The S&P 500 index (SPX) was little changed after ending the previous session at its highest point since Sept. 26, 2008. The Nasdaq composite (COMP) was also little changed after ending its previous session at the highest point since Aug. 28, 2008.

Stocks rallied Wednesday, with the three major indexes all closing at new 2010 highs, after the U.S. and Japanese central banks chose to keep interest rates low. The gains were also driven by the Senate's passage of a $17.6 billion jobs bill that President Obama is expected to sign into law Thursday.

"All for one, one for all" was the motto of the Three Musketeers, but it now also applies to the stock market.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average, the Standard & Poor's 500 Index and the Nasdaq Composite have all reached new yearly highs, and in so doing have confirmed each other's highs.

Investors like to have a good reason to justify buying, especially after the market has come so far and so long without a correction of at least 10%. But Wednesday's broad rally isn't a function of one piece of data, or belief in ...

The S&P 500 index (SPX) rose 5 points, or 0.4%, and the Nasdaq composite (COMP) gained 11 points, or 0.5%.

Stocks gained Tuesday after the U.S. central bank opted to hold the fed funds rate, a key short-term interest rate, at historic lows near zero. News that ratings agency Standard & Poor's decided not to downgrade Greece's debt helped soothe fears that the euro zone nation could default.

The gains Tuesday left the S&P 500 at a fresh near 18-month high, the Nasdaq at an 18-month high and the Dow just short of its 2010 highs.

The S&P 500 index (SPX) rose 6 points, or 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite (COMP) gained 12 points, or 0.5%, after ending Tuesday's session at an 18-month high.

Stocks gained Tuesday after the central bank opted to hold the fed funds rate, a key short-term interest rate, at historic lows near zero. News that ratings agency Standard & Poor's decided not to downgrade Greece's debt helped soothe fears that the euro zone nation could default.

View full sizeSeth Wenig, Associated PressA television indicates that the Fed will keep interest rates unchanged on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange today. NEW YORK -- The Federal Reserve's mildly upbeat take on the economy and its pledge to hold interest rates low gave stocks a lift today.

The Fed said after its meeting on interest rates today that businesses are spending "significantly" more on equipment and software. The Fed also has a marginally more upbeat assessment of the job market, though it said employers remain reluctant to hire.

U.S. stock futures inched higher Tuesday ahead of what could be the final time that the Federal Reserve promises to keep interest rates at low levels for an "extended period" of time.

S&P 500 futures rose 1 point to 1146.70 and Nasdaq 100 futures added 2.25 points to 1919.20. Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 7 points.

U.S. stocks meandered for much of Monday's session, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average recovering from early losses to close 0.2% higher and the S&P 500 rising 0.1%, while the Nasdaq Composite slipped 0.2%. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) ...

The Dow Jones industrial average (INDU) added 17 points, or 0.1%, according to early tallies. The S&P 500 index (SPX) ended just above unchanged, eking out a fresh 18-month high. The Nasdaq composite (COMP) slid 5 points, or 0.2% after ending Friday's session at an 18-month high.

Stocks had tumbled through the early afternoon, but managed to trim losses by the close.

Comments by Moody's that the United States and Britain are more likely to see a downgrade than rivals Germany and France initially soured investor sentiment.

NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--U.S. stocks opened higher Friday, as investors were cheered by an unexpected jump in U.S. retail sales last month and reports of a crowd-pleasing nomination for the Fed's vice chairman spot.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 18 points, or 0.2%, at 10631. Materials and industrials components jumped on the positive economic data. Alcoa rose 1.3%, while Caterpillar gained 1.2%. Retailers also climbed, including Procter & Gamble up 0.2% and Home Depot up 0.6%.

The Dow Jones industrial average (INDU) lost a few points with about 2-1/2 hours left in the session. The S&P 500 index (SPX) also slid a few points. Both ended the previous session at 6-week highs.

The Nasdaq composite (COMP) lost 2 points, or 0.14%, after ending the previous session at a fresh 18-month high.

Stocks have been on an upswing lately, posting gains over the last month. More recently, the Dow has risen in seven of the last nine sessions and the S&P 500 and Nasdaq have risen in eight of the last nine sessions.

NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--U.S. stocks pared some of their earlier losses Thursday as the dollar weakened, but disappointing jobs data and concerns over monetary tightening in China dampened sentiment.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 16 points, or 0.2%, to 10551, in recent trading. The Dow's materials and industrials components suffered, including 3M, down 1.2%, DuPont, down 0.6% and Caterpillar, down 0.6%. Economically-sensitive General Electric was also weak, down 0.7%.

U.S. stock futures slipped Thursday on worries that China, the engine of the world economy, may have to slam the brakes to combat accelerating prices.

S&P 500 futures fell 2.2 points to 1143.50 and Nasdaq 100 futures lost 2.5 points to 1916.20. Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average sank 14 points.

U.S. stocks edged higher Wednesday, with government-backed financials American International Group Inc. (AIG) and Citigroup Inc. (C) extending gains, and technology companies also performing well. The blue chip Dow Jones Industrial Average rose fractionally but the S&P 500 gained 0.5% and the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.8%.

The Nasdaq composite (COMP) rose 18 points, or 0.8%, to 2,358. The tech-heavy index closed at its highest level since August 2008. Wednesday marked the 10th anniversary of the Nasdaq's all-time closing high of 5,048.62 at the peak of the dot-com bubble.

Bank stocks advanced on upbeat analyst comments and bullish statements from some executives. Citibank (C, Fortune 500) rose 3.6% after the company priced a $2 billion offering of trust-preferred securities. Bank of America (BAC, Fortune 500) gained nearly 2%.

NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--U.S. stocks edged up Wednesday as the Commerce Department's latest report on U.S. wholesalers' inventories showed demand pulled goods off shelves in January.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 24 points, or 0.2%, to 10588, in recent trading. The measure's financial components were its best performers, with Bank of America up 2.9% and J.P. Morgan Chase up 2.5%. Boeing was also strong, up 1.9%. However, Cisco Systems weighed with a drop of 0.7% following the company's hyped-up Tuesday unveiling of a faster router.

U.S. stock futures held to a tight range Wednesday, tracking listless overseas trading, with little to focus on outside of a smattering of wholesale inventory data due later.

More than two hours before the start of trading, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were six points higher at 10570. The S&P 500 futures nearly one point higher at 1141.2 and Nasdaq 100 futures gained 3.75 points to 1905. Changes in futures do not always accurately predict early market moves after the opening bell.

The Nasdaq composite (COMP) gained 8 points, or 0.4%, ending at a fresh 18-month high.

A stock advance fizzled out Tuesday, one year after what many consider to be the bottom of the bear market.

On March 9, 2009, the Dow ended at a 12-year low of 6,547.05, as months of stock weakness in response to the financial market crisis pushed the blue-chip average to its nadir. Since then, the Dow has gained 61.2% through Monday's close, ending at 10,552.52.

Stocks ended Tuesday's session with modest gains as investors mulled February auto sales, upbeat company news and signs that Greece is taking steps to get its debt situation under control. The modest advance extended into Wednesday's session, although gains were limited.

As of noon, the Dow was trading in positive territory for the year, joining the S&P 500 and Nasdaq composite, both of which turned positive for the year on Monday.

The Dow Jones industrial average (INDU) gained about 79 points, or 0.8%. The S&P 500 index (SPX) added 11 points, or 1%, and the Nasdaq composite (COMP) jumped 35 points, or 1.6%.

Both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq ended in positive territory for the year for the first time in over a month.

Stocks rallied Monday, the first day of March, as investors dug back in after last week's retreat. Stocks have been choppy and volatile this year in the aftermath of 2009's big rally.

NEW YORK-The U.S. stock market climbed as U.S. economic data showed strength in manufacturing activity and improvements in consumer spending, but a slipping pound prompted nervous investors to retreat from financial stocks.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 52 points, or 0.5%, at 10377 in recent trading. Caterpillar was the measure's top performer, up 1.4%. Strong consumer spending data helped lift Intel, up 1.2%.

NEW YORK - U.S. stocks on Friday capped their best month since November with modest gains, lifted by some improvement in U.S. economic data, though worries about consumer spending and sovereign debt kept a lid on optimism.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 4.23 points to 10,325.26, up 2.6 percent for the month, its best performance since a 6.5 percent gain in November.

The Nasdaq composite rose 0.2 percent to 2,238.26, up 4.2 percent for the month.

U.S. stock futures edged higher Friday, as markets continue their herky-jerky path as issues surrounding the economy's health, interest-rate policy and sovereign debt continue.

S&P 500 futures rose 3.3 points to 1,105.60 and Nasdaq 100 futures rose 3 points to 1817.5. Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 22 points to 10338.

U.S. stocks closed lower Thursday amid disappointing economic data and concerns over Greece, though leading indexes finished off the session's worst levels. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 53 points, and the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite each lost 2 points.