FEARS were growing last night for the jobs of over 100 workers in Castleisland, Co Kerry, as a US company with a facility in the town confirmed it was reviewing its international operations.

A total of 101 jobs at a plant in Castleisland, Co Kerry are at risk.

Stocks edged higher after zigzagging in quiet trading today on mixed reports about the US economy and corporate earnings.

THE IDA, which has been strongly criticised in Kerry for not securing enough jobs for the county, yesterday came up with some good news.

Seventy new jobs are on the way to Co Kerry.

Wall Street advanced for a fourth session in a row today as robust earnings at Exxon Mobil and Aetna helped ground investors as they tried to reconcile divergent economic data.

Wall Street’s momentum sagged today, leaving the major indexes mixed after investors’ enthusiasm over a six-year low in unemployment claims and strong corporate earnings waned in the face of longer-term economic worries.

Investor confidence in the United States raced ahead today as the Standard & Poor’s 500 index and Nasdaq composite index both reached four-year highs.

Another sharp drop in oil prices helped Wall Street overcome profit-taking and extend its rally to a third straight session today.

US investors today used the latest round of disappointing economic data as an excuse to gather profits and send stocks lower.

Wall Street had a mixed session today as investors applauded a surprisingly strong third-quarter gross domestic product report but nonetheless worried that the increase could not be sustained.

EARNINGS which were stronger-than-expected from internet bellwether Yahoo! and a recovery in some recently hard-hit blue-chip issues combined to boost US stocks at midday yesterday, one session after stocks hit new multi-year lows.

US stocks rallied today, boosted by encouraging news on jobless claims and earnings from Yahoo and Aetna.

US investors, attracted to Wall Street by cheaper prices, today set aside nagging pessimism about the economy and indulged in late-session buying.

Profit warnings from Ciena and Lucent Technologies, and news of more layoffs and deteriorating retail sales, unnerved Wall Street today and prompted heavy selling.