Consumer Comfort Crumbles

Vital index hits level not seen since post-Katrina unrest

(NEWSER) - Consumer confidence dived in August to its lowest level since right after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Though not as steep as expected, the drop reflects the squeeze stock market uncertainty and lower home values are putting on Americans' wallets and peace of mind, Bloomberg reports. "The things that are weighing on the consumer are getting pretty imposing," says one economist. More»

Banking giant slaps fee on major accounts

(NEWSER) - So many big investors are fleeing stock market turmoil for the safety of bank accounts that money market rates have dropped below zero and large amounts of cash have become a nuisance for at least one institution. Bank of New York Mellon, which specializes in handling cash for corporations and financial institutions, has told clients that deposits of more than $50 million made since last week will be charged a fee, the Wall Street Journal reports. More»

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.

(NEWSER) - Stocks dipped today on worse-than-expected information about consumer sentiment, the Wall Street Journal reports. A Reuters index dropped 3 points instead of the anticipated 2-point rise. A downward spiral has been evident since the Fed announced it would not raise interest rates Wednesday. “A day like today has been long overdue,” said an observer. The Dow was off 76.79 and closed 9,321.40. The S&P sank 8.64 to 1,004.09, and the Nasdaq lost 23.83 to end at 1,985.52. 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»