Wednesday

Stocks gained for the second day in a row, boosted by strong profit reports and economic data that reinforced investors' newfound preference for the U.S. over Europe as a venue to put their money to work. That attitude boosted the dollar as well, marking a rare instance of the currency rallying in tandem with stocks and some commodities. The Yen also gained today as the Euro and Pound fell slightly. DJIA +40.43 Nasdaq +12.10 S&P 500 +4.64.

Tuesday

Well, it's back to business here after our break due to "The Big Snow." Luckily, not only do things outside seem to be getting back to normal, but also after our bumpy ride last week, things seem to be getting better in the stock market. Stocks jumped today, aided by improving U.S. economic data and rising confidence in Europe's efforts to help heavily indebted Greece. The Pound, Yen, and 10-year note gained minimal amounts; however, the Dollar and the Euro fell slightly. DJIA +169.67, Nasdaq +30.66, S&P 500 +19.36.

Wednesday

Well, it seems today has been a day of anticipation as far as news goes! Steve Jobs finally unveiled Apple's highly anticipated new product, the iPad, a competitor for Amazon.com Inc.'s Kindle among other e-readers. Also, many people, including investors, are anxiously awaiting what tonight's State of the Union Address will hold. As far as the market goes, financial stocks led a late rebound in the broader market, helped by the Federal Reserve's decision to leave interest rates near zero. Major indexes initially dipped but then rallied to new highs following the Fed rate committee's mid-afternoon policy announcement. In other markets, the dollar strengthened against both the euro and the Japanese yen. DJIA +41.87, Nasdaq +17.68, S&P 500 +5.33.

Wednesday

Well, after a long holiday, we are finally getting back in to the swing of things! We've spent over a week in bitterly cold temperatures here in Mississippi, and now things are finally starting to thaw out a little. Luckily the stocks haven't been affected by the extreme temperatures like the Jackson water lines have! Stocks enjoyed a broad rally today as an analyst upgrade of Merck spurred the healthcare sector higher, while financials benefited from hopes for high profits. The Federal Reserve's beige book of regional economic indicators suggested modest improvement in the U.S. economy, though activity remains low in historic terms. The dollar weakened versus the euro but gained against the yen. DJIA +53.51 S&P 500 +9.46 NASDAQ +25.59.

Monday

Today, in Mississippi, it is a dreary day! However, the stocks weren't weighed down by the humidity like we were! Stocks rose today, boosted by recent efforts to ease Dubai's debt woes. The dollar slipped and commodities rose, restoring a trend that had recently faded. The state-owned conglomerate in Dubai said in late November it wanted to postpone debt payments, a reminder to investors of credit risks. Those fears have faded somewhat but have helped keep a lid on the market's recent gains. DJIA +29.55 S&P 500 +7.70 NASDAQ +21.79