Stocks Up, Stock Market | featured news

News that European leaders will take action aimed at quelling the debt crisis that has been plaguing the continent for more than two years unleashed a global rally that sent U.S. markets roaring more than 2% higher. However, Wall Street still capped the second quarter in the red.

Stocks ticked up after Monday's global selloff, as a measure of home prices fell less than expected. The S&P 500 rose five points, or 0.4%, to 1319 in mid-afternoon trade. The index's consumer discretionary sector advanced 1.3%, on track for its steepest daily climb since June 14.

World stock markets rebounded Friday on anticipation that central banks will act to keep any political instability in Greece following weekend elections from destabilizing the global economy.

Stocks closed out its best week of the year Friday, as investors played things close to the vest before the weekend when Spain is expected to request aid for its troubled banks.

Stocks soared Tuesday, as investors welcomed a slew of solid earnings and after a German investor confidence survey surprised on the upside and Spanish benchmark yields eased.

U.S. stocks rose on Wednesday after an encouraging start to earnings season helped equities rebound from five days of losses that pushed the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq below key technical levels.

Wall Street closed out its strongest quarter in nearly three years Friday, leaving investors wondering if the market can continue to deliver strong gains in the weeks and months ahead.

Stocks climbed to new heights in part on rosy retail sales data, pushing the broad market to levels last seen in June 2008 and the Nasdaq composite index past the 3,000 milestone for the first time since 2000.

Stocks rose meekly Wednesday morning after their biggest loss this year as reassuring reports on productivity and hiring overshadowed jitters about the Greek debt crisis.

Wall Street's bulls have reason to celebrate: The Dow Jones industrial average closed above the psychologically important 13,000 mark for the first time since the financial crisis began in 2008.