The New York equities markets were up at midday on Friday and looked ready to close the week out with gains as well. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was 0.4 percent higher to 12,466.99, a gain of 1.3 percent on the week. Earlier in the session, the Dow was as high as 12,486.30, a new high. The Nasdaq Composite had added 0.5 percent so far on the day, to 2,466.12, a gain of 1.2 percent on the week. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 was up 0.3 percent to 1,430.11, 1.4 percent higher this week.

Airlines saw gains during the week. United Air Lines and Continental Airlines both gained share value on the news that United is talking to Continental about a merger. United added 4.8 percent to $45, while Continental gained 7.1 percent to $44.96. Meanwhile, Midwest Airlines was 27.8 percent higher to $11.82 after rejecting an offer from AirTran Holdings.

In the semiconductors sector, Advanced Micro Devices added 6.7 percent to $22.34 after it said that it expected demand to rise by 10 percent next year.

Microsoft added 2.4 percent to $30.12, the first time its share price rose above $30.12 since November 2004. Elsewhere in the software sector, Adobe added 10.3 percent during the week to $42.89 on a fourth-quarter report that was better than had been expected.

Losers included Best Buy, which dropped 4.8 percent to $50.60 on a downgrade from Prudential Securities.

Some securities brokers also saw declines. Lehman Brothers dropped 1.4 percent to $75.98 and Goldman Sachs fell 1.8 percent to $201.32. The sector was mixed, however, with Bear Stearns adding 2.6 percent to $1.63.

The New York equities markets were lower at midday on Wednesday after the technology sector declined on a fine charged to Microsoft by European regulators. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 were each 0.3 percent lower, to 11,097.07 and 1,268.31 respectively. The Nasdaq Composite had dropped 0.8 percent to 2,112.71.

Microsoft was down 1.2 percent to $22.82, for a loss so far this year of 12.7 percent, after regulators in Europe fined the company $280 million for not abiding by an antitrust ruling handed down there in 2004. The loss by Microsoft took other tech stocks lower. Adobe Systems dropped 2.5 percent to $28.82, while Dell Computer declined by 3.4 percent to $22.63.

Losses in the semiconductor sector hurt the S&P, as Intel was down 2.1 percent to $18.28 and Nvidia fell 2 percent to $18.77. Sun Microsystems, however, defied trends to gain 2.8 percent to $4.01.

Data storage system manufacturer Network Appliance dropped 5.8 percent to $28.94, bringing its losses in the past two weeks to 16 percent.

In the biotechnology sector, the news was mixed. Genentech was down 3.1 percent to $81.47 even though it surpassed analysts expectations by notching a 79 percent increase in earnings in the second quarter. Despite the positive earnings report, investors worried about sales of the drug Avastin and the delay in obtaining approval for its use in treating breast cancer patients. On the other hand, Genzyme added 8.4 percent to $62.86 on the news that it expects to report a gain of 9 percent in quarterly earnings.

By the middle of the afternoon in New York on Monday, equities markets were lower again. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was off by 0.2 percent to 10,867.66, while the Nasdaq Composite had dropped 1.1 percent to 2,110.7 and the S&P 500 was 0.5 percent lower, to 1,245.52. In addition, the Russell 2000 index of smaller companies had lost 1.2 percent to below 700.

Broker recommendations had their effect on the day. Walt Disney was down 1.5 percent to $28.88 on a downgrade from “buy” to “hold” from Citigroup. A downgrade from Deutsche Bank, meanwhile, hurt telecommunications equipment manufacturer Tellabs, which lost 9.7 percent to $13.55. Software company Adobe added 4.2 percent to $29.17 on an upgrade from Cowen and Co.

In the banking sector, Lehman Brothers was down 4 percent to $63 even though its quarterly results were better than had been anticipated when analysts pointed out that earnings were down from its first quarter report.

Monster Worldwide, the recruitment company, lost 7.3 percent to $38.92 after it announced that is being investigated by an independent committee of directors in relation to its practices surrounding the granting of stock options.

Among gainers, General Motors added 3 percent to $26.12 on the news that Delphi, it’s largest parts supplier, had reached an agreement with the United Auto Workers concerning buy-outs for Delphi workers.

Wall Street was down at mid-session on Thursday as profit-taking and renewed worries about higher interest rates took their toll after new data showed that existing home sales in the US were up 5.2 percent in February. Higher crude oil prices also hurt buyer sentiment.

By midday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average had dropped 0.4 percent to 11,272.93, the Nasdaq Composite was down 0.3 percent to 2,296.35, and the S&P 500 was also 0.3 percent lower to 1,301.03.

Oil companies were higher on higher crude prices as well as on upgrades within the sector from Prudential Equity Group. Marathon Oil gained 1.6 percent to $77.49 and ConocoPhillips added 1.9 percent to $61.65.

Computer related sectors were mixed. Software maker Adobe Systems lost 2.6 percent to $35.66 after it said that earnings this quarter will be below predictions. Computer maker Dell added 0.2 percent to $30.46 on the news that it will purchase Alienware, which makes gaming computers. That news helped chip maker Advanced Micro Devices to gain 3.6 percent to $35.62. Search engine Yahoo was up 3.1 percent to $42 on positive comments from UBS.

General Motors added 0.8 percent to $22.19 after the majority stake in its financing arm was purchased by an investor group.

In the foods sector, General Mills gained 0.5 percent to $50.21 on a 7 percent rise in profits in the third quarter. ConAgra added 1.1 percent to $20.48 even though it announced losses in its third quarter due to one-time restructuring and legal costs.

The New York equities markets were mixed on Monday after last week’s gains and ahead of remarks to be delivered by US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke to the Economic Club of New York later in the evening.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.1 percent to 11,274.53 and the S&P 500 declined by 0.2 percent to 1,305.08, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.3 percent to 2,314.11 on strength in the technology sector.

Software maker Oracle gained 0.9 percent to $13.72 in anticipation of an earnings report due after the close of trade. Elsewhere in the sector, Adobe was up 1.6 percent to $36.55. Adobe is scheduled to release its earnings report on Wednesday.

Another company that helped the Nasdaq to gains on the day was computer maker Dell, which gained 2.3 percent to $29.76 on the announcement that it will increase its number of employees in India to a total of 20,000 within the next three years. Other computer-related stocks were up on the day as well. Microsoft gained 1.4 percent to $27.89, while search engine Google added 2.5 percent to $348.19.

Sirius Satellite Radio gained 4.5 percent to $5.11 on the news that it has now signed up 4 million subscribers and predicted that the number will rise to over 6 million by the end of the year.

In the retail sector, Wal-Mart added 2.3 percent to $47.76 on the report that it will expand its China operations. One company executive said that it will open 20 new stores in the Asian nation this year and could hire as many as 150,000 Chinese employees in the next five years.

The New York equities markets were mixed on Monday after last week’s gains and ahead of remarks to be delivered by US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke to the Economic Club of New York later in the evening.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.1 percent to 11,274.53 and the S&P 500 declined by 0.2 percent to 1,305.08, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.3 percent to 2,314.11 on strength in the technology sector.

Software maker Oracle gained 0.9 percent to $13.72 in anticipation of an earnings report due after the close of trade. Elsewhere in the sector, Adobe was up 1.6 percent to $36.55. Adobe is scheduled to release its earnings report on Wednesday.

Another company that helped the Nasdaq to gains on the day was computer maker Dell, which gained 2.3 percent to $29.76 on the announcement that it will increase its number of employees in India to a total of 20,000 within the next three years. Other computer-related stocks were up on the day as well. Microsoft gained 1.4 percent to $27.89, while search engine Google added 2.5 percent to $348.19.

Sirius Satellite Radio gained 4.5 percent to $5.11 on the news that it has now signed up 4 million subscribers and predicted that the number will rise to over 6 million by the end of the year.

In the retail sector, Wal-Mart added 2.3 percent to $47.76 on the report that it will expand its China operations. One company executive said that it will open 20 new stores in the Asian nation this year and could hire as many as 150,000 Chinese employees in the next five years.

The New York equities markets were mixed on Monday after last week’s gains and ahead of remarks to be delivered by US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke to the Economic Club of New York later in the evening.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.1 percent to 11,274.53 and the S&P 500 declined by 0.2 percent to 1,305.08, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.3 percent to 2,314.11 on strength in the technology sector.

Software maker Oracle gained 0.9 percent to $13.72 in anticipation of an earnings report due after the close of trade. Elsewhere in the sector, Adobe was up 1.6 percent to $36.55. Adobe is scheduled to release its earnings report on Wednesday.

Another company that helped the Nasdaq to gains on the day was computer maker Dell, which gained 2.3 percent to $29.76 on the announcement that it will increase its number of employees in India to a total of 20,000 within the next three years. Other computer-related stocks were up on the day as well. Microsoft gained 1.4 percent to $27.89, while search engine Google added 2.5 percent to $348.19.

Sirius Satellite Radio gained 4.5 percent to $5.11 on the news that it has now signed up 4 million subscribers and predicted that the number will rise to over 6 million by the end of the year.

In the retail sector, Wal-Mart added 2.3 percent to $47.76 on the report that it will expand its China operations. One company executive said that it will open 20 new stores in the Asian nation this year and could hire as many as 150,000 Chinese employees in the next five years.

The New York equities markets were mixed on Monday after last week’s gains and ahead of remarks to be delivered by US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke to the Economic Club of New York later in the evening.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.1 percent to 11,274.53 and the S&P 500 declined by 0.2 percent to 1,305.08, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.3 percent to 2,314.11 on strength in the technology sector.

Software maker Oracle gained 0.9 percent to $13.72 in anticipation of an earnings report due after the close of trade. Elsewhere in the sector, Adobe was up 1.6 percent to $36.55. Adobe is scheduled to release its earnings report on Wednesday.

Another company that helped the Nasdaq to gains on the day was computer maker Dell, which gained 2.3 percent to $29.76 on the announcement that it will increase its number of employees in India to a total of 20,000 within the next three years. Other computer-related stocks were up on the day as well. Microsoft gained 1.4 percent to $27.89, while search engine Google added 2.5 percent to $348.19.

Sirius Satellite Radio gained 4.5 percent to $5.11 on the news that it has now signed up 4 million subscribers and predicted that the number will rise to over 6 million by the end of the year.

In the retail sector, Wal-Mart added 2.3 percent to $47.76 on the report that it will expand its China operations. One company executive said that it will open 20 new stores in the Asian nation this year and could hire as many as 150,000 Chinese employees in the next five years.

The New York equities markets were mixed on Monday after last week’s gains and ahead of remarks to be delivered by US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke to the Economic Club of New York later in the evening.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.1 percent to 11,274.53 and the S&P 500 declined by 0.2 percent to 1,305.08, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.3 percent to 2,314.11 on strength in the technology sector.

Software maker Oracle gained 0.9 percent to $13.72 in anticipation of an earnings report due after the close of trade. Elsewhere in the sector, Adobe was up 1.6 percent to $36.55. Adobe is scheduled to release its earnings report on Wednesday.

Another company that helped the Nasdaq to gains on the day was computer maker Dell, which gained 2.3 percent to $29.76 on the announcement that it will increase its number of employees in India to a total of 20,000 within the next three years. Other computer-related stocks were up on the day as well. Microsoft gained 1.4 percent to $27.89, while search engine Google added 2.5 percent to $348.19.

Sirius Satellite Radio gained 4.5 percent to $5.11 on the news that it has now signed up 4 million subscribers and predicted that the number will rise to over 6 million by the end of the year.

In the retail sector, Wal-Mart added 2.3 percent to $47.76 on the report that it will expand its China operations. One company executive said that it will open 20 new stores in the Asian nation this year and could hire as many as 150,000 Chinese employees in the next five years.

The New York equities markets were mixed on Monday after last week’s gains and ahead of remarks to be delivered by US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke to the Economic Club of New York later in the evening.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.1 percent to 11,274.53 and the S&P 500 declined by 0.2 percent to 1,305.08, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.3 percent to 2,314.11 on strength in the technology sector.

Software maker Oracle gained 0.9 percent to $13.72 in anticipation of an earnings report due after the close of trade. Elsewhere in the sector, Adobe was up 1.6 percent to $36.55. Adobe is scheduled to release its earnings report on Wednesday.

Another company that helped the Nasdaq to gains on the day was computer maker Dell, which gained 2.3 percent to $29.76 on the announcement that it will increase its number of employees in India to a total of 20,000 within the next three years. Other computer-related stocks were up on the day as well. Microsoft gained 1.4 percent to $27.89, while search engine Google added 2.5 percent to $348.19.

Sirius Satellite Radio gained 4.5 percent to $5.11 on the news that it has now signed up 4 million subscribers and predicted that the number will rise to over 6 million by the end of the year.

In the retail sector, Wal-Mart added 2.3 percent to $47.76 on the report that it will expand its China operations. One company executive said that it will open 20 new stores in the Asian nation this year and could hire as many as 150,000 Chinese employees in the next five years.