Source: The Star Online
NEW YORK: Stocks added to an already impressive run Thursday as another round of earnings reports gave investors new reasons to be optimistic about the U.S. economy.
The Dow Jones industrial average rose its highest level in nearly nine months with a gain of 84 points and the Nasdaq composite index traded above 2,000 for the first time since October.
The latest reports struck on a theme that has played out for weeks: Times are tough but companies aren't doing as badly as had been feared. Many have chopped costs to produce profits well beyond the market's modest expectations.
Motorola Inc. said it used deep cost cuts to wring a profit from its latest quarter.
Analysts had expected a loss.
Goodyear Tire & Rubber's shortfall was half what had been expected and Dow Chemical Co.'s CEO said he believes the U.S. economy "has found bottom."
A surprise drop in the number of people continuing to seek unemployment benefits gave investors even more reason to put money into stocks.
With one day to go, the Dow is up 8.4 percent this month, its strongest July since 1989, when it gained 9 percent.
A much-anticipated report on the overall output of the economy is sure to drive the market's direction on Friday.
Stocks are up 13 percent since July 13 when investors bet correctly that Goldman Sachs Group Inc. would report enormous earnings.
Since then, other profit reports have brought hope that the longest recession since World War II might end this year.
AT&T Inc., chip maker Intel Corp. and heavy equipment maker Caterpillar Inc. all posted results that outran expectations.
Three out of four companies in the S&P 500 index that reported second-quarter results so far have topped analysts' expectations, according to Thomson Reuters. About 300 of the 500 companies have reported.
Analysts said the end of the month is pressuring money managers and traders to show they have kept up with July's steep rally. Often, the summer months are quieter than the rest of the year on Wall Street as traders take vacations.
Some of the buying is likely tied to short-covering, where investors have to buy stock after having earlier sold borrowed shares in a bet they would fall.
"People kind of got caught a little flat-footed here. The summer is supposed to be slow," said Jon Merriman, chief executive of Merriman Curhan Ford in San Francisco.
The Dow rose 83.74, or 0.9 percent, to 9,154.46 after being up as much as 176 points.
The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 11.60, or 1.2 percent, to 986.75.
It rose to nearly 997 during the day.
It hasn't traded above 1,000 since November.
It was the highest close for the Dow and the S&P 500 index since Nov. 4.
The Nasdaq advanced 16.54, or 0.9 percent, to 1,984.30. It rose to nearly 2,010 in morning trading, its first move above 2,000 since Oct. 3.
The index is up 56 percent from its low of 1,269 in March.
It was the highest finish for the index since Oct. 1.
The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies rose 9.42, or 1.7 percent, to 557.80.
About for stocks rose for every one that fell on the New York Stock Exchange.
Volume came to 1.4 billion shares compared with 1.3 billion Wednesday.
Stocks made little progress in the four days prior to Thursday but some break in the buying had been expected after the steep gains.
Investors rewarded the latest companies to beat expectations. Motorola rose 62 cents, or 9.4 percent, to $7.19.
Goodyear rose $1.97, or 14.2 percent, to $15.86. Dow Chemical rose $1.26, or 6.2 percent, to $21.53.
General Electric Co. led the Dow Jones industrial average higher after a Goldman Sachs analyst raised his rating on the stock and predicted the industrial conglomerate won't have to split off its lending arm under financial industry reform proposals circulating in Congress.
The stock rose 85 cents, or 6.9 percent, to $13.11.
Bond prices were mixed after a successful auction of $28 billion of seven-year notes.
Weak demand at auctions earlier in the week raised concerns that the government might have to offer higher returns on bonds to lure in investors, which would have the negative effect of raising borrowing costs on loans such as mortgages.
The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note, which moves opposite its price, fell to 3.62 percent from 3.67 percent late Wednesday.
Light, sweet crude rose $3.57 to settle at $66.92 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange after tumbling 6 percent Wednesday on fears economic growth in China would slow and curb demand for resources. - AP
Showing posts with label Dow Jone. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dow Jone. Show all posts
Friday, July 31, 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
U.S. Stocks Rally, Dow Tops 9,000 for First Time Since January
By Matt Townsend (Bloomberg)
July 23 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. stocks rose, sending the Dow Jones Industrial Average above 9,000 for the first time since January, as EBay Inc., Ford Motor Co. and AT&T Inc. posted better-than-estimated results and home resales increased more than forecast.
EBay rallied 9.7 percent as its earnings signaled consumers’ appetite for online commerce is starting to recover. Ford jumped 9.9 percent after topping analyst estimates by paring expenses and adding market share. AT&T added 3.2 percent as new customers of Apple Inc.’s iPhone bolstered profit. D.R. Horton Inc. led homebuilders higher after sales of existing homes increased for a third straight month.
The S&P 500 advanced 2.3 percent to 975.64 at 11:41 a.m. in New York, the highest intraday level since Nov. 5. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 181.98 points, or 2.1 percent, to 9,063.24. The Nasdaq Composite Index surged 2.3 percent for a 12th straight gain, its longest streak since 1992. Benchmark indexes for Asia and Europe also rose.
“It’s been a good earnings season, given the backdrop that was there,” said Sarah Hunt, a money manager who helps oversee about $6 billion for Purchase New York-based Alpine Mutual Funds. “When you look at some of the estimates, they are expecting a better second half.”
The S&P 500 has rallied 10 percent since July 10 as earnings topped analysts’ estimates at 75 percent of the 158 companies in the index that reported results, including Caterpillar Inc., Intel Corp. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. Profits have fallen 25 percent on average from a year ago, according to data compiled by Bloomberg, less than the 33 percent drop forecast by analysts as of July 17.
‘Doing Well’
“Relative to the estimates, it looks like they are doing well,” said Stephen Wood, who helps manage $136 billion as chief market strategist for North America at Russell Investments in New York. “Part of that is an expectations game. Analyst estimates tend to lag, so some of that is a catch-up.”
EBay climbed 9.7 percent to $21.34 as the company forecast revenue in the next three months will be $2.05 billion to $2.15 billion. Analysts had estimated $2 billion.
Ford increased 9.9 percent to $7.01. The only major automaker to shun a U.S. rescue reported a second-quarter loss, excluding some items, of 21 cents a share. The average estimate of analysts surveyed by Bloomberg was for a loss of 50 cents.
“Ford looks like it’s improving its balance sheet, and its cash position looks pretty good,” said Hayes Miller, who helps manage $38 billion at Baring Asset Management Inc. in Boston. “Not only do we not have a potential for bankruptcy, but it looks like it’s improving itself at a quicker pace than Chrysler and GM.”
AT&T Climbs
AT&T added 3.2 percent to $25.64 after reporting second- quarter earnings, excluding some items of 54 cents a share, beating the average analyst estimate by 5.3 percent.
All 13 companies in a gauge of homebuilders advanced after sales of existing U.S. homes rose 3.6 percent in June to an annual rate of 4.89 million, the National Association of Realtors said in Washington. Economists in a survey had forecast an increase of 1.5 percent.
3M Co. gained 6.1 percent to $68.62, the biggest advance in the Dow, after the maker of Post-it Notes and Scotch Tape reported second-quarter profit excluding some items of $1.20 a share, beating the average analyst estimate by 28 percent. The company also raised its 2009 earnings forecast.
Fifth Third Bancorp, Ohio’s largest lender, gained 15 percent to $8.07 after reporting second-quarter earnings of $1.15 a share, compared with a loss of 37 cents a share a year earlier.
McDonald’s, Qualcomm Slump
McDonald’s Corp., the world’s largest restaurant company, sank 4.3 percent to $56.33, the biggest drop in four months. Second-quarter revenue declined more than analysts projected on slowing consumer demand and a stronger U.S. dollar.
Qualcomm Inc. declined 4.2 percent to $46.41 after the company forecast fourth-quarter sales that fell short of some analysts’ estimates, raising concern that handset demand is still slowing. Separately, South Korea’s antitrust regulator said it plans to fine the world’s biggest maker of mobile-phone chips a record 260 billion won ($208 million) for anti- competitive practices.
CIT Group Inc. slid 17 percent to 72 cents. Advisers to bondholders that rescued CIT with a $3 billion loan said creditors should push the company into Chapter 11 bankruptcy after a debt swap next month, according to a person familiar with the matter.
July 23 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. stocks rose, sending the Dow Jones Industrial Average above 9,000 for the first time since January, as EBay Inc., Ford Motor Co. and AT&T Inc. posted better-than-estimated results and home resales increased more than forecast.
EBay rallied 9.7 percent as its earnings signaled consumers’ appetite for online commerce is starting to recover. Ford jumped 9.9 percent after topping analyst estimates by paring expenses and adding market share. AT&T added 3.2 percent as new customers of Apple Inc.’s iPhone bolstered profit. D.R. Horton Inc. led homebuilders higher after sales of existing homes increased for a third straight month.
The S&P 500 advanced 2.3 percent to 975.64 at 11:41 a.m. in New York, the highest intraday level since Nov. 5. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 181.98 points, or 2.1 percent, to 9,063.24. The Nasdaq Composite Index surged 2.3 percent for a 12th straight gain, its longest streak since 1992. Benchmark indexes for Asia and Europe also rose.
“It’s been a good earnings season, given the backdrop that was there,” said Sarah Hunt, a money manager who helps oversee about $6 billion for Purchase New York-based Alpine Mutual Funds. “When you look at some of the estimates, they are expecting a better second half.”
The S&P 500 has rallied 10 percent since July 10 as earnings topped analysts’ estimates at 75 percent of the 158 companies in the index that reported results, including Caterpillar Inc., Intel Corp. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. Profits have fallen 25 percent on average from a year ago, according to data compiled by Bloomberg, less than the 33 percent drop forecast by analysts as of July 17.
‘Doing Well’
“Relative to the estimates, it looks like they are doing well,” said Stephen Wood, who helps manage $136 billion as chief market strategist for North America at Russell Investments in New York. “Part of that is an expectations game. Analyst estimates tend to lag, so some of that is a catch-up.”
EBay climbed 9.7 percent to $21.34 as the company forecast revenue in the next three months will be $2.05 billion to $2.15 billion. Analysts had estimated $2 billion.
Ford increased 9.9 percent to $7.01. The only major automaker to shun a U.S. rescue reported a second-quarter loss, excluding some items, of 21 cents a share. The average estimate of analysts surveyed by Bloomberg was for a loss of 50 cents.
“Ford looks like it’s improving its balance sheet, and its cash position looks pretty good,” said Hayes Miller, who helps manage $38 billion at Baring Asset Management Inc. in Boston. “Not only do we not have a potential for bankruptcy, but it looks like it’s improving itself at a quicker pace than Chrysler and GM.”
AT&T Climbs
AT&T added 3.2 percent to $25.64 after reporting second- quarter earnings, excluding some items of 54 cents a share, beating the average analyst estimate by 5.3 percent.
All 13 companies in a gauge of homebuilders advanced after sales of existing U.S. homes rose 3.6 percent in June to an annual rate of 4.89 million, the National Association of Realtors said in Washington. Economists in a survey had forecast an increase of 1.5 percent.
3M Co. gained 6.1 percent to $68.62, the biggest advance in the Dow, after the maker of Post-it Notes and Scotch Tape reported second-quarter profit excluding some items of $1.20 a share, beating the average analyst estimate by 28 percent. The company also raised its 2009 earnings forecast.
Fifth Third Bancorp, Ohio’s largest lender, gained 15 percent to $8.07 after reporting second-quarter earnings of $1.15 a share, compared with a loss of 37 cents a share a year earlier.
McDonald’s, Qualcomm Slump
McDonald’s Corp., the world’s largest restaurant company, sank 4.3 percent to $56.33, the biggest drop in four months. Second-quarter revenue declined more than analysts projected on slowing consumer demand and a stronger U.S. dollar.
Qualcomm Inc. declined 4.2 percent to $46.41 after the company forecast fourth-quarter sales that fell short of some analysts’ estimates, raising concern that handset demand is still slowing. Separately, South Korea’s antitrust regulator said it plans to fine the world’s biggest maker of mobile-phone chips a record 260 billion won ($208 million) for anti- competitive practices.
CIT Group Inc. slid 17 percent to 72 cents. Advisers to bondholders that rescued CIT with a $3 billion loan said creditors should push the company into Chapter 11 bankruptcy after a debt swap next month, according to a person familiar with the matter.
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