Fear drove Wall Street to one of its most dramatic days in years yesterday.

Stocks on Wall Street ended mostly higher yesterday despite the US government’s latest jobs report, which showed a sharp decline in hiring last month.

The stock market ended flat yesterday as traders hoped for more economic stimulus from the Federal Reserve, and worried about escalating tensions between the US and Syria.

UNPRECEDENTED times call for unprecedented measures, and this week’s Government bailout package for Irish banks was certainly a pioneering departure.