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Stocks Rise on Earnings, Inflation Data
Stocks surged in early trading Tuesday, lifting the Dow Jones industrials more than 100 points,
as strong earnings from General Motors Corp. and Sun Microsystems Inc. helped Wall Street
extend its recovery from last week's plunge.
Investors' inflationary fears were also alleviated after the Commerce Department reported that
in June, year-over-year core personal consumption expenditures -- one the Federal Reserve's
preferred gauges of inflation -- was up 1.9 percent. That rate is within the Fed's comfort zone.
The tame core PCE appeared to offset some disappointment that June personal spending rose 0.1 percent, weaker than expected and below May's 0.6 percent jump. High gasoline prices and the housing market slump dampened consumer spending to the slowest pace in nine months.
Investors remained optimistic after quarterly results from server and software maker Sun Microsystems and automaker GM, which both posted better-than-expected profits.
Merger and acquisition activity also helped lift the stock market, which rebounded Monday following a sharp plunge last week on worries that a deteriorating lending environment would dampen deal making and growth. |
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