Stocks Swing on CEO House Size

(NEWSER) - The Dow rose 30.80 points yesterday, closing above 12800 for the first time. The new record was powered was by JP Morgan Chase, Boeing and Caterpillar, while nearly two-thirds of the Dow components failed to make gains, the Wall Street Journal reports. Tech stocks continued to be weak; the Nasdaq negative. More»

Eyes exchanges options business

(NEWSER) - The tech-heavy Nasdaq exchange is looking to expand into the options-trading market, and it's in talks with the Philadelphia Stock Exchange about a possible merger. Nasdaq's bid to buy the third-largest options trading exchange, valued at up to $300 million, comes as a number of bigger exchanges are on the hunt for smaller aquisitions, reports the Wall Street Journal. More»

Bear Stearns drops 61% on mortgage fund losses

(NEWSER) - Two financial giants posted dramatic earnings this morning: Goldman Sachs wowed investors with a 79% surge in third quarter net income, while Bear Stearns’ dropped 61% thanks to massive hedge-fund losses. The two were on opposite sides of the subprime collapse. Bear Stearns is among the top packagers of mortgage-based securities, which Goldman short-sold for huge gains. More»

(NEWSER) - US stocks dipped this morning, following steep declines in Europe and Asia as distress over the expanding credit crisis heightened. The Dow Jones sank over 100 points this morning, and the S&P was off nearly 0.8% after erasing its entire year's gains yesterday. "Everyone is waiting for the other shoe to drop,'' said an investment strategist. More»

Stock dips in early trading on anemic report

(NEWSER) - Wal-Mart stock saw its biggest dip in five years in early trading this morning, after Q2 profits rose less than analysts had expected. The Arkansas-based behemoth says full-year profit will total $3.13 a share, 3 cents lighter than its projections: Bloomberg reports that surging gas prices, faltering home sales and steepening mortgage rates kept customers out of the retailer's labyrinthine isles. More»