IBT Staff Reporter

U.S. stocks rallied on Thursday, moving the S&P 500 back in positive territory for 2011 ahead of the last trading day of the year, on more positive signals on the U.S. economy.

Banks tightened the screws on lending to major financial market participants in recent months, the U.S. Federal Reserve said on Thursday, reflecting concerns about Europe's banking crisis.

Despite more than $100 billion in disaster losses around the world this year, insurers are not yet experiencing a broad and sustained increase in pricing power, defying predictions from a year ago that even half those losses would be enough to turn the industry around.

A U.S. appeals panel on Thursday upheld immunity for telecom companies that assist the U.S. government in conducting surveillance of American citizens.

As Ron Paul has climbed to the top of the polls in Iowa, his supporters have learned the hard way that with increased relevance comes increased scrutiny.

Amazon.com Inc shares fell to their lowest level since late March on Thursday on concern about sales growth during the online retailer's crucial fourth quarter.

Deutsche Telekom AG will pay more than $95 million to settle U.S. criminal and civil charges that a Hungarian unit and three former executives schemed to bribe government officials in Macedonia and Montenegro.

Stocks rose on Thursday, resuming their upward move into year-end, as positive data on the U.S. economy offset concerns about the euro zone.

Netflix Inc and Gap Inc were among the worst performers in customer satisfaction among the largest online retailers this holiday season, according to a survey released on Wednesday.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti sought reinforcement for the euro zone's bailout fund and pledged new efforts to boost the economy after a disappointing bond auction on Thursday underlined the threat to the country's shaky public finances.

An appeals court ruled that a letter linked to Mark Hurd's abrupt departure from his post as chief of Hewlett-Packard Co should be unsealed, potentially revealing new details about his dramatic exit from the technology giant.

New claims for jobless benefits rose last week but the underlying trend pointed to an improving labor market, while regional factory data showed the economy gaining momentum as the year ended.

Wall Street stocks resumed their upward move into year-end on Thursday but the S&P 500 continued to churn around its 200-day moving average as concern over Europe offset better-than-expected U.S. economic data.

Wall Street stocks resumed their upward move into year-end on Thursday but the S&P 500 continued to churn around its 200-day moving average as concern over Europe offset better-than-expected U.S. economic data.

Pending sales of existing homes surged to a 1-1/2 year high in November, an industry group said on Thursday, offering more signs of a tentative recovery in the housing market.

The acquisition will give Chesapeake Midstream 47 percent of an integrated system of assets that consist of about 200 miles of pipeline in the Marcellus Shale, and position it as the largest gathering and processing master limited partnership based on throughput volume.

Saudi Arabia is pressing ahead with a long-awaited plan to open up its stock market to foreigners and is now hoping to formalize its rules by January 15, a source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

Deutsche Telekom AG, a Hungarian unit and three former executives were charged by a U.S. regulator with bribery involving government officials in Macedonia and Montenegro.

Greece could soon reach a deal with banks and private creditors on a bond swap to reduce its mountain of debt, the government spokesman said on Thursday, as it tries to resolve differences with its creditors and avoid default.

Kelly Clarkson tweeted her support for Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul on Wednesday, and received a barrage of angry tweets in response.

Wall Street stocks resumed their upward move into year-end on Thursday but the S&P 500 continued to churn around its 200-day moving average as jitters over Europe contrasted with better-than-expected U.S. economic data.

With the Iowa caucuses just five days away, a new poll shows Ron Paul and Mitt Romney in a statistical dead heat for first place and Rick Santorum, against all odds, in third place. Newt Gingrich, who held a wide lead last month, has fallen into fourth place.

Netflix Inc and Gap Inc were among the worst performers in customer satisfaction among the largest online retailers this holiday season, according to a survey released on Wednesday.

Some 8 million people received emails from the New York Times on Wednesday offering a special discount if they would reconsider their decision to cancel their subscriptions.

Verizon Wireless said on Thursday that it had resolved an issue with its high-speed wireless network overnight, after its third widely reported problem in a month.

Stocks rose on Thursday as stronger-than-expected economic data lifted sentiment in a lightly traded session, although weakness in Amazon kept a lid on Nasdaq gains.

New claims for unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week, a government report showed on Thursday, but the underlying trend continued to point to improving labor market conditions.

Millions of medical patients are crossing international borders each year to receive treatment in a growing trend known as medical tourism.

Stock index futures pointed to modest gains at the open on Thursday as a decline in Italian bond yields offset a weak reading on jobless claims a day after the S&P 500's gains for the year were erased.