Why an S&P 500 Record Will Mean More to You Than the Dow's Highs
The Dow has been setting records for the past two weeks, so why should you care if the S&P 500 follows? Because the S&P 500 says much more about the U.S. economy. Here's why:
The Dow has been setting records for the past two weeks, so why should you care if the S&P 500 follows? Because the S&P 500 says much more about the U.S. economy. Here's why:
U.S. stocks fell Friday, ending the longest winning streak for the Dow Jones industrial average in nearly 17 years.
Encouraging news from the job market pushed the stock market up early Thursday, putting the Standard & Poor's 500 index near its all-time high. The S&P 500 rose seven points to 1,561 -- just four points away from the high it hit in October 2007 -- before retreating marginally after 10 a.m.
Wall Street rose modestly on Monday, lifting the Dow to another record and giving the S&P 500 its seventh straight advance as early weakness enticed buyers. The gains briefly lifted the benchmark S&P 500 index to its highest intraday level since October 2007.
A burst of hiring in February pushed stocks higher on Wall Street. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 67.58 points, or 0.5 percent, to 14,397.07, surpassing its previous record close Tuesday and logged a sixth straight increase Friday.
U.S. stock futures are heading higher for the third straight day with a raft of economic indicators on tap, ranging from jobs and consumer debt, to productivity and international trade.
After barreling through a record the day before, the Dow Jones industrial average meandered higher on Wednesday. The DJIA edged up 42.47 points to close at 14,296.24. An encouraging job-market report helped nudge the stock market up and pushed bond prices lower. The question now is, how much longer can it keep climbing?
The Dow is closing at a record, beating the previous high it set in October 2007, before the financial crisis and the Great Recession. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 126 points, or 1 percent, to 14,253 Tuesday, beating its previous record by 89 points.
A federal jury on Thursday found sports programmer ESPN liable for only one breach-of-contract claim made by Dish Network Corp and awarded Dish $4.86 million, a mere fraction of the more than $152 million it had sought.
Stocks are closing sharply higher for a second day as evidence mounts that the housing market is making a comeback. The Dow Jones industrial average jumped 175 points to 14,075, its highest close of the year. It's up nearly 300 points over the past two days, putting it within 100 points of its record high reached in October 2007.
Stocks are closing lower on Wall Street following news that several top Federal Reserve officials are doubtful about continuing the central bank's economic stimulus. The S&P 500 index had its biggest loss of the year.
Stocks are edging higher in early trading on Wall Street after a report showed that the U.S. trade deficit narrowed sharply in December, to $38.6 billion -- the smallest it's been in nearly three years.
The Dow stock market index closed above 14,000 for the first time since before the financial crisis rocked the world economy. Propelled by strong auto sales and optimism about U.S. jobs, the Dow Jones industrial average crossed the line early Friday and continued flirting with the mark all day.
U.S. stocks are flirting with all-time highs, climbing to heights not seen since before the financial crisis. Both the Dow and the S&P 500 have risen to their highest levels since October 2007. But stock prices cannot go up forever, and some analysts warn that the bull market is nearing an end, just as investors are returning.
Pfizer helped keep the stock market rally alive Tuesday. The drugmaker's stock gained after posting strong earnings, pushing the Dow closer to 14,000. The Standard and Poor's 500 also rose, adding eight points to 1,507.84 points. The Nasdaq composite dropped less than a point to 3,153.66.













