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Posts Tagged ‘Highlights’

Stocks are higher as commodities resumed their climb and as investors grew more confident borrowing would remain inexpensive

Gold touched a fresh high and oil rose as the dollar slipped against major currencies. The drop in the dollar follows remarks from Federal Reserve officials late Tuesday that noted the economic recovery is likely to be weak and reiterated that the central bank will keep rates low.

Record-low interest rates and the resulting slide in the dollar have been major forces behind the recent surge in stocks.

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Stocks edge higher as dollar slides

Stocks wavered in a tight range Tuesday, a day after the Dow Jones industrials shot up 200 points for the second time in three days. Following a recent pattern, the stock market on Monday took its cue from the dollar, driving higher as the dollar weakened.

On Tuesday, investors increased their buying of safe-haven assets like the dollar and Treasury notes. The ICE Futures US dollar index, which measures the dollar against other currencies, crept up 0.2 percent in morning trading

Record-low interest rates in the U.S. and the slide in the dollar that resulted have been major factors behind the surge in stocks over the past several months. A weaker dollar allows investors to borrow money cheaply, while the low interest rates also encourage them to hold any assets other than low-yielding cash, such as stocks, commodities and bonds.

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Stocks surge higher after G20 meeting raises hopes for the economy

U.S. stocks are following overseas markets, which are rising after officials from the Group of 20 countries agreed to keep economic stimulus measures in place.

Investors are awaiting retailers’ earnings reports to see how much consumers are spending as the holidays approach. The market is concerned that rising unemployment, which now sits at 10.2 percent, will further discourage already hesitant consumers from spending.

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Stocks rise on GE upgrade despite weak employment data

U.S. stocks rose on Friday as investors took heart after the government said monthly payroll losses slowed, even as unemployment rose above 10 percent.

General Electric Co shares jumped more than 5 percent after a brokerage upgrade, and helped lead the industrial sector higher.

The market had opened lower after data showed the unemployment rate topped the psychologically key 10 percent level and reached the highest point since April 1983.

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Stocks surge higher on better jobs data

Stocks climbed in early trading Thursday after the market got encouraging news on jobs and consumer spending, two of the economy’s biggest trouble spots.

The Labor Department said the number of newly laid-off workers seeking unemployment benefits fell to 512,000 last week, the lowest level since January. Economists had expected 523,000 new claims.

Initial claims are considered a gauge of the pace of layoffs and an indication of employers’ willingness to hire new workers. The report offered investors fresh hope that the government’s monthly report on employment Friday may come in better than expected. Economists expect the unemployment rate to have risen to 9.9 percent in October.

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Stocks are higher on positive employment data

Encouraging news on the labor market buoyed stocks in early trading Wednesday as investors waited for the Federal Reserve to weigh in on the economy.

The ADP National Employment Report said 203,000 private sector jobs were lost in October, down from the 227,000 jobs lost in September. It was the seventh straight month of declining job losses.

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