Wall Street nosedived today after an upswing in consumer prices intensified US investors’ fears that the Federal Reserve will extend its nearly two-year string of interest rate increases.

Wall Street ended today mixed, with an analyst’s upgrade of General Motors carrying the Dow Jones industrials to a fresh six-year high and within reach of its all-time best close.

Wall Street gave up early gains and closed mostly lower today after oil prices topped US$75 (€60.78) a barrel for the first time.

Lower oil prices and a rebound in manufacturing activity helped Wall Street extend its rally today, lifting the Dow Jones industrials to a fresh five-year high for the fourth straight session.

A string of positive earnings reports renewed confidence in US stocks today and sent the major indexes sharply higher as investors shook off a steep loss posted by General Motors.

Wall Street slogged through an uneven trading session today, finishing mixed as investors grappled with troubling consumer spending patterns, slower growth from the manufacturing sector and the latest news of Hurricane Katrina’s damage.

Stocks made a strong move higher Monday as a new spate of merger activity and a surprising rise in home sales restored investors’ confidence in the economy and eased fears of inflation and higher interest rates.

The Dow Jones industrial average moved into positive territory for the year today as investors piled back into the market.

US investors filled with holiday cheer sent Wall Street’s major indexes to new highs today, extending the stock market’s winning steak despite a plummeting dollar and signs of weaker consumer spending.

Stocks bounded higher today as investors shrugged off a fresh indicator of rising inflation, but climbing oil prices kept a lid on gains.

Soaring oil prices trumped positive earnings news today, sending stocks skidding as investors rushed to take profits on new fears that the market is in the midst of a commodities bubble.

Technology stocks led Wall Street lower today after an uninspiring employment report failed to ease investors’ concerns over Intel’s profit outlook. The major indexes finished the week mixed.

A late-session buying spurt gave US stocks a moderate lift today.

The bears returned to Wall Street today, sending stocks lower as oil prices rose, a downbeat outlook from Cisco Systems weighed on technology shares and investors started having second thoughts about this week’s interest rate hike.

Economic uncertainty overshadowed a peaceful and early transfer of power in Iraq today, cutting off a rally and leaving stocks modestly lower while investors fretted about the Federal Reserve’s imminent decision on interest rates.

Wall Street extended its slide today as a pair of economic reports carried a conflicting message to investors: the growing economy is fuelling a job market recovery but also allowing inflation to rise.

US stocks ended a volatile session mixed today as late-day bargain-hunting erased most of the market’s earlier declines, helping the Dow Jones industrial average recover from a loss at one stage of more than 160 points.