Federal Reserve

With Fed rate decision looming, stocks head lower

More signs of slowing economic growth in China weighed on prices for copper and other commodities Monday. That sent prices for materials stocks lower. Energy stocks fell along with the price of crude oil.

The Dow Jones industrial average gave up 62 points, or 0.4 percent, to close at 16,370.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index declined 8 points, or 0.4 percent, to 1,953. The Nasdaq composite fell 16 points, or 0.3 percent, to 4,805.

With Fed rate decision looming, stocks drift lower

More signs of slowing economic growth in China weighed on prices for copper and other commodities Monday. That sent prices for materials stocks lower. Energy stocks fell along with the price of crude oil.

The Dow Jones industrial average slipped 80 points, or 0.5 percent, to 16,352 as of 11:45 a.m. Eastern time.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index gave up 10 points, or 0.6 percent, to 1,950.

After a wobble, US stocks manage slight gains

It was a quiet end to another turbulent week. Thanks largely to a big jump on Tuesday, the market finished with a 2 percent gain for the week, recouping a portion of the steep losses from the week before.

The major indexes headed lower at the opening of trading on Friday, as falling oil prices pulled oil and gas companies down.

The economic news wasn't encouraging, either. A reading on consumer confidence this month sank to its lowest level since September of last year.

US stocks drop as mixed jobs report keeps investors guessing

It was the second-worst week for the market so far this year.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 272 points, or 1.7 percent, to 16,102 Friday. It had been down as much as 348 earlier.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index gave up 29 points, or 1.5 percent, to 1,921. The Nasdaq composite slipped 49 points, or 1.1 percent, to 4,683.

US employers added 173,000 jobs in Aug.; rate falls to 5.1 pct.

The Labor Department said Friday that the jobless rate fell to 5.1 percent — a level consistent with a normal economy and the lowest since April 2008 — from 5.3 percent in July.

Though hiring in August was the slowest in five months, the government revised up job growth for June and July by a combined 44,000. From June through August, the economy added a robust 221,000 jobs a month, up from an average of 189,000 from March through May. Three years of solid hiring have put nearly 8 million more Americans to work.

US stocks close out their worst month in 3 years

Fears about a slowdown in China's economy and concerns about when the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates pushed stocks sharply lower this month. While the market recovered much of the ground it lost, the Standard & Poor's 500 index still finished August down 6.3 percent, its worst showing since May 2012.

The selling started midway through the month after China shocked investors by devaluating its currency. 

Fed vice chair in spotlight as markets seek rate hike clues

The market's ride and how the Fed will react provide the backdrop for the annual high-profile economic conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Fed Chair Janet Yellen decided to skip this year's meeting, so Vice Chairman Stanley Fischer is commanding top attention, with investors eagerly parsing his every word.

Fischer's message: Incoming economic data and market developments over the next two weeks will play crucial roles in determining whether the Fed raises interest rates at its September meeting.

US stocks open lower, in line with global declines

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 152 points, or 0.9 percent, to 17,363 as of 9:35 a.m. Eastern time Wednesday. The Standard & Poor's 500 index slipped 14 points, or 0.7 percent, to 2,082. The Nasdaq composite slid 33 points, or 0.7 percent, to 5,025.

Bond prices fell, pushing up the yield on the 10-year Treasury note to 2.22 percent.

US stocks drop after solid jobs report suggests higher rates

It was the seventh straight day of declines for the Dow Jones industrial average. That's the longest losing streak for the index since July 2011, when investors were worried that the U.S. would slip back into recession.

US stocks edge higher in early trading; China shares rebound

KEEPING SCORE: The Dow Jones industrial average rose 25 points, or 0.1 percent, to 17,656 as of 9:50 a.m. Eastern. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose three points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,096 and the Nasdaq composite rose a point to 5,089.