Stocks, Stocks Up | featured news

Markets calmed Thursday, opening broadly higher in New York. Markets regained their losses Thursday, after falling nearly 2% on Wednesday as Japan’s nuclear crisis and protests in the Middle East heated up fears over the safety in equity investments. Oil added to its gains Thursday, rising 2% to $99.99 a barrel.

Upbeat economic data, and slipping oil prices, sparked a broad rally Thursday, lifting the blue chips to their biggest percent gain since December. 

Some investors found reasons to be optimistic in Mr. Obama’s proposal to cut corporate taxes and increase spending for education, innovation and infrastructure.

Fast food giant reports in-line earnings, chipmaker hikes dividend and earmarks another $10 billion for buybacks.

Stocks started 2011 with a big lift on Monday, and that could be a promising sign for the rest of the year.

Howard Stern is returning to Sirius XM Radio Inc, the shock jock reported on his website on Thursday, sending shares of the satellite radio company up 8 percent.

Europe's sovereign debt crisis will still hang over global markets this week, but on Wall Street, investors will not be afraid to bet on stocks.

Job growth in the U.S. and signs of global manufacturing expansion sent stocks sharply higher Wednesday. Bond prices and the dollar fell as investors moved money into riskier assets.

The GM IPO could wind up as the largest in history. Earlier this week, GM raised the high end of its initial price range from $29 to $33 and increased the number of shares it was offering from 365 million to 478 million common shares because investor demand was so high. Counting preferred stock issued by the company, the deal's value could top $23 billion.

The Federal Reserve wanted to push interest rates lower and jump-start financial markets with its $600 billion economic stimulus plan. So far the Fed is getting the results it wants.