US Stocks Lower at Close; Oil Futures Down

Hemera/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- Stocks start the week in negative territory with the Dow closing down 17, the S&P off less than a point and a four-point loss for the Nasdaq.

Though oil futures were down nearly $1 -- closing at just under $97 a barrel -- gasoline prices are going up. Gas has gone up 19 cents in the past four weeks to $3.48, and higher-than-usual increases could be seen as the peak demand seasons approach.
 
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A Good Day for US Stocks with Favorable Jobs Report

Spencer Platt/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- A good day for stocks after a better than expected jobs report.  
 
Investors were pleased with the numbers released Friday, which showed that unemployment fell to 8.3 percent in January -- its lowest level in three years.  

The Dow closed up 157 points, closing at 12,862 -- a three-year low for the index.  The S&P gained 19 points, and the Nasdaq added nearly 46 -- a level not seen since December 2000.   

The surge in hiring seemed to lift oil prices. Crude oil jumped to just under $98 a barrel.

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With Limited Movement, US Stocks Are Mixed at Close

Comstock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- An encouraging weekly jobs report Thursday was tempered by some bleak comments by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, and kept the movement in the markets to a minimum.
 
On Thursday the Dow closed down 11 points, while the Nasdaq gained 11. The S&P also added a point.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told the House Budget Committee Thursday that high unemployment is slowing the economic recovery, and while conditions have improved, the pace of the recovery has been frustratingly slow.
 
Still, the number of people seeking unemployment benefits dropped last week to the lowest level since June of 2008.  That could be a sign that companies are cutting fewer jobs and will likely step up hiring.
 
The January unemployment numbers are due out on Friday.

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Stocks Begin the Month Strong; Big News for Facebook

Hemera/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- U.S. stocks started strong in February, following the market's best January in 15 years.
 
The Dow Wednesday closed up 84 points, the Nasdaq gained 34
and the S&P added 12.

Meanwhile, in one of the world's most highly anticipated IPOs, Facebook Wednesday afternoon filed online with the Securities and Exchange Commission to begin selling and trading shares of the company publicly. If all goes as planned, it will likely take until May for Facebook stock to begin trading.
 
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US Stocks Close Lower

Comstock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- Uncertainty returned Monday to the U.S. markets. Investors have their doubts about a tentative deal to resolve Greece's debt crisis.

Meanwhile, bank shares led the averages lower until a Federal Reserve survey unveiled some positive developments.

The Dow fell just 7 points at 12,654 Monday. Nasdaq dropped off 5, and the S&P closed down 3.

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Stocks Turn Downward; Home Sales Down

iStockphoto/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- Stocks traded in a narrow range Thursday, but near the highest levels since the 2008 financial crisis.
 
The Dow closed down 2 points, while the Nasdaq and S&P gave up gave up 13 and 8 points, respectively.
 
Meanwhile, the National Association of Homebuilders is betting that this year will be better for new home sales than last.  They're sure hoping it won't be worse than 2011.  New home sales dropped 2.5 percent in December, capping off the worst year ever.

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Stocks Up Despite Expectation for Slow Economic Growth

Comstock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- A partly-cloudy economic forecast from the Fed didn't keep the markets down Tuesday.
 
The Dow Tuesday closed up 83 points, the Nasdaq gained 32 and the S&P added 11.
 
U.S. stocks rose Tuesday despite a report that the economy may not grow that quickly this year.  Fed chairman Ben Bernanke says inflation and high unemployment should keep growth between 2.2 and 2.7 percent.
 
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Possible Recession in Europe Pushes US Stocks Lower

Hemera Technologies/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- Stocks moved lower Tuesday over new worries about Europe's shaky financial situation. Investors were concerned about a deal to cut Greece's national debt and the possibility that a hold on a possible fiscal crisis could fall through.
 
The Dow Tuesday closed down 33 points, and the Nasdaq managed to gain 2. The S&P fell just 1 point Tuesday.
 
The International Monetary Fund says a recession in Europe would slam the brakes on the world economy. The IMF looks for global growth of 3.25 percent this year, which is down from the 4-percent growth rate predicted last September.

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Stocks Shift Downward on Oil Concerns

Comstock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- The averages got a lift at the market's open Monday on hopes that Greece will eventually reach a deal with private creditors on lowering its debt. But as crude oil prices rose, settling at just under $100 a barrel, stocks retreated.

The Dow lost nearly 12 points at 12,708. The Nasdaq closed down 2.5 points, and the S&P gained just a fraction of a point Monday.

Despite Iran's threat to close the Strait of Hormuz if the U.S. and other countries impose more sanctions, the European Union has imposed an oil embargo against the country, and has frozen assets of its central bank. This action is an attempt to force Iran into talks on its nuclear program.

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Mixed Stocks to Close the Week on Wall Street

Hemera/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- Strong earnings reports pushed the Dow Higher Friday. The Dow surged just over 96 points.  Meanwhile, the S&P remained nearly unchanged, and the Nasdaq lost about two points Friday.

The Dow's positive close was driven mainly by stronger than expected earnings reports from tech giants Microsoft and IBM.  But Google missed its mark and the stock plunged eight percent, pulling down the Nasdaq. Still, all three indexes ended the week with gains of two percent or more.

Oil prices have slipped under the $100 a barrel mark after falling more than $2 on new concerns about Europe's financial problems that could hurt the global economy. The American Automobile Association (AAA) says the national average for gasoline remains unchanged this week at $3.38 a gallon -- 18 cents higher than a month ago and 27 cents more than a year ago.

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