U.S. stocks lifted by economic data

EW YORK (MarketWatch) — U.S. stocks climbed Thursday, with the S&P 500 extending gains into a third day, after weekly jobless claims fell to a multi-year low and consumer sentiment rose in December.
Marketwatch

“We’ll soon see if the rise off the summer low in confidence translates into a good gain in holiday sales,” Peter Boockvar, equity strategist at Miller Tabak, noted in emailed commentary.

Gold is down after todays yet again sucker rally

Well, let's see, all forward looking data in the US is getting pretty strong. More people are keeping their jobs, production is up, confidence is up. From where we sit, 2012 is looking to be a pretty good year. Don't be foolish enough to miss this EOY rally.

and he is foolish if his buying the rally.

So what you think ATS?

VIX indicates bull market

Despite tumbling as much as 5% earlier today, the CBOE Volatility Index (^VIX) could be the most bullish indicator on the Street. Sometimes referred to as "the fear indicator," the VIX has been in a downward trend through most of December, dropping nearly 10% in the last two last two sessions, and currently inching below it's 200-day moving average of roughly 25.75

Poor people! Buy more stock so that we, the rich, can sell after a stock increase and buy back at a discount!

The stockmarket is one of the worst places for people
to put there money.

When you buy £1000 of shares become worth £500
in one day you know someone on the inside just
made a killing at your expense.

Just a little vid to show what type of people live in
that little world.

It will always be the same in the US an UK The rich get richer and the poor get poorer

Confidence in teh economy is rising because war is approaching.

reply to post by Agent_USA_Supporter


That guy should be fired. Or slapped. Or both?

Stocks are moving becaussseeee....... low volume. Volume is always low at the end of the year, and it's super low in the week before and after Christmas.

This guy's a tool.. probably the only idiot in the office today sitting in his cubicle like "office" cheering on the rally he thinks he's riding.

sure, sales and jobs have increased marginally in december, but just wait a few months when the extra workers aren't needed and people end up short on cash so they return what they bought.

selecting the busiest holiday of the year when sales increase and claiming it to be evidence of recovery is pure ignorance. wait until everyone who maxed their credit cards out can't pay.

reply to post by satron


Wow that's some flawed logic..

" high volatility usually raises the VIX index, but because for unknown reasons it's falling during high volatility that must mean a long term rally is heading our way because.. um .. well we don't know and it's never happened before but we are pretty sure this means people think volatility is good now so let's all go buy!"

The downside to financial analyst and so many traders and business professionals: Their schooling focused on specific economic theory, but didn't emphasis the theory so much as the math. They teach them how to crunch numbers, but never instruct on how to discern those numbers in a world of infinite possibilities. And they absolutely fail to instruct on any form of logical critical thinking.

reply to post by Rockpuck


Agreed. When the unemployment figures come out in 3 weeks showing the holiday sales hires are starting to get laid off again as the gift card and returns activity slows, we will see this "rally" end and resume the previous doom and gloom. At some point here, something has got to happen with Europe. I'm flat out amazed they've clung on as long as they have, but I can't imagine they have many more lifelines to call on to prevent investors from clenching and puckering around the globe.

A "positive" bond auction in Spain a couple of days ago, then better than expected economic data both from the UK and USA yesterday.
Looks like they'll do anything to get that good old santa claus rally.
Spread the hopium, spread the hopium, everything is ok!

Not that I have followed stocks in years past, but would this be really considered a rally? Like yeah there's some upward movement but doesn't seem like that big a rally to me. There's also some other economic data coming out from Europe that is not too good after all. Im wondering too that perhaps because other countries are slowing it is allowing the US to pick up commensurate with the pulling back of those other economies.

Recession warning as service sector shrinks

Official figures have provided the clearest evidence yet that Britain is heading back into recession after activity in the UK’s powerhouse services sector slumped in October at its sharpest rate since April.

France revises down third quarter GDP growth

The turmoil of the eurozone crisis hit the French economy harder than first thought forcing a revision of the country’s third quarter growth figures down to 0.3pc from 0.4pc.

Russia cuts interest rates for first time since June 2010

Russia's central bank cut its main refinancing rate for the first time since June 2010 on Friday citing uncertainties about global economic growth.

The bank said its cut of 25 basis points to 8pc was "based on the assessment of inflationary risks and risks to stable economic growth, including those caused by uncertainty over the foreign economic situation".

It marks the first time that rates have come down in Russia since June 1, 2010, and underscores concerns over how Europe's sovereign debt problems may affect the domestic financial sector.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned starkly on Thursday that a "global economic depression could last several years" and called for new efforts to step up the country's business competitiveness.