Wall Street shrugged off a discouraging consumer confidence report today and sent stocks modestly higher as investors placed bets after several days of declines.

A tepid productivity report gave investors more reasons to sell today, sending stocks moderately lower and carrying the Dow Jones industrials and Standard & Poor’s 500 index to levels not seen in nearly four months.

US STOCKS retreated from early gains

Powered by a batch of surprisingly good earnings reports, US stocks soared ahead today with the Dow Jones industrials rising more than 375 points for a four-day gain of nearly 1,000.

Share prices were higher in choppy trade as defensive buying in the pharmaceutical sector, gains among technology stocks and tobacco companies helped offset a weak retail sector after Sears issued a third-quarter profit warning, dealers said.

Profit-taking and a larger-than-expected decline in consumer confidence put pressure on US stocks today, but the market still managed to hang on to most of its huge rally.

Share prices closed moderately lower after a session that was unusually tranquil by recent standards and caused some optimists to ponder whether the recently chaotic market could be approaching a sustainable bottom, dealers said.

The Dow Jones industrial index crashed through its post-terror attack low today in a dramatic 390-point selloff after news of a US government investigation at Johnson & Johnson gave already uneasy investors another reason to pull back.

The Dow Jones industrial index crashed through its post-terror attack low today in a dramatic 390-point selloff after news of a US government investigation at Johnson & Johnson gave already uneasy investors another reason to pull back.

Wall Street managed a sharp rebound today, rising sharply despite allegations of insider trading at ImClone and more profit warnings.

Wall Street’s hopes of a recovery fizzled out tonight after mixed retail reports persuaded investors to play it safe and cash in their gains from the huge rally a day earlier.

Encouraged by news that the manufacturing sector has begun its recovery and that consumers are spending solidly, investors sent stocks surging higher today, propelling the Dow Jones up more than 260 points for its best day in five months.

Wall Street gained momentum today, surging higher for the second straight day on the Federal Reserve’s positive outlook for the economy.

A stronger-than-expected forecast from Compaq Computer failed to incite buying on Wall Street today as investors, playing it cautious, decided to collect some of their profits from last week’s rally.

US-based Enron Corporation, once the world’s largest energy trader, slid toward bankruptcy in one of the most spectacular downfalls Wall Street has ever seen after its would-be rescuer Dynegy Inc. backed out of an $8.4bn deal to take it over.

Investors pushed stocks lower today, knocking the Nasdaq composite index to its lowest level since April.

Once, the summer months were marked by a stream of big-name stars opening their latest blockbuster films.