General Electric Co topped Wall Street’s profit and revenue forecasts for the first quarter, helped by strong demand for energy equipment and railroad locomotives — after taking a $200m (€152.5m) hit on its Irish mortgage business

Nagging worries about inflation bogged Wall Street down today with investors sending stocks lower as they tried to reconcile solid economic and earnings news, reports of anthrax discovered at the Pentagon, and a gloomy outlook on semiconductor stocks.

Investors struggled past concerns over a potential terror strike on New York targets, including Wall Street, today, sending stocks modestly higher.

The Walt Disney Co. said it will buy the Muppets characters, including Kermit, Miss Piggy and others, franchise from The Jim Henson Co.

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