U.S. stocks ended modestly higher Friday, wounding up a week of solid gains as investors braced for the third-quarter financial results.  Sentiments also got a boost after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke indicated that the central bank will be ready to tighten monetary policy once the economy improves.  Bernanke’s tightening comments helped the dollar regain some lost ground.  Bond prices fell sharply. 

After a two-week selloff, fueled in part by concerns that the seven-month old rally had gotten ahead of any economic recovery, stocks got a boost last week following better-than-estimated economic numbers and Alcoa’s (NYSE:AA) surprise quarterly profit.  That helped investors set aside worries and extend the rally.  Meanwhile, White House economic adviser Lawrence Summers reiterated the Obama administration’s commitment to a strong dollar, citing recent comments by U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner.

This morning’s stock futures show markets are headed for a higher opening as the busy

Stock failed to extend their five-day winning run and ended marginally lower Friday as declining oil prices hurt commodities and investors pulled money out of stocks.  Bellwether FedEx’s improved outlook failed to cheer investors.  Gold prices closed above $1,000 level, indicating investors still want to play it safe. The dollar plunged to its lowest level of the year against a basket of currencies.

After closing Thursday at its highest level since October, the Dow Jones industrial average retreated 22.07 points, or 0.2%, to 9,605.41 on a quiet trading day.  The NASDAQ composite index eased 3.12 points, or 0.2%, to 2,080.90, and the broader Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 1.41 points, or 0.1%, to 1,042.73.  On the New York Stock Exchange, 1.29 billion shares exchanged hands and about four stocks rose for every three that fell.  On the week, the DJIA rose 1.7%, the S&P 500 advanced 2.6% and

U.S. stocks closed lower Monday after a sharp decline in China’s main stock index reignited worries that the six-month old rally defies logic and is built mostly on hype.  Yesterday’s 6.7% plunge in Shanghai Composite Index on concerns over tightening credit in that country sent stocks in Asia sharply lower and led to further selling in Europe.  Treasuries rose as investors shunned equities and turned towards safer bets.  Oil prices declined below $70 per barrel for the first time in almost a week on concerns about China’s growth prospects. 

The 30-stock Dow Jones industrial average shed 47.92 points, or 0.50%, to close at 9,496.28.  The broad Standard & Poor's 500-stock index was down 8.31 points, or 0.81%, at 1,020.62.  The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index lost 19.71 points, or 0.97%, to 2,009.06.  Nevertheless, the Dow managed to end August up 3.5% for its fifth monthly gain in six months while

U.S. stocks rose Friday to their highest level in nine months as a better-than-expected July jobs report added to recovery hopes and indicated the recession is nearing an end.  Nervous investors who had locked in profits in earlier sessions fearing the employment report would disappoint found a new reason to rejoice and sent stocks sharply higher. 

The broad-based S&P 500 index rose 13 points, or 1.3%, to its highest point since October 6 as the Labor Department noted nonfarm payrolls tapered off in July.  Results from a separate survey showed an unexpected decline in unemployment rate, indicating an improving employment picture.  The Dow Jones industrial average rose 114 points to 9,370.07 and the technology-laden NASDAQ rose 27 points, or 1.4%, to 2,000.25.  Volume remained moderate as 1.5 billion shares exchanged hands on the New York Stock Exchange where winners topped losers three to one.

The S&P 500 is now

Continued optimism and new signs that the economy is showing signs of resilience pushed stocks higher Monday with the major indexes recording broad based gains and the S&P 500 index zooming off to its highest level since November.  Just a little over a week ago, weak unemployment numbers, weaker-than-expected retail sales and disappointing confidence data had investors worrying and talks of a second stimulus package started to gain ground.  However, impressive earnings numbers, robust outlook from companies and a number of analyst upgrades have boosted investor confidence as they have appeared increasingly eager to participate in riskier bets.   

On Monday stocks hit their highest levels since November 5, as all ten industry groups on the S&P500 moved higher during the session, led by consumer, commodity and industrial stocks.  The gains were led by basic materials (+2.4%), industrial (+1.9%) and oil and gas (+1.5%).  The DJIA added 1.2% or 104

U.S. stocks declined Wednesday, as a disappointing auction of benchmark 10-year Treasury notes concerned investors that high bond yields would cause interest rates to spike.  As investors shied away from Treasury debt, fresh worries surfaced that creeping interest rates would hurt prospects of a budding economic recovery.  Although stocks managed to pare losses, they still closed lower.  The S&P, which had declined 1.4% at one point, recovered slightly to close off 0.4%.  The DJIA slipped 0.3% and the NASDAQ eased 0.4%.  Crude oil prices continued their advance, rising $1.32 to $71.33.

Yield on the benchmark 10-year jumped to as high as 3.99%, the highest since August, worrying investors that mortgage rates would continue to rise on the back of higher yields on government debts.  Higher yields also heightened fears that today's auction of $11 billion in 30-year bonds might face difficulties.   Fears of rising interest rates hurt financials and

U.S. stock markets began June with solid gains as better-than-expected reports on personal income, manufacturing and construction spending propelled S&P 500 to a seven-month high.  The Nasdaq rose to its highest level this year helped by a broad based rally in stocks.  The widely expected bankruptcy filing of General Motors, the fourth largest ever, and rising interest rates failed to check the momentum. The S&P 500 surged 2.6% to 942.87, its highest close since November 5.  The DJIA rose 2.6% to 8,721.44, the highest since January 8.  On the New York Stock Exchange, almost five stocks advanced for each that declined.

General Motors' shares were delisted by the New York Stock Exchange and were dropped from the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Dow Jones said General Motors and Citigroup (NYSE:C) will be officially dropped from the average on June 8 and will be replaced by Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO) and Travelers Companies

Asian stock markets jumped Friday after Japanese production numbers surged the most in 56 years and India's economy grew faster than economists had forecast.  Japan's Trade Ministry said industrial output in that country jumped 5.2% in April and India's economy grew an unexpected 5.8% in the first quarter, beating analysts' projections.  The numbers buoyed investors' confidence and trading picked up as the session progressed.  Japan's Nikkei 225 stock average added 0.8% to 9,522.50 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng advanced 1.6% to 18,171.00.  India's Sensex jumped 2.8% to 14,701.98 as news of the country's economic growth took investors by surprise.  South Korea's Kospi edged up 0.3%.

Stock futures show Wall Street is headed for higher open.  Dow futures rose 0.8% at 8,450. Standard & Poor's 500 index futures rose 0.7% to 911.80 and Nasdaq 100 index futures rose 1% to 1,433.00. 

Although government's ability to fund its massive debt

Following through on yesterday’s gains stocks took the lead and moved higher as volume tracked higher. A very bullish sign to see stocks moving higher with higher volume especially right after a day where prices advanced on lower trade. All was well and good with stocks until the final hour of trading where we began to see selling pressure. The selling pressure was enough to send the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average into negative territory but the NASDAQ was able to slip in a small gain. Preliminary volume indicates NASDAQ saw higher trade while the NYSE declined avoiding a distribution day. A positive sign is we saw IBD indexes lead the market and we’ll await to see if volume on the IBD indexes came in higher. In summary, not a terrible day following yesterday’s move, but signs of …

With Wal-Mart reporting its earnings yesterday, an eventful earnings season almost closed its books. Although the performance of companies during the quarter was not as bad as feared, it was not encouraging either. The 455 S&P firms that have reported their earnings so far posted a 35% y/y profit declines.  For the full year, analysts expect a 13% earnings fall among S&P firms to $56.57. Nevertheless, investors once again showed appetite for risk and went bargain hunting.  The S&P registered a 1.5% advance, and the NASDAQ added 1.0%. The DJIA edged 0.6% higher.

Financials were once again the leading gainers, with a 3.5% advance. JP Morgan (NYSE:JPM) shares jumped 4.4%, Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) added 2.7%, and Citigroup (NYSE:C) was up 4.1%. Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC), fresh from its $8.6 billion stock sale, jumped 6.2% after Moody's (NYSE:MCO) raised its ratings on the company's preferred shares, saying there is an