Drugs, Oil Push Dow Up 50

(NEWSER) - Markets were off today on falling oil prices and a poor showing from the financial industry, the Wall Street Journal reports. The S&P energy index fell 2.4% and Bank of America, Pfizer, and Wal-Mart also saw declines. General Motors, whose low share price no longer significantly affects markets, was off 4%. The Dow was down 62.68, to 8,268.64. The S&P 500 slumped 10.19, to 882.88. And the Nasdaq finished down 9.07 at 1,680.14. More»

(NEWSER) - Markets ended higher today after a dismal start, buoyed by an ascendant energy sector, the Wall Street Journal reports. The seesaw comes as no surprise to one strategist: “This market is highly vulnerable to get pushed around right now. That’s a factor of light volume.” The Dow, once down 50, finished up 61.22 at 9,279.16. The S&P 500 rose 6.79 to 996.46. And the Nasdaq tacked on 13.32, to 1,969.24. More»

(NEWSER) - Yesterday’s rally segued into a regular day today as markets remained mostly flat on mixed economic data, the Wall Street Journal reports. Home sales were up, but incomes down, and an expected report on rising US oil reserves hurt energy stocks. “It's a day of consolidation after we've had a very strong run,” an analyst says. The Dow was up 33.63 to 9,320.19, the S&P rose 3.02 to 1,005.65, and NASDAQ gained 2.70 to end at 2,011.31. More»

(NEWSER) - Markets were off today on plunges in the energy and manufacturing sectors brought on by falling oil prices, the Wall Street Journal reports. A poorly received auction of T-notes also did little to inspire confidence. The world’s largest steelmaker, ArcelorMittal, slipped 7% on a larger than expected loss, and the tech sector took a hit on Microsoft’s deal with Yahoo. The Dow fell 26 to 9,070.72, the S&P shed 4.49 to end at 975.13, and Nasdaq lost 7.75 to finish at 1,967.76. More»

Amazon, Microsoft fall after weak earnings

(NEWSER) - The tech sector exerted downward pressure on stocks today, snapping the Nasdaq’s 12-day winning streak, the Wall Street Journal reports. Microsoft sank 8.9% after reporting a 29% drop in quarterly earnings, while Amazon fell 8.3% after also reporting a disappointing quarter. Alcoa, Pfizer, and Merck helped the Dow climb with modest advances. The Dow gained 23.95 points to close at 9,093.24. The Nasdaq lost 7.64, settling at 1,965.96, and the S&P 500 added 2.97, closing at 979.26. More»