Tag: market news

Stocks moved sharply lower over the course of the trading day on Tuesday after moving moderately higher in morning trading. Lingering concerns about the global economic outlook weighed on the markets, overshadowing upbeat U.S. consumer confidence data.

The major averages ended the day firmly in negative territory, at their worst levels of the session. The Dow fell 101.37 points or 0.8 percent to 13,457.55, the Nasdaq tumbled 43.05 points or 1.4 percent to 3,117.73 and the S&P 500 slid 15.30 points or 1.1 percent to 1,441.49.

The early strength on Wall Street was partly due to the release of a report from the Conference Board showing a much bigger than expected improvement in U.S. consumer confidence during the month of September. Continue reading "Stocks Close Firmly Negative On Afternoon Sell-Off" →

Home prices kept rising in July across the United States, buoyed by greater sales and fewer foreclosures.

National home prices increased 1.2 percent in July, compared to the same month last year, according to the Standard & Poor's/Case Shiller index released Tuesday. That's the second straight year-over-year gain after two years without one.

The report also says prices rose in July from June in all 20 cities tracked by the index. That's the third straight month in which prices rose in every city. Continue reading "Home prices rose in July" →

U.S. stocks meandered sideways Monday as fears about Europe overshadowed recent excitement about central banks' efforts to boost the market.

Stocks opened lower and were down for most of the day, but recovered by mid-afternoon to nearly flat.

An index of business confidence in Germany, the biggest economy in Europe, fell for a fifth straight month. Many economists had expected it to at least remain flat. Some think Germany is headed for a recession.

The threat of the years-old European debt crisis has seemed less immediate in recent weeks as central banks unveiled measures aimed at encouraging investment and boosting the global economy. The German report reignited those fears. Continue reading "Stocks drift as European gloom returns" →

Judging by the stock market, you'd think the U.S. economy was back in party mode.

Stocks pushed back Friday toward levels they last saw long before the financial crisis. The Dow Jones industrial average, which has fallen only three days this month, was up 13 points in the afternoon.

Telecommunications and health care stocks rose the most. Apple, on the day customers lined up around the world to buy its iPhone 5, reached an all-time high of $705.07 before falling back to $702.

The Dow had a shot at closing above 13,600 for the first time since Dec. 10, 2007, nine months before the fall of Lehman Brothers investment bank. It has risen more than 1,200 points since the start of June. Continue reading "Stocks rise, extending Fed rally" →

A batch of worrying economic figures tugged stock markets slightly lower Thursday. Measures of manufacturing and business activity in both China and Europe slumped.

In the U.S., the railroad Norfolk Southern warned that it's shipping fewer goods, and the government gave investors another reminder that the job market remains weak.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 0.79 of a point to close at 1,460.26. The Nasdaq composite index dropped 6.66 points to 3,175.96. Three stocks fell for every two that rose on the New York Stock Exchange. Continue reading "Stocks follow global markets lower" →