Dow, S&P 500 at record highs, up 19% in 2013

[SunSeeker]

Source: CNN.com

Investors pushed the Dow and S&P 500 into record territory once again Thursday, as they welcomed a batch of strong earnings and a drop in jobless claims.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 78 points, or 0.5%, to end at a record closing high of 15,548.54. The S&P 500 also rose 0.6% and finished at a record closing high. Earlier, both indexes rose to fresh all-time trading highs.

While the Dow and S&P 500 gained traction, the Nasdaq lagged, gaining only a handful of points for the day. The tech-heavy index was weighed down by poor performing stocks like eBay and Intel.

Despite the minimal uptick, the Nasdaq still managed to close at its highest level since September 2000. All three indexes are up sharply for the year.





Read more: http://money.cnn.com/2013/07/18/investing/stocks-markets/index.html?iid=mkt_SF_news

[lastlib]

1. Buh-buh-but Obama is wrecking the economy..........

He puttin' in soshulizum, dontcha know? KEN-yun Soshulizum!

[bluedigger]

2. This is unsustainable growth, based on...what, exactly?

Not sure what's driving it, but a hard fall is going to come.

[DCBob]

4. US companies are very profitable, very lean, very efficient, and have loads of cash.

A recipe for success. Meanwhile employees are underpaid, overworked, over stressed and have no cash.

[wordpix]

6. +10000, success on the backs of the lowly paid worker

I'd rather have successful companies with workers making more $ and getting better benefits.

A private school that operates as a "non-profit" in my town recently applied for a zoning change from residential (homes/bldgs are taxed) to "educational" (homes/bldgs are not taxed) to buy a $2.2 million home adjacent to the school for the headmaster. The highly paid headmaster who gets excellent fringe benefits also gets free housing but thinks his home is too small for trustee parties and such (which occur only about once or twice/year). He says this 19-room historic mansion "the school" wants to buy is for "educational" purposes.

Meanwhile, the teacher salaries at this school are about $30K/year on average, the school almost went under in the 1990's, has only a small endowment, and the tuition/room+board is $65K per student, the highest in the US.

Just saying, even in education there is CEO-type BS just like Wall St. - those at the top make out while the hardworking teacher gets the dregs. And the definition of "educational" in this case is questionable, just like those "educational" political groups the IRS was looking at.

[Fearless]

16. +1000!

[Glimmer of Hope]

5. Ben is in the driver's seat.

[Kolesar]

7. He is planning to retire in a year or so

Baby please don't go!

[NoOneMan]

13. Cheap money

The market will plummet when QE ends. Its drops when they suggest tapering

[postulater]

3. Somebody forgot to tell Detroit.

And my daughter who graduated as a structural engineer in December and hasn't found a job yet.

[SunSeeker]

9. Detroit is in a state run by GOP Gov. Rick Snyder, who is killing the state.

I don't know why your daughter has not found a job yet or where she lives. I wish the GOP would stop blocking infrastructure projects, sounds like that would help her a lot.

[postulater]

10. We're in Wisconsin. We got Walker.

He has shut down high speed rail and refused the ACA Medicaid money. Driving Wisconsin into a hole. But at least he's enjoying the ride.

[SunSeeker]

11. I'm so sorry.

California is building high speed rail, has a budget surplus and the economy is on an upswing. But we have a Democratic Governor.

Wisconsin is a great state, and things will get better once you get out from under the yoke of the GOP.

In the meantime, you and your daughter are welcome here in Cali!

[Lasher]

8. Uh, yay?

Sorry to go against the grain here, but I think this is something good.

[Fringe]

12. Me too.

I'm just an average person making 38,000 a year. I invest 24 % of my salary for my retirement, while helping my son through college and it is not easy, but my 401k is looking good.

No way will I be able to retire without my 401k, so I did the happy today and whenever the market goes up.

[NoOneMan]

14. Its neutral

Fake wealth. It will be gone in a flash when QE ends. It doesn't become real wealth until you sell, so if anyone wants it to be "good", sell now. Otherwise, its neutral

[Skittles]

15. that's very good for a socialist president