A quiet day on Wall Street yesterday turned into the worst sell-off in three months after a Federal Reserve official said he doubted the bank's effort to boost economic growth would work.

A quiet day on Wall Street turned into the worst sell-off in three months after a Federal Reserve official said he doubted the bank’s effort to boost economic growth would work.

US employers created only 69,000 jobs in May, the fewest in a year, and the unemployment rate ticked up, denting President Barack Obama's re-election chances.

The US saw the best start for stocks in 15 years, as in what was mostly a slow and steady climb, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 3.4% in January and the Standard & Poor’s 500 gained 4.4%.

GLOBAL demand for liquid dairy products (LDP) will grow by 30% from now to 2020, according to the latest market report by Tetra Pak.

THE euro weakened against most major counterparts on speculation the European Central Bank (ECB) has finished raising rates as the region’s sovereign-debt crisis curbs economic growth.

Stocks pared their losses today after President Barack Obama and Republican lawmakers promised to seek a compromise before the end of the year on extending Bush-era tax cuts.

Wall Street stocks ended lower today on lingering fears that Europe’s debt crisis will continue to spread even after Ireland gets bailed out.

The FTSE 100 Index just managed to keep its head above water today after spending much of the session in the red following mixed economic data from the US and concerns over European debt.

A disappointing report on consumer confidence and a more sober assessment of the US economy pulled shares down from 13-month highs on the New York Stock Exchange today.

US stocks mostly fell today as mixed reports on home prices and consumer confidence gave investors little incentive to step into the market.

Stocks mostly fell today but ended off their lows as investors moved into technology and health care shares.

Wall Street staged a big advance in the penultimate session of 2008 today after Washington’s latest lifeline to the car industry bolstered hopes that the US government will do whatever is necessary to cut short the recession.

Wall Street closed mixed today after investors largely shrugged off a jump in oil prices and focused instead on a bullish analyst call on Lehman Brothers Holdings that eased worries about the financial sector.

Wall Street turned in a mixed performance today as investors watched the price of oil regain ground and decided to cash in some of their gains from the stock market’s big rally last week.

Wall Street closed mixed today after weakness in the technology sector punctured some of the market’s enthusiasm over a report that suggested the economy could still be growing.

Wall Street capped a volatile week with a big advance today, rebounding from a steep sell-off as investors sought bargains and cheered a milder-than-expected drop in a regional manufacturing report.

The stock market finished with a sharp loss today after bleak readings on the economy heightened investors’ fears of a recession. The Dow Jones industrial average fell more than 140 points.

Wall Street advanced sharply today as the Federal Reserve opened a two-day meeting expected to bring another interest rate cut to revitalise the US economy.

Stocks finished higher today as investors set aside some concerns about several downbeat economic reports and focused on strong profits from Oracle Corp.

Low consumer confidence, plunging house prices and the rising chances of a recession in the US will have a “very serious” knock-on effect for the UK, a leading economic adviser in England has warned.

The Federal Reserve cut the cost of borrowing by a quarter of a percent today.

Wall Street gave up a big advance and turned lower today as investors suffered a renewed case of the jitters ahead of the Federal Reserve’s meeting on interest rates later this week.

Wall Street retreated modestly in wobbly trading today, putting its buying spree on pause to mull over mixed economic data.

Wall Street finished higher on Tuesday as investors shrugged off disappointing housing and consumer confidence data to focus on a raft of stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings.

US stocks finished mixed today after consumer prices showed a larger-than-expected increase in January and minutes from the Federal Reserve’s last meeting showed the central bank considered but decided against taking a more dovish tone on the threat of inflation.

US stocks finished moderately higher in an uneven session today as optimism about the economy helped investors overcome some of their uneasiness about the Federal Reserve’s decision on interest rates.

Wall Street rebounded today, rising moderately as crude oil surged more than two dollars a barrel and triggered a rally among energy producers.

ESB chief executive Padraig McManus and Bank of Ireland head Brian Goggin have been appointed to the Conference Board, the global business membership and research organisation.

Stocks advanced modestly today after Wall Street shrugged off a sharp drop in orders for manufactured goods and took comfort in the first gain in existing home sales in eight months.

Wall Street fell sharply today after the Philadelphia Federal Reserve surprised investors by announcing that its broadest measure of manufacturing activity fell to a negative reading for the first time since April 2003, renewing investor fears that the economy could be cooling too quickly.

Wall Street advanced for a second session in a row today after minutes from the latest Federal Reserve meeting failed to produce any bombshells about the US economy, and oil prices dropped below $70 a barrel.

Wall Street slumped today as investors looked past another round of acquisitions and grew increasingly anxious about the Federal Reserve’s upcoming decision on interest rates. The Dow Jones industrials tumbled more than 120 points.

Wall Street posted a moderate decline today, giving back part of the previous session’s gains as investors once again fretted about interest rates and the economy.

Higher oil prices and sliding consumer confidence sent stocks plunging today as a weak sales report from Wal-Mart Stores Inc. raised concerns about discretionary spending.The Dow Jones industrial skidded almost 185 points.

US stocks drooped today after a robust reading on the economy, minutes from the most recent meeting of the Federal Reserve and the continuation of a solid earnings season cemented the feeling on the Street that additional rate hikes are a near certainty.

US stocks could take off this week as investors get their first read on the holiday shopping season.

Wall Street closed lower in profit-taking today after the previous session’s big gain, though the market held on reasonably well despite a surprising drop in consumer confidence and a disappointing forecast from Texas Instruments Inc.

Wall Street ended a erratic quarter with a modest advance today as falling oil prices helped ease concerns about a weakening consumer environment following hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Most US stocks closed higher today after Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said the economy has weathered the increase in oil prices “reasonably well”.

Wall Street lifted itself out of a fourth day of losses today, closing higher as Hurricane Rita weakened slightly and veered away from many oil refineries.

Wall Street struggled through an indecisive session today, finishing mixed as investors grappled with higher energy costs, the prospect of declining earnings growth and a slower US economy.

Another series of attacks in London unnerved Wall Street today, sending stocks falling as investors looked past strong earnings and China’s decision to revalue its currency.

Wall Street slipped lower but still held on to most of its recent gains today as investors, their confidence in the economy growing, reacted calmly to oil prices that approached US$60 (€49.36) per barrel.