Rally In Stocks

NEW YORK -- U.S. stocks closed mixed yesterday as technology shares rallied amid optimism that Microsoft Corp.'s Windows 95 will go on sale on time. Concern that interest rates will rise weighed on the Dow Jones industrial average.The Justice Department announced late Tuesday that it won't block the debut of Microsoft Corp.'s Windows 95 on Aug. 24. That spurred gains in other computer-related shares whose products depend on Microsoft technology."This removes a cloud over Microsoft which has been there forever and for any company that's involved with Windows 95 -- it's super-positive," said Anthony Conroy, managing director in charge of equity trading at Bankers Trust's Global Investment Management division.

NEW YORK -- U.S. stocks closed little changed yesterday as nagging concern that the Federal Reserve will push interest rates higher to curb inflation offset a bounce in oil companies' shares."

NEW YORK - U.S. stocks rebounded in the final 90 minutes of trading yesterday, wiping out losses to finish a fifth winning week in six, as natural gas and oil shares climbed. Exxon Mobil Corp. and General Electric Co. lifted the Standard & Poor's 500 Index and the Dow Jones industrial average. Declines in Palm Inc., Dell Computer Corp. and Agilent Technologies Inc. limited the Nasdaq composite index's gain. The Dow advanced 53.16, or 0.5 percent, to 11,301.74, its highest close since Sept.

It's great to buy stocks in a recession.Unless, of course, there aren't any stocks worth buying.The Orange County Register's panel of investment experts is apparently getting a touch skittish when it comes to holding stocks these days.Sure, the seven analysts increased their recommended exposure to stocks in the fourth quarter to 61 percent of a portfolio, up from 56 percent for the third quarter.All of the money needed for those stock purchases came out of the panel's average allocation for cash, the meager returns from which served as a motivator to keep buying equities.

NEW YORK -- The Dow Jones industrial average rose 4.05 points yesterday, to close at 3,232.22, after a series of dramatic moves that were attributed largely to jitters over the stability of the dollar.A gain in a key Dow component, IBM, made the difference between a small gain and a small loss in the Dow, traders said.Although losses in the dollar were mild compared with those of Friday and Monday, when the dollar fell to historic lows against the German mark and Treasury bonds slumped, traders said the stock market remained nervous.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Genomics stocks soared yesterday -- led by PE Corp.'s Rockville-based Celera Genomics Group, Diversa Corp. and Sequenom Inc. -- amid hopes that discovery will lead to breakthrough new products, bringing huge profits to companies that help make such discoveries possible. The field of genomics is the discovery, analysis and manipulation of genetic information to help develop drugs, agricultural products and industrial processes. While genomics stocks soared at the end of last year and early this year, they have been falling since last month amid concerns they rose too fast.

NEW YORK -- Bulls woke yesterday to the sound of planes booming overhead and apparently liked what they heard.Companies in the long-sputtering airline industry issued a number of announcements that spurred a broad rally in stocks and pushed the Dow Jones transportation average to a new high. The index increased 36.67 points, or 2.32 percent.Most noteworthy was an unexpectedly large jump in domestic passenger traffic in March, which is seen by many as suggesting a healthy economic rebound and possible profits for the beleaguered industry this summer.

NEW YORK -- U.S. stocks closed mixed yesterday, as concern about profits for oil, drug, and computer companies vied with optimism about falling long-term interest rates."

Yesterday was a baffling day on Wall Street.For months, the stock market has followed the bond market, in lock step, up and down, but mostly down. Yet when bonds rallied yesterday, stocks plunged, as good signals from the bond market alternated with bad signals elsewhere. When stock traders become baffled, they tend to sell.And they sold yesterday in unusually hectic trading. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 21.11 points, to 3,598.71. The broader Standard & Poor's 500-stock index also fell, but less precipitously -- 0.58 point, to 441.96.

NEW YORK -- U.S. stocks gained yesterday for the first time in four days as the dollar rebounded and bonds rallied, easing concern the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates for the fifth time this year."