Dow Falls 34 Ahead of Jobs Data

Dow off 170 midday on European credit woes

(NEWSER) - Stocks regained their opening levels after severe losses that saw the Dow off 170 points at midday today. Despite better-than-expected US employment figures, worries about the creditworthiness of some troubled European nations exerted downward pressure on stocks, the Wall Street Journal reports.

• The Dow Jones closed up 10.05 points at 10,012.23.
• The Nasdaq gained 15.69 to close at 2,141.12.
• The S&P 500 added 3.07 to settle at 1,066.18.

Oil hits $70.47, a 2-month low

(NEWSER) - Stocks posted solid gains today following a weekly jobs report that showed a boost in initial unemployment filings but a fall in the number of claims lasting longer than 1 week, the Wall Street Journal reports.

• The Dow rose 68.78 points to close at 10,405.83.
• The Nasdaq added 7.13, settling at 2,199.86.
• The S&P 500 gained 6.40, closing at 1,102.35.

Intel, Dell see gains

(NEWSER) - Stocks mostly fell today despite good news from the tech sector, the Wall Street Journal reports. The Reuters/University of Michigan index of consumer confidence fell in August, dragging the markets down. Intel rose 4.32% after raising its third-quarter profit forecast, while Dell gained 1.89% on second-quarter earnings that beat expectations. The Dow fell 36.43 points to 9,545.20. The Nasdaq added 1.04 to settle at 2,028.77, and the S&P 500 lost 2.05, closing at 1,028.93. More»

(NEWSER) - Stocks closed with modest advances on strong economic data and a drop in oil prices, the Wall Street Journal reports. Advances in second-quarter home prices and a boost in July consumer confidence propelled stock indices to new 2009 highs shortly after the open, but oil’s $2.32 drop moderated gains. The Dow gained 30 points to close at 9,539. The Nasdaq added 6 points, closing at 2,024, and the S&P 500 rose 2 points to close at 1,028. More»

But all indices see gains in second quarter

(NEWSER) - Stocks fell today on an unexpected decline in consumer confidence, the Wall Street Journal reports, after investors held steady at the open despite data that delinquencies on prime mortgages had increased. The consumer-confidence drop came after two months of positive readings. The Dow closed down 82.38 at 8,447.00. The Nasdaq fell 9.02, closing at 1,835.04, and the S&P 500 lost 7.91, settling at 919.32. More»