Dow Up 50 on Stimulus Deal

Investors predict payroll gains for March

(NEWSER) - Gains in financial stocks kept the markets afloat today. Both AIG and Citigroup closed up, in part because of a successful offering of $2 billion in trust preferred securities, the Wall Street Journal reports.

• The Dow gained 2.95 points to close at 10,567.33.
• The Nasdaq added 18.27 to settle at 2,358.95.
• The S&P 500 rose 5.17, closing at 1,145.61.

Intel, JP Morgan earnings, though positive, stoke worry

(NEWSER) - Stocks started the day with losses and failed to recover, with financials leading the slide. JPMorgan Chase dragged down the sector thanks to its quarterly report, which showed strong earnings but hinted at continued weakness in consumer loans, the Wall Street Journal reports.

• The Dow fell 100.90 points to close at 10,609.65.
• The Nasdaq lost 28.76, settling at 2,287.99.
• The S&P 500 dropped 12.43, closing at 1,136.03.

Dow up 6.5% for November

(NEWSER) - A rally in financial stocks helped the major indexes overcome a slump in retail shares, pushing stocks to solid gains today and capping a 6.5% rise by the Dow in November, the Wall Street Journal reports. For the day:

• The Dow rose 34.92 points to close at 10,344.84.
• The Nasdaq added 6.16, settling at 2,144.60.
• The S&P 500 gained 4.14 and ended the session at 1,095.63.

Markets continue 7th day of wild variations

(NEWSER) - Stocks seesawed today as good economic data on industry and the housing sector drove big early gains, which then fell victim to selloffs in the financial sector, the Wall Street Journal reports.

• The Dow climbed 76.71 points to close at 9,789.44.
• Nasdaq tacked on 4.09 to end at 2,049.20.
• The S&P gained 6.60 and wound up at 1,042.88.

Goldman Sachs rises, Pfizer falls

(NEWSER) - The stock market indices swung back and forth across a narrow range today as financials enjoyed advances but the health care sector declined, the Wall Street Journal reports. Goldman Sachs was up 3.69% after Bank of American Merrill Lynch upgraded Goldman shares from “neutral” to “buy.” Pfizer fell 2.19%. The Dow closed up 54.76 at 8,183.17, the Nasdaq gained 5.38, closing at 1,752.55, and the S&P 500 rose 3.12 to settle at 882.68. More»