Nasdaq

NEW YORK -- U.S. stocks were mixed yesterday, careening through a volatile session marked by continued concern about rising interest rates and inflation. Technology stocks fell sharply, bearing the brunt of investors' pessimism.The Dow Jones industrial average rose 96.57 to close at 10,116.28. Most of the gain occurred in the final 30 minutes of trading. Earlier in the session, the Dow was up as much as 108 points and down as much as 43 points from Friday's close.The Standard & Poor's 500 rose 6.72 to 1,254.

NEW YORK -- U.S. stocks, led by oil shares, rose yesterday amid speculation that Exxon Corp.'s talks to buy Mobil Corp. will spark more mergers. A rally in computer shares such as Microsoft Corp. and Internet stocks sent the Nasdaq Composite Index to its first record since July 20.The possibility of an Exxon-Mobil combination "is going to start merger mania again," said Tim Chesterfield, who helps manage $2.65 billion at Pavilion Asset Management in Brighton, England. Chesterfield said he owns Exxon and may buy more oil stocks.

Seizing on an unexpectedly good earnings report from Cisco Systems Inc. as a reason to jump back into the stock market yesterday, optimistic investors sent the Dow Jones industrial average soaring more than 300 points and the Nasdaq to the eighth-biggest percentage gain in its history. "It's sure nice to see it. We had a rough six weeks," said Andy Brooks, head of equity trading at T. Rowe Price Associates in Baltimore. "It's overdue." Even so, analysts said they weren't sure yesterday's rally would be sustainable.

NEW YORK -- U.S. stocks tumbled yesterday as the Nasdaq stock market volume set a record, and profit warnings from FTP Software Inc. and Microdyne Corp. fed concern that earnings are weakening at dozens of computer companies.Rising Treasury bond yields worsened the drop in stocks. An abrupt break in talks between the White House and Congress aimed at balancing the federal budget undermined confidence that interest rates will fall.The Dow Jones industrial average fell 20.23 to 5,173.84, its first decline this year, as yields on 30-year government bonds rose to 6.04 percent from 5.96 percent.

U.S. stocks suffered their broadest decline in almost a month yesterday amid concern that rising interest rates will erode corporate profits. The Nasdaq composite index snapped a 10-day streak of records.Shares of J. P. Morgan & Co., Merck & Co. and AT&T Corp. helped lead stocks lower after the government said the nation's economy grew faster than expected in the first quarter.The Dow Jones industrial average closed down 76.95 at 5,498.27, its worst day since April 8, after falling 99.35 points.

NEW YORK -- U.S. stocks soared yesterday, snapping a four-day losing streak, as the Nasdaq composite index reached an all-time high and investors bought shares of computer companies whose profits would excel even if interest rates don't fall further.The gains came after Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, in the second day of his semiannual speech to Congress about the state of the economy, partially restored optimism that the central bank will trim borrowing rates enough to boost companies' sales later this year.

NEW YORK -- U.S. stocks were mixed yesterday, as oil shares rallied on expectations that higher gasoline prices will fuel improved earnings and semiconductor shares retreated.The Nasdaq composite index set its eighth straight record, buoyed by a forecast from Dell Computer Corp. of strong corporate demand for personal computers.The Dow Jones industrial average rose 5.42 to 5,573.41. The widely watched average has gained less than seven points, or 0.16 percent, in a week as investors wait for a clear indication of the economy's direction.

NEW YORK -- U.S. stocks rebounded from early losses yesterday to push the Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor's 500 index to records. Gains in telephone shares tempered a computer-industry slump led by Sun Microsystems Inc.For a second day, a round of better-than-expected earnings reports from the nation's biggest companies was met with a lackluster early response, but by day's end, stocks regained lost ground.The Dow industrials rose 16.03 to 6,020.81, making up about 50 points, 35 in the last hour.

NEW YORK -- U.S. stocks fell for a fourth time in five days as concern spread that interest rates might rise and lure investors away from stock investments. Chrysler Corp. and General Motors Corp. led the slide.The highest bond yields in more than a month led some investors to conclude that the risk of owning stocks may not be worth the additional return over an investment in fixed-income investments like certificates of deposit or Treasury bills.The Dow Jones industrial average fell 66.20 to 6,852.

NEW YORK -- U.S. stocks closed narrowly mixed yesterday after a lackluster session, as traders, chastened by Tuesday's big drop, refrained from placing any big bets.NATO's launch of airstrikes against Yugoslavia had no apparent effect on the market. Technology stocks, hit hard Tuesday, recovered some ground.The Dow Jones industrial average fell for the fourth straight day, finishing down 4.99, to 9,666.84, after trading in a narrow range all day.Worries that earnings would not meet expectations sent the Dow 218.68 lower Tuesday, giving the blue-chip index its second-biggest point loss of the year.