What a Week: Bulls Well-Fed

Call him "the Bull Whisperer."

"Gentle" Ben Bernanke, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, coaxed the bulls forward in both the stock market and the bond market this week with his testimony on Capitol Hill. In his soft but direct style, which draws a sharp contrast to the cryptic gravitas of his predecessor, Alan Greenspan, the bearded central banker laid out his case for a smooth landing for the U.S. economy.

The markets responded with enthusiasm. Stocks finished the week higher, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average gaining 187 points, or 1.5%, for the week. The Nasdaq added 36 points, or 1.5%, and the S&P 500 rose 17 points, or 1.2%. ...