Chicago PMI

Meet the new quarter; same as the old quarter. The silver lining is that the ugliness isn’t quite as ugly as in the recent past. Hopes for a “V-shaped” recovery took a blow Wednesday as April opened and last week’s rally went up in smoke. Major indices gave away a decent-...

U.S. stocks inched higher on Wednesday as the Dow and S&P 500 closed the day at record highs and investors and traders were dealt a heavy flow of economic data. According to U.S. data, durable goods rose in October while unemployment benefits also rose last week. Personal income and...

U.S. stocks surged on Friday, lifting the Dow and S&P 500 to new all-time high record closes. Investors were treated to news of a surprise stimulus expansion from the Bank of Japan. The Japanese central bank increased its yearly target for monetary expansion to 80-trillion yen ($724 billion...

U.S. stocks posted steep losses as investors had plenty to worry about. Unable to reach a last-minute settlement, Argentina defaulted on its debt obligations. Naturally, as a global economy, the credit of one country affects other countries worldwide. The Labor Department reported that U.S....

U.S. stocks were little changed as the second quarter comes to an end. Investors and traders are likely spending the last day of the quarter the same way they did to ring in the quarter: questioning the direction of the U.S. economy and wondering what is in store in the coming quarter. One...

U.S. stocks were mostly higher on the final trading day of May, as both the S&P 500 and Dow indices close at record highs, despite disappointing consumer spending data reported on Friday morning. Loretta Mester, the soon to be Cleveland Fed President argued in a speech the importance of...

U.S. stocks rose in the final day of the first quarter as the Fed's boss Janet Yellen said there is still room for the central bank to further boost the economy. Yellen, speaking in Chicago today, said the scars from the Great Recession remain, and reaching our goals will take time." Yellen...

U.S. stocks fell steeply on Friday as Wall Street recorded its first monthly loss since August. Investors have plenty on their plate to worry about from emerging markets, an earning season failing to ignite excitement and a lackluster consumer confidence that is being felt by many retailers who...

As markets completed its final trading day of 2013, investors and traders can look back at what turned out to be a spectacular year for equities. U.S. stocks had its best year in over a decade fueled by an improving economy and the Fed's easy money policies. Commodities on the other hand have...

Major indices crawled higher on light volume, which was to be expected. The Nasdaq to new highs that haven't been seen since September 2000, while the other major indices failed to hold on to earlier gains, but still finished in positive territory. On Thursday, the markets will take a much...

Futures Higher Heading Into FOMC Decision, Second Quarter GDP U.S. equity futures rose slightly in early pre-market trade ahead of some key economic data from around the world. Also, the FOMC rate decision is due out today after the first look at second quarter GDP but there will be no press...

Weekly Preview: Earnings Season Continues, Fed In Focus, Economic Maelstrom Expected Next week, earnings season continues with hundreds of companies set to report earnings. Also, there is a flood of economic data due out in the next week from around the world. Further, the Federal Reserve, the...

Futures Rise On Better Japan Data U.S. equity futures rose in early pre-market trade following lots of stronger than expected economic data from Japan. Better manufacturing data as well industrial production figures boosted assets pre-markets as fears that the massive stimulus will fail abated...

Next week, key economic data points will be the focus of markets as the end of quarter earnings lull comes to an end. However, a few key earnings reports are expected and could also move markets. Key Earnings Earnings from key companies next week including Lennar (NYSE: LEN), General Mills (NYSE:...

News coverage over the past day has focused on a CNBC report that Reuters and the University of Michigan were gaming investors by selling their Consumer Confidence Survey early to premium and super premium customers. Is this really news? Is this really a crisis? Is this different to the way it...