Energy Stocks | featured news

Materials and energy stocks were among those pulling the U.S. stock market to a weak opening. Home Depot gained on Lowe's earnings report.

U.S. stocks gained, as rising commodity prices boosted energy stocks, concerns about European governments' debt loads eased and data showed a brightening outlook for New York area manufacturing.

It was only a year ago that commodity investments were all the rage. Oil prices were on their way up to $145 a barrel, from as little as $50 in 2007. With red-hot numbers like that, the financial services industry cranked up the marketing machine. Advisers touted commodities as an essential new asset class, right up there with stocks and bonds. New exchange-traded products let you track the price of oil and other commodities.