DOW JONES

Stocks of large financial companies, such as Bank of American and Goldman Sachs, have taken a pounding Friday over a likely lawsuit concerning mortgage sales.

In the opening minutes of trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500 index and the Nasdaq are all down about 1.80 percent.

Stocks gained on Thursday after data showed factory activity cooled in August but was still expanding, easing investors' fears the economy could be headed for another recession.

Stock index futures pointed to a weaker open on Wall Street on Thursday, with futures for the S&P 500, Dow Jones and Nasdaq 100 down 0.1 to 0.4 percent.

Gold and silver prices closed modestly higher on the futures markets Wednesday as strong demand from foreign buyers offset expectations that the Federal Reserve will signal fresh, potentially inflationary, intervention in the market next month.

Global demand for gold lifted the price of the yellow metal Wednesday, countering a growing appetite for risk among U.S. investors, many of whom expect the Federal Reserve to come to the aid of the U.S. economy, perhaps as early as September.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Re-enters positive territory, although the Department of Justice's suit against AT&T could derail those gains.

Stock index futures pointed to a higher open for equities Wednesday, with futures for the S&P 500, the Dow Jones and the Nasdaq 100 up 0.3 to 0.8 percent.

Stocks rose for a third straight day on Tuesday in a volatile session, after minutes from the latest Federal Reserve meeting boosted expectations the U.S. central bank will act again to stimulate the economy.

Gold and bonds surged on Tuesday and U.S. stocks rebounded in choppy trade as a recovery in risk appetite among some investors was countered by bearish economic news.

Amid a sluggish U.S. job market, a patch-work recovery in the housing market sector, and now damage from Hurricane Irene, it's understandable if U.S. investors are hesitant regarding deploying new money to the stock market. Where's the Dow Jones Industrial Average headed from here?

Stock index futures fell on Tuesday after equities rose nearly 8 percent in the past five sessions as investors cautiously awaited a batch of data for a better assessment on the state of the economy.

Stock index futures pointed to a weaker open for equities on Wall Street Tuesday after steep gains in the previous session, with futures for the S&P 500, for the Dow Jones and for the Nasdaq 100 down 0.2 to 0.3 percent.

With U.S. job growth sluggish, renewed European debt concerns, and now the damage caused by Hurricane Irene, it’s not surprising that cautious investors are reluctant to deploy additional capital to stocks. However, one moderate-risk way to commit new money to equities is to consider stocks that also pay a decent dividend, and here are three options.

Investors appear to be relieved that the destruction wrought by the storm turned out to be less than feared.

Stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Wall Street on Monday, with futures for the S&P 500 up 1 percent, Dow Jones futures up 0.8 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures up 1 percent at 0930 GMT (5:30 a.m. ET).

European shares gained in early trading Monday morning, tracking a late rally in Wall Street Friday, after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke raised hopes for more economic stimulus.

World stocks rose 1 percent and the dollar fell on Friday as Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke left the door open for future U.S. economic stimulus.

World stocks rose 1 percent and the dollar fell on Friday as Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke left the door open for future U.S. economic stimulus.

In his Jackson Hole, Wyo. conference speech, U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said, in so many words, that headwinds -- some organic, some Capitol Hill-ish -- confronting the U.S. economy are strong, but the Fed is stronger.

Wall Street stocks rebounded on Friday as investors digested Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's remarks about the economy and regained hope the door was still open for more monetary stimulus down the road.