲ 0.36%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.15 ▲ 0.03 ▲ 0.96%

NYSE Volume 3,295,604,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,591,803,880

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 7,043.96 ▲ 26.80 ▲ 0.38%
DAX_____ 11,464.74 ▲ 38.04 ▲ 0.33%
CAC_40__ 4,849.89 ▲ 27.12 ▲ 0.56%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,640.00 ▲ 27.20 ▲ 0.48%
Shanghai_Comp 3,102.88 ▼ -15.21 ▼ -0.49%
Taiwan_Weight 9,242.41 ▲ 3.09 ▲ 0.03%
Nikkei_225___ 19,494.53 ▲ 102.93 ▲ 0.53%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,729.06 ▼ -103.62 ▼ -0.47%
Strait_Times.__ 2,911.31 ▼ -1.77 ▼ -0.06%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,789.67 ▲ 3.42 ▲ 0.05%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/banks-lead-us-stocks-higher-dow-inches-closer-151920029.html

Travel stocks rise as Dow inches closer to 20,000
[Associated Press]
MARLEY JAY

NEW YORK (AP) ”” Big gains for banks and companies focused on travel helped propel U.S. stock indexes to record levels on Tuesday. The Dow Jones industrial average moved closer than ever to 20,000, but the symbolic threshold remained just out of reach.

Banks once again led the way Tuesday as bond yields and interest rates bounced higher. Strong earnings from cruise line operator Carnival and gains for travel website TripAdvisor led consumer companies higher. Household goods makers fell after Cheerios maker General Mills cut its sales projections for the year, and energy companies fell for the second day in a row. That hadn't happened three weeks. The Dow came within 13 points of the 20,000 mark around 10 a.m. Trading remained light as the Christmas holiday approached.

Stocks have soared since the presidential election and the Dow has risen almost 1,000 points in under a month, and some investors think that means stocks won't move much in 2017.

"We're at fair value," said Scott Wren, a senior global equity strategist at the Wells Fargo Investment Institute. "This is not going to be a big return year for the stock market."

The Dow gained 91.56 points, or 0.4 percent, to a record close at 19,974.62. The Standard & Poor's 500 index picked up 8.23 points, or 0.4 percent, to 2,270.76. The Nasdaq composite also finished at a record as it added 26.50 points, or 0.5 percent, to 5,483.94. The Russell 2000 index of small-company stocks jumped 12.27 points, or 0.9 percent, to 1,383.96.

Bond prices reversed course and fell after climbing higher Monday. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.56 percent from 2.54 percent. Bond yields have risen sharply of late, and that's good for banks because higher bond yields are linked to higher interest rates, which let them make more money from lending. Regions Financial rose 30 cents, or 2.1 percent, to $14.58 and Citigroup gained $1.14, or 1.9 percent, to $60.80.

Cruise line operator Carnival reported profit and sales that were stronger than expected. The company said bookings for trips in 2017 are stronger than they were at this time last year. It said both ticket sales and prices are up. Carnival stock rose $1.17, or 2.3 percent, to $52.49 and competitor Royal Caribbean gained $2.85, or 3.4 percent, to $85.40.

Travel website operator TripAdvisor jumped $2.34, or 5 percent, to $48.79 after it said it will start adding some Expedia brands to its instant hotel booking platform.

Other consumer companies also gained ground. Used car dealership Carmax jumped $3.80, or 6.1 percent, to $66.16 after a strong earnings report. Consumer-focused companies have outperformed the market since the November election as investors expect them to benefit from a possible pickup in economic growth. But the sector has lagged the market in 2016 after a large gain a year ago.

Cheerios and Pillsbury roll maker General Mills cut its sales outlook for the year. The Minnesota company and many of its competitors have struggled as more Americans stay away from processed foods. Its stock lost $1.61, or 2.6 percent, to $61.45. Other household goods makers like Tyson Foods and Kraft Heinz also traded lower. Beer and wine maker Constellation Brands slid $6.32, or 4 percent, to $150.45 after it completed the sale of its Canadian wine business.

Retailer Fred's soared after it agreed to buy 865 Rite Aid pharmacies for $950 million. That's a huge expansion for Fred's, which had 648 total stores at the end of October. Only about half of them had pharmacies. Its stock surged $9.04, or 81.1 percent, to $20.19.

The sale may also clear the way for Walgreens Boots Alliance, the largest U.S. drugstore operator, to buy Rite Aid. That $9.4 billion deal was announced more than a year ago. Rite Aid climbed 44 cents, or 5.4 percent, to $8.61 and Walgreens picked up 22 cents to $86.28. If the two sales close, Fred's will become the third-largest drugstore chain in the U.S.

Industrial gas company Praxair traded lower after it said it will combine with Germany's Linde AG in an all-stock deal. The combined company will be worth some $65 billion, the firms said. Linde and Praxair began talking about a possible deal in August, but a few weeks later Linde said they'd failed to agree on details. Praxair slid $4.61, or 3.7 percent, to $118.39.

Benchmark U.S. crude gained 11 cents to $52.23 per barrel in New York. Brent crude, the international standard, jumped 43 cents to $55.35 a barrel in London.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline added 3 cents to $1.59 a gallon. Heating oil stayed at $1.67 a gallon. Natural gas dropped 13 cents, or 3.8 percent, to $3.26 per 1,000 cubic feet.

The dollar, which has been trading at 14-year highs, continued to gain strength. It climbed to 118.04 yen from 117.24 yen. The euro fell to $1.0377 from $1.0404.

Gold slid $9.10 to $1,133.60 an ounce. Silver rose 3 cents to $1.12 an ounce. Copper held steady at $2.50 a pound.

The CAC-40 in France rose 0.6 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 finished up 0.4 percent and the German DAX added 0.3 percent. Japanese stocks reached another fresh high for the year after the Bank of Japan left its current monetary policy unchanged. It said the "moderate recovery" of the world's third-largest economy was on track. The Nikkei 225 index advanced 0.5 percent, and South Korea's Kospi added 0.2 percent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index fell 0.5 percent.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -32.66 points or ▼ -0.16% on Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 19,941.96 ▼ -32.66 ▼ -0.16%
Nasdaq____ 5,471.43 ▼ -12.51 ▼ -0.23%
S&P_500___ 2,265.18 ▼ -5.58 ▼ -0.25%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.13 ▼ -0.03 ▼ -0.83%

NYSE Volume 2,852,160,250
Nasdaq Volume 1,421,088,750

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 7,041.42 ▼ -2.54 ▼ -0.04%
DAX_____ 11,468.64 ▲ 3.90 ▲ 0.03%
CAC_40__ 4,833.82 ▼ -16.07 ▼ -0.33%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,662.00 ▲ 22.00 ▲ 0.39%
Shanghai_Comp 3,137.43 ▲ 34.55 ▲ 1.11%
Taiwan_Weight 9,204.26 ▼ -38.15 ▼ -0.41%
Nikkei_225___ 19,444.49 ▼ -50.04 ▼ -0.26%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,809.80 ▲ 80.74 ▲ 0.37%
Strait_Times.__ 2,901.70 ▼ -9.61 ▼ -0.33%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,802.76 ▲ 13.09 ▲ 0.19%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/mixed-open-stocks-keeps-dow-150831878.html

Not today: Dow still short of 20,000 as health stocks skid
[Associated Press]
MARLEY JAY

NEW YORK (AP) ”” Stocks finished slightly lower Wednesday as health care companies continued to struggle. Energy companies rose as the price of natural gas surged on the first day of winter.

Some traders aren't sticking around to see if the Dow Jones industrial average reaches the 20,000-point milestone: trading volume has fallen sharply this week as the year-end holidays draw near.

After a mixed open, stocks finished at their lowest prices of the day. Health care companies continued to lag the market, as they've done throughout 2016. Industrial companies, which have surged since the presidential election, also eased lower. A jump of almost 9 percent in the price of natural gas helped gas and pipeline companies move higher.

"It looks like we're going to see another cold blast," said Jim Ritterbusch, an analyst who advises oil traders. He said weather forecasts suggest temperatures will drop later next week, which means people will use more natural gas to heat their homes.

The Dow dipped 32.66 points, or 0.2 percent, to 19,941.96. The Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 5.58 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,265.18. The Nasdaq composite fell 12.51 points, or 0.2 percent, to 5,471.43.

Cancer drug maker Celgene dipped $2.67, or 2.3 percent, to $116.40 and Merck skidded $1.07, or 1.8 percent, to $59.43 while health insurance company Anthem lost $2.68, or 1.8 percent, to $144.98 as health care stocks fell. The S&P 500 health care index is down 4.4 percent this year. The S&P 500 itself is up almost 11 percent.

Natural gas companies made big gains thanks to a surge in natural gas futures. The price of that fuel climbed 28 cents, or 8.6 percent, to $3.54 per 1,000 cubic feet on the first day of winter. Southwestern Energy jumped 60 cents, or 5.8 percent, to $10.98 and Cabot Oil & Gas gained 62 cents, or 2.8 percent, to $22.44. Drilling service and pipeline companies also rose.

The price of natural gas has fluctuated sharply in the last few months.

"Whenever you get extreme volatility in the weather patterns, that translates to price volatility in futures," said Ritterbusch, the energy analyst.

FedEx said its quarterly expenses climbed and its earnings fell short of Wall Street estimates. The company's stock lost $6.62, or 3.3 percent, to $192.12.

Twitter slumped after Chief Technology Officer Adam Messinger said he's leaving the company. The struggling company has seen a number of executives leave recently. Former Chief Operating Officer Adam Bain left in November. In October Twitter said it would eliminate 9 percent of its workforce. Twitter fell 84 cents, or 4.7 percent, to $17.08.

AMC Entertainment took a step toward completing its purchase of competitor Carmike Cinemas. The Department of Justice said it will sign off on the sale if AMC sells 15 movie theaters in areas where it competes with Carmike. It will also sell most of its holdings in cinema advertising company National CineMedia and transfer 24 theaters to a rival theater ad company.

AMC agreed to buy Carmike in July for about $825 million in cash and stock in a deal that would make AMC the biggest movie theater chain in the U.S. Its stock rose $1.25, or 3.7 percent, to $34.70.

Mobile gyroscope maker InvenSense said it will be acquired by Japan's TDK Corp. for $13 a share, or $1.22 billion. That sent the stock to its highest price in almost a year and a half. InvenSense gained $1.91, or 17.6 percent, to $12.75.

Nike gained 51 cents, or 1 percent, to $52.30 after its second-quarter profit and sales came in stronger than analysts expected. Nike is by far the worst performer on the Dow this year. Its stock has tumbled 16 percent in part thanks to competition with Under Armour. Investors fear the rivalry is affecting both companies.

Benchmark U.S. crude fell 81 cents, or 1.5 percent, to $52.49 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the international standard, lost 89 cents, or 1.6 percent, to $54.46 a barrel in London.

The dollar declined to 117.54 yen from 118.04 yen. The euro rose to $1.0427 from $1.0377.

Bond prices inched higher. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note slid to 2.54 percent from 2.56 percent.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline rose 1 cent to $1.61 a gallon. Heating oil lost 3 cents, or 1.7 percent, to $1.64 a gallon.

Gold fell 40 cents to $1,133.20 an ounce. Silver sank 14 cents to $15.98 an ounce. Copper remained at $2.50 a pound.

The CAC-40 in France gave up 0.3 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 and Germany's DAX finished little changed. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng rose 0.4 percent and Tokyo's Nikkei 225 shed 0.3 percent. The South Korean Kospi retreated 0.2 percent.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed LOWER ▼ -23 points or ▼ ### on ####
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......

Dow_Jones 19,918.88 ▼ -23.08 ▼ -0.12%
Nasdaq____ 5,447.42 ▼ -24.01 ▼ -0.44%
S&P_500___ 2,260.96 ▼ -4.22 ▼ -0.19%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.13 ▲ 0.01 ▲ 0.16%

NYSE Volume 2,874,374,750
Nasdaq Volume 1,489,304,250

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......

FTSE_100 7,063.68 ▲ 22.26 ▲ 0.32%
DAX_____ 11,456.10 ▼ -12.54 ▼ -0.11%
CAC_40__ 4,834.63 ▲ 0.81 ▲ 0.02%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,691.80 ▲ 29.80 ▲ 0.53%
Shanghai_Comp 3,139.56 ▲ 2.13 ▲ 0.07%
Taiwan_Weight 9,118.75 ▼ -85.51 ▼ -0.93%
Nikkei_225___ 19,427.67 ▼ -16.82 ▼ -0.09%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,636.20 ▼ -173.60 ▼ -0.80%
Strait_Times.__ 2,882.04 ▼ -19.66 ▼ -0.68%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,851.87 ▲ 49.11 ▲ 0.72%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/health-care-consumer-companies-us-stocks-lower-150033181--finance.html

Stocks slide again as retailers and tech companies slip

Marley Jay, AP Markets Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Retailers took losses Thursday and pulled U.S. stocks lower in another day of mild trading before the holidays.

Bed Bath & Beyond was pummeled after the home goods retailer reported weak results, and investors also dumped companies like Target, Staples and Dollar Tree. Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba fell after it was sanctioned by the U.S. government, while companies linked to investor Carl Icahn climbed after the billionaire was named as a future adviser to President-elect Donald Trump.

Quincy Krosby, a markets strategist for Prudential Financial, said investors were concerned about the weak earnings for Bed Bath & Beyond and about the jump in interest rates since the election.

"When you have interest rates rising, at least initially, it tends to take a little bit from the discretionary (companies) because credit card payments move higher," she said.

The Dow Jones industrial average shed 23.08 points, or 0.1 percent, to 19,918.88. The Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 4.22 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,260.96. The Nasdaq composite dipped 24.01 points, or 0.4 percent, to 5,447.42. The Russell 2000 index of small-company stocks sank 12.53 points, or 0.9 percent, to 1,362.66.

With the year-end holidays approaching, trading remained light.

A second day of losses pulled the Dow further from the 20,000 mark. It first reached 19,000 a month ago.

After it reported a far smaller profit and weaker sales than analysts expected, Bed Bath & Beyond dropped $4.18, or 9.2 percent, to $41.38. That wiped out most of the gains the company has made during the post-election rally. The SPDR S&P 500 retail ETF lost 3.5 percent.

Alibaba fell after the U.S. government put the Chinese e-commerce company back on a list of marketplaces that sell large amounts of counterfeit goods and is slow to respond when companies complain about knockoffs. Chinese regulators have made similar criticisms. Alibaba's U.S.-listed stock lost $2.45, or 2.7 percent, to $86.80.

Several companies linked to Carl Icahn surged after the billionaire investor was named as an adviser to Trump on regulatory reform issues. Icahn says he wants to cut business regulations. He is close to Trump and advised him during the presidential campaign, and that's given some of his companies a large boost.

Icahn Enterprises rose $4.38, or 7.6 percent, to $62.30 and refining company CVR Energy added $2.25, or 10.5 percent, to $23.69. Icahn owns 82 percent of the voting power in CVR Energy. Icahn Enterprises has climbed 30 percent since the presidential election, and CVR Energy has climbed 85 percent.

Open-source software company Red Hat sank after it reported disappointing revenue in the third quarter. Its fourth-quarter sales projections were also lower than analysts expected. Red Hat lost $11.08, or 13.9 percent, to $68.71, its biggest one-day loss in 10 years. Other technology companies like Facebook and Yahoo also fell.

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, the world's largest generic drug maker, rose after it agreed to settle an investigation into possible bribes paid to foreign governments. The Israeli company will pay $519 million and its Russian business will plead guilty to criminal charges. The inquiry also involved Teva's businesses in Ukraine and Mexico. Teva said it replaced the leadership of its Russian division after the investigation began.

The stock added 54 cents, or 1.5 percent, to $36.91. Teva said in October that it was setting aside $520 million for a possible settlement, and investors are often pleased when companies settle investigations because the deals remove uncertainty and help the companies put their problems behind them.

Chocolate maker Hershey rose after it named Michele Buck as its next president and CEO. She is currently Hershey's chief operating officer. Hershey stock added $1.27, or 1.2 percent, to $104.44.

Benchmark U.S. crude gained 46 cents to $52.95 a barrel in New York and Brent crude, the international standard, rose 59 cents, or 1.1 percent, to $55.05 a barrel in London. That sent energy companies higher.

In other energy trading, wholesale gasoline remained at $1.60 a gallon. Heating oil added 2 cents to $1.66 a gallon. Natural gas stayed at $3.54 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note climbed to 2.55 percent from 2.54 percent.

Gold fell $2.50 to $1,130.70 an ounce and continued to trade around its lowest price since the beginning of February. Silver lost 11 cents to $15.87 an ounce. Copper held steady at $2.50 a pound.

The dollar inched up to 117.60 yen from 117.54 yen. The euro rose to $1.0433 from $1.0427.

Stocks in Europe were also quiet. The DAX in Germany lost 0.1 percent and Britain's FTSE 100 added 0.3 percent. In France, the CAC-40 was little changed. Japan's Nikkei 225 index edged 0.1 percent lower and the Hang Seng in Hong Kong lost 0.8 percent. The South Korean Kospi fell 0.1 percent.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The NYSE DOW closed HIGHER ▲ 14.9 points or ▲ Friday on December 24 2016
Symbol …........Last …......Change.......
Dow_Jones 19,933.81 ▲ 14.93 ▲ 0.07%
Nasdaq____ 5,462.69 ▲ 15.27 ▲ 0.28%
S&P_500___ 2,263.79 ▲ 2.83 ▲ 0.13%
30_Yr_Bond____ 3.12 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.45%


NYSE Volume 2,020,709,880
Nasdaq Volume 1,075,653,620

Europe
Symbol... .....Last ….....Change.......
FTSE_100 7,068.17 ▲ 4.49 ▲ 0.06%
DAX_____ 11,449.93 ▼ -6.17 ▼ -0.05%
CAC_40__ 4,839.68 ▲ 5.05 ▲ 0.10%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... ….......Last .....Change…......
ASX_All_Ord___ 5,675.10 ▼ -16.70 ▼ -0.29%
Shanghai_Comp 3,110.15 ▼ -29.40 ▼ -0.94%
Taiwan_Weight 9,078.64 ▼ -40.11 ▼ -0.44%
Nikkei_225___ 19,427.67 ▼ -16.82 ▼ -0.09%
Hang_Seng.__ 21,574.76 ▼ -61.44 ▼ -0.28%
Strait_Times.__ 2,871.05 ▼ -10.99 ▼ -0.38%
NZX_50_Index_ 6,876.99 ▲ 25.12 ▲ 0.37%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-stocks-move-slightly-higher-151503465.html

US stocks inch higher in slow pre-holiday trading

MARLEY JAY

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street traders sometimes root for year-end "Santa Claus rallies," but on Friday, hardly a creature was stirring as stocks finished slightly higher on the quietest full day of trading in more than a year. Health care companies brought in most of the gains.

Major U.S. indexes stayed in a narrow range throughout the day. Drugmakers and other companies in health care did the best, while retailers continued to take small losses just before the holiday. Energy companies also slipped, and they took their first weekly loss since the beginning of November. The Dow Jones industrial average, however, rose for the seventh week in a row.

Defense contractor Lockheed Martin fell after President-elect Donald Trump again tweeted that the company's F-35 fighter jet costs too much. The stock is down almost 6 percent this month.

"This is a negotiating tactic," said Josh Sullivan, a Seaport Global analyst who covers aerospace and defense companies. "You're seeing the negative portion of the negotiation in public where privately they may be more constructive."

The Dow Jones industrial average picked up 14.93 points, or 0.1 percent, to 19,933.81. The Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 2.83 points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,263.79. The Nasdaq composite rose 15.27 points, or 0.3 percent, to 5,462.69.

Small-company stocks did far better, as the Russell 2000 climbed 8.85 points, or 0.6 percent, to 1,371.51.

Fewer than 2 billion shares changed hands on the New York Stock Exchange. That's barely half the volume of an average day. The last full trading day with that little activity was in October 2015.

Lockheed Martin fell after Trump said on Twitter that Lockheed's F-35 fighter jet costs too much and that he has asked Boeing to "price-out" a comparable F-18 jet. Trump complained earlier this month about the costs of the F-35, which brought in about 20 percent of Lockheed's revenue last year. Lockheed gave up $3.21, or 1.3 percent, to $249.59.

This month Trump also criticized Boeing for the cost of the next Air Force One. The presidential jet is far less significant for Boeing than the F-35 is for Lockheed, however, and Boeing shares were only briefly affected.

Sullivan, of Seaport, said Trump's tweets are a new type of bad publicity for defense companies. But even if the President-elect periodically criticizes the companies in public, investors are still optimistic about their prospects under his administration. If Trump builds up the U.S. nuclear arsenal, as he proposed doing in a tweet Thursday, that would also involve more military spending.

"Ultimately (Trump) ran on a strong defense spending platform," he said. Defense stocks have done better than the rest of the market overall since the election.

So far, investor optimism that Trump's spending plans could boost economic growth is outweighing any concerns about his trade proposals, brash style and Twitter pronouncements, which have moved company stocks at times. That may change when he's in office and can more easily back up his comments with executive actions and policy shifts.

Drug companies made small gains on Friday. Botox maker Allergan rose $5.09, or 2.6 percent, to $199.08. Bristol-Myers Squibb picked up 85 cents, or 1.4 percent, to $59.61 and health insurer Aetna added $1.26, or 1 percent, to $125.95.

Cintas, a uniform rental company, slipped after its second-quarter profit fell short of Wall Street's forecasts. Analysts said its first-aid business, which sells products like first-aid kits, eyewash stations and emergency cabinets, had a disappointing quarter. The stock lost $3.73, or 3.1 percent, to $116.36.

Benchmark U.S. crude added 7 cents to close at $53.02 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, the international standard, rose 11 cents to close at $55.16 a barrel in London.

In other energy trading, natural gas prices continued to climb as investors anticipated that colder weather will lead to more demand for home heating. Natural gas futures rose 12 cents, or 3.5 percent, to $3.66 per 1,000 cubic feet. Wholesale gasoline added 2 cents to $1.63 a gallon and heating oil stood still at $2.48 a gallon.

The dollar slid to 117.26 yen from 117.60 yen. The euro rose to $1.0452 from $1.0433.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.54 percent from 2.55 percent.

The price of gold rose $2.90 to $1,133.60 an ounce. Silver lost 11 cents to $15.76 an ounce. Copper gave up 2 cents to $2.48 a pound.

Britain's FTSE 100 and the CAC-40 in France both rose 0.1 percent. In Germany, the DAX lost 0.1 percent. The Hang Seng of Hong Kong retreated 0.3 percent and the Kospi in South Korea finished slightly lower. Japanese markets were closed for a holiday.

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