More Hope, No Change: Stocks edge higher on earnings hopes

U.S. stocks rose Tuesday after aluminum producer Alcoa issued an outlook that suggested improving prospects for the global economy.

The Dow Jones industrial average, the broader Standard & Poor’s 500 index and the Nasdaq composite index all jumped close to or more than 1% in the first few minutes of trading. Late Monday, Alcoa CEO Klaus Kleinfeld predicted that global aluminum demand will increase 7% in 2012.

Fourth-quarter revenue for Alcoa (AA) topped expectations and the results gave investors hope for a strong earnings season in the U.S. They also are looking to a new round of talks in Berlin for progress in solving Europe’s debt crisis. European markets are sharply higher.

Stock trend

Dow Jones industrial average, five trading days

On the negative side, luxury jeweler Tiffany & Co. (TIF)reported weak holiday sales growth in the U.S. and Europe, and shares dropped more 6.4% in early trading.

The U.S. economy has shown signs of strength recently, and investors are hoping that will boost corporate earnings results due to be announced in coming weeks. In particular, improvement in the U.S. labor market has raised the possibility of a recovery in American consumer spending, one of the main motors of global economic growth.

The European Central Bank said Tuesday that the amount of overnight deposits that the region’s banks held with it rose to 481.9 billion euros, or $613 billion, on Monday, breaking the record 463.6 billion euros set only a day before.

Stocks Slip as European’s Deal Yeterday Comes Back Down To Earth: Uncertainty Mounts

The markets slid into the red on Friday, giving up only a small fraction of the gains from the prior day’s enormous rally, amid uncertainty over how European leaders plan on executing a plan crafted to avert the region’s debt crisis.

Today’s Markets

As of 9:32 a.m. ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 35.9 points, or 0.3%, to 12,172, the S&P 500 slipped 5.8 points, or 0.43%, to 1,279 and the Nasdaq Composite fell 12.6 points, or 0.47%, to 2,726.

Despite falling share prices Friday, the markets are headed for their best October performance on record, as easing European tensions, and generally upbeat corporate earnings have boosted traders’ confidence.  Indeed, Thursday’s rally knocked most major market indices into the black for 2011.  The Dow, S&P, and Nasdaq are all trading at their highest level in three months.

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Economic Malaise Crushes Wall Street; Dow Dives 315

FOX Business

Worries that the global economy may be skidding back into a recession, and that little can be done to get it back on track, sent the markets plunging and traders rushing into safe-haven assets on Thursday morning.

Today’s Markets, EARLY

As of 9:35 a.m. ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled 315 points, or 2.8%, to 10,809, the S&P 500 fell 31.9 points, or 2.7%, to 1,135 and the Nasdaq Composite plunged 70.3 points, or 2.8%, 2,468.

With global markets and U.S. equities in selloff mode, Treasuries rallied. The yield on the 10-year Treasury sunk to 1.776% from 1.868% — briefly touching a record intraday low. Yields on the German bund, one of Europe’s safety plays — fell sharply as well.