New York markets were higher at midday on Monday on investor hopes that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates again when it meets later this week.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was 0.31 percent higher at mid-session, at 13,849.45, while the Nasdaq Composite was up 0.23 percent to 2,810.73 and the S&P 500 had added 0.24 percent to 1,538.95.

The oil sector was also higher after crude oil hit a new record high at $93.20 early in the session.

Chevron (NYSE: CVX) was up 1.6 percent to $93.11, while ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) gained almost 2 percent to $93.91.

Gains in oil prices also sent shares in solar power-related companies higher.

China Sunergy was up 21 percent to $11.07, while Suntech Power Holdings (NYSE: STP) gained 9.1 percent to $60.16 and LDK Solar (NYSE: LDK) was up 8.4 percent to $41.08.

In the computers sector , Dell (NAS: DELL) added 2.6 percent to $29.72 on an upgrade from Goldman Sachs.

In the retail sector, consumer electronics chain Radio Shack (NYSE: RSH) was up 5.8 percent to $20.75 after reporting a profit in the most recent quarter.

Wall Street was on the rebound at midday on Friday.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.52 percent to 13,743.45, while the Nasdaq Composite was 1.29 percent higher to 2,786.34 and the S&P 500 added 0.78 percent to 1,526.26.

The Nasdaq was helped by Microsoft’s (NAS: MSFT) quarterly report, which was released late Thursday.

Microsoft added 9.2 percent to $34.93 after it reported that profits were up 23 percent in its fiscal fourth quarter.

Sales were up 27 percent over the same period last year on success with Windows, Office, and its new “Halo 3” computer game.

The oil sector saw gains as crude oil prices continued in record territory.

Oilfield services group Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB) added 1.7 percent to $99.77, while Occidental Petroleum (NYSE: OXY) was up 2.9 percent to $71.05.

In the financial services sector, Countrywide Financial (NYSE: CFC) added 17.1 percent to $15.29 even though it had losses of over $1 billion in the third quarter as it said it would cut jobs and return to profit in the fourth quarter.

Elsewhere in the financial sector, Merrill Lynch (NYSE: MER; TYO: 8675) gained 4.5 percent to $63.65 on reports that it’s chief executive might soon be replaced.

There are rumors that CEO Stan O’Neal was in talks about a merger with Wachovia (NYSE: WB) that he did not reveal to the board of directors.

House builders were mixed on Wall Street Thursday after the Commerce Department said that sales of new homes rose by 4.8 percent in September over August’s numbers.

The news initially sent markets higher, but the indices returned to declines on the reality that the increase had more to do with a revision lower in August’s numbers and discounted prices on homes in September in an attempt to sell inventory than with a real rise in sales.

At midday in New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was 0.26 percent lower to 13,639.08.

The Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.84 percent to 2,751.43 while the S&P 500 was down 0.34 percent to 1,510.69.

Durable goods orders that were down by 1.7 percent in September, a bigger drop than had been anticipated, also weighed on the markets.

The mixed results among house builders also had to do with quarterly results.

Pulte Homes (NYSE: PHM) was down 29 cents to $14.70 after it said it lost $787.9 million in the quarter on a pre-tax charge and new orders that were down 37 percent from the previous year at the same time.

Elsewhere in the sector, KB Home (NYSE: KBH) dropped 27 cents to $26.54, but Lennar (NYSE: LEN) and Beazer Homes (NYSE: BZH) each added 26 cents to $22.84 and $10.27 respectively.

The Nasdaq was hurt by a decline by software group Symantec (NAS: SYMC), which dropped $2.51 to $18.51 on a disappointing outlook.

Also on the Nasdaq, cable television and internet service provider Comcast (NAS: CMCSA) fell $1.85 to $22 after it said profits were down by 54 percent in the third quarter amid a competitive environment.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average had lost more than 130 points at midday, falling 0.99 percent to 13,540.31 after Merrill Lynch (NYSE: MER; TYO: 8675) said that it had written down $7.9 billion in the third quarter, over $2 billion more than it had said that it would have to write off earlier, for a net loss of $2.3 billion in the quarter.

In addition the National Association of Realtors said that existing home sales were down again in September, falling 8 percent during the month for the biggest decline since 1999 and much more than the 4.5 percent that had been expected.

The weak sales sent the median price for an existing home 4.2 percent lower than last year at the same time.

The Nasdaq Composite, meanwhile, was down 1.93 percent to 2,745.37 and the S&P 500 dropped 1.3 percent to 1,499.79.

In the technology sector Intel (NAS: INTC; SEHK: 4335) was $1.08 lower to $25.72 after Broadcom (NAS: BRCM) issued a worse than expected quarterly report Tuesday.

Broadcom was $7.51 lower to $34.55.

Banks took the Merrill Lynch news hard.

Bank of New York (NYSE: BNY) was $1.30 lower to $46.18, while Bear Stearns (NYSE: BSC) was down $4.13 to $112.04.

Internet retailer Amazon (NAS: AMZN) dropped $15.32 to $85.50 even though it reported that its profits in the quarter more than quadrupled.

Wall Street was up in early afternoon trade on Monday after declines earlier in the day.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.17 percent to 13,545.43, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.81 percent to 2,747.17 and the the S&P 500 was 0.23 percent higher to 1,504.04.

In the pharmaceuticals sector, Merck (NYSE: MRK) added $1.21 to $54.32 after it reported that profits were up by 62 percent in the third quarter, boosted by ales of asthma and allergy drugs, blood pressure medicines, cholesterol drugs and a number of vaccines, including one for the prevention of cervical cancer.

The only bad news was that the drug maker still faces liability over its Vioxx anti-inflammatory drug which was taken off the market after being implicated in cardiovascular events in patients who took it.

Elsewhere in the sector, Schering-Plough (NYSE: SGP) dropped $4.29 to $28.42 after turning in a quarterly report that was not up to investors’ expectations.

Meanwhile Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) was 3 cents lower to $24.04.

Home builders were doing well in early afternoon trade, with several builders recording gains in the near-7 percent to nearly 8.5 percent range.

Beazer Homes (NYSE: BZH) was up 76 cents to $9.82, while DR Horton (NYSE: DHI) was 88 cents higher to $12.83 and Hovnanian Enterprises (NYSE: HOV) had gained 89 cents to $11.44.

Pulte Homes (NYSE: PHM) added 94 cents to $14.62 and Lennar (NYSE: LEN) was up $1.39 to $21.08, while Toll Brothers (NYSE: TOL) jumped $1.56 to $22.08.

Wall Street was lower at midday on Friday as quarterly reports from various sectors disappointed.

The Dow Jones Industrial average was down 1.27 percent to 13,713.05, while the Nasdaq Composite had fallen 1.14 percent to 2,767.32 and the S&P 500 was down 1.12 percent to 1,522.82.

The exception to the generally poor quarterly reports was Google (NAS: GOOG; LSE: GGEA), which added $11.72 to $651.34 after it said profits were up by 46 percent in the third quarter.

Elsewhere, manufacturer 3M (NYSE: MMM) dropped $6.25 to $88.48 even though profits were up 7 percent in the quarter and it raised its full-year forecast after sales did not live up to expectations.

Construction equipment manufacturer Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT) was down $2.85 to $74.81 after it lowered its full-year outlook even though profits were up 21 percent in the quarter.

In the banking sector, Wachovia (NYSE: WB) reported that profits were down 10 percent in the third quarter, sending shares 83 cents lower to $47.31 at mid-session.

ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) was down 1.1 percent to $93.99.

Wall Street was lower in early afternoon trade on Thursday after Bank of America (NYSE: BAC; TYO: 8648) reported that profits were down by 32 percent in the third quarter.

While other banks have also produced disappointing third-quarter reports, Bank of America is seen as a predictor of the health of the US banking industry because it does business in widespread regions of the country.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was 0.22 percent lower to 13,861.81, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.35 percent to 2,782.82 and the S&P 500 was down 0.38 percent to 1,535.35.

Bank of America was $1.69 lower to $48.33 after its report.

Elsewhere in the sector, Citigroup (NYSE: C) fell 66 cents to $44. JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM; TYO: 8634), which issued a better than anticipated report on Wednesday, was still down 66 cents to $45.71.

Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) dropped 80 cents to $33.49, while Wachovia (NYSE: WB) was 81 cents lower to $47.72.

Savings and loan Washington Mutual (NYSE: WM) was $2.83 lower to $30.24 after it issued a quarterly report showing profits down by 72 percent.

Sagging profits were not just a problem in the banking sector, however.

Candy maker Hershey Co. (NYSE: HSY) dropped $1.51 to $42.78 after it reported that profits were down 66 percent in the quarter on poor sales and higher promotional costs.

In the pharmaceuticals sector, meanwhile, Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) added 8 cents to $24.63 even though it reported that profits were down in its third quarter on lower sales and a charge to end investment in an inhaled form of insulin.

The New York markets ended mixed on Wednesday.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost over 20 points to end 0.15 percent lower at 13,892.54 after falling more than 130 points in earlier trade, but the Nasdaq Composite added 1.04 percent to 2,792.67 and the S&P 500 gained 0.18 percent to 1,541.24.

The Nasdaq was helped by gains for chipmaker Intel (NAS: INTC; SEHK: 4335), which was up $1.24 to $26.72 after it said its earnings were up by 43 percent in the third quarter.

Yahoo (NAS:YHOO) was also higher, adding $2.13 to $28.82 after its third quarter profits were down less than had been anticipated.

Declines came on losses by IBM (NYSE: IBM), which fell $3.82 to $115.78 even though it said earnings were up by 6 percent, more than expected, after software revenue only added 3 percent in the quarter.

Manufacturer United Technologies (NYSE: UTX) was also lower, dropping $2.85 to $76.80 even though its profits were up by 20 percent in the third quarter after it said it sees the US economy slowing.

In the banking sector, JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM; TYO: 8634) added $1.26 to $46.37 when it managed a 2 percent gain in profits in the third quarter even though it took losses related to home loans and corporate debt.

Wall Street dropped at midday on Tuesday as crude oil prices continued to rise and on comments from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke Monday night that the housing market is a “significant drag” on the economy.

In addition, investors expected more bad news concerning the housing sector when the National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo issues its October housing market index later in the day.

At mid-session, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was 0.5 percent lower to 13,914.65, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.23 percent to 2,773.78 and the S&P 500 fell 0.52 percent to 1,540.7.

The housing sector was down on Mr. Bernanke’s comments and on separate comments from Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, who said in a speech Geogretown University’s law school that the housing slump is the most serious risk currently facing the economy.

DR Horton (NYSE: DHI) dropped 30 cents to $13.80 after it said that orders were down 39 percent in its fiscal fourth quarter, while cancellations were at 48 percent.

Elsewhere in the sector Pulte Homes (NYSE: PHM) fell 32 cents to $14.11 while Toll Brothers (NYSE: TOL) was 36 cents lower to $21.79, Beazer Homes (NYSE: BZH) was down 41 cents to $8.75, Centex (NYSE: CTX) dropped 69 cents to $25.80 and KB Home (NYSE: KBH) fell 79 percent to $26.91.

The Dow was hurt by losses for General Motors (NYSE: GM), which was down $1.15 to $39.96 after a broker downgrade from “peer perform” to “under perform” from Bear Stearns.

JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM; TYO: 8634) dropped 85 cents to $45.42 ahead of its third-quarter results, due Wednesday, while Citigroup (NYSE: C) was $1.11 lower to $45.14 after it reported Monday that its earnings were down 57 percent in the third quarter due to losses in mortgage-backed securities and higher operating expenses.

The New York markets were lower in midday trade on Monday.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was 0.8 percent lower to 13,980.57, while the Nasdaq Composite had fallen 0.62 percent to 2,788.15 and the S&P 500 had dropped 0.69 percent to 1,551.

Investors were worried after Citigroup (NYSE: C) after it said that earnings were down by 57 percent in the third quarter.

Citigroup fell $1.33 to $46.54.

Medical devices manufacturer Medtronic (NYSE: MDT) was $7.08 lower to $49.25 on the news that it has stopped selling its Sprint Fidelis defibrillation leads after they were show to be defective.

Meanwhile, biotechnology group Biogen Idec (NAS: BIIB) added $14.40 to $83.83 after it said it might put itself up for sale after talking to potential bidders.

A little earlier in the session, Boeing (NYSE: BA; TYO: 7661) was down $1.46 to $95.24 after a broker downgrade from “outperform” to “market perform” on the possibility that the announced six-month delay in the delivery of the aerospace group’s 787 Dreamliner could stretch further.

A downgrade also sent house builders lower.

KB Home (NYSE: KBH) dropped $1.31 to $27.63 after UBS (NYSE: UBS; SWX: UBSN; TYO: 8657) dropped its recommendaton from “buy” to “neutral” and said that the housing market is not likely to recover until at least 2009.

Lennar Corp (NYSE: LEN) fell 49 cents to $23.71.