SmallCapVoice.com

Posts Tagged ‘Highlights’

Stocks are lower as economic worries persist and traders draw little comfort from Buffett deal

Investors worried about the economic recovery drew only modest comfort from billionaire investor Warren Buffett’s decision to buy one of the nation’s largest railroads.

Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway said Tuesday it is paying $100 a share for Burlington Northern Santa Fe in a deal valuing the railroad at $34 billion.

Investors are on edge about unemployment and the stability of major financial firms in Europe.

Read the rest of this entry »

Stocks are sharply higher on manufacturing and housing data

Stocks are snapping back from Friday’s big losses as stronger-than-expected reports on manufacturing and housing allay concerns that the economy’s recovery won’t last.

Major indexes rose more than 1 percent in early trading Monday, including the Dow Jones industrials, which gained 112 points, erasing a chunk of Friday’s 250-point loss.

Read the rest of this entry »

Stocks are giving back some of the previous day’s big gains as consumer spending dips

Personal spending fell 0.5 percent in September, the Labor Department reported Friday, in line with forecasts. That follows a 1.3 percent jump in August fueled by the government’s popular Cash for Clunkers car rebate program.

The market is paying close attention to indicators of consumer spending, which is still in a slump despite improvements in other parts of the economy such as manufacturing and housing. Spending by consumers makes up a major part of the U.S. economy.

The Dow Jones industrials jumped nearly 200 points on Thursday following a strong report on gross domestic product growth in the third quarter, but many economists worry that much of that growth came from government stimulus measures and that weak spending by consumers will continue to hold the economy back.

Read the rest of this entry »

Stocks are sharply higher after the government said the economy grew at a stronger than expected pace during the third quarter

Investors have spent the past couple of months hunting for clues of just how much the economy has recovered. Thursday’s gross domestic product reading gave them the surest sign yet that the economy is on the upswing.

The Commerce Department said the economy grew at an annual pace of 3.5 percent in the third quarter, faster than the 3.3 percent increase predicted by economists polled by Thomson Reuters.

Read the rest of this entry »

Stocks are slightly lower as investors grow more cautious about the strength of an economic recovery

The market is extending its losses after weakening Tuesday following a disappointing reading on consumer confidence. A new report showing durable goods orders rose in line with expectations in September had little effect on trading.

A disappointing earnings or economic report can give investors a reason to cash in some gains, but overall most signs point toward additional strengthening of the economy and market, Williams added.

Read the rest of this entry »

Stocks are moving higher after a new report showed home prices rose for the third consecutive month in August

The gains came a day after investors uneasy about the strength of an economic recovery pummeled stocks for the second straight day and for the fourth time in the last five days.

Overseas, Asia markets fell overnight following declines Monday in the U.S. In Europe, markets have steadily advanced throughout the day.

The Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller home price index, which measures housing prices in 20 major metropolitan markets, rose 1 percent in August from July, marking the third straight monthly improvement.

Read the rest of this entry »