The Market Story

Stocks Close Near Flat Line

Stock quotes in this article: WMT , XOM , AA , LTD , WTSLA , PIR , PFE  

The retail sales reports came less than a week after the holiday shopping season kicked off the day after Thanksgiving. Sales were largely positive over the long weekend, but Wal-Mart (WMT Quote), the world's biggest retailer, was a soft spot, saying same-store revenue for November fell 0.1%.

Elsewhere, drug giant Pfizer (PFE Quote), holding a meeting on its research and development plans, lifted its full-year profit forecast, saying it should earn at least $2.05 a share this year. Previously, the company was expecting about $2 a share, and analysts are calling for $2.02.

Returning to the economic front, the Commerce Department said personal spending rose 0.2% in October, twice the rate that was expected. Income climbed 0.4%, just below the 0.5% increase economists had been looking for.

Separately, the Labor Department said first-time filings for jobless claims rose by 34,000 to 357,000 last week.

Following the data, Treasuries were higher, with the 10-year note jumping 15/32 in price and yielding 4.46%. The 30-year bond surged 26/32 and was yielding 4.56%. The dollar was mixed against other major currencies.

As for commodities, energy prices were generally stronger. Oil futures rose 67 cents to $63.13 a barrel, but natural gas was down 2 cents at $8.82 per million British thermal units. Gold rose $11.10 to $652.90 an ounce.

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Dow Jones S&P 500 NASDAQ 10-Year Note
10,328.89 1,102.47 2,211.69 35.46
Oil *
73.88
UP
20.63
UP
6.40
UP
31.64
UP
0.59
10 Yr
3.55%
SPDR Gold
108.95
+0.20%
+0.58%
+1.45%
+1.69%
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