Updated at 11:45 a.m., Thursday, April 19, 2007
Dow has record close for second-straight day
Associated Press
Stocks finished flat Thursday as investors tried to reconcile upbeat economic data, divergent earnings reports and a pullback in stocks in China. Nonetheless, the Dow Jones industrials rose to a record close for the second straight day.The mixed earnings reports and word that economic growth in China's first quarter jumped a higher-than-expected 11.1 percent stirred some concern about the strength of the market's recent advance. Chinese officials said they would take steps to curb growth.
But investors were pleased by word from the Conference Board that its forecasting gauge for economic conditions in the coming months rose as expected in March.
For the week:
The Dow is up 196.50, or 1.56 percent.
The S&P is up 17.88, or 1.23 percent.
The Nasdaq is up 13.41, or 0.54 percent.
For the year:
