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U.S. markets slid Friday after the Commerce Department said consumer spending in July rose 0.2 percent. The month-to-month increase was in line with expectations and a drop from June's 0.6 percent increase over May. In early afternoon trading, the Dow Jones industrial average dropped 41.87 points or 0.44 percent to 9,538.76. The S&P 500 index shed 2.92 or 0.28 percent to 1,028.06. The Nasdaq composite index slid 1.16 or 0.06 percent to 2,026.57. The benchmark 10-year Treasury rose 3/32...

U.S. markets closed mixed Friday after the Commerce Department said consumer spending in July rose 0.2 percent. The month-to-month increase was in line with expectations and a drop from June's 0.6 percent increase over May. But markets wavered, ending a streak of eight consecutive positive trading sessions. By close, the Dow Jones industrial average dropped 36.43 points, or 0.38 percent, to 9,544.20. The S&P 500 index shed 2.05, or 0.2 percent, to 1,028.93. The Nasdaq composite index...

U.S. markets turned lower Thursday despite a better-than-expected report on the second quarter gross domestic product. Economists expected the revised report to show a GDP contraction of 1.5 percent. The Commerce Department, however, stuck with the previous estimate of a 1 percent contraction. In early afternoon trading, the Dow Jones industrial average fell 6.12 points or 0.06 percent to 9,537.40. The S&P 500 dropped 4.82 or 0.47 percent to 1,023.30. The Nasdaq index shed 18.46 or 0.91...

U.S. markets turned lower Thursday despite a better-than-expected report on the second quarter gross domestic product. Economists expected the revised report to show a GDP contraction of 1.5 percent. The Commerce Department, however, stuck with the previous estimate of a 1 percent contraction. In midmorning trading, the Dow Jones industrial average fell 66.11 points, 0.7 percent, to 9,476.41. The S&P 500 dropped 0.95 percent, 9.81 points, to 1,018.31. The Nasdaq index shed 25.48 points,...

U.S. stock markets were lower in midmorning trading Wednesday, continuing the lackluster performance they registered toward the end of Tuesday's session. Analysts questioned whether the momentum the markets have shown in recent months may be reaching an end as the Dow Jones Industrial Average opened Wednesday by dropping 46.43 points to 9.492.66, a loss of 0.49 percent. The Nasdaq composite index was down 7.46 or 0.37 percent to 2,106.77, while the S&P 500 was off 5.65 or 0.55 percent...

U.S. stock markets were lower in early afternoon trading Wednesday, heading back into negative territory after getting a boost from positive housing news. New home sales surged in July, rising 9.6 percent over the previous month's rate, the U.S. Commerce Department reported Wednesday. But the news only briefly buoyed markets in late morning trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 10.36 points to 9.528.93, a loss of 0.11 percent. The Nasdaq composite index was down 8.39 points or...

Japan's July trade surplus totaled 380 billion yen or $4.03 billion due to a sharp drop in imports while exports declined, the government said Wednesday. The July number was the sixth straight month of a surplus, the Finance Ministry said, Kyodo news reported. July exports fell 36.5 percent from a year earlier to 4,844.66 billion yen or $51.43 billion. During the same month, imports fell 40.8 percent to 4,464.42 billion yen or $47.4 billion, the report said. The ministry said the pace of...

U.S. stock markets ended slightly higher in late afternoon trading Tuesday as investors tempered their reactions to positive consumer confidence findings. After spiking to new 2009 highs earlier in the session, the Dow Jones Industrial average ended by gaining 30 points or 0.32 percent to end at 9,539.29. It had been buoyed earlier by a Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index report indicating the index had moved by from 47.4 percent in July to 54.1, ending two straight months of...

U.S. stock markets remained higher in early afternoon trading Tuesday as a key index of consumer sentiment delivered good news. The Dow Jones Industrial average had gained 93.04 points or 0.98 percent to 9,602.32, buoyed by a Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index report indicating the index had moved by from 47.4 percent in July to 54.1, ending two straight months of declines. The Nasdaq composite index was up 17.58 or 0.87 percent to 2,035.56, while the Standard & Poor's 500's...

U.S. stocks moved higher in early afternoon trading Monday as investors built on a rally triggered by positive economic news. The increases followed Friday's news about higher-than-expected home sales and comments from Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke about emerging from the recession, analysts said. The Dow Jones industrial average was up 0.58 percent to 9,560.83, up 54.87 points. The Nasdaq index stood at 2,027.74, up 6.84 points for a 0.34 percent increase, while the...