Markets climb, led by small-company stocks
05/18/13 09:46EDT
NEW YORK -The prospect of continued stimulus from the Federal Reserve and rising optimism among small business owners helped push stock prices back to record levels.
Small business owners were slightly more optimistic in April, according to a survey released Tuesday by the National Federation of Independent Business. That helped push the Russell 2000, an index of small-company stocks, up 1.1 percent.
The Russell index is 16 percent higher since the start of the year, and is doing better than the Dow Jones industrial average and the Standard & Poor's 500 index, which include larger, global companies. Small stocks are doing well because they are more focused on the U.S., which is recovering, and don't have as much revenue from recession-plagued Europe as larger companies do.
For stock investors, the U.S. economy is "not too hot, not too cold," says Michael Sheldon, chief market strategist at RDM Financial. It's weak enough that the Fed will continue its $85 billion-a-month economic stimulus program, but strong enough for companies to generate healthy earnings.
"There is a lot of momentum in the market right now," says Sheldon. "It's largely being fueled by the Federal Reserve and modest growth in the U.S."
The Dow rose 84 points, or 0.6 percent, to 15,177, as of 12:35 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The S&P 500 index rose 15 points, or 0.9 percent, to 1,647.
Stocks also got a lift after hedge fund manager David Tepper said that he is still bullish on stocks. Speaking on CNBC, Tepper said that he was still bullish on stocks and that investors shouldn't worry about the Federal Reserve tapering its stimulus program. The money manager has about $18 billion dollars under management, according to the broadcaster.
Banks and insurers rose 1.4 percent, the biggest gain among of the 10 industry groups in the S&P 500 index. Financial stocks are the biggest gainers in the index during the past month, advancing 5.8 percent.
Bank of America climbed to its highest in more than two years. The lender's stock rose 33 cents, or 2.5 percent, to $13.31. JPMorgan rose 57 cents, or 1.1 percent, to $50.23.
Stocks had a lackluster start to the week Monday as investors questioned whether stocks have risen too far, too fast this year. Even news that retail sales unexpectedly rose in April failed to give the market a boost. The Dow ended the day slightly down and the S&P 500 was flat.
The Dow has risen 15.5 percent this year and the S&P 500 index is 15 percent higher. The Dow will have risen for 18 straight Tuesdays if it closes higher. The only day with a longer streak of consecutive gains is Wednesday, with 24, according to Schaeffer's investment research.
Oil edged lower, falling 21 cents, or 0.2 percent, to $94.96 a barrel. Gold fell $6.90, or 0.4 percent, to $1,428. The dollar edged higher against the euro and the yen.
Among stocks making big moves;— Take-Two Interactive Software Inc., the online video game publisher whose titles include "Grand Theft Auto," rose 75 cents, or 4.6 percent, to $17.14 after the company reported a profit in its fiscal fourth quarter. Take-Two's as revenue more than doubled on sales of "BioShock Infinite" and other video games.— Sony's U.S.-listed shares jumped 9 percent after hedge fund manager Daniel Loeb called for the company to sell part of its entertainment business and use the money to shore up its struggling electronics operation. The stock rose $2.11, or 11 percent, to $20.99.
In government bond trading, the yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 1.94 percent from 1.92 percent. The yield on the note, which moves inversely to its price, is trading at close its highest in six weeks.
The Nasdaq composite index rose 29 points, or 0.8 percent, to 3,465.
Small business owners were slightly more optimistic in April, according to a survey released Tuesday by the National Federation of Independent Business. That helped push the Russell 2000, an index of small-company stocks, up 1.1 percent.
The Russell index is 16 percent higher since the start of the year, and is doing better than the Dow Jones industrial average and the Standard & Poor's 500 index, which include larger, global companies. Small stocks are doing well because they are more focused on the U.S., which is recovering, and don't have as much revenue from recession-plagued Europe as larger companies do.
For stock investors, the U.S. economy is "not too hot, not too cold," says Michael Sheldon, chief market strategist at RDM Financial. It's weak enough that the Fed will continue its $85 billion-a-month economic stimulus program, but strong enough for companies to generate healthy earnings.
"There is a lot of momentum in the market right now," says Sheldon. "It's largely being fueled by the Federal Reserve and modest growth in the U.S."
The Dow rose 84 points, or 0.6 percent, to 15,177, as of 12:35 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The S&P 500 index rose 15 points, or 0.9 percent, to 1,647.
Stocks also got a lift after hedge fund manager David Tepper said that he is still bullish on stocks. Speaking on CNBC, Tepper said that he was still bullish on stocks and that investors shouldn't worry about the Federal Reserve tapering its stimulus program. The money manager has about $18 billion dollars under management, according to the broadcaster.
Banks and insurers rose 1.4 percent, the biggest gain among of the 10 industry groups in the S&P 500 index. Financial stocks are the biggest gainers in the index during the past month, advancing 5.8 percent.
Bank of America climbed to its highest in more than two years. The lender's stock rose 33 cents, or 2.5 percent, to $13.31. JPMorgan rose 57 cents, or 1.1 percent, to $50.23.
Stocks had a lackluster start to the week Monday as investors questioned whether stocks have risen too far, too fast this year. Even news that retail sales unexpectedly rose in April failed to give the market a boost. The Dow ended the day slightly down and the S&P 500 was flat.
The Dow has risen 15.5 percent this year and the S&P 500 index is 15 percent higher. The Dow will have risen for 18 straight Tuesdays if it closes higher. The only day with a longer streak of consecutive gains is Wednesday, with 24, according to Schaeffer's investment research.
Oil edged lower, falling 21 cents, or 0.2 percent, to $94.96 a barrel. Gold fell $6.90, or 0.4 percent, to $1,428. The dollar edged higher against the euro and the yen.
Among stocks making big moves;— Take-Two Interactive Software Inc., the online video game publisher whose titles include "Grand Theft Auto," rose 75 cents, or 4.6 percent, to $17.14 after the company reported a profit in its fiscal fourth quarter. Take-Two's as revenue more than doubled on sales of "BioShock Infinite" and other video games.— Sony's U.S.-listed shares jumped 9 percent after hedge fund manager Daniel Loeb called for the company to sell part of its entertainment business and use the money to shore up its struggling electronics operation. The stock rose $2.11, or 11 percent, to $20.99.
In government bond trading, the yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 1.94 percent from 1.92 percent. The yield on the note, which moves inversely to its price, is trading at close its highest in six weeks.
The Nasdaq composite index rose 29 points, or 0.8 percent, to 3,465.