Wall Street made an auspicious start to December today with stocks soaring as investors welcomed inflation-friendly economic data and hoped the November rally would continue through year-end.

Nervous US investors sent stocks skidding today as a terrorist attack in Madrid overshadowed mostly good economic news and bullish forecasts from several companies.

A late-day sellof in technology issues ahead of Hewlett-Packar’s earnings led Wall Street lower today, wiping out an advance attributed to solid earnings and economics news.