EQUITIES

Investors abandoned red-hot commodity shares on Tuesday, while fears of lower supermarket profits hit food retailers, sending the S&P and Nasdaq lower.

Investors abandoned red-hot commodity shares on Tuesday, while fears of lower supermarket profits hit food retailers, sending the S&P and Nasdaq lower.

Stocks could post double-digit returns in 2011 for the third straight year and outdo global markets, said Bob Doll, chief equity strategist at BlackRock Inc.

Stocks fell on Tuesday as declines in oil and metals prices dragged down energy and materials shares, while concern about lower supermarket profits hit consumer stocks.

Stocks fell on Tuesday on worries that rising food costs will sap supermarket profits, hurting consumer stocks and denting growing optimism about the economic outlook.

Dmitry ZhdannikovOil held near its highest prices in more than two years in volatile trade on Tuesday, due to accelerating manufacturing activity in developed economies and expectations that U.S. crude inventories will keep falling.

Stock indexes were set to continue their upward trend at the open on Tuesday as optimism continued to permeate the market ahead of data on factory orders and car sales.

U.S. stock index futures rose on Tuesday as optimism continued to permeate the market ahead of data on factory orders and car sales.

U.S. stock index futures rose on Tuesday as optimism continued to permeate the market ahead of data on factory orders and car sales.

Optimism about the state of the world economy lifted stocks on Tuesday as well as boosting the dollar and keeping oil prices at a near 27-month peak.

Stock index futures pointed to a slightly higher open on Wall Street on Tuesday, with futures for the S&P 500 up 0.08 percent, Dow Jones futures up 0.09 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.02 percent at 0921 GMT (4:21 a.m. ET).

Japanese stocks led Asian equities higher, climbing to their highest since May, and oil prices were perched near a 27-month high on Tuesday, with investors betting the improving U.S. recovery may be reflected in jobs data later in the week.

U.S. stocks just posted back-to-back years of strong gains, yet the small U.S. investor largely remained a spectator. Now financial advisers say investors, many of whom rode out the financial crisis in cash and bonds, are slowly regaining confidence.

Stocks greeted the new year with a rally on Monday as encouraging signs about the outlook for manufacturing around the world prompted investors to inject new money into the market.

Stocks may have kicked off 2011 with a no-holds-barred surge but anyone predicting a sustainable rally through January may be overly optimistic.

Wall Street stocks surged more than 1 percent as the new trading year kicked off on Monday and the rally of late 2010 resumed on encouraging signs about the economic outlook and a seasonal effect.

Wall Street stocks launched the new trading year with gains of 1 percent or more on Monday, extending the late-2010 rally on optimistic signs about a global economic recovery.

Stocks rose on Monday, lifting the Nasdaq 100 to a 10-year high, as investors bet a 2010 rally would continue in the new year and factory and housing data pointed to a strengthening recovery.

U.S. stocks were set for a higher open on Monday as returning investors bet a 2010 rally would continue in the new year and Chinese factory inflation data tempered concerns over increased monetary tightening.

Shares in American International Group could drop this year as the U.S. government sells stock it owns in the insurer, Barron's reported on Sunday.

U.S. stock index futures rose on Monday on hopes the rally will continue in the new year as economic conditions continue to improve and as Chinese factory inflation tempered concerns of more monetary tightening.

Sock index futures rose on Monday, signaling a belief by investors the rally will continue in the new year as economic conditions continue to improve.

Stock index futures pointed to a stronger start for Wall Street on Monday, with futures for the S&P 500, the Dow Jones and the Nasdaq up 0.5 to 0.7 percent by 0913 GMT (4:13 a.m. ET) on the first trading day of the year.

Wall Street strategists are bullish about the market's prospects in 2011, expecting stocks to rise an average of 10 percent, with big-cap shares like Exxon Mobil Corp , Wal-Mart Stores Inc and Pfizer Inc leading the way, Barron's reported on Sunday.

A bout of profit taking seems likely early in the new year after the S&P 500 ended its best December in almost two decades, but stocks may have further to run at the start of 2011.

A bout of profit taking seems likely early next year after the S&P 500 ended its best December in almost two decades, but stocks may have further to run at the start of 2011.

Money flows to global equity and other stock funds accelerated during the fourth quarter, signaling a possible twist in 2011 from the record investments made in bond portfolios over the last year, according to a report published by EPFR Global on Friday.

U.S. stocks edged lower on Friday, the final trading day of the year, as investors took profits after a recent rally that has the S&P on track for its best December performance in nearly two decades.

U.S. stocks were set for a lower open on Friday as investors appeared poised to grab profits after a recent rally that has the S&P on track for its best December performance in nearly two decades.