Earnings Send Stocks South

(NEWSER) - Stocks jumped at the open today, with the Dow up 61 points, the Nasdaq adding 0.5%, and the S&P gaining 0.7%, powered by strong moves in its energy and basic materials sectors. That was due in part to the surge in fuel prices, with oil clearing $71 a barrel. Chevron and Exxon Mobil each rose 1%. Shares in industrial companies also climbed, with Caterpillar up 1.3%. If it holds, the Dow's move will put it in positive territory for the year. More»

(NEWSER) - Wall Street observed the 20th anniversary of Black Monday with an absolute bloodbath today as the Dow fell a whopping 366.94 points to close at 13,522.02. Wachovia, Caterpillar, and Honeywell led a host of disappointing earnings reports, driving every major index down over 2.5%. The S&P 500 dropped 39.45 to 1,500.63, and the Nasdaq closed at 2,725.16, off 74.15. More»

Dow rises 92.34 on component's earnings, big oil merger

(NEWSER) - Stocks rallied across the board today, after a number of major buyouts and earnings reports diverted traders' attentions from the foundering subprime market and an enervated dollar once again. The Dow was up 2.34 to 13943.42 after drug-maker Merck, a major component of the index, reported its best earnings since April, a far better result than expected. More»

It's Dow's best finish since 2008

(NEWSER) - Today's rosy jobs report did wonders for the markets. The tech-heavy Nasdaq, in fact, closed at an 11-year high, reports MarketWatch , while the Dow finished at its highest level since May 2008, notes the Wall Street Journal . The numbers:

• Dow: Up 157, 1.2%, to 12,862
• Nasdaq: Up 46, 1.6%, to 2,906
• S&P 500: Up 19, 1.5%, to 1,345

Market has its best day this month

(AP) - Encouraging signs out of Europe and a surprisingly strong report on the US housing market drove the Dow Jones industrial average up more than 330 points today. It was the best day for stocks this month. The Spanish government pulled off a successful debt auction, and gauges of business and consumer confidence in Germany rose unexpectedly. The Commerce Department, meanwhile, said builders broke ground on 685,000 new homes last month, a 9.3% jump from October. That's the highest level since April 2010. More»