Stocks surged higher today as another round of corporate takeovers prodded investors to continue a largely uninterrupted months-long buying streak.

US stocks fell slightly but showed more signs of stability today as investors sifted through new economic data and found little reason to resume last week’s heavy selling pace.

Wall Street stocks jumped today, pushing up the Dow Jones industrials by more than 100 points as a report that two companies are trying to buy Alcoa Inc. stoked investors’ hopes for a pickup in takeover activity.

Wall Street eked out a modest advance today after investors found little motivation in remarks by Federal Reserve officials and also shrugged off a warning from chip maker National Semiconductor Inc.

Stocks climbed higher for the second straight day today as an already buoyant Wall Street embraced robust consumer spending figures and largely overcame disappointment in Google Inc.’s profit report. Both the Dow Jones industrials and the Russell 2000 index of smaller companies closed at new highs.

Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez is set to assume unbridled powers to remake society as the National Assembly prepares to grant him authority to enact sweeping measures by presidential decree.

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.

Stocks barely budged today, ending narrowly mixed after yields on the 30-year Treasury note briefly hit 5% and investors grew skittish a day ahead of the Federal Reserve's first meeting of the year.

Wall Street rose for a second straight session today after the government’s latest gross domestic product reading showed the economy was in better shape than expected, easing concerns that growth was moderating too sharply. The Dow Jones industrials rose 90 points.

Enron founder Kenneth Lay, who was convicted of helping perpetuate one of the most sprawling business frauds in US history, died yesterday in Aspen, Colorado.

Inflation fears sent stocks plunging in the United States today as jitters over high oil prices exacerbated signals that the Federal Reserve will keep lifting interest rates to contain price increases.

Wall Street closed moderately lower today after worries about the impact of high oil prices on the economy triggered a late-day drop, erasing an earlier moderate advance.

Democrats in the United States today accused the Republican-led Congress of providing tax cuts to oil companies at a time when the industry enjoys record profits and many motorists struggle to deal with rising petrol prices.

Stocks soared today on news that Federal Reserve policymakers believed their run of interest rate hikes is probably nearing an end, propelling the Dow Jones industrials up nearly 200 points.

US President George Bush said today the vision of a Palestinian state cannot be realised if a Hamas-led government refuses to renounce its desire to destroy Israel.

Stocks finished a lackluster session narrowly mixed today as investors made few moves ahead of the Federal Reserve’s decision on interest rates.

US stocks rose moderately today as investors digested Tuesday’s gains, which followed the Federal Reserve’s signal that it may be nearing the end of its streak of short-term interest rate hikes.

Huge oil company profits at a time when motorists are paying very high prices for fuel have sent shivers through a US Congress worried about the political fallout.

US stocks tumbled today, slicing 115 points from the Dow Jones industrials after a larger-than-expected drop in durable goods orders raised new questions about the economy and corporate profits.

Wall Street’s chronic inflation fears sent stocks skidding today as a sharp jump in wholesale prices overshadowed strong profit reports from several Dow Jones industrials. Heavy selling in the energy sector also pressured the major indexes.

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

CRUDE oil prices dropped sharply yesterday, the second straight day of declines, as traders welcomed news that Hurricane Rita had weakened, suggesting that damage to refinery capacity in the Gulf could be less severe than originally feared.

Wall Street finished an uninspired session mixed today as a new record high in oil prices was partly offset by a better-than-expected reading of the nation’s industrial activity and strong sales at Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

Stocks rose for a fourth session in a row on Wall Street today.

Stocks rose for a fourth session in a row on Wall Street today.

As Iraq’s political factions move closer to forming a new government, the world’s oil leaders are dusting off their Baghdad contact books with an eye toward lucrative production agreements.

A better-than-expected reading of the United States’ gross domestic product sent stocks substantially higher for the third straight session today, with the Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor’s 500 index each posting its best close of the year.

Interest rate fears drove a major sell-off on Wall Street today, with the Dow Jones industrial average closing below 10,000 for the first time since December 10 and sending all three major indexes to their lows for the year.

Stocks were mixed in New York today as investors sought a direction for the market.

Two workers have been killed in a blast at an oil depot on New York’s Staten Island which occurred as a petrol barge was being unloaded.