DOW JONES

The positive reports on the U.S. economy are seen as the major cause of the stocks rallying.

Paris-based credit rating agency Fitch warned the government of the United Kingdom Thursday that the country still stood to lose its sterling AAA rating were the economic situation in Europe to deteriorate further. The action came at a politically sensitive time for Britain.

Claims for jobless benefits fell back to a four-year low of 351,000, providing more evidence that the labor market is healing.

Whatever buzz came from the post-FOMC statement and catapulted stocks up on Tuesday turned into a hush Wednesday afternoon. Equities started strong but ended with a whimper.

The Dow Jones Industrial average rose 218 points, or 1.8%, to close at 13,177, which was the highest since Dec .31, 2007.

Stocks shot up Tuesday, propelled by a strong U.S. retail sales report, a German investor confidence survey and a statement by the Federal Open Market Committee noting improvement in household and business spending as well as job creation.

U.S. stocks soared Tuesday in afternoon trading, amid strong reports of retail sales and business inventories and buoyant sentiments from the Federal Reserve.

The Federal Reserve officials decided to keep the near-term interest rates unchanged at ultra-low levels but offered few clues about plans for further easing, as highly anticipated, while the Fed noted recent strength in the labor market and that strains have eased in global financial markets.

Stock index futures advanced on Tuesday ahead of data that could provide clues about the intensity of consumer spending and before a monetary policy announcement from the Federal Reserve.

Stock index futures advanced on Tuesday ahead of data that could provide clues on the level of consumer spending and before a policy announcement from the Federal Reserve.

Stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Wall Street on Tuesday, with futures for the S&P 500 up 0.56 percent, Dow Jones futures up 0.45 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.54 percent at 0949 GMT.

China's surprisingly big February trade deficit numbers Monday cut into commodity prices and other growth-sensitive securities.

The U.S. budget deficit grew by $231.68 million in February, more than at any time since August 2010, but the government is on track for a budget gap this fiscal year that's smaller than in fiscal 2011.

Stocks were set for a slightly lower open on Monday as economic data in China and this week's Federal Open Market Committee announcement gave investors reason to pause after a three-day rally.

Stock index futures edged lower on Monday as economic data in China gave investors reason to pause after a three-day rally.

Stock index futures were little changed on Monday as economic data in China gave investors reason to pause after a 3-day rally.

The closer the yuan is to an equilibrium, the bigger role market forces will play in the yuan exchange rate, PBOC Governor Zhou Xiaochuan said Monday. He said the central bank will allow and encourage market forces to play a bigger role while decreasing its intervention in the market in an orderly manner.

Investors await the Conference Board's employment trend index for February at 10 a.m. EDT, followed by the U.S. Treasury Department's budget-deficit figures for February.

The global markets tumbled this week, due in part to concerns about China's slowed economic growth. There are several reasons, however, why China's economic slowdown could actually benefit the U.S., despite the market's immediate reaction. One reason is the possible return of jobs to the United States' manufacturing sector.

German exports rose 2.3 percent in January, driven by increased activity in all sectors of the economy, the German Federal Statistics Office, Destatis, said Friday.

Stocks rose on Friday, adding to their best two-day run in nearly three months, after a report showed the economy added more jobs than expected in February.