Stocks Fall on Consumer Data

Analyst chalks it up to psychology

(NEWSER) - Stocks had their best day in more than a week today, with the Dow jumping a whopping 322 points, while the Nasdaq and S&P gained 101 and 39 points respectively. Investors are betting that the Federal Reserve will heap more stimulus on the economy this week, Bloomberg reports, while a market analyst tells MarketWatch that the rally should be chalked up to “a shift in investor psychology.” More»

Dow sees triple-digit rise

(NEWSER) - Is the panic over on Wall Street? The Dow shot up around 131 points, and the S&P and Nasdaq were up 13.5 and 26.2 as of 9:39am EST. Part of the gain came from Google’s blockbuster acquisition of Motorola , which sent the latter’s stock up 60%, according to the Wall Street Journal . Traders were also watching two other major deals—Time Warner is reportedly close to an agreement to buy Insight Communications, and Bank of America sold its credit card portfolio to Toronto-Dominion Bank. More»

Market was down nearly 1,000 points in afternoon

(NEWSER) - Wall Street was in full panic mode today, as a drastic sell-off saw the Dow off nearly 1,000 points just one hour before the close, MarketWatch reports. A quick rebound followed, however, to less severe numbers. The Dow finished down 348 points at 10,520; Nasdaq fell 83 points to 2,320; and the S&P fell 38 to 1,128. For many traders, the chaotic freefall recalled the worst days of trading in 2008, when the wounds of the financial crisis were still fresh. More»

Dow Up 2.5% from week-ago close

(NEWSER) - Stocks finished off their intraday highs but with solid gains on strong earnings reports from Disney, Abercrombie & Fitch, and JCPenney, the Wall Street Journal reports.

• The Dow gained 73.00 points to close at 10,270.47.
• The Nasdaq added 18.86, settling at 2,167.88.
• The S&P 500 rose 6.24, closing at 1,093.48.

Dallas Fed chief reiterates commitment to low interest rates

(NEWSER) - Stocks retreated from an earlier rally but closed with solid gains after the Dallas Fed president reaffirmed the central bank's commitment to keeping interest rates low. Meanwhile, home-builder Toll Brothers announced a surge in contracts for the third quarter, the Wall Street Journal reports.

• The Dow gained 44 points to close at 10,291.
• The Nasdaq added 16 points to settle at 2,167.
• The S&P 500 rose 6 points to 1,099.