By Elaine Donnelly
Extending sexual misconduct to combat units
Stocks are dropping again on Wall Street as investors lose hope that Washington will meet a self-imposed deadline for reaching a budget deal by year-end.
For the stock market, this week hasn't been the most wonderful time of year.
Stocks rose strongly Thursday on Wall Street following positive reports about manufacturing and consumer confidence, two keys elements of the economic recovery.
Poor corporate earnings reports pounded the stock market Friday in a sour end to an otherwise strong week of trading. The Dow Jones industrial average fell more than 200 points for its worst day in four months.
U.S. stocks meandered sideways Monday as fears about Europe overshadowed recent excitement about central banks' efforts to boost the market.
Stocks got a modest bounce, but not enough to break even for the day, after minutes from a Federal Reserve meeting appeared to show increased urgency about providing more help for the American economy.
Europe's latest efforts to quell its financial crisis left investors exasperated Monday, causing steep losses in stock markets on both sides of the Atlantic.
Europe's latest efforts to quell its financial crisis left investors exasperated Monday, causing steep losses in stock markets on both sides of the Atlantic.
When jobs fall, the stock market follows.
U.S. stocks fell Wednesday as investors worried over the details of a new bailout plan for Greece.
A brief morning rally Thursday pushed the Dow Jones industrial average above its highest close since the financial crisis of 2008, but disappointing economic data tempered traders' optimism later in the day, and stocks finished lower.
Strong corporate earnings reports and the lowest unemployment claims in almost four years gave investors more reasons Thursday to take risks on stocks, and the market continued its quiet but solid January climb.
The stock market offered a reminder Friday that even if the U.S. job market is improving, there's plenty to worry about elsewhere in the world.
The historic downgrade of the United States engendered by political gridlock in Washington caused one of the worst days ever on Wall Street Monday, with the Dow Jones industrial average plummeting more than 600 points in its sixth-biggest drop.
