Wall Street was higher on Wednesday after the US Federal Reserve voted to leave interest rates at 5.25 percent for another month. The accompanying statement pronounced the economy “somewhat firmer” and said that the Federal Open Market Committee, the Fed’s decision-making body, will continue to keep an eye on inflation.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average, already up a bit before the decision, extended its gains to 0.7 percent to 12,607.67 by mid-afternoon. The Nasdaq Composite, lower before the announcement, was 0.4 percent higher to 2,457.81 afterwards. The S&P 500, steady earlier in the session, also added 0.4 percent, to 1,435.04.

Despite a fourth-quarter report that showed profits more than double, the Chicago Board of Trade dropped 0.4 percent to $168.40. Time Warner also saw declines, falling 0.9 percent to $21.84, even thought its profits were up by more than 30 percent in the fourth quarter.

In the tobacco sector, Altria dropped 0.3 percent to $87.27 even though its earnings in the fourth quarter were at $1.40 per share, significantly above the $1.23 per share that had been anticipated.

Eastman Kodak added 1.9 percent to $26 as it posted a profit in the fourth quarter, after having posted losses in the same quarter of 2005.

Bristol-Myers Squibb gained 2.5 percent to $28.74 on a report that Lehman Brothers will join Citigroup and Morgan Stanley to advise the pharmaceutical company of its options approaching a takeover bid that is expected from Sanofi Aventis.

The Dow gained on a 4.6 percent rise by Boeing to $89.98 after the aerospace firm raised its earnings guidance for this year after reporting earnings of $1.16 per share in the fourth quarter of 2006, better than the 98 cents per share that had been expected.

Wall Street was higher at mid-afternoon on Tuesday as the reports period accelerated and produced mixed results. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was 0.2 percent higher to 12,518.74, while the Nasdaq Composite had also added 0.2 percent to 2,446. The S&P 500 was up 0.45 percent to 1,426.95.

US Steel, 3M, Proctor & Gamble, and Colgate-Palmolive all reported quarterly results that were higher than had been anticipated. US Steel added 3 percent to $79.17 on its results, while Colgate-Palmolive gained 0.7 percent to $67.15. On the other hand, 3M dropped 4.6 percent to $75.33 when it warned that a slowing global economy could mean reduced results in 2007.

UPS said that its results met expectations with earnings of $1.04 per share, but it dropped 3 percent to $71.40 when it warned that growth could slow down this year.

In the pharmaceuticals sector, Merck reported profits down 58 percent in the fourth quarter, missing expectations and falling 1.6 percent to $44.79 on the session so far.

The Chicago Mercantile Exchange was 0.7 percent lower to $572.05 after it said that it missed estimates due to trading margins that were lower and even though it reported quarterly profits that were up 33 percent.

New York equities markets were slightly higher on Monday. By midday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.1 percent to 12,504.88, while the Nasdaq Composite had gained 0.15 percent to 2,439.12 and the S&P 500 added 0.04 percent to 1,422.71.

The banking sector was mixed on mergers news and rumors. First Republic Bank added 40.2 percent to $53.69 after Merrill Lynch announced that it would buy the bank. Merrill Lynch dropped 1.5 percent to $93.15. Bank of America dropped 1 percent to $51.50 and Countrywide Financial added 4.3 percent to $43.80 on investor reaction to a Friday report that the two were in talks about a merger. Meanwhile, Citigroup was 1.1 percent lower to $54.07 on the announcement that it will purchase Egg Banking from Prudential in the UK.

In the semiconductors sector, Intel gained 2.1 percent to $20.96 after it said it has had success in making, smaller, more powerful microchips.

Pharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers Squibb added 5.9 percent to $27.75 on rumors of a buyout.

Tyson Foods was 3.8 percent higher to $17.33 after it said that profits were up 46 percent in its fiscal first quarter. Earnings were 16 cents per share, well above predictions of 6 cents per share.

The New York equities markets were lower at midday on Friday and seemed determined to close out the week with losses as well. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.3 percent at mid-session to 12,468.11, down 0.8 percent on the week and even on the year. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.2 percent on the day so far, to 2,437.99, leaving it 0.5 percent lower for the week. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 was 0.1 percent lower to 1,421.85, a drop of 0.6 percent for the full week.

Technology stocks were mixed during the week, with most showing either big gains or big losses. Among gainers were Sun Microsystems and Texas Instruments. Texas Instruments gained 8.7 percent to $30.86 on a glowing quarterly report, while Sun was 9.5 percent higher to $6.32. Decliners included biotech company Amgen, down 3.8 to $71.41 on a report that did not meet expectations., and Advanced Micro Devices, which fell 8.9 percent to $16.15, again on unmet expectations.

In the internet sector, Yahoo added 2.7 percent over the week to $28.38, a gain of 11 percent since the beginning of the month. Meanwhile, eBay did better than expected in earnings and upped its guidance for this year. The online auctioneer added 8.2 percent this week to $32.09.

Automobile manufacturers were mixed. General Motors added 4.1 percent during the week, to $32.84 even though it dropped from its peak of $33.30 after it said it would delay its fourth quarter report even though it expected that the report would show a profit. On the other hand, Ford dropped 0.5 percent to $8.26 after it said it had taken a loss of $12.7 billion in 2006, the biggest yearly loss in the company’s history.

Even though more corporations issued positive quarterly reports, Wall Street was lower at midday on Thursday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was 0.4 percent lower to 12,570.66, while the Nasdaq Composite was down 0.7 percent to 2,449.10 and the S&P 500 had dropped 0.57 percent to 1,431.92. The Russell 2000 index of small-caps dropped 0.82 percent to 787.55.

Investor sentiment was not helped by a new report from the National Assoication of Realtors that existing homes sales dropped by 0.8 percent in December. The inventory of existing homes for sale also fell, however, by 7.9 percent to 3.51 million. In addition, the Labor Department said that new jobless claims grew last week at their highest rate in 16 months.

Quarterly reports were released by companies in a number of sectors. Online auctioneer Ebay added $2.88 to $32.88 after it said its profits were up by 24 percent and sales grew by 29 percent in its most recent quarter. Nokia reported that profits were up by 19 percent, gaining 79 cents to $21 on the session so far. AT&T gained 26 cents to $36.89 on profits that were up 17 percent on more wireless subscribers.

Even though Ford Motor said it withstood its largest annual loss ever amid declining sales, the carmaker added 10 cents to $8.30 as investors were relieved that the news wasn’t worse.

Lockheed Martin added 81 cents to $91.95 on a quarterly report that showed earnings up by 28 percent on growth in its military hardware division. The defense contractor raised its full-year forecast on the basis on the new figures.

Wall Street was up at midday on Wednesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average 0.32 percent higher to 12,573.46, the Nasdaq Composite up 1.09 percent to 2,457.80, and the S&P 500 adding 0.41 percent to 1,433.79. Positive earnings reports from both Yahoo and Sun Microsystems helped the gains, while the previous evening’s State of the Union address from President George W. Bush didn’t seem to have much impact at all on investors’ activities.

After Mr. Bush proposed an expansion in health care coverage in the speech last night, health benefits insurer Aetna dropped 47 cents to $41.71. In a related sector, drug maker Pfizer added 22 cents to $26.59.

ExxonMobil dropped 22 cents to $74.26 after an announcement of higher crude oil, gasoline, and distillate inventories again last week. Alternative energy producers were lower as well, after posting gains before the president’s address. Ethanol maker Xethanol Corp. dropped 17 cents to $2.90, while Archer Daniels Midland fell $1.06 to $31.57.

Sun Microsystems added 43 cents to $6.09 after increased revenues gave the manufacturer of server and storage products its first quarterly profit in several years. Meanwhile, Yahoo gained $2.03 to $28.99 on fourth quarter profits that were higher than had been anticipated. But Advanced Micro Devices dropped $1.39 to $16.12 reported losses in the fourth quarter, which were blamed on flat sales of server chips.

Wall Street saw gains at midday on Tuesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 0.35 percent to 12,520.91, the Nasdaq Composite 0.41 percent higher to 2,441.12, and the S&P 500 adding 0.34 percent to 1,427.75. The Russell 2000 index of small-caps was up even more, gaining 1.01 percent to 785.82. Volume at mid-session was at 712.8 million shares.

The banking sector was mixed. Bank of America was 40 cents lower to $53.25 even though it said its loan business was up and that its purchase of credit-card company MNBA helped profit in the fourth quarter. Wachovia was up , but only by 4 cents to $56.3 even though issued a better than anticipated report.

In the oil sector, higher prices due to forecasts of colder weather sent Chevron up 97 cents to $72.21, while ExxonMobil gained $1.12 to $74.03 and ConocoPhillips added $1.41 to $64.78.

Telecommunications equipment makers saw declines. Tellabs was 4 cents lower to $10.06, while Alcatel-Lucent fell $1.17 to $13.03. Alcatel-Lucent blamed its inability to make a profit in its first quarter after consolidation on integration costs and weak sales.

In the semiconductors sector, Texas Instruments added $1.17 to $29.76 on a positive quarterly report and several broker upgrades.

Even though it reached analysts’ expectations, chemicals company DuPont dropped $1.23 to $48.87 on concerns about the higher cost of raw materials.

The New York equities markets were lower on Monday on interest rate concerns, as well as on investor reaction as companies begin to release their quarterly reports.  At midday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was 0.8 percent lower to 12, 463.87, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 1 percent to 2,427.37 and the S&P 500 fell 0.6 percent to 1,422.24.

The semiconductors sector was lower, sending the Philadelphia semiconductor index down by 1.5 percent and hurting the Nasdaq.  After a report that Sun Microsystems is thinking about using chips from Intel as well as from Advanced Micro Devices, Intel dropped 0.1 percent to $20.84, while AMD fell 2 percent to $17.37.  Sun added 0.1 percent to $5.78.

The Dow was hurt after Boeing dropped 3.3 percent to $85.69 after Wachovia reduced its recommendation on the aircraft manufacturer from “outperform” to “market perform”.  The Dow also suffered after pharmaceutical company Pfizer fell 1.4 percent to $26.83 after it released its earnings report, which was helped by the sale of its consumer health unit to Johnson & Johnson for $16.6 billion in December.

Citigroup, also listed on the Dow, added 0.9 percent to $54.98 on the announcement that it will purchase ABN Amro’s mortgage division for around $3 billion.  In addition, the bank said that its chief financial officer will leave that position to take the post as chairman and chief executive of its global wealth management division.

Wall Street was mixed at midday on Friday as some quarterly reports failed to inspire investors.  The Dow Jones Industrial Average was 0.21 percent lower to 12,541.50, while the Nasdaq Composite had added 0.04 percent to 2,444.11 and the S&P 500 was 0.11 percent higher to 1,427.87.

IBM dropped $3.82 to $95.63 even though it reported profits that were better than anticipated in the fourth quarter.  A portion of the increase in profits was due to a change in IBM’s tax rates.  Meanwhile, General Electric dropped 79 cents to $37.21 on disappointing results in its fiscal first quarter.

Citigroup also saw declines, with its share price dropping 34 cents to $54.05 due to a 26 percent decrease in profits in the fourth quarter.

Motorola added 67 cents to $19.38.  It had warned in January that its fourth quarter profits would not meet expectations due to discounts on mobile phones.  And, indeed, its earnings were lower, but turned out to be better than the warnings had led investors to expect.

Mergers and acquisitions also played into the days results.  Morgan Stanley added 55 cents to $81.76 after its real estate unit said it would buy hotel real-estate investment trust CNL Hotel & Resorts, spending $3.13 billion on the transaction.  Abbott Laboratories added 61 cents to $53.40, its highest share price in a year, after it said it will sell part of its medical testing division to General Electric.

Wall Street was mixed at noon on Tuesday as the earnings season prepares to get into full swing, with companies such as Apple, IBM, Citigroup, Merrill Lynch, JP Morgan and General Electric all scheduled to release their fourth-quarter reports this week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.04 percent to 12,560.88, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.1 percent to 2,500.97. The S&P 500, meanwhile, was 0.02 percent higher to 1,431.01.

Homebuilders were lower. KB Home dropped 1.2 percent to $48.76, while Centex fell 2.8 percent to $51.68. The S&P homebuilders index dropped 2 percent.

Technology stocks were responsible for the decline in the Nasdaq. Cisco was 2.9 percent lower to $28.08 on broker downgrades, while Symantec fell 8.8 percent to $18.67 after it said that profits in 2007 will not rise to expected levels. The semiconductor sector also fell on negative news from brokers. Novellus Systems was down 2.2 percent to $32.03 and KLA-Tencor dropped 2.6 percent to $50.83. Intel, which was scheduled to issue its report after the close of trade Tuesday, was 0.5 percent lower to $22.02.

The banking sector saw gains, with Wells Fargo 2.3 percent higher to $36.33 on earnings of 64 cents per share in the fourth quarter.

In the transport sector, FedEx gained 2.7 percent to $111.77 as the Dow Transports Average gained 1.3 percent on the session so far and 5.7 percent since the beginning of the year.