NYSE Dow Jones finished today at:

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The two-year anniversary of the fastest bull market since the 1950s ended on a down note.

Stocks dipped Wednesday as crude oil prices hovered near $104 a barrel, continuing a three-week run of high prices that economists say could slow the economic recovery.

Stocks hit 12-year lows on March 9, 2009, dragged down by the financial crisis. The S&P 500 index, the benchmark for most U.S. mutual funds, has had a total return of 102 percent since then, including dividends. It was the best two-year period for the index since 1955, according to Standard & Poor's.

The S&P index lost 1.80 points, or 0.1 percent, to close at 1,320.02. The Dow Jones industrial average dipped 1.29, or less than 0.1 percent, to 12,213.09. The Nasdaq composite fell 14.05, or 0.5 percent, to 2,751.72.

The conflict in Libya has raised concerns about a drop in oil production, causing a surge in crude prices. Oil prices have jumped about $20 per barrel since mid-February, when the Libyan uprising started.

The NYSE DOW NYSE DOW closed LOWER -1.29 points -0.01% on Wednesday March 9
Sym .......Last .......Change..........
Dow 12,213.09 -1.29 -0.01%
Nasdaq 2,751.72 -14.05 -0.51%
S&P 500 1,320.02 -1.80 -0.14%
30-yr Bond 4.5990% -0.0590

NYSE Volume 4,169,241,500 (prior day 4,428,110,500)
Nasdaq Volume 2,011,030,625 (prior day 1,847,981,250)


Europe
Symbol... ......Last .....Change.......
FTSE 100 5,937.30 -37.46 -0.63%
DAX 7,131.80 -32.95 -0.46%
CAC 40 3,993.81 -22.10 -0.55%


Asia Pacific
Symbol...... .....Last ....Change.......
ASX All Ord 4,863.20 -39.30 -0.80%
Shanghai Comp 3,003.17 +3.23 +0.11%
Taiwan We... 8,750.02 +2.27 +0.03%
Nikkei 225 10,589.50 +64.31 +0.61%
Hang Seng 23,810.11 +98.41 +0.42%
Straits Times 3,092.90 -10.94 -0.35%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Stock...tml?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=main&asset=&ccode=

Stocks edge lower as bull market enters 3rd year

Stocks finish slightly lower as oil prices remain near $104 a barrel

Matthew Craft and David K. Randall, AP Business Writers, On Wednesday March 9, 2011, 5:32 pm

NEW YORK (AP) -- The two-year anniversary of the fastest bull market since the 1950s ended on a down note.

Stocks dipped Wednesday as crude oil prices hovered near $104 a barrel, continuing a three-week run of high prices that economists say could slow the economic recovery.

Stocks hit 12-year lows on March 9, 2009, dragged down by the financial crisis. The S&P 500 index, the benchmark for most U.S. mutual funds, has had a total return of 102 percent since then, including dividends. It was the best two-year period for the index since 1955, according to Standard & Poor's.

The S&P index lost 1.80 points, or 0.1 percent, to close at 1,320.02. The Dow Jones industrial average dipped 1.29, or less than 0.1 percent, to 12,213.09. The Nasdaq composite fell 14.05, or 0.5 percent, to 2,751.72.

The conflict in Libya has raised concerns about a drop in oil production, causing a surge in crude prices. Oil prices have jumped about $20 per barrel since mid-February, when the Libyan uprising started.

Libya accounts for only 2 percent of global oil output. But the worry is that uprisings that have toppled governments in Tunisia and Egypt will spread to larger oil producing countries like Saudi Arabia, the world's largest crude exporter.

IBM Corp. gained 2.2 percent after analysts at Deutsche Bank and other brokerages raised their forecasts for the company's stock price.

Bon-Ton Stores Inc. jumped 10.5 percent. The department store chain said its profit climbed six percent as sales open at least a year improved.

Texas Instruments Inc. dropped 3.1 percent. After the market closed Tuesday, the company narrowed its sales and profit estimates for the current quarter. Demand for chips for televisions and personal computers remained weak.

Declining stocks narrowly outpaced rising ones on the New York Stock Exchange. Consolidated volume was 3.7 billion.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

ALL INDEXES ARE RED TODAY!!

Weak economic news from China, the U.S. and Spain combined with a slump in oil companies sent stocks sharply lower Thursday. The Dow Jones industrial average had its biggest one-day drop since August.

Investors were jarred when China reported a surprise trade deficit. China's exports fell in February as businesses closed for the weeklong Lunar New Year holiday, but imports of higher-priced oil and other goods jumped, widening the country's deficit to $7.3 billion.

Moody's downgraded Spain's debt, re-igniting fears about Europe's debt crisis. In the U.S., the government reported that new applications for unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 228.48 points, or 1.9 percent, to close at 11,984.61. McDonald's Corp. was the only stock in the Dow 30 that rose.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 24.91, or 1.9 percent, to 1,295.11. The Dow and S&P 500 are still up 3 percent since the start of the year.

The Nasdaq composite fell 50.70, or 1.8 percent, to 2,701.02.

Thursday's drop in the Dow was the biggest since Aug. 11. The S&P had a larger fall recently, dropping 27.57 points on Feb. 22 as the uprising against Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi gained strength.

The NYSE DOW NYSE DOW closed LOWER -228.48 points -1.87% on Thursday March 10
Sym .......Last .......Change..........
Dow 11,984.61 -228.48 -1.87%
Nasdaq 2,701.02 -50.70 -1.84%
S&P 500 1,295.11 -24.91 -1.89%
30-yr Bond 4.5360% -0.0640


NYSE Volume 5,320,332,000 (prior day 4,169,241,500)
Nasdaq Volume 2,346,515,000 (prior day 2,011,030,625)


Europe
Symbol... ......Last .....Change.......
FTSE 100 5,845.29 -92.01 -1.55%
DAX 7,063.09 -68.71 -0.96%
CAC 40 3,963.99 -29.82 -0.75%


Asia Pacific
Symbol...... .....Last ....Change.......
ASX All Ord 4,791.30 -71.90 -1.48%
Shanghai Comp 2,958.16 -43.99 -1.47%
Taiwan We... 8,642.90 -107.12 -1.22%
Nikkei 225 10,434.38 -155.12 -1.46%
Hang Seng 23,614.89 -195.22 -0.82%
Straits Times 3,075.44 -17.46 -0.56%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Stock...tml?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=main&asset=&ccode=

Francesca Levy and Matthew Craft, AP Business Writers, On Thursday March 10, 2011, 4:52 pm

NEW YORK (AP) -- Weak economic news from China, the U.S. and Spain combined with a slump in oil companies sent stocks sharply lower Thursday. The Dow Jones industrial average had its biggest one-day drop since August.

Investors were jarred when China reported a surprise trade deficit. China's exports fell in February as businesses closed for the weeklong Lunar New Year holiday, but imports of higher-priced oil and other goods jumped, widening the country's deficit to $7.3 billion.

Moody's downgraded Spain's debt, re-igniting fears about Europe's debt crisis. In the U.S., the government reported that new applications for unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 228.48 points, or 1.9 percent, to close at 11,984.61. McDonald's Corp. was the only stock in the Dow 30 that rose.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 24.91, or 1.9 percent, to 1,295.11. The Dow and S&P 500 are still up 3 percent since the start of the year.

The Nasdaq composite fell 50.70, or 1.8 percent, to 2,701.02.

Thursday's drop in the Dow was the biggest since Aug. 11. The S&P had a larger fall recently, dropping 27.57 points on Feb. 22 as the uprising against Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi gained strength.

News that forces loyal to Gadhafi were poised to recapture the strategic oil port of Ras Lanouf from opposition forces sent oil down in the morning. Crude bounced higher later in the day after Saudi Arabian police fired at protesters. Crude oil lost $1.68 to settle at $102.70 per barrel, below the high of nearly $107 a barrel it reached on Monday.

Stocks fell broadly, but energy companies were hit the hardest. Exxon Mobil Corp., the largest company in the world by market value, fell 3.6 percent. Chevron Corp. also fell 3 percent. Energy companies fell 3.6 percent, the most of any industry tracked by S&P.

Oil has been surging over the past few weeks because of the spreading protests in North Africa the Middle East. Libya produces less than 2 percent of the world's oil supply, investors have been worried that unrest will spread to major oil-producing countries like Saudi Arabia and disrupt the flow of crude.

Only a handful of S&P 500 companies rose. Starbucks Corp. rose 10 percent after cementing a deal with Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. to sell drinks in machines made by Keurig. Netflix Inc. rose 3.6 percent.

Apart from several sharp swings in the last month, stocks have been rising nearly continuously since last August, when the Federal Reserve said it would take steps to stimulate the economy. Wednesday marked two years since stocks bottomed out at 12-year lows.

Quincy Krosby, chief market strategist at Prudential, said the market was shaken by the combination of unexpectedly weak economic news from China, the downgrade of Spain's debt and concerns that protests planned for Friday in Saudi Arabia could bring instability to the world's largest exporter of oil.

"The tone of the market has clearly changed," Krosby said. "The market trend had been to buy rather than sell and that bad news doesn't matter. The momentum is slowing."

The government reported before the market opened that new applications for unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week and the trade deficit jumped in January. New unemployment claims rose by 26,000, far more than the 12,000 analyst had expected. Applications fell to nearly a three-year low the previous week.

Investors moved money into relatively stable investments as stock prices fell. Treasury prices rose, sending the yield on the 10-year note down to 3.36 percent from 3.47 percent late Wednesday. An index measuring the dollar against other currencies rose 0.7 percent.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

Stocks finished a down week with modest gains Friday as investors gauged the fallout from a massive earthquake that struck off the coast of Japan and triggered tsunami waves from Asia to California.

The prospect of falling oil demand from Japan sent crude oil prices down to $101 a barrel. Industrial and materials companies rose on expectations that they will benefit from Japan's rebuilding efforts.

One day after its biggest fall since August, the Dow Jones industrial average gained 59.79 points, or 0.5 percent, to 12,044.40. The S&P 500 rose 9.17, or 0.7 percent, to 1,304.28. The Nasdaq composite gained 14.59, or 0.5 percent, to 2,715.61.

In addition to the earthquake, oil prices fell after a scheduled day of protests in Saudi Arabia only drew a few hundred people, and the capital remained quiet. Oil traders have been worried the violence in the Middle East and North Africa would spread to the world's No. 1 oil exporter.

"The market is going to be see-sawing back and forth" until the long-term effects of the unrest in the Middle East and the disaster in Japan become clear, said Anthony Chan, chief economist for J.P. Morgan Wealth Management.

The NYSE DOW NYSE DOW closed HIGHER +59.79 points +0.50% on Friday March 11
Sym .......Last .......Change..........
Dow 12,044.40 +59.79 +0.50%
Nasdaq 2,715.61 +14.59 +0.54%
S&P 500 1,304.28 +9.17 +0.71%
30-yr Bond 4.5410% +0.0050

NYSE Volume 4,294,229,000 (prior day 5,320,332,000)
Nasdaq Volume 1,879,066,625 (prior day 2,346,515,000)

Europe
Symbol... ......Last .....Change.......
FTSE 100 5,828.67 -16.62 -0.28%
DAX 6,981.49 -81.60 -1.16%
CAC 40 3,928.68 -35.31 -0.89%


Asia Pacific
Symbol...... .....Last ....Change.......
ASX All Ord 4,734.80 -56.50 -1.18%
Shanghai Comp 2,935.61 -21.54 -0.73
Taiwan We... 8,567.82 -75.08 -0.87%
Nikkei 225 10,254.43 -179.95 -1.72%
Hang Seng 23,249.78 -365.11 -1.55%
Straits Times 3,043.49 -31.95 -1.04%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Stock...tml?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=main&asset=&ccode=

Stocks inch higher day after Japan earthquake

Stocks finish with modest gains as traders gauge impact of Japan quake; oil prices dip

Francesca Levy and David K. Randall, AP Business Writers, On Friday March 11, 2011, 5:40 pm EST

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks finished a down week with modest gains Friday as investors gauged the fallout from a massive earthquake that struck off the coast of Japan and triggered tsunami waves from Asia to California.

The prospect of falling oil demand from Japan sent crude oil prices down to $101 a barrel. Industrial and materials companies rose on expectations that they will benefit from Japan's rebuilding efforts.

One day after its biggest fall since August, the Dow Jones industrial average gained 59.79 points, or 0.5 percent, to 12,044.40. The S&P 500 rose 9.17, or 0.7 percent, to 1,304.28. The Nasdaq composite gained 14.59, or 0.5 percent, to 2,715.61.

In addition to the earthquake, oil prices fell after a scheduled day of protests in Saudi Arabia only drew a few hundred people, and the capital remained quiet. Oil traders have been worried the violence in the Middle East and North Africa would spread to the world's No. 1 oil exporter.

"The market is going to be see-sawing back and forth" until the long-term effects of the unrest in the Middle East and the disaster in Japan become clear, said Anthony Chan, chief economist for J.P. Morgan Wealth Management.

The earthquake and oil protests largely overshadowed a report from the Commerce Department that retail sales rose 1 percent in February, the biggest gain in four months and more than the 0.8 percent analysts had expected. Shoppers laid out more cash for cars, clothing and gadgets in February, leading to an eighth month of gains.

Despite Fridays' gains, each index finished the week lower. The Dow fell 1 percent, while the broader S&P index lost 1.3 percent.

Stocks fell sharply Thursday on weak economic news from China, the U.S. and Spain combined with a slump in oil company shares. The Dow Jones industrial average had its biggest drop since August 11. Other than several large swings in the past month, stocks have been climbing steadily since September.

"It could be time for a well-deserved rest," said Ryan Detrick, senior technical strategist for Schaeffer's Investment Research. "The markets had a spectacular six-month rally and now they're showing some slight cracks."

The quake caused a sell-off in global stock markets, led by sharp drops in insurance companies. Japan's Nikkei closed down 1.7 percent. The yen remained stable, however, because it is seen as a relatively safe investment for international traders.

The yield on the 10-year U.S. treasury note rose to 3.41 percent from 3.37 percent late Thursday.

Two stocks rose for every one that fell on the New York Stock Exchange. Consolidated volume came to 3.8 million shares.

4703

 

[bigdog]

Benched by Bigppond yesterday.

BIGPOND is blocking access to: aussiestockforums.com for the past 24+ hours

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

Fears over the escalating nuclear crisis in Japan overtook financial markets around the globe Tuesday, pushing stocks and other investments lower. The Japanese stock market lost 10 percent of its value, and Wall Street dropped steeply before bouncing back.

The Japanese Nikkei average fell to its lowest level in nearly two years after the country's prime minister said four crippled reactors at a nuclear power plant on the country's devastated coast were leaking dangerous amounts of radiation.

In the U.S., the Dow Jones industrial average fell almost 300 points at the opening bell. The futures market, which can indicate how stocks will perform, looked so ugly before trading began that the New York Stock Exchange invoked a special rule to smooth volatility.

The Dow recovered somewhat later in the day but still closed down 138 points, or more than 1 percent.

The NYSE DOW NYSE DOW closed LOWER -137.74 points -1.15% on Tuesday March 15
Sym .......Last .......Change..........
Dow 11,855.42 -137.74 -1.15%
Nasdaq 2,667.33 -33.64 -1.25%
S&P 500 1,281.87 -14.52 -1.12%
30-yr Bond 4.4680% -0.0530

NYSE Volume 6,082,449,500 (prior day 4,667,518,500)
Nasdaq Volume 2,392,757,250 (prior day 1,824,454,750)

Europe
Symbol... ......Last .....Change.......
FTSE 100 5,695.28 -79.96 -1.38%
DAX 6,647.66 -218.97 -3.19%
CAC 40 3,780.85 -97.19 -2.51%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... .....Last ....Change.......
ASX All Ord 4,609.90 -100.20 -2.13%
Shanghai Comp 2,897.06 -40.57 -1.38%
Taiwan We... 8,234.78 -285.24 -3.35%
Nikkei 225 8,605.15 -1,015.34 -10.55%
Hang Seng 22,678.25 -667.63 -2.86%
Straits Times 2,951.07 -79.79 -2.63%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Japan...tml?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=main&asset=&ccode=

Japan crisis puts world financial markets on edge

Japanese nuclear crisis pushes stocks down across the globe as investors flock to safety

On Tuesday March 15, 2011, 4:53 pm EDT
NEW YORK (AP) -- Fears over the escalating nuclear crisis in Japan overtook financial markets around the globe Tuesday, pushing stocks and other investments lower. The Japanese stock market lost 10 percent of its value, and Wall Street dropped steeply before bouncing back.

The Japanese Nikkei average fell to its lowest level in nearly two years after the country's prime minister said four crippled reactors at a nuclear power plant on the country's devastated coast were leaking dangerous amounts of radiation.

In the U.S., the Dow Jones industrial average fell almost 300 points at the opening bell. The futures market, which can indicate how stocks will perform, looked so ugly before trading began that the New York Stock Exchange invoked a special rule to smooth volatility.

The Dow recovered somewhat later in the day but still closed down 138 points, or more than 1 percent.

"It's a situation where you sell first and ask questions later," said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at New York-based brokerage house Avalon Partners.

Investors sold stocks primarily because of fear that the disaster in Japan would slow down the global economy. Japan is the world's third-largest economy, manufacturing goods from computer chips to automobiles, and buys 10 percent of U.S. exports.

The jarring day came less than a week after the two-year anniversary of the low point for the markets after the 2008 financial crisis. Stocks have almost doubled in value since March 9, 2009.

Over the last five trading days, however, the Standard & Poor's 500 index has nearly lost 3 percent because of higher oil prices, signs of weaknesses in China's economy, and the still unknown impact of the quake and tsunami in Japan.

"Markets are going to remain on edge until we know the full extent of the situation in Japan," said Michael Ryan, chief investment strategist with UBS Wealth Management.

The Japanese markets have taken a huge hit since the quake and tsunami struck last week. The Nikkei average fell a staggering 10.6 percent Tuesday, more than 1,000 points, and has suffered its worst two-day loss in 40 years.

In addition to Japan, investors on Wall Street fretted about the Middle East, where Saudi Arabian troops moved into Bahrain and Libya's oil exports ground to a halt because of the rebellion against leader Moammar Gadhafi. Government bonds and other assets considered safer investments rose in price.

Stocks pared earlier losses after the Federal Reserve said that the U.S. economy was on "firmer footing." Still, 29 out of the 30 stocks that make up the Dow industrial average closed lower for the day.

Intel Corp., and Cisco Systems Inc. had the steepest falls, in part because they depend on Japanese factories for products or parts. Insurer Aflac Inc., which does 75 percent of its business in Japan, fell nearly 6 percent, the biggest drop in the S&P 500.

The Dow Jones industrial average closed down 137.74 points, or 1.1 percent, at 11,855.42. The S&P fell 14.52 points to 1,281.87. All 10 types of companies that make up the index finished lower. Utilities had the largest fall, losing 1.9 percent, because of concerns that the disaster in Japan will make countries rethink plans for nuclear energy. First Solar, a company that makes solar panels, gained 8.1 percent to lead the S&P index.

The Fed's statement pushed government bond prices down from their highest levels of the year. Bonds typically rise when investors seek safer assets and fall when the economy is growing.

In response to questions from the Senate Banking Committee on Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner dismissed worries that Japan, which holds the most American government debt after China, would sell its holdings to pay for its rebuilding efforts.

"Japan is a very rich country and has a high savings rate," he said. It "has the capacity to deal not just with the humanitarian challenge but also the reconstruction challenge they face ahead."

If Japan dumped its holdings, it could force Treasury prices down and yields up. That would force long-term interest rates higher and put the U.S. economic recovery at risk.

The opposite happened after an earthquake devastated Kobe, Japan, in 1995, according to a report from economists at the Royal Bank of Canada. By 1997, Japan had actually doubled its Treasury holdings to $300 billion.

The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note fell to 3.32 percent from 3.36 late Monday.

Oil prices fell $4 to $97.18 a barrel, their lowest level in two weeks, because demand for energy is expected to fall in Japan, the world's third-largest importer of oil. Questions over how long it will take the Japanese economy to recover pushed commodity prices lower around the globe. Wheat, corn, and sugar contracts all fell by 5 percent or more.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

Financial markets were jolted for a third day Wednesday by fears that a partial meltdown may have occurred at a nuclear plant in Japan. Stocks fell heavily and erased nearly all of their gains for the year.

Stocks opened lower then dropped sharply in midmorning trading after the European Union's energy chief was quoted as saying that Japan's nuclear crisis could get worse. Japan's economy, the third-largest in the world after the U.S. and China, accounts for about 10 percent of U.S. exports.

Japan temporarily suspended work at a stricken nuclear plant after a surge in radiation made it too dangerous for workers to remain there. That came a day after Japan's prime minister said four crippled reactors at a nuclear power plant were leaking dangerous amounts of radiation.

Treasury prices jumped, sending yields to their lowest levels this year as investors piled into investments seen as being more stable. One measure of market volatility jumped 18 percent, a sign that investors expect more wild swings in stock prices.


The NYSE DOW NYSE DOW closed LOWER -242.12 points -2.04% on Wednesday March 16
Sym .......Last .......Change..........
Dow 11,613.30 -242.12 -2.04%
Nasdaq 2,616.82 -50.51 -1.89%
S&P 500 1,256.88 -24.99 -1.95%
30-yr Bond 4.3880% -0.0800

NYSE Volume 6,570,007,500 (prior day 6,082,449,500)
Nasdaq Volume 2,596,012,750 (prior day 2,392,757,250)

Europe
Symbol... ......Last .....Change.......
FTSE 100 5,598.23 -97.05 -1.70%
DAX 6,513.84 -133.82 -2.01%
CAC 40 3,696.56 -84.29 -2.23%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... .....Last ....Change.......
ASX All Ord 4,644.00 +34.10 +0.74%
Shanghai Comp 2,931.10 +34.85 +1.20%
Taiwan We... 8,324.58 +89.80 +1.09%
Nikkei 225 9,093.72 +488.57 +5.68%
Hang Seng 22,700.88 +22.63 +0.10%
Straits Times 2,971.00 +24.92 +0.85%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Worsening-nuclear-crisis-apf-400288027.html?x=0

Worsening nuclear crisis rattles financial markets

Stocks sink, nearly giving up their gains for the year, as Japan's nuclear crisis deepens

On Wednesday March 16, 2011, 5:13 pm
NEW YORK (AP) -- Financial markets were jolted for a third day Wednesday by fears that a partial meltdown may have occurred at a nuclear plant in Japan. Stocks fell heavily and erased nearly all of their gains for the year.

Stocks opened lower then dropped sharply in midmorning trading after the European Union's energy chief was quoted as saying that Japan's nuclear crisis could get worse. Japan's economy, the third-largest in the world after the U.S. and China, accounts for about 10 percent of U.S. exports.

Japan temporarily suspended work at a stricken nuclear plant after a surge in radiation made it too dangerous for workers to remain there. That came a day after Japan's prime minister said four crippled reactors at a nuclear power plant were leaking dangerous amounts of radiation.

Treasury prices jumped, sending yields to their lowest levels this year as investors piled into investments seen as being more stable. One measure of market volatility jumped 18 percent, a sign that investors expect more wild swings in stock prices.

"Right now, investors are moving away from anything that has an element of risk with it because they don't know what's happening in Japan," said Bill Stone, chief investment strategist at PNC Wealth Management.

The losses in stocks were broad. Each of the 30 stocks that make up the Dow Jones industrial average fell, with IBM Corp. and General Electric Co. losing the most. All 10 company groups in the Standard & Poor's 500 index, the basis for most U.S. mutual funds, lost ground.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 242.12, or 2 percent, to 11,613.30. It was the worst drop since Aug. 11. The Dow has now lost 3.6 percent over the past three days, its worst three-day loss since last July.

The S&P index fell 24.99, or 1.9 percent, to 1,256.88. The S&P is now down 0.1 percent for the year, having been up as much as 6.8 percent in February. When dividends are included, however, the index has had a total return of 2.4 percent for the year, according to FactSet.

The Nasdaq composite index fell 50.51 or 1.9 percent, to 2,610. It is now down 1.4 percent for the year.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell as low as 3.15 percent, the lowest level this year. In late trading the yield edged up to 3.21 percent.

In the U.S., homebuilders tumbled after the Commerce Department reported that new home construction fell to the second-lowest level on record in February, reflecting weak demand. Homebuilders Lennar Corp. and D.R. Horton Inc. each fell more than 2 percent.

Wholesale prices rose last month by the most in nearly two years due to higher energy costs and the biggest increase in food prices in 36 years. Shares of companies affected by higher food costs fell.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

Signs that the U.S. economy is improving helped investors put aside fears over Japan's nuclear crisis Thursday, if only temporarily. It was the first gain in the market after three days of losses.

Stocks rose broadly. All of the 10 groups rose in the Standard & Poor's 500 index, the basis for most U.S. mutual funds. Twenty-six of the 30 stocks that make up the Dow Jones industrial average rose, led by a 3.2 percent increase in Hewlett-Packard Co. All 30 fell the day before.

The Standard & Poor's 500 rose 16.84, or 1.3 percent, to 1,273.72. With Thursday's gains, the Dow and S&P 500 are up more than 1 percent for the year.

The Dow gained 161.29 points, or 1.4 percent, to 11,774.59. The index fell 242 points Wednesday, its largest drop since August.

The NYSE DOW NYSE DOW closed HIGHER +161.29 points +1.39% on Thursday March 17
Sym .......Last .......Change..........
Dow 11,774.59 +161.29 +1.39%
Nasdaq 2,636.05 +19.23 +0.73%
S&P 500 1,273.72 +16.84 +1.34%
30-yr Bond 4.4260% +0.0380

NYSE Volume 4,788,032,000 (prior day 6,570,007,500)
Nasdaq Volume 2,012,138,375 (prior day 2,596,012,750)


Europe
Symbol... ......Last .....Change.......
FTSE 100 5,696.11 +97.88 +1.75%
DAX 6,656.88 +143.04 +2.20%
CAC 40 3,786.21 +89.65 +2.43%


Asia Pacific
Symbol...... .....Last ....Change.......
ASX All Ord 4,638.40 -5.60 -0.12%
Shanghai Comp 2,897.30 -33.51 -1.14%
Taiwan We... 8,282.69 -41.89 -0.50%
Nikkei 225 8,962.67 -131.05 -1.44%
Hang Seng 22,284.43 -416.45 -1.83%
Straits Times 2,950.37 -20.63 -0.69%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Stron...5.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=1&asset=&ccode=

Stronger economic reports help stocks rebound

Stocks rebound from a steep fall on strong manufacturing report, drop in unemployment claims

On Thursday March 17, 2011, 5:51 pm
NEW YORK (AP) -- Signs that the U.S. economy is improving helped investors put aside fears over Japan's nuclear crisis Thursday, if only temporarily. It was the first gain in the market after three days of losses.

Stocks rose broadly. All of the 10 groups rose in the Standard & Poor's 500 index, the basis for most U.S. mutual funds. Twenty-six of the 30 stocks that make up the Dow Jones industrial average rose, led by a 3.2 percent increase in Hewlett-Packard Co. All 30 fell the day before.

The Standard & Poor's 500 rose 16.84, or 1.3 percent, to 1,273.72. With Thursday's gains, the Dow and S&P 500 are up more than 1 percent for the year.

The Dow gained 161.29 points, or 1.4 percent, to 11,774.59. The index fell 242 points Wednesday, its largest drop since August.

A gauge of manufacturing in the mid-Atlantic region jumped in February to the highest point since January 1984. The survey from the Federal Reserve's Philadelphia branch showed new orders soared. Production at U.S. factories, mines and utilities dipped last month but was actually higher in previous months than first estimated, according to the Federal Reserve.

The Labor Department reported that the number of people applying for unemployment benefits fell more than economists expected last week. Ongoing claims dropped to the lowest level since October 2008.

"It's a reminder that the U.S. economy continues to gain momentum," said Alan Gayle, senior investment strategist at RidgeWorth Investments in Richmond, Va. "Economic growth leads to more spending, more production and ultimately rising profits," he said. "And at the end of the day, that's what investors buy: rising profits."

FedEx Corp. rose 3 percent. The world's second-largest delivery company said revenue rose 11 percent in the most recent quarter, mostly due to higher shipping rates. FedEx said those higher rates may help it beat earnings forecasts in the future. United Parcel Service Inc., FedEx's rival, rose 1.7 percent.

The dollar dropped to an all-time low against the Japanese yen late Wednesday, reaching 76.53 yen to the dollar. By Thursday afternoon, the yen had weakened and was trading at 78.97 yen to the dollar. When the yen loses strength, it takes more yen to buy one dollar.

A stronger yen would hurt Japan's exporters, potentially dealing another problem to an economy already wracked by an earthquake, tsunami and evolving nuclear crisis.

Bond prices fell for the first time in three days, pushing their yields higher, as investors put money back into riskier assets like stocks. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 3.26 percent from 3.20 percent.

A separate report from the Labor Department showed consumer prices edged higher in February. The Consumer Price Index rose 0.5 percent last month, slightly stronger than forecasts. Core prices, which exclude food and fuel costs, edged up 0.2 percent, the same as the previous month.

The Nasdaq rose 19.23, or 0.7 percent, to 2,636.05. The technology-heavy index is down 0.6 percent for the year.

Three stocks rose for every one that fell on the New York Stock Exchange. Consolidated volume came to 4.1 billion shares.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

Stocks ended a rough week with slight gains Friday after Libyan government forces declared a cease-fire and a group of the world's seven largest countries announced a plan to bring the yen down from historic highs.

Financial stocks rose after JPMorgan and other large banks increased their dividends. JP Morgan said it was increasing its dividend to 25 cents a share from 5 cents. Wells Fargo and U.S. Bancorp also raised their dividends.

Japan's currency has soared since an earthquake struck the country a week ago and caused devastating tsunami waves and damage to several nuclear plants. A stronger yen makes it more difficult for Japan's export-driven economy to recover by making Japanese goods more expensive overseas.

The NYSE DOW NYSE DOW closed HIGHER +83.93 points +0.71% on Friday March 18
Sym .......Last .......Change..........
Dow 11,858.52 +83.93 +0.71%
Nasdaq 2,643.67 +7.62 +0.29%
S&P 500 1,279.20 +5.48 +0.43%
30-yr Bond 4.4290% +0.0030

NYSE Volume 5,937,417,000 (prior day 4,788,032,000)
Nasdaq Volume 2,709,445,500 (prior day 2,012,138,375)


Europe
Symbol... ......Last .....Change.......
FTSE 100 5,718.13 +22.02 +0.39%
DAX 6,664.40 +7.52 +0.11%
CAC 40 3,810.22 +24.01 +0.63%


Asia Pacific
Symbol...... .....Last ....Change.......
ASX All Ord 4,715.80 +77.40 +1.67%
Shanghai Comp 2,909.40 +12.10 +0.42%
Taiwan We... 8,394.75 +112.06 +1.35%
Nikkei 225 9,206.75 +244.08 +2.72%
Hang Seng 22,300.23 +15.80 +0.07%
Straits Times 2,935.78 -7.10 -0.24%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Yen-p...tml?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=main&asset=&ccode=

Yen plan, bank dividends pull stocks higher

Stocks rise broadly on plan to bring yen down from historic highs; major banks raise dividends

On Friday March 18, 2011, 5:35 pm EDT
NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks ended a rough week with slight gains Friday after Libyan government forces declared a cease-fire and a group of the world's seven largest countries announced a plan to bring the yen down from historic highs.

Financial stocks rose after JPMorgan and other large banks increased their dividends. JP Morgan said it was increasing its dividend to 25 cents a share from 5 cents. Wells Fargo and U.S. Bancorp also raised their dividends.

Japan's currency has soared since an earthquake struck the country a week ago and caused devastating tsunami waves and damage to several nuclear plants. A stronger yen makes it more difficult for Japan's export-driven economy to recover by making Japanese goods more expensive overseas.

"This is a bit of a relief rally," said Paul Zemsky, head of asset allocation at ING Investment Management. "The situation in Japan looks to be stabilizing, or at least not getting any worse, and it looks like it may be solvable."

News early Friday that Libya's foreign minister had declared a cease-fire helped push stocks higher, but opposition forces said shelling was still occurring after the announcement and they accused the Libyan government of lying. Britain and France were taking the lead in plans to enforce a no-fly zone over Libya.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 83.93 points, or 0.7 percent, to 11,858.52. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 5.49, or 0.4 percent, to 1,279.21. The Nasdaq composite index gained 7.62, or 0.3 percent, to 2,643.67.

All three stock indexes ended the week lower after markets were battered by worries over Japan's ability to get its nuclear crisis under control. The Dow lost 1.5 percent, the S&P 500 1.9 percent and the Nasdaq 2.6 percent.

Japan is the world's third-largest economy after the U.S. and China and buys 10 percent of U.S. exports. Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei index closed 2.7 percent higher after the announcement from the Group of Seven nations late Thursday.

Thousands of people have been killed in the earthquake and tsunami that followed, and hundreds of thousands are homeless. Quake damage and power cuts have forced Toyota Motor Corp. and other manufacturers to suspend production in parts of the country.

Oil prices hovered between small gains and losses after Libya's foreign minister declared a cease-fire. The announcement came hours after the Union Nations authorized air strikes against the country.

Nike Inc. fell 9 percent after the company's earnings came in below what analysts were expecting. Nike said rising costs would cut into its profits over the second half of the year, even as sales increased.

More than two stocks rose for every one that fell on the New York Stock Exchange. Consolidated trading volume was 5.3 billion shares.

5162

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

ALL INDEXES ARE GREEN TODAY!!!

Stocks started the week with big gains Monday on a major telecommunications deal and signs that Japan's nuclear crisis was stabilizing. The Dow Jones industrial average closed above 12,000 for the first time since a nuclear power plant in Japan failed following a massive earthquake and tsunami.

In the U.S., AT&T Inc. said it would buy rival T-Mobile USA for $39 billion, creating the largest U.S. cellphone company. Charles Schwab Corp. said it would buy online brokerage services provider OptionsXpress for $1 billion. The deals raised hopes that more corporate buyouts could be on the way as businesses become more confident in the economic recovery.

"You only expand when you have a good feeling about the future," said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at New York-based brokerage house Avalon Partners.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 178.01 points, or 1.5 percent, to 12,036.53. The index has gained 3.6 percent over the last three trading days, its largest jump over the same amount of time since September.

The S&P 500 index gained 19.18, or 1.5 percent, to 1,298.38. The Nasdaq composite rose 48.42, or 1.8 percent, to 2,692.09.

The NYSE DOW NYSE DOW closed HIGHER +178.01 points +1.50% on Monday March 21
Sym .......Last .......Change..........
Dow 12,036.53 +178.01 +1.50%
Nasdaq 2,692.09 +48.42 +1.83%
S&P 500 1,298.38 +19.18 +1.50%
30-yr Bond 4.4450% +0.0160


NYSE Volume 5,027,389,500 (prior day 5,937,417,000)
Nasdaq Volume 1,766,817,250 , (prior day 2,709,445,500


Europe
Symbol... ......Last .....Change.......
FTSE 100 5,786.09 +67.96 +1.19%
DAX 6,816.12 +151.72 +2.28%
CAC 40 3,904.45 +94.23 +2.47%


Asia Pacific
Symbol...... .....Last ....Change.......
ASX All Ord 4,734.10 +18.30 +0.39%
Shanghai Comp 2,909.81 +2.93 +0.10%
Taiwan We... 8,467.71 +72.96 +0.87%
Nikkei 225 9,206.75 +244.08 +2.72%
Hang Seng 22,685.22 +384.99 +1.73%
Straits Times 2,983.51 +47.73 +1.63%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Deals-help-push-the-Dow-back-apf-2702691051.html?x=0

Deals help push the Dow back above 12,000

Stocks jump to another big gain on deals and easing worries about Japan's nuclear plants

Stan Choe and David K. Randall, AP Business Writers, On Monday March 21, 2011, 5:39 pm

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks started the week with big gains Monday on a major telecommunications deal and signs that Japan's nuclear crisis was stabilizing. The Dow Jones industrial average closed above 12,000 for the first time since a nuclear power plant in Japan failed following a massive earthquake and tsunami.

In the U.S., AT&T Inc. said it would buy rival T-Mobile USA for $39 billion, creating the largest U.S. cellphone company. Charles Schwab Corp. said it would buy online brokerage services provider OptionsXpress for $1 billion. The deals raised hopes that more corporate buyouts could be on the way as businesses become more confident in the economic recovery.

"You only expand when you have a good feeling about the future," said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at New York-based brokerage house Avalon Partners.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 178.01 points, or 1.5 percent, to 12,036.53. The index has gained 3.6 percent over the last three trading days, its largest jump over the same amount of time since September.

The S&P 500 index gained 19.18, or 1.5 percent, to 1,298.38. The Nasdaq composite rose 48.42, or 1.8 percent, to 2,692.09.

Energy stocks led the market higher after oil prices climbed back above $103 per barrel. Schlumberger Ltd., which helps companies drill for oil and gas, rose 4.4 percent to $89.73. ConocoPhillips rose 2.9 percent to $77.55.

Worries about Japan's stricken nuclear reactors eased after the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said the situation at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant appeared to be stabilizing. Containment at three of the plant's six reactors was intact, the commission said.

Tiffany & Co. rose 5.1 percent to $60.22 after reporting higher-than-expected earnings. The jeweler said Japan's earthquake could hurt its earnings because of store closings and limited hours. The company does 18 percent of its business there.

The violence in Libya and Japan's earthquake have led to many large swings in the Dow since late February. The Dow rose or fell by 100 points or more during three days last week. Eight of the 15 trading days since the start of March have had swings that large.

In the latest signs of trouble in the U.S. housing market, the National Association of Realtors reported that sales of previously occupied homes fell 10 percent last month. The supply of unsold homes remains relatively high at 3.5 million.

Five stocks rose for every one that fell on the New York Stock Exchange. Consolidated volume came to 4.5 billion shares.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

Stocks edged lower Tuesday, ending a three-day rally that had lifted the Dow Jones industrial average above 12,000 for the first time since an earthquake hit Japan more than a week ago.

The Dow dipped 17.90 points to close at 12,018.63. The broader Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 4.61, or 0.4 percent, to 1,293.77. The Nasdaq composite index fell 8.22, or 0.3 percent, to 2,683.87.

A day with such little change for stocks has been rare so far in March. The Dow has moved up or down by at least 100 points in four of the five previous trading days. Developments in Japan's nuclear crisis and the violence in Libya have been driving the volatility.

The Dow jumped 3.6 percent over the previous three days, its biggest gain since September. That has nearly brought the Dow back to its close of 12,044 on March 11, the day the earthquake struck Japan.

The NYSE DOW NYSE DOW closed LOWER -17.90 points -0.15% on Tuesday March 22
Sym .......Last .......Change..........
Dow 12,018.63 -17.90 -0.15%
Nasdaq 2,683.87 -8.22 -0.31%
S&P 500 1,293.77 -4.61 -0.36%
30-yr Bond 4.4410% -0.0040

NYSE Volume 4,040,768,000 (prior day 5,027,389,500)
Nasdaq Volume 1,683,106,250 (prior day 1,766,817,250)

Europe
Symbol... ......Last .....Change.......
FTSE 100 5,762.71 -23.38 -0.40%
DAX 6,780.97 -35.15 -0.52%
CAC 40 3,892.71 -11.74 -0.30%


Asia Pacific
Symbol...... .....Last ....Change.......
ASX All Ord 4,737.70 +3.60 +0.08%
Shanghai Comp 2,919.17 +10.03 +0.34%
Taiwan We... 8,508.04 +40.33 +0.48%
Nikkei 225 9,608.32 +401.57 +4.36%
Hang Seng 22,857.90 +172.68 +0.76%
Straits Times 3,002.75 +19.24 +0.64%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Stock...tml?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=main&asset=&ccode=

Stocks edge lower after a three-day rally

Stocks dip, ending a 3-day rally on easing concerns about Japan; Dow clings to 12,000

Stan Choe and Matthew Craft, AP Business Writers, On Tuesday March 22, 2011, 4:52 pm EDT

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks edged lower Tuesday, ending a three-day rally that had lifted the Dow Jones industrial average above 12,000 for the first time since an earthquake hit Japan more than a week ago.

The Dow dipped 17.90 points to close at 12,018.63. The broader Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 4.61, or 0.4 percent, to 1,293.77. The Nasdaq composite index fell 8.22, or 0.3 percent, to 2,683.87.

A day with such little change for stocks has been rare so far in March. The Dow has moved up or down by at least 100 points in four of the five previous trading days. Developments in Japan's nuclear crisis and the violence in Libya have been driving the volatility.

The Dow jumped 3.6 percent over the previous three days, its biggest gain since September. That has nearly brought the Dow back to its close of 12,044 on March 11, the day the earthquake struck Japan.

"We've had a really nice rally off the lows, but I think there are too many uncertainties still revolving around Libya and the recovery in Japan to give people the confidence to break the market through 1,300 on the S&P," said Carlton Neel, senior portfolio partner at Virtus Investment Partners.

Crude oil prices, a major source of concern since mid-February, rose $1.88 to settle at $104.97 per barrel. Oil briefly topped $105 on concerns that conflicts in the Middle East could pinch oil supplies as demand begins to rise.

Among the most active stocks, online video and DVD provider Netflix Inc. climbed 4 percent to $221.39. Credit Suisse upgraded the company on expectations it will expand its services overseas.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. rose 1 percent to $26.29. The company said late Monday that a new study of its melanoma drug helped patients with advanced skin cancer.

Walgreen Co. fell 6.6 percent to $39.21. The drugstore chain's bottom-line results were in line with expectations but the company's profit margin wasn't as strong as investors hoped.

Carnival Corp. fell 4.5 percent to $39.16 after its forecast for earnings this quarter fell short of expectations. Higher fuel prices are hindering its profits.

Stocks climbed consistently between Sept. 1 and Feb. 18, when the Dow closed at 12,391. That was the highest close since June 5, 2008. Stocks have dropped since then on worries that uprisings in Libya and across the Middle East could disrupt oil supplies.

The earthquake-tsunami disaster in Japan and the crisis at the country's nuclear plants that followed also sent stocks lower, though stocks in Japan and the U.S. have recovered in recent days on signs that the situation at the plants is stabilizing.

Falling shares outnumbered rising ones by a four-to-three margin on the New York Stock Exchange. Consolidated trading volume was 3.7 billion shares.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

Stocks edged higher Wednesday after a government report showed stronger demand for gasoline.

Indexes had been lower earlier in the day but rallied after an Energy Department report showed that gasoline consumption continues to grow despite sharp price increases at the pump. It's a possible sign that motorists have handled higher fuel costs without cutting back.

Economists have been concerned that the recent spike in oil prices could imperil the economic recovery.

Oil prices reached their highest level since Sept. 26, 2008. West Texas Intermediate crude rose 78 cents to settle at $105.75 per barrel.

Stocks had been weighed down by news that the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan will be the most expensive natural disaster in history. Financial stocks were lower after the Federal Reserve rejected Bank of America's plan to increase its dividend.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 67.39 points, or 0.6 percent, to close at 12,086.02.

The NYSE DOW NYSE DOW closed HIGHER +67.39 points +0.56% on Wednesday March 24
Sym .......Last .......Change..........
Dow 12,086.02 +67.39 +0.56%
Nasdaq 2,698.30 +14.43 +0.54%
S&P 500 1,297.54 +3.77 +0.29%
30-yr Bond 4.4480% +0.0070

NYSE Volume 4,327,486,500 (prior day 4,040,768,000)
Nasdaq Volume 1,683,106,250 (prior day 1,719,245,000)


Europe
Symbol... ......Last .....Change.......
FTSE 100 5,795.88 +33.17 +0.58%
DAX 6,804.45 +23.48 +0.35%
CAC 40 3,913.73 +21.02 +0.54%


Asia Pacific
Symbol...... .....Last ....Change.......
ASX All Ord 4,746.50 +8.80 +0.19%
Shanghai Comp 2,949.07 +29.93 +1.03%
Taiwan We... 8,545.08 +37.04 +0.44%
Nikkei 225 9,449.47 -158.85 -1.65%
Hang Seng 22,825.40 -32.50 -0.14%
Straits Times 3,022.19 +19.44 +0.65%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Stock...9.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=4&asset=&ccode=

Stocks edge higher on strong gas demand

Stocks stage late surge after government report shows higher demand for gasoline

David K. Randall and Matthew Craft, AP Business Writers, On Wednesday March 23, 2011, 4:49 pm

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks edged higher Wednesday after a government report showed stronger demand for gasoline.

Indexes had been lower earlier in the day but rallied after an Energy Department report showed that gasoline consumption continues to grow despite sharp price increases at the pump. It's a possible sign that motorists have handled higher fuel costs without cutting back.

Economists have been concerned that the recent spike in oil prices could imperil the economic recovery.

Oil prices reached their highest level since Sept. 26, 2008. West Texas Intermediate crude rose 78 cents to settle at $105.75 per barrel.

Stocks had been weighed down by news that the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan will be the most expensive natural disaster in history. Financial stocks were lower after the Federal Reserve rejected Bank of America's plan to increase its dividend.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 67.39 points, or 0.6 percent, to close at 12,086.02.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index edged up 3.77 points, or 0.3 percent, to close at 1,297.54.

The Nasdaq composite index rose 14.43, or 0.5 percent, to 2,698.30.

The Japanese government estimated that rebuilding costs for the earthquake could be as high as $300 billion. The widespread devastation is expected to drag the growth rate of the Japanese economy down by 0.5 percent this year. Japanese companies such as Toyota and Honda have suspended production at some plants.

Bank of America Corp. fell 1.7 percent after the Federal Reserve rejected its plan to raise its dividend in the second half of the year. The Fed allowed several major banks to increase their dividends last week after they passed stress tests. Banks slashed their payments to shareholders during the financial crisis to save cash. Bank of America said it expects to submit another request to increase its dividend this year.

"This was obviously a disappointment," said Todd Salamone, the director of research at Schaeffer's Investment Research. "There seemed to be a growing consensus that financial stocks were looking more attractive based on the prospect of dividend increases."

In the latest bad news on the housing market, the Commerce Department reported that sales of new single-family homes plunged to the lowest on record in February. Home sales fell 17 percent to 250,000, well below the 700,000 rate that economists consider healthy. On Monday the National Association of Realtors said weak sales of existing homes and a high number of foreclosures pushed the prices of existing homes down to their lowest level in nearly 9 years.

General Mills lost 1.8 percent. The company beat analysts' profit estimates but sales in its cereal division were down 6 percent.

Rising shares outpaced falling ones by a slight margin. Consolidated trading volume was 3.9 billion shares.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

Stronger corporate earnings and signs of a stronger job market lifted stocks Thursday.

Software company Red Hat Inc., chip maker Micron Technology Inc. and Chef Boyardee maker ConAgra Foods Inc. all reported profits that beat expectations. Earnings growth has been strong across U.S. companies, which are benefiting from lower costs and higher revenue overseas.

The government also said fewer people applied for unemployment benefits last week, evidence that layoffs are slowing. The average number of unemployment filings over the last four weeks has dropped to its lowest level since July 2008.

"Corporate earnings continue to be exceptionally strong," said Oliver Pursche, president of Gary Goldberg Financial Services. "I think the markets continue to focus on the underlying recovery of the U.S. economy."

The NYSE DOW NYSE DOW closed HIGHER +84.54 points +0.70% on Thursday March 24
Sym .......Last .......Change..........
Dow 12,170.56 +84.54 +0.70%
Nasdaq 2,736.42 +38.12 +1.41%
S&P 500 1,309.66 +12.12 +0.93%
30-yr Bond 4.4700% +0.0220

NYSE Volume 4,388,529,000 (prior day 4,327,486,500)
Nasdaq Volume 1,936,319,875 (prior day 1,683,106,250)

Europe
Symbol... ......Last .....Change.......
FTSE 100 5,880.87 +84.99 +1.47%
DAX 6,933.58 +129.13 +1.90%
CAC 40 3,968.84 +55.11 +1.41%


Asia Pacific
Symbol...... .....Last ....Change.......
ASX All Ord 4,794.20 +47.70 +1.00%
Shanghai Comp 2,946.67 -1.80 -0.06%
Taiwan We... 8,576.40 +31.32 +0.37%
Nikkei 225 9,435.01 -14.46 -0.15%
Hang Seng 22,915.28 +89.88 +0.39%
Straits Times 3,043.03 +20.84 +0.69%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Stock...1.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=1&asset=&ccode=

Stocks rise after earnings continue to impress

US stocks rise as corporate earnings improve; fewer people apply for unemployment benefits

Stan Choe and Matthew Craft, AP Business Writers, On Thursday March 24, 2011, 5:09 pm EDT

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stronger corporate earnings and signs of a stronger job market lifted stocks Thursday.

Software company Red Hat Inc., chip maker Micron Technology Inc. and Chef Boyardee maker ConAgra Foods Inc. all reported profits that beat expectations. Earnings growth has been strong across U.S. companies, which are benefiting from lower costs and higher revenue overseas.

The government also said fewer people applied for unemployment benefits last week, evidence that layoffs are slowing. The average number of unemployment filings over the last four weeks has dropped to its lowest level since July 2008.

"Corporate earnings continue to be exceptionally strong," said Oliver Pursche, president of Gary Goldberg Financial Services. "I think the markets continue to focus on the underlying recovery of the U.S. economy."

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 84.54 points, or 0.7 percent, to close at 12,170.56. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 12.12, or 0.9 percent, to 1,309.66. The Nasdaq composite index rose 38.12 points, or 1.4 percent, to 2,736.42.

Investors turned their attention away from a long list of recent worries including high oil prices, violence in Libya and Japan's nuclear crisis. Portugal also looked closer to needing bailout funds from the European Union. Portugal's government resigned late Wednesday after lawmakers rejected a plan to cut the country's debts. European leaders are meeting to discuss the region's debt problems.

All three major indexes have gained more than 2 percent this week as Japan appeared to make progress on getting a leaking nuclear plant under control.

Among active stocks, Red Hat Inc. jumped 18 percent to $47.26, and Micron Technology Inc. rose 8 percent to $11.50 on their earnings results. ConAgra Foods Inc. rose 2 percent to $23.40.

Scholastic Corp., a publisher of children's books, fell 11 percent to $27.74. Weaker sales pushed it to a wider loss last quarter. The company also cut its forecast for full-year earnings, citing tighter budgets for schools.

Research in Motion Ltd., the maker of BlackBerry mobile devices, sank 10 percent in after-hours trading after issuing a forecast for earnings in the current quarter that was well below what analysts were expecting.

Two shares rose for every one that fell on the New York Stock Exchange. Consolidated trading volume was 3.9 billion shares.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

Stocks rose for the third straight day Friday, capping the best week for the Dow Jones industrial average since July.

The government said the economy grew at a 3.1 percent annual rate in the fourth quarter of 2010. That's slightly better than economists expected and higher than the estimate made last month.

Technology shares rose after business software giant Oracle Corp. reported a 78 percent jump in income late Thursday. The database software maker credited new software license sales and the benefit of three full months of revenue from Sun Microsystems, a company it acquired last year.

The Dow rose 50.03 points, or 0.4 percent, to close at 12,220.59. It gained 362 points for the week, the most since a 512-point jump during the week ending July 9.

The S&P 500 rose 4.14, or 0.3 percent, to 1,313.80. The Nasdaq rose 6.64 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,743.06.

All three stock indexes gained more than 2 percent for the week, helping them erase losses following the March 11 earthquake that hit Japan. The week started with a 178.01 point jump for the Dow after AT&T Inc. agreed to buy T-Mobile USA for $39 billion. That raised hopes for more buyouts. Better economic reports and stronger earnings followed, driving more gains.

The NYSE DOW NYSE DOW closed HIGHER +50.03 points +0.41% on Friday March 25
Sym .......Last .......Change..........
Dow 12,220.59 +50.03 +0.41%
Nasdaq 2,743.06 +6.64 +0.24%
S&P 500 1,313.80 +4.14 +0.32%
30-yr Bond 4.5060% +0.0360


NYSE Volume 3,961,372,250 (prior day 4,388,529,000)
Nasdaq Volume 1,796,468,000 (prior day 1,936,319,875)

Europe
Symbol... ......Last .....Change.......
FTSE 100 5,900.76 +19.89 +0.34%
DAX 6,946.36 +12.78 +0.18%
CAC 40 3,972.38 +3.54

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... .....Last ....Change.......
ASX All Ord 4,840.30 +46.10 +0.96%
Shanghai Comp 2,978.29 +31.58 +1.07%
Taiwan We... 8,610.39 +33.99 +0.40%
Nikkei 225 9,536.13 +101.12 +1.07%
Hang Seng 23,158.67 +243.39 +1.06%
Straits Times 3,070.84 +27.81 +0.91%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Stock...3.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=7&asset=&ccode=

Stocks rise on Oracle earnings, higher GDP

Stocks rise after fourth quarter US economic growth revised higher, cap best week since July

Matthew Craft and Stan Choe, AP Business Writers, On Friday March 25, 2011, 4:48 pm EDT

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks rose for the third straight day Friday, capping the best week for the Dow Jones industrial average since July.

The government said the economy grew at a 3.1 percent annual rate in the fourth quarter of 2010. That's slightly better than economists expected and higher than the estimate made last month.

Technology shares rose after business software giant Oracle Corp. reported a 78 percent jump in income late Thursday. The database software maker credited new software license sales and the benefit of three full months of revenue from Sun Microsystems, a company it acquired last year.

The Dow rose 50.03 points, or 0.4 percent, to close at 12,220.59. It gained 362 points for the week, the most since a 512-point jump during the week ending July 9.

The S&P 500 rose 4.14, or 0.3 percent, to 1,313.80. The Nasdaq rose 6.64 points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,743.06.

All three stock indexes gained more than 2 percent for the week, helping them erase losses following the March 11 earthquake that hit Japan. The week started with a 178.01 point jump for the Dow after AT&T Inc. agreed to buy T-Mobile USA for $39 billion. That raised hopes for more buyouts. Better economic reports and stronger earnings followed, driving more gains.

Investors were able to set aside a long list of worries including high oil prices, problems with Japan's nuclear reactors and fresh developments in Europe's debt crisis. Portugal looked likely to need bailout funds from the European Union after lawmakers rejected a plan to cut the country's debts and the government fell. Standard & Poor's lowered its credit rating on Portugal late Thursday.

Portugal's debt troubles aren't rattling U.S. stock investors because there's an assumption that the European Union will come to the country's aid, said Jack Ablin, chief investment officer of Harris Private Bank in Chicago. "There's really this notion that governments stand ready in Europe or elsewhere to come to the rescue," he said.

There's also little incentive to shift money into the safest of investments, like bonds, Ablin said. The benchmark 10-year Treasury currently pays 3.4 percent a year. Even with a recent bout of turbulence, the Dow has gained 5.6 percent this year. "In the short-term, taking risk pays."

The VIX, a measure of volatility for U.S. stocks, fell 27 percent over the week. That's the biggest one-week drop since August 2007.

Accenture Plc rose 4.5 percent to $54.29. The consulting firm's quarterly earnings jumped 22 percent on stronger revenue. Both its income and revenue beat analysts' expectations.

The dollar rose and Treasury prices fell after Charles Plosser, president of the Federal Reserve's Philadelphia branch, said the stronger U.S. economy requires the central bank to begin planning ways to sell Treasury bonds and raise short-term interest rates in the "not-too-distant future."

Research in Motion Ltd., the maker of the BlackBerry mobile device, fell 11 percent. Its profit jumped, but the company forecast earnings in the current quarter that were well below what analysts expected.

Two stocks rose for every one that fell on the New York Stock Exchange. Consolidated volume was 3.5 billion shares.

5669

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

Stocks closed with slight losses Monday after falling in the last half-hour of trading. Major indexes had been up for most of the day after several economic reports suggested that the recovery is continuing.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 22.71 points, or 0.2 percent, to 12,197.88. The broader S&P 500 index lost 3.61, or 0.3 percent, to 1,310.19. The Nasdaq composite fell 12.38, or 0.5 percent, to 2,730.68. Each index had been up more than 0.4 percent earlier in the day.

The Commerce Department said consumer spending rose at its fastest pace in four months in February, though some of the increase was driven by higher gas prices. The National Association of Realtors said more Americans signed contracts to buy homes in February than economists were expecting. Sales rose in every region but the Northeast, but remained below what is considered a healthy level.

The NYSE DOW NYSE DOW closed LOWER -22.71 points -0.19% on Monday March 28
Sym .......Last .......Change..........
Dow 12,197.88 -22.71 -0.19%
Nasdaq 2,730.68 -12.38 -0.45%
S&P 500 1,310.19 -3.61 -0.27%
30-yr Bond 4.4940% -0.0120

NYSE Volume 3,608,808,000 (prior day 3,961,372,250)
Nasdaq Volume 1,690,598,375 (prior day 1,796,468,000)


Europe
Symbol... ......Last .....Change.......
FTSE 100 5,904.49 +3.73 +0.06%
DAX 6,938.63 -7.73 -0.11%
CAC 40 3,976.95 +4.57 +0.12%


Asia Pacific
Symbol...... .....Last ....Change.......
ASX All Ord 4,831.90 -8.40 -0.17%
Shanghai Comp 2,984.13 +6.32 +0.21%
Taiwan We... 8,553.06 -57.33 -0.67%
Nikkei 225 9,478.53 -57.60 -0.60%
Hang Seng 23,068.19 -90.48 -0.39%
Straits Times 3,057.38 -13.46 -0.44%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Stock...1.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=1&asset=&ccode=

Stocks falter despite improving economic reports

Stocks dip in late trading despite better news on consumer spending and pending home sales

Francesca Levy and David K. Randall, AP Business Writers, On Monday March 28, 2011, 4:40 pm EDT

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks closed with slight losses Monday after falling in the last half-hour of trading. Major indexes had been up for most of the day after several economic reports suggested that the recovery is continuing.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 22.71 points, or 0.2 percent, to 12,197.88. The broader S&P 500 index lost 3.61, or 0.3 percent, to 1,310.19. The Nasdaq composite fell 12.38, or 0.5 percent, to 2,730.68. Each index had been up more than 0.4 percent earlier in the day.

The Commerce Department said consumer spending rose at its fastest pace in four months in February, though some of the increase was driven by higher gas prices. The National Association of Realtors said more Americans signed contracts to buy homes in February than economists were expecting. Sales rose in every region but the Northeast, but remained below what is considered a healthy level.

In Libya, rebels gained ground against longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi after international airstrikes against Gadhafi's forces. Oil prices fell below $104 per barrel after rebels retook control of key port towns Ras Lanouf and Brega and said they would resume exporting crude within weeks.

In the U.S., Eastman Kodak Co. gained 5 percent after the U.S. Trade Commission said it will review a judge's finding in a patent dispute with Apple Inc. and Research in Motion Ltd. A favorable ruling could pave the way for Kodak to reap higher fees.

EBay Inc. fell 4.3 percent after the company agreed to pay $2.4 billion to acquire GSI Commerce, which operates websites for retailers like Toys R Us and Bath & Body Works.

Oil-services companies Halliburton Co. and Schlumberger Ltd. each rose more than 4 percent. Netflix Inc. rose 3 percent after announcing a deal with Paramount to stream more movies to subscribers in Canada.

This is a data-heavy week on Wall Street. A crucial jobs report and manufacturing surveys will be released over the next five days.

Three stocks fell for every two that gained on the New York Stock Exchange. Consolidated volume came to 3.3 billion shares.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

Stocks finished broadly higher Tuesday after consumer confidence fell less than some analysts had feared. All 10 company groups that make up the S&P 500 index rose by more than 0.3 percent.

The S&P 500 rose 9.25 points, or 0.7 percent, to 1,319.44. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 81.13 points, or 0.7 percent, to 12,279.01. The Nasdaq composite rose 26.21, or 1 percent, to 2,756.89.

Rising gas prices helped drag down consumer confidence in March. The Conference Board said its confidence index dropped to 63.4 from 72 in February.

The fall comes after five straight months of gains, but some economists had expected the decline to be even worse. Goldman Sachs had forecast a drop to 60, believing that high gas prices would pinch spending. The University of Michigan confidence survey also took a steep fall last week.

The NYSE DOW NYSE DOW closed HIGHER +81.13 points +0.67% on Tuesday March 29
Sym .......Last .......Change..........
Dow 12,279.01 +81.13 +0.67%
Nasdaq 2,756.89 +26.21 +0.96%
S&P 500 1,319.44 +9.25 +0.71%
30-yr Bond 4.5450% +0.0510

NYSE Volume 3,856,538,500 (prior day 3,608,808,000)

Nasdaq Volume 1,647,294,250 (prior day 1,690,598,375)

Europe
Symbol... ......Last .....Change.......
FTSE 100 5,932.17 +27.68 +0.47%
DAX 6,934.44 -4.19 -0.06%
CAC 40 3,987.80 +10.85 +0.27%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... .....Last ....Change.......
ASX All Ord 4,851.20 +19.30 +0.40%
Shanghai Comp 2,958.43 -25.58 -0.86%
Taiwan We... 8,596.57 +43.51 +0.51%
Nikkei 225 9,459.08 -19.45 -0.21%
Hang Seng 23,060.36 -7.83 -0.03%
Straits Times 3,056.95 -0.43 -0.01%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Stock...tml?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=main&asset=&ccode=

Stocks gain as confidence falls less than feared

Stocks erase earlier losses as consumer confidence falls less than some analysts had feared

Matthew Craft, AP Business Writer, On Tuesday March 29, 2011, 4:31 pm

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks finished broadly higher Tuesday after consumer confidence fell less than some analysts had feared. All 10 company groups that make up the S&P 500 index rose by more than 0.3 percent.

The S&P 500 rose 9.25 points, or 0.7 percent, to 1,319.44. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 81.13 points, or 0.7 percent, to 12,279.01. The Nasdaq composite rose 26.21, or 1 percent, to 2,756.89.

Rising gas prices helped drag down consumer confidence in March. The Conference Board said its confidence index dropped to 63.4 from 72 in February.

The fall comes after five straight months of gains, but some economists had expected the decline to be even worse. Goldman Sachs had forecast a drop to 60, believing that high gas prices would pinch spending. The University of Michigan confidence survey also took a steep fall last week.

The Conference Board survey also had a surprising result: the index measuring consumers' assessment of current conditions gained from February, putting it at the highest level since November 2008.

"Now, you can't say things are going worse than they were a month ago," said Thomas Simons, money market economist at Jefferies & Co.

Home Depot Inc. rose 2.9 percent, the most of the 30 companies in the Dow Jones industrial average. The retailer said it would buy $1 billion of its own stock with cash from selling bonds.

Stocks started lower after a report showed that home prices fell in 19 of the 20 large U.S. cities tracked by the S&P/Case-Shiller index. Washington was the only city in which prices rose. Prices have fallen 3 percent overall in the past year.

Lennar Corp. fell 3.4 percent on news that housing prices dropped in most major cities even after the homebuilder reported a surprise profit for the latest quarter. Other homebuilders fell, too. KB Home dropped 1.9 percent. Toll Brothers slipped 0.2 percent.

General Electric Co. rose 0.6 percent after announcing plans to buy 90 percent of Converteam, a France-based electrical equipment maker.

Two stocks fell for every one that rose on the New York Stock Exchange. Consolidated volume came to 3.6 billion shares.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

Telecommunications companies led a broad stock rally Wednesday following a report that private companies are continuing to add workers.

All ten sectors of the benchmark Standard & Poor's 500 index rose. AT&T Inc. led the 30 stocks that make up the Dow Jones industrial average with a 2.2 percent gain.

The Dow gained 71.60 points, or 0.6 percent, to 12,350.61. The S&P index rose 8.82, or 0.7 percent, to 1,328.26. The Nasdaq composite rose 19.90, or 0.7 percent, to 2,776.79.

The ADP National Employment Report said 201,000 new private sector jobs were added in March. That is roughly in line with the 210,000 analysts had expected. Investors were encouraged by a strong gain in small business hiring, said Ryan Detrick, a strategist at Schaeffer's Investment Research.

The report showed "that things are not as bleak as they seemed a few weeks ago," Detrick said.

The NYSE DOW NYSE DOW closed HIGHER +71.60 points +0.58% on Wednesday March 30
Sym .......Last .......Change..........
Dow 12,350.61 +71.60 +0.58%
Nasdaq 2,776.79 +19.90 +0.72%
S&P 500 1,328.26 +8.82 +0.67%
30-yr Bond 4.5230% -0.0220

NYSE Volume 4,240,484,500 (prior day 3,856,538,500)
Nasdaq Volume 1,833,253,875 (prior day 1,647,294,250)

Europe
Symbol... ......Last .....Change.......
FTSE 100 5,948.30 +16.13 +0.27%
DAX 7,057.15 +122.71 +1.77%
CAC 40 4,024.44 +36.64 +0.92%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... .....Last ....Change.......
ASX All Ord 4,912.70 +61.50 +1.27%
Shanghai Comp 2,955.91 -2.17 -0.07%
Taiwan We... 8,646.31 +49.74 +0.58%
Nikkei 225 9,708.79 +249.71 +2.64%
Hang Seng 23,451.43 +'391.07 +1.70%
Straits Times 3,095.32 +38.37 +1.26%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Telecom-stocks-push-market-apf-2063320599.html?x=0

Telecom stocks push market higher; payrolls gain

Stocks rise as traders focus on solid private sector hiring, telecoms and Cephalon deal

Francesca Levy and David K. Randall, AP Business Writers, On Wednesday March 30, 2011, 4:29 pm EDT

NEW YORK (AP) -- Telecommunications companies led a broad stock rally Wednesday following a report that private companies are continuing to add workers.

All ten sectors of the benchmark Standard & Poor's 500 index rose. AT&T Inc. led the 30 stocks that make up the Dow Jones industrial average with a 2.2 percent gain.

The Dow gained 71.60 points, or 0.6 percent, to 12,350.61. The S&P index rose 8.82, or 0.7 percent, to 1,328.26. The Nasdaq composite rose 19.90, or 0.7 percent, to 2,776.79.

The ADP National Employment Report said 201,000 new private sector jobs were added in March. That is roughly in line with the 210,000 analysts had expected. Investors were encouraged by a strong gain in small business hiring, said Ryan Detrick, a strategist at Schaeffer's Investment Research.

The report showed "that things are not as bleak as they seemed a few weeks ago," Detrick said.

The ADP report is seen as a precursor to the government's March payrolls report due Friday, but the two reports don't always paint the same picture of the overall labor market.

Cephalon Inc. surged 28 percent, the most of any stock in the S&P index, after Valeant Pharmaceuticals International offered to take over the biopharmaceutical company for $5.7 billion in cash. Valeant, based in Canada, rose 12 percent. The takeover bid is the latest in a string of deal-related news, another positive sign for investors.

"It shows that companies still think there are some good deals out there," said Detrick. "If they are willing to pay a premium, that's a good sign for the overall stock market."

The market plodded higher against a backdrop of unsettling international news. Concerns about European debt loomed as Portugal moved closer to needing a bailout and Spain's central bank forecast a lower growth rate and higher deficit than previously predicted.

Seawater near Japan's crippled nuclear facility tested at its highest radiation levels yet and the plant's owner publicly acknowledged that four of six nuclear reactors would have to be decommissioned. In Libya, NATO forces initiated a new wave of airstrikes against Gadhafi's troops.

Asset manager BlackRock Inc. gained 6.6 percent after Standard & Poor's said the company will replace Genzyme Corp in the S&P 500 index after the close of trading on Friday.

PPG Industries Inc. gained 5.9 percent after the industrial chemical company announced that its income forecast was well above Wall Street expectations.

Three stocks rose for every one that fell on the New York Stock Exchange. Consolidated volume came to 3.9 billion shares.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

The Dow Jones industrial average closed its best start to the year since 1999 Thursday, rising 6.4 percent in the first three months. The index of 30 large companies gained 742 points in that stretch. Measured against other first quarters, that's the largest point gain since 1998 and the second best on record.



Stocks ended the day mixed as the price of oil jumped to a 30-month high. Slightly disappointing reports on unemployment claims and factory orders also weighed on the market.

The first-quarter gains were anything but an easy ride. Uprisings in the Arab world, a jump in oil prices along with the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis in Japan led to many deep one-day falls.

"This is a market that has been defined by resilience in the face of uncertainty," said Andrew Goldberg, a market strategist at JP Morgan Funds.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 30.88 points, or 0.3 percent, to 12,319.73. That's just 72 points shy of its Feb. 18 high for the year.

The Standard & Poor's 500 fell 2.43, or 0.2 percent, to 1,325.83. The Nasdaq composite rose 4.28, or 0.2 percent, to 2,781.07.

The S&P 500 rose 5.4 percent during the first quarter, the Nasdaq 4.8 percent.

The NYSE DOW NYSE DOW closed LOWER -30.88 points -0.25% on Thursday March 31
Sym .......Last .......Change..........
Dow 12,319.73 -30.88 -0.25%
Nasdaq 2,781.07 +4.28 +0.15%
S&P 500 1,325.83 -2.43 -0.18%
30-yr Bond 4.5080% -0.0150

NYSE Volume 4,255,097,000 (prior day 4,240,484,500)
Nasdaq Volume 1,833,253,875 (prior day 1,945,006,000)

Europe
Symbol... ......Last .....Change.......
FTSE 100 5,938.66 -9.64 -0.16%
DAX 7,041.31 -15.84 -0.22%
CAC 40 3,989.18 -35.26 -0.88%


Asia Pacific
Symbol...... .....Last ....Change.......
ASX All Ord 4,928.60 +15.90 +0.32%
Shanghai Comp 2,929.89 -25.88 -0.88%
Taiwan We... 8,683.30 +36.99 +0.43%
Nikkei 225 9,755.10 +46.31 +0.48%
Hang Seng 23,527.52 +76.09 +0.32%
Straits Times 3,105.85 +10.53 +0.34%

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110331/ap_on_bi_ge/us_wall_street

Dow has best start to the year since 1999

By FRANCESCA LEVY and MATTHEW CRAFT, AP Business Writers Francesca Levy And Matthew Craft, Ap Business Writers

NEW YORK – The Dow Jones industrial average closed its best start to the year since 1999 Thursday, rising 6.4 percent in the first three months. The index of 30 large companies gained 742 points in that stretch. Measured against other first quarters, that's the largest point gain since 1998 and the second best on record.

Stocks ended the day mixed as the price of oil jumped to a 30-month high. Slightly disappointing reports on unemployment claims and factory orders also weighed on the market.

The first-quarter gains were anything but an easy ride. Uprisings in the Arab world, a jump in oil prices along with the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis in Japan led to many deep one-day falls.

"This is a market that has been defined by resilience in the face of uncertainty," said Andrew Goldberg, a market strategist at JP Morgan Funds.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 30.88 points, or 0.3 percent, to 12,319.73. That's just 72 points shy of its Feb. 18 high for the year.

The Standard & Poor's 500 fell 2.43, or 0.2 percent, to 1,325.83. The Nasdaq composite rose 4.28, or 0.2 percent, to 2,781.07.

The S&P 500 rose 5.4 percent during the first quarter, the Nasdaq 4.8 percent.

The market turned wildly volatile in March. In the third week, the Dow moved by more than 100 points four straight days. On March 16, fears that Japan's nuclear crisis would get even worse turned all three major indexes negative for the year. The very next day a jump in manufacturing and a drop in unemployment claims helped bring them back.

Stocks swung between small gains and losses Thursday as the price of oil surged to settle at $106.72 a barrel. Troops loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi retook control of the key oil port of Ras Lanouf from rebel forces. The power shift threatens the quick restart of oil exports promised by a rebel victory.

Oil prices have jumped $20 since the Libyan uprising began in February. Higher oil prices can pinch spending by forcing consumers to pay more for gasoline and could cut into economic growth.

There were also slightly disappointing reports on new unemployment claims and factory orders. The Labor Department said fewer people applied for unemployment benefits last week, signaling that companies may be slowing layoffs. The number of new claims fell by 6,000 to 388,000. Analysts had expected a larger drop.

The news comes a day before the Labor Department's monthly employment report. The unemployment rate is expected to remain unchanged at 8.9 percent.

Banks in Ireland were also under pressure. The country's central bank said Thursday that four of its cash-strapped banks need another euro24 billion in coming months to show that they won't collapse in the face of future crises. Ireland has already put euro46 billion into the country's banks since 2009. The four banks will need to draw on an emergency credit line from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

A drop in the unemployment rate to a two-year low sent stocks higher Friday.

The Labor Department said the unemployment rate fell to 8.8 percent, the lowest since March 2009, as companies added workers at the fastest two-month pace since before the recession began. Approximately 216,000 new jobs were created last month, offsetting layoffs by local governments. Economists had expected the unemployment rate to remain at 8.9 percent.

"We are clearly seeing a breakout in the labor market," said Paul Zemsky, the head of asset allocation at ING Investment Management. "The jobless recovery is ending and we are moving into a job expansion stage of the economy."

The report helped send the Dow Jones industrial average to a new 2011 high during early trading. Stocks then pared those gains in the afternoon as oil prices hit new 30-month highs. Crude oil jumped $1.22 to settle at $107.94.

The Dow's 100-point gain early in the day seemed unwarranted because the employment report was just slightly better than expected, said Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at Harris Private Bank in Chicago. "There's a relief that the job gains were continuing, but it's not a huge surprise," he said. "It's worth maybe 40 points on the Dow."

The NYSE DOW NYSE DOW closed HIGHER +56.99 points +0.46% on Friday April 1
Sym .......Last .......Change..........
Dow 12,376.72 +56.99 +0.46%
Nasdaq 2,789.60 +8.53 +0.31%
S&P 500 1,332.41 +6.58 +0.50%
30-yr Bond 4.4890% -0.0190

NYSE Volume 4,403,707,500 (prior day 4,255,097,000)
Nasdaq Volume 2,137,496,750 (prior day 1,833,253,875)

Europe
Symbol... ......Last .....Change.......
FTSE 100 6,009.92 +101.16 +1.71%
DAX 7,179.81 +138.50 +1.97%
CAC 40 4,054.76 +65.58 +1.64%

Asia Pacific
Symbol...... .....Last ....Change.......
ASX All Ord 4,954.60 +26.00 +0.53%
Shanghai Comp 2,967.00 +38.89 +1.33%
Taiwan We... 8,705.13 +21.83 +0.25%
Nikkei 225 9,708.39 -46.71 -0.48%
Hang Seng 23,801.90 +274.38 +1.17%
Straits Times 3,126.12 +20.27 +0.65%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Stock...5.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=5&asset=&ccode=

Stocks rise after unemployment dips to 2-year low

Stocks rise in broad rally after unemployment rate falls to two-year low

David K. Randall and Matthew Craft, AP Business Writers, On Friday April 1, 2011, 5:28 pm EDT

NEW YORK (AP) -- A drop in the unemployment rate to a two-year low sent stocks higher Friday.

The Labor Department said the unemployment rate fell to 8.8 percent, the lowest since March 2009, as companies added workers at the fastest two-month pace since before the recession began. Approximately 216,000 new jobs were created last month, offsetting layoffs by local governments. Economists had expected the unemployment rate to remain at 8.9 percent.

"We are clearly seeing a breakout in the labor market," said Paul Zemsky, the head of asset allocation at ING Investment Management. "The jobless recovery is ending and we are moving into a job expansion stage of the economy."

The report helped send the Dow Jones industrial average to a new 2011 high during early trading. Stocks then pared those gains in the afternoon as oil prices hit new 30-month highs. Crude oil jumped $1.22 to settle at $107.94.

The Dow's 100-point gain early in the day seemed unwarranted because the employment report was just slightly better than expected, said Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at Harris Private Bank in Chicago. "There's a relief that the job gains were continuing, but it's not a huge surprise," he said. "It's worth maybe 40 points on the Dow."

Stocks rose across the market. Eight of the 10 company groups that make up the S&P 500 index moved higher, led by a 0.9 percent rise in industrials shares.

The Dow rose 56.99 points, or 0.5 percent, to 12,376.72. The average of 30 large company stocks gained 1.3 percent for the week.

The Dow has already risen 6.9 percent this year. That's the best start since 1999.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 6.58, or 0.5 percent, to 1,332.41. The Nasdaq composite rose 8.53, or 0.3 percent, to 2,789.60.

All three indexes made gains for the second week in a row. The S&P 500 rose 1.42 percent and the Nasdaq 1.7 percent.

"This jobs report shows that we are in the early stages of a sustainable recovery in employment, and that is what's letting the market put the recent correction behind us," said Phil Orlando, chief equity strategist at Federated Investors.

The Institute of Supply Management reported a slight slowing in manufacturing growth during March. The trade group's index of manufacturing activity slipped to 61.2 from February's 61.4. The drop was largely expected after manufacturing hit its highest level since May 2004 during February.

The Commerce Department delivered more bad news on the construction industry. The government said construction spending fell in February to its lowest level since 1999.

Ford rose 1.7 percent after the carmaker said sales jumped 16 percent in March as its new fuel-efficient cars proved popular. Ford also outsold General Motors in the U.S, the second time that's happened since 1998.

General Motors gained 4.5 percent after the company said its U.S. sales rose 11 percent in March.

Nasdaq OMX Group and IntercontinentalExchange said early Friday that they are making a bid for NYSE Euronext, offering what they say is a 19 percent premium to the deal the company struck with the operator of the German stock exchange. NYSE shares jumped 12.6 percent.

Two shares rose for every one that fell on the New York Stock Exchange. Trading volume was 4 billion shares.

6112

 

[Slipperz]

Tonight will be a good indicator for the week IMHO. If we can move up past resistance it could be a nice little bull run on the cards. Most of the data seems cautiously optimistic and the futures are tiptoing into the green.....

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

A light trading day on Wall Street closed with slight gains for major stock indexes.

With oil prices reaching a 30-month high of $108 a barrel, some investors are waiting for Alcoa Inc. to report its first quarter earnings next Monday, the unofficial start of the earnings season, before making any big moves. Traders are hoping to see how rising gas prices and other commodity costs are affecting corporate profits.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 23.31 points, or 0.2 percent, to 12,400.03. The S&P 500 index gained less than a point to 1,332.87.

Materials companies gained 0.7 percent, the most of any of the 10 company groups that make up the S&P 500 index, as commodity prices increased. Futures contracts for corn, wheat, and sugar each rose more than 2 percent.

The Nasdaq composite lost less than a point to 2,789.19.

The NYSE DOW NYSE DOW closed HIGHER +23.31 points +0.19% on Monday April 4
Sym .......Last .......Change..........
Dow 12,400.03 +23.31 +0.19%
Nasdaq 2,789.19 -0.41 -0.01%
S&P 500 1,332.87 +0.46 +0.03%
30-yr Bond 4.4900% +0.0010

NYSE Volume 3,577,944,250 (prior day 4,403,707,500)
Nasdaq Volume 1,724,361,375 (prior day 2,137,496,750)

Europe
Symbol... ......Last .....Change.......
FTSE 100 6,016.98 +7.06 +0.12%
DAX 7,175.33 -4.48 -0.06%
CAC 40 4,042.92 -11.84 -0.29%


Asia Pacific
Symbol...... .....Last ....Change.......
ASX All Ord 4,984.70 +30.10 +0.61%
Shanghai Comp 2,967.00 +38.89 +1.33%
Taiwan We... 8,705.13 +21.83 +0.25%
Nikkei 225 9,718.89 +10.50 +0.11%
Hang Seng 24,150.58 +348.68 +1.46%
Straits Times 3,140.62 +20.15 +0.65%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Stock...1.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=5&asset=&ccode=

Stocks edge higher as oil hits new 30-month high

Stocks edge up on corporate deals; commodity price increases lift materials companies

Chip Cutter and David K. Randall, AP Business Writers, On Monday April 4, 2011, 4:28 pm EDT

NEW YORK (AP) -- A light trading day on Wall Street closed with slight gains for major stock indexes.

With oil prices reaching a 30-month high of $108 a barrel, some investors are waiting for Alcoa Inc. to report its first quarter earnings next Monday, the unofficial start of the earnings season, before making any big moves. Traders are hoping to see how rising gas prices and other commodity costs are affecting corporate profits.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 23.31 points, or 0.2 percent, to 12,400.03. The S&P 500 index gained less than a point to 1,332.87.

Materials companies gained 0.7 percent, the most of any of the 10 company groups that make up the S&P 500 index, as commodity prices increased. Futures contracts for corn, wheat, and sugar each rose more than 2 percent.

The Nasdaq composite lost less than a point to 2,789.19.

In company news, Pfizer, the world's largest drugmaker, said it would it sell its Capsugel unit to an affiliate of private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts for $2.4 billion in cash. Capsugel makes capsules for oral medicines and dietary supplements. Pfizer rose less than 1 percent.

Southwest Airlines Co. fell nearly 2 percent as the company continued to inspect its planes after the fuselage of one jet ripped open Friday, forcing it to make an emergency landing. Southwest grounded 79 planes after the incident and canceled about 700 flights over the weekend. The company said it expected to cancel an additional 70 flights on Monday.

Ford Motor Co. rose 2.6 percent. The company's sales rose 16 percent in March, in part because of the success of its new Explorer crossover vehicle. A Credit Suisse analyst upgraded the automaker, citing an improved balance sheet.

Vivus rose nearly 7 percent after the drug developer said patients taking its diet pill Qnexa over two years saw reductions in blood pressure in addition to significant weight loss.

Rising and falling shares were about even on the New York Stock Exchange. Consolidated volume came to 3.3 billion shares.

 

[bigdog]

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com

A quiet day on Wall Street left stock indexes little changed after minutes from the most recent meeting of the Federal Reserve's policy committee showed few signs that the central bank plans on making changes to its stimulus program. Trading volume continued to be light.

The minutes, from the Fed's meeting on March 15, confirmed that members of the central bank are split about whether it needs to tighten credit later this year to ward off inflation. All of the committee's members agreed that the economy is improving.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 6.13 points, or less than 0.1 percent, to 12,393.90. The S&P 500 index was down 0.24 at 1,332.63. The Nasdaq composite gained 2, or 0.1 percent, to 2,791.19.

Companies that make basic materials rose as traders anticipated more price increases for commodities. Aluminum maker Alcoa Inc. rose 2.8 percent, Newmont Mining Corp. rose 4.4 percent and Dow Chemical Co. rose 1.3 percent.

The NYSE DOW NYSE DOW closed LOWER -6.13 points -0.05% on Tuesday April 5
Sym .......Last .......Change..........
Dow 12,393.90 -6.13 -0.05%
Nasdaq 2,791.19 +2.00 +0.07%
S&P 500 1,332.63 -0.24 -0.02%
30-yr Bond 4.5110% +0.0210

NYSE Volume 4,221,791,000 (prior day 3,577,944,250)
Nasdaq Volume 1,974,934,000 (prior day 1,724,361,375)

Europe
Symbol... ......Last .....Change.......
FTSE 100 6,007.06 -9.92 -0.16%
DAX 7,175.31 -0.02 -0.00%
CAC 40 4,041.74 -1.18 -0.03%


Asia Pacific
Symbol...... .....Last ....Change.......
ASX All Ord 4,998.60 +13.90 +0.28%
Shanghai Comp 2,967.00 +38.89 +1.33%
Taiwan We... 8,705.13 +21.83 +0.25%
Nikkei 225 9,615.55 -103.34 -1.06%
Hang Seng 24,150.58 +348.68 +1.46%
Straits Times 3,146.75 +6.13 +0.20%

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Stock...tml?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=main&asset=&ccode=

Stocks end mixed; materials companies rise

Stocks close narrowly mixed; Fed minutes show dissent on inflation

Matthew Craft and David K. Randall, AP Business Writers, On Tuesday April 5, 2011, 4:44 pm EDT

NEW YORK (AP) -- A quiet day on Wall Street left stock indexes little changed after minutes from the most recent meeting of the Federal Reserve's policy committee showed few signs that the central bank plans on making changes to its stimulus program. Trading volume continued to be light.

The minutes, from the Fed's meeting on March 15, confirmed that members of the central bank are split about whether it needs to tighten credit later this year to ward off inflation. All of the committee's members agreed that the economy is improving.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 6.13 points, or less than 0.1 percent, to 12,393.90. The S&P 500 index was down 0.24 at 1,332.63. The Nasdaq composite gained 2, or 0.1 percent, to 2,791.19.

Companies that make basic materials rose as traders anticipated more price increases for commodities. Aluminum maker Alcoa Inc. rose 2.8 percent, Newmont Mining Corp. rose 4.4 percent and Dow Chemical Co. rose 1.3 percent.

"I think the market is concerned that (Fed) Chairman (Ben) Bernanke doesn't share the same level of concern regarding inflation that it might wish him to, and that is leading to stronger commodity prices," said Howard Ward, the chief investment officer for GAMCO Investors.

Many investors have been more focused on the policies of the Federal Reserve rather than the threat of a government shutdown if Republicans and Democrats do not reach an agreement on federal spending levels. "There is a game of chicken going on in Washington right now to see who will move first," Ward said.

Stocks had edged lower in early trading, following most world markets, after China raised a key lending rate and the rating agency Moody's lowered Portugal's credit rating. A survey from the Institute for Supply Management reported growth at service companies last month but at a slower rate than analysts were expecting.

Technology companies climbed after Texas Instruments Inc. said it planned to buy National Semiconductor for $6.5 billion in cash. National Semiconductor soared 71 percent.

After falling more than $10 earlier in the day, Apple Inc. regained most of its losses. Nasdaq OMX Group Inc. announced a rebalancing of the Nasdaq-100 Index next month that will cut Apple's weighting in the index from 20 percent to 12 percent. That will likely force some money managers to reduce their holdings.

Trading in the largest stocks of the Nasdaq index may be more volatile before the rebalancing takes effect, but will may make index funds that are based on the Nasdaq more appropriate for lay investors, said John DiBacco, global head of equity finance at UBS.

"When you buy an index fund you are hoping for diversification," he said. "If one name makes up a fifth of the index you aren't quite accomplishing what you hoped."

KB Home fell nearly 4 percent. The homebuilder reported a first-quarter loss of $1.49 a share, far more than the 25 cents analysts were expecting.

Rising shares narrowly outpaced falling shares on the New York Stock Exchange. Consolidated volume came to 3.9 billion shares.