U.S. Stocks moved towards a higher opening on Friday, buoyed by strong earnings from Microsoft and a quick decision to implement a U.S. economic stimulus package boosted investors confidence. Following the biggest global stocks rally in two and a half years on Thursday, U.S. stocks are set to make their first string of three consecutive days of gains since December, and first weekly rise in five weeks.
Treasuries fell on Thursday as speculation rose that economy may improve following positive economic figures and a government announcement of a U.S. tax rebate package to drive investment and consumer spending.
U.S. stocks rose on Thursday in their biggest two-day rally since November after government leaders agreed on a plan to pay tax rebates to stimulate the U.S. economy and after shares of cell- phone chip maker Qualcomm and Xerox Corp surged, pushing up the Nasdaq.
The Bank of England has released the minutes of the monthly meeting of the rate setting Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), showing the committee voted to keep interest rates constant in January by 8 to 1.
U.S. stocks bounced back on Wednesday after suffering a six-session long losing streak, after the Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced from more than 323 points in earlier trading to just under 300 points.
European shares slipped 1.5 percent by midday on Wednesday as the afterglow of a hefty U.S. rate cut faded rapidly, replaced by concerns over bank writedowns and earnings downgrades.
Asian stocks rebounded posting strong gains on Wednesday boosted by the U.S. Federal Reserve decision to further cut key interest rate cuts by 0.75 percent, the biggest cut in 23 years.
U.S. stock markets recovered most of their heavy early losses on Tuesday after the Federal Reserve announced an emergency cut in its benchmark lending rate before the markets opened. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index which measures a broad spectrum of U.S. companies was down 1.2 percent in early afternoon trading.
The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) benchmark 30-share sensitivity index, the Sensex, plummeted by over 2000 points or almost 11 percent on Monday - its biggest ever intra-day fall - and dragged down stock prices of blue-chip companies to a record low, forcing the stock exchange to shut down trading twice abruptly.
Treasuries rose on Tuesday after global stock markets plummeted a day earlier as investors fled to more secure government bonds.
The euro dropped to a five-month low against the yen the biggest plunge in European stocks in 6 years on concern the U.S. economy will fall into recession.
European stock markets plunged on Monday, recording some of its biggest losses in over 6 years, as investors sold off on concerns the U.S. economy will fall into recession.
Stock markets around the world plummeted on Monday, taking their lead from the U.S., where a leading index fell more than 4 percent last week following increased concern that the U.S. will head for a recession.
World stocks nosedived and demand for safe-haven bonds and currencies soared on Monday as fears gripped investors that a deteriorating U.S. economy would drag others down with it. MSCI's main world stock index, a benchmark gauge of stock markets globally, sank 2.6 percent, falling below its 2007 bottom to lows last seen in December 2006.
World stocks took a beating on Monday and demand for safe-haven bonds and currencies rose as fears gripped investors that a troubled U.S. economy would drag others down with it. MSCI's main world stock index was down 1.9 percent, nearing its 2007 low. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 was down 2.4 percent, taking its 2008 year-to-date losses to 12 percent.
U.S. stocks fell a fourth consecutive day on Friday, causing the Standard & Poor's 500 to drop the most in five years on concerns that the White House effort to boost the economy may not prevent a recession.
Shares of media and entertainment companies were slighter higher on Friday after the Hollywood directors' union reached a contract deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).
Asian stocks fell to a five-month low after U.S home construction and manufacturing numbers added concern that the world's largest economy is in recession.
U.S. stocks fell on Thursday after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said that the economic outlook has worsened and Merrill Lynch & Co. reported the a big loss related to the struggling mortgage lending market.
U.S. stocks rose on Wednesday, after JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Wells Fargo & Co. reported quarterly results not worse than expectations, giving some hope that the battered financial sector may be able to cut some of its losses.
Gold surged to a historic high above $910 an ounce, as investors rushed to buy the metal on further weakness in the dollar and expectations of a sharp cut in U.S. interest rates.
U.S. stocks rallied on Monday after IBM Corp. reported better-than-estimated preliminary fourth quarter earnings, boosting technology shares and pushing the Dow Jones Industrial Average to a gain of more than 100 points. Shares of IBM, the world's biggest computer-services provider, rose the most in five years.
Oil prices on Friday declined amid fears that the US economy is headed for a recession that may result into decreased demand for oil despite US being the largest energy consumer.
Stocks dropped on Friday as slowing consumer spending and write-downs in the financial sector sent the Dow Jones into triple digit losses. With earnings expected in coming weeks, investors are increasingly worried about how major banks and brokerages have fared in the most recent quarter after suffering losses related sub-prime mortgages.
U.S. stocks rose for a second day on Thursday after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke pledged to further cut interest rates and on news that Bank of America is reported to buy struggling mortgage lender Countrywide Financial Corp.
U.S. Stocks seesawed on Wednesday, closing in the green after forecasts of an economic recession drove investors into sectors seen as resistant to the looming economic contraction, such as health care and consumer companies.
The dollar gained versus the euro on Wednesday on lower economic indicators in Germany and comments by St. Louis Federal Reserve President William Poole that it is too soon to tell if housing woes will trigger an economic recession.
The stock market may be the deciding factor in whether the U.S. economy tips into a consumer-driven recession this year.
U.S. stocks were mixed on Wednesday after Goldman Sachs Group forecast a recession in 2008 erasing gains from health care and consumer companies. Investors bought defensive stocks including drug makers such as Merck & Co and Pfizer Inc and those of consumer staple companies such as Altria Group Inc parent of cigarette maker Philip Morris.
Technology stocks plunged on Tuesday, with the tech heavy Nasdaq Composite index closed down for the eight straight session.