stock markets

Wall Streeters throughout 2011 became starry eyed when they talked about tech stocks. But they still had a soft spot in their hearts for traditional media companies all year long. Five of the seven companies in the Big Media group beat the Dow Jones Industrial Average’s 6.1% increase (through December 29th) — four of them by a lot.

The four-week average of unemployment claims fell to a three-and-a-half-year low Thursday, an indication that hiring could pick up. This drove stocks higher.

Worrying news Wednesday from the European Central Bank overshadowed two successful auctions of Italian government debt, resulting in weaker stock values.

Traders were relieved Friday by news that Congress extended a payroll tax holiday for workers and emergency unemployment benefits. The final business day before Christmas also was the slowest full day of trading so far this year. Traders exchanged just 2.22 billion shares, about half of the recent average.

Stocks closed higher Thursday on better job market news. The Conference Board also reported that its measure of future economic activity had a big increase last month. It was the second straight gain, signaling that the U.S. economy was picking up speed and the risk of another recession was fading.

A rare earnings miss by Oracle raised worries that weak government and business spending might hurt other big technology companies, resulting in mixed market averages Wednesday.

Stocks soared Tuesday after the Spanish government pulled off a successful debt auction and gauges of business and consumer confidence in Germany rose unexpectedly.

The stock market took a late afternoon fall Monday after European Union finance ministers failed to come up with the full amount of money pledged for a bailout fund.

The Dow began Friday with gains, but turned mixed around midday as Fitch warned that it might downgrade the debt of Italy, Spain and four other countries that use the euro.

Better manufacturing and employment news sent stocks higher Thursday. Before the market opened, the government reported that the number of people applying for unemployment benefits dropped sharply last week to 366,000, the fewest level since May 2008.

Stocks and the euro slid Wednesday as worries about Europe persisted. Investors dumped assets that might be seen as risky and piled into the most conservative ones around: the dollar and U.S. government debt.

Stocks slipped Tuesday after the Federal Reserve warned of market strains. The Fed portrayed the U.S. economy as slightly healthier but cautioned that it remains vulnerable to the European debt crisis.

Stocks fell Monday after Fitch and Moody’s knocked last week’s euro deal.

Lack of European Central Bank bond-buying plan sent stocks lower on Thursday. European stock indexes fell and the euro weakened against the dollar.

Stocks closed mixed Wednesday as traders hope that European countries will link their budgets more closely and impose greater fiscal discipline on heavily indebted nations like Greece.

Stocks were stuck in neutral for most of the day after S&P said it might downgrade the AAA rating of Europe’s bailout fund. A report in the Financial Times late in the afternoon sent the Dow up as many as 117 points. The newspaper reported that European leaders are considering making more financial aid available to struggling countries.

Stocks rose Monday despite a threatened credit downgrade of euro countries that surprisingly included Germany.

A surprise drop in the U.S. unemployment rate sent stocks higher in early trading, but the gains fizzled throughout the afternoon.

Stocks wavered Thursday, a day after the market’s biggest rally in two years. Another rise in applications for weekly unemployment benefits dampened the mood.

A move by the world’s central banks to lower the cost of borrowing exhilarated investors Wednesday, sending the Dow Jones industrial average soaring 490 points and easing fears of a global credit crisis.

Good news in consumer confidence and progress in Europe’s debt crisis sent stocks mostly higher Tuesday.

Retail stocks spiked after initial reports showed a record number of shoppers hit the mall or bought gifts online during the holiday weekend. And markets in Europe also surged as leaders there discussed previously unthinkable approaches for containing the region’s debt troubles, such as joint bond sales and a tighter fiscal union.

Stocks closed lower Wednesday after traders were spooked by the poor results at an auction of German debt, which drew too few bids to sell all of the 10-year notes being offered.

The supercommittee’s announcement that it was unable to agree on a $1.2 trillion deficit reduction plan wrecked havoc on the stock market on Monday and hammered the share prices of nearly all of the major entertainment and media companies.

Investor sold big following news that the Congressional supercommittee couldn’t come to an agreement on how to cut the federal budget deficit.

Stocks closed out the week Friday little changed as worries over Europe’s financial state eased.

Stocks sank again Thursday following concerns over Spain’s borrowing costs and a stalemate in the U.S. Congress over cutting the budget deficit.

Stocks sank Wednesday following release of a report by the Fitch credit ratings agency saying that U.S. banks could be “greatly affected” if Europe’s debt crisis continues to spread beyond the financially distressed countries of like Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain.

Stocks edged higher Tuesday following news of retail sales gains.

Stocks slipped Monday after Italian bond sales renewed fears over the health of the euro.

Since the start of the fall TV season, a key Wall Street stock market index of publicly traded media companies has seen a 14% rise. The Dow Jones U.S. Broadcasting & Entertainment Index hit 475.65 in midday trading on Nov. 11. That’s 13.9% higher than the first week of the new TV broadcast season — starting the week of Sept. 19 — when the index was at around 417.

Stocks climbed Friday after Italy’s Senate passed a crucial austerity budget demanded by the European Union. The passage clears the way for Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi to step down.

Progress in Europe’s debt crisis and an unexpected drop in unemployment claims pushed stocks higher Thursday.

Stocks ended lower Wednesday after the euro dropped 2% against the dollar and Treasury yields sank as money moved out of Europe and traders bought U.S. government bonds.

Stocks rose Tuesday following the news that Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi promised to resign once a new budget was passed.

U.S. indexes were down for much of the day on worries that Italy could become the next country to run into trouble, but then turned higher after 2 p.m. ET.

Stocks recovered Wednesday from a two-day slump, boosted by strong corporate earnings reports and a bump up in hiring by private companies.

Greek turmoil sent stock markets in the U.S. and around the world lower Tuesday.

Optimism ebbed on Friday as analysts raised questions about the Greece debt crisis plan, which left out many key details about how the fund would work. European markets mostly fell, and the euro declined against the dollar.

Stocks ended higher Wednesday following reports that China has agreed to invest in Europe’s financial rescue fund, which will be used to support struggling countries and banks in the European Union.