Street Battles Back; Dow Up 236

Obama plan for 'bad bank' inspires confidence

(NEWSER) - The Fed’s announcement today that it will keep target rates near zero sustained a rally led by financials, the Wall Street Journal reports. Financials continued to rise off the Obama administration’s plan to create a “bad bank” to buy toxic assets, with the Financial Select Sector Fund, which tracks the sector, up 11.2%. The Dow closed up 200.72 points at 8.375.45. The Nasdaq jumped 53.44 to 1,558.34, and the S&P 500 climbed 28.38 to 874.09. More»

September rally sees slight pullback

(NEWSER) - Stock indices finished mixed today after the markets reached what most traders saw as a slight pause in a very strong September, the Wall Street Journal reports. Financials led declines: AmEx fell 2.9%, while Bank of America lost 1.8%. Google rose 1.1% after Citigroup analysts boosted their third-quarter estimate. The Dow closed down 41.34 points at 9,778.86. The Nasdaq gained 5.18, closing at 2,138.04, while the S&P 500 lost 3.64, finishing at 1,064.66. More»

Big gains for major banks ahead of earnings reports

(NEWSER) - Stocks staged a broad rally today as financials soared ahead of earnings reports, the Wall Street Journal reports. Bank of America surged 9%, while Citigroup and JP Morgan Chase rose 6.9%. General Electric, which will also report its second-quarter earnings this week, rose 6.1%. The Dow closed up 185.16 at 8,331.68. The Nasdaq added 37.18 to 1,793.21, and the S&P 500 rose 21.92, settling at 901.05. More»

Rising consumer confidence gives stocks a boost

(NEWSER) - The markets ended flat after mixed economic signals today, the Wall Street Journal reports. Stress-test troubles for Bank of America and Citigroup depressed financials, but news that consumer confidence rose in April—to 39.2, from 26.9 in March—gave stocks a boost. The Dow fell 8.05 to close at 8,016.95. The Nasdaq lost 5.60, closing at 1,673.81, and the S&P 500 shed 2.36, settling at 855.16. More»

(NEWSER) - Swine flu fears, and negative reports about the banks left investors feeling ill this morning. The Dow fell 65 points, while Nasdaq fell 0.8% and the S&P 0.9%. Bank of America and Citigroup were headed south, down 7.5% and 6.2% respectively on reports that they’d need to raise capital following poor stress test showings. Airlines were also lower. Overseas, swine flu fears pushed the Nikkei down 2.7%. More»