Category Archives: Finances
Taking Stocks at Face Value
On a simple price/earnings multiple, stocks look cheap. But things aren’t so simple. The S&P 500 now trades at 15.5 times the past year’s earnings, under generally accepted accounting principles. That compares to an average price/earnings multiple of 17.8 since 1950. By that metric, the stock market is about 15% below where it should be. … Continue reading
Dow Falls 89 Points, Its Worst Day of 2012
Stocks were dragged down for their worst one-day loss this year by tumult over the Greek bailout, disappointing readings on the U.S. economy and a downgrade of nearly three dozen Italian banks. Stocks fell on the open and stayed down, but ended on a brief rally that cut the Dow’s losses under 100 points. The … Continue reading
Blue Chips Climb
Strong earnings from International Business Machines powered blue-chip stocks higher even as discouraging quarterly reports from other bellwethers kept a lid on broader market gains. Stocks searched for direction in early trading as investors digested strong quarterly earnings reports from IBM against disappointing results from Google and General Electric. Steven Russolillo reports on Markets Hub. … Continue reading
U.S. Futures Tilt Lower
NEW YORK—U.S. stock futures slipped as concerns over a weakening economy in Europe prompted investors to consolidate some of the market’s recent gains. About 90 minutes before Wednesday’s opening bell, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures edged down 13 points, or 0.1%, to 12377. The Dow rose 70 points, or 0.6%, on Tuesday to close at … Continue reading
Orange-Juice Futures Hit Record High
The market for orange juice futures received another jolt after the federal government said some Brazilian imports contained a potentially harmful fungicide.Bloomberg News An FDA spokeswoman said a juice company anonymously called the government agency late last month to report the presence of the fungicide carbendazim. Above, workers inspect oranges on the production line at … Continue reading
Dow Rings In 179-Point Gain
Stocks kicked off the new year with strong gains, as better-than-expected economic data around the globe buoyed investor sentiment on the first U.S. trading day of 2012. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 179.82 points, or 1.5%, to 12397.38, its highest level since July. The blue-chip index registered the third-biggest point gain to start a … Continue reading
S&P Finishes Year Flat; Dow up 5.5%
Markets reporter Brendan Conway details the year’s best and worst-performing stock and stock sectors as well as how markets are likely to perform in 2012. Photo: REUTERS/Jo Yong-Hak/Files NEW YORK—The three main U.S. stock indexes offered something for bulls, bears and the indifferent this past year: the Dow was up, the S&P was flat and … Continue reading
U.S. Futures Point to Higher Open
NEW YORK—U.S. stock futures crept higher, as a successful auction of Italian debt gave investors something positive to trade on in an otherwise quiet session for news. About 90 minutes before the opening bell, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures had tacked on 22 points, or 0.2%, to 12241. The Dow slipped 3 points on Tuesday, … Continue reading
S&P 500 Back to a Gain for 2011
U.S. stocks rose ahead of the holiday weekend, pushing the Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index back into positive territory for 2011, as investors cheered a break in the latest Congressional deadlock. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 44 points, or 0.4%, to 12214 in morning trade. The Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index rose four points, … Continue reading
Stocks Turn Positive
U.S. stocks battled back from intraday losses Wednesday to add to the previous day’s powerful gains as investors scrutinized a new European lending facility for euro-zone banks and shrugged off some earnings disappointments. The Dow Jones Industrial Average inched up 4.16 points, or 0.03%, to 12107.74, erasing a decline of as many as 104 points … Continue reading
Banks Pull Stocks Lower
How have the global markets responded to the death of North Korea’s Kim Jong Il? Dow Jones Newswires Markets Reporter Brendan Conway weighs in. Stocks fell Monday after European Central Bank President Mario Draghi made cautious comments on the state of Europe’s economy and as bank stocks sagged in expectation of tighter capital standards. The … Continue reading
Can Annual Reports Save Lives?
Buried deep in the 849 pages of last year’s Dodd-Frank financial-overhaul law is a provision that has begun turning financial regulators into a human-rights police force. It also gives investors something new to worry about. Alarmed by atrocities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Congress ordered the Securities and Exchange Commission to require companies … Continue reading
U.S. Stocks Rise
NEW YORK—U.S. stocks advanced in early trading after investors took heart from the fewest new weekly claims for unemployment benefits since May 2008.The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 112 points, or 1%, to 11936. The gains follow a 131-point drop on Wednesday that stretched the measure’s decline for the week to 361 points, or 3%.The … Continue reading
Dow Notches Third-Straight Drop
Stocks sank for a third straight day as investors confronted a drop in the euro and steep declines in commodity prices. Jonathan Cheng has details on The News Hub. Photo: Reuters Stocks sank for a third straight day as investors confronted a drop in the euro and steep declines in commodity prices. The Dow Jones … Continue reading