Articles

US stocks climbed broadly on Thursday following strong earnings from Caterpillar, 3M and United Parcel Service, while better-than-expected data on US existing-home sales and euro-zone economic activity also provided a boost.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 201.77 points (1.99%) to 10,322.30, marking its biggest one-day gain since July 7 and its highest close since July 15. Boeing led the measure's gains with a jump of $3.42 (5.4%) to $66.60, after European rival aircraft manufacturer Airbus raised its order intake target for 2010.

US stocks tumbled on Wednesday despite strong earnings reports from Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo and Apple, as investors were disappointed with Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's signal that the central bank is not planning further stimulus in the near term.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 109.43 points (1.07%) to 10,120.53, its first drop in three sessions. While the drop was broad, the Dow's financial components got hit the hardest. JP Morgan Chase fell $1.21 (3.1%) to $38.42 and Bank of America declined 41 cents (3%) to $13.36.

Quarterly reports from International Business Machines, Texas Instruments and Goldman Sachs sent stocks tumbling early on concerns over slowing revenues, but a late rally erased the losses as investors looked expectantly to Federal Reserve guidance and upcoming earnings.

US stocks notched modest gains on Monday as investors sifted through mixed earnings and a weak index of housing sentiment to pin their hopes on strong quarterly reports later this week.

US stocks closed slightly lower on Thursday, snapping a seven-day winning streak, despite a late-session boost from news about a halt in the BP oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico and expectations of a settlement between Goldman Sachs and regulators.

Blue-chip stocks declined as disappointing economic data and the passage of a major financial-overhaul bill weighed.

Inflationary expectations declined slightly in July, according to an industry survey.

The Melbourne Institute Survey of Consumer Inflationary Expectations median expected inflation rate in July declined to 3.3% from 3.4% in June. In addition, the proportion of consumers expecting inflation to be within the Reserve Bank of Australia's targeted 2% to 3% inflation band rose to 19.1% in July from 17.5% in June. 

A strong earnings report from Intel boosted US blue-chip stocks on Wednesday, extending the Dow Jones Industrial Average's winning streak to seven sessions.

Still, the Dow's gain was slim and the broader Standard & Poor's 500 index snapped a six-day streak as optimism over the pace of corporate earnings gave way to a chilly economic forecast from the Federal Reserve.

The Australian consumer remains one of the strongest in the world, according to two reports published, providing further fuel to the growing rate hike expectations going into the Reserve Bank of Australia's next meeting in early August.

An index of consumer sentiment rose 11.1% in July from June. The index rose to 113.1 points in July in seasonally adjusted terms from 101.9 points in June, compilers Westpac Banking Corp. and the Melbourne Institute said.

US stocks shot higher on Tuesday, extending the recent winning streak to six sessions as better-than-expected earnings from Alcoa and CSX boosted expectations for upcoming reports from bellwethers like Caterpillar.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 146.75 points (1.44%) to 10,363.02. Caterpillar, which reports results on July 22, was the measure's best performer, rising $2.51 (3.9%) to $66.79.

The value of personal finance rose 0.1% in May after seasonal adjustment from April to $6.79bn, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said.

The rise in personal finance comprised a 0.4% increase in revolving credit and a 0.2% fall in fixed lending. Commercial finance fell 1.1% in May in seasonally adjusted terms from April to $30.66bn. A rise of 13.1% in revolving credit for commercial finance was accompanied by a fall of 5.8% in fixed-lending commitments. Lease finance increased by 11.8% in May after seasonal adjustment to $400m.