DOW JONES

Gold prices headed for a fourth consecutive daily gain Wednesday as investors returned to the yellow metal for protection from the ongoing risks to the European economy and weakness in the U.S. economy.

Stock index futures rose on Wednesday after the S&P fell 2 percent in the previous session as optimism about corporate earnings offset concerns about the results of a meeting of European leaders to tackle the region's debt crisis.

Stock index futures pointed to a higher open for equities on Wall Street on Wednesday, with futures for the S&P 500, for the Dow Jones and for the Nasdaq 100 up 0.6 to 0.8 percent.

Gold and silver mining stocks posted big gains Tuesday despite plunging share prices among broad market indexes on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

Gold prices soared nearly three percent Tuesday as global investors fled stocks and the euro for safe-haven investments ahead of a critical European economic summit that many think will fail to fix the continent's debt and finance crisis.

Stocks fell on Tuesday after discouraging corporate outlooks cast a pall over the economy's outlook, while fresh doubts arose about European efforts to find a solution to the debt crisis.

Gold prices blasted through the $1,700 per ounce ceiling Tuesday that they have operated under for the last month on growing fears that Europe is already in an acute financial crisis.

Peabody Energy Corp's (BTU.N) quarterly profit beat Wall Street estimates as the largest U.S. coal producer realized higher pricing in all regions and domestic volumes increased.

United Parcel Service reported a higher quarterly profit as increased pricing, cost cutting and technology improvements helped compensate for domestic shipping volume dulled by a sluggish economy, and it affirmed its outlook for record 2011 results.

Gold and silver prices rose more than two percent Tuesday on rising fear that European leaders will be unable to produce a viable rescue plan for the continent's banks, or its staggering southern periphery.

Stocks fell on Tuesday on news that a meeting by euro zone finance ministers was canceled, adding to doubts about the region's efforts to tackle its debt crisis.

After spending a summer sidelined by fears of an exhausted consumer and nearly stopped dead on their tracks by the market correction of early August, the stocks of athletic shoe and apparel makers (and the specialty retailers that put those products in consumer’s hands) have been sprinting into marathon season, outperforming the wider footwear and apparel sectors and setting one or two all-time records along the way.

Stock index futures rose on Tuesday, supported by strong earnings from blue chip companies.

Stock index futures pointed to a mixed open on Wall Street on Tuesday, with futures for the S&P 500 up 0.2 percent, Dow Jones futures down 0.03 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures down 0.1 percent at 0925 GMT (5:25 a.m. EDT).

Stocks rose on Monday, adding to three weeks of gains by the S&P 500, after strong earnings from Caterpillar and some proposed acquisitions boosted investor sentiment.

Stocks rose on Monday, adding to three weeks of gains for the S&P after strong earnings from Caterpillar and some proposed acquisitions boosted investor appetite for risky assets.

Stocks rose on Monday adding to three weeks of gains for the S&P after strong earnings from Caterpillar and a number of proposed acquisitions boosted investor appetite for risky assets.

Stocks extended their gains on Monday and the Nasdaq rose 1 percent, helped by strength in big-capitalization technology names.

Wall Street was set for a higher open on Monday as strong earnings from Caterpillar offset concerns European policymakers were struggling to narrow differences in tackling the region's debt crisis.

S&P 500 index futures were little changed on Monday as European policymakers differed over the size of sovereign debt losses that private bondholders will have to accept, but strong earnings from Caterpillar put a floor on losses.

Stock index futures edged lower on Monday after the S&P 500 posted its third straight week of gains as investors had doubts European policymakers would come up with an agreement to fix the region's debt crisis.