Federal Reserve Interest Rates

[MTnews]

Daily Market Commentary for August 5, 2008 from

Federal Open Market Committee decided today to keep its target for the federal funds rate at 2%. Economic activity expanded in the second quarter, partly reflecting growth in consumer spending and exports. ()

At the NYSE closing bell on the New York Stock Exchange, here is how the major world indices and major U.S. stock indices ended the session on the world market as well as the emerging markets including the stock market closing bell price:
DOW (Dow Jones Industrial Average) triple digit gain of 331.21 points on the day to end the trading session at 11,615.36
NYSE (New York Stock Exchange) triple digit gain of 203.20 points to end the trading session at 8,471.85
NASDAQ gain of 64.27 points to end the trading session at 2,349.83
S&P 500 gain of 35.87 points to end the trading session at 1,284.88
FTSE All-World excluding - U.S. gain of 3.12 points to end the trading session at 224.06
FTSE RAFI 1000 triple digit gain of 150.13 points to end the trading session at 5,079.94
BEL 20 (BEL20) triple digit gain of 101.43 points to end the trading session at 3,048.46
CAC 40 (CAC40) triple digit gain of 105.72 points to end the trading session at 4,386.35
FTSE100 (UKX100) triple digit gain of 134.3 points to end the trading session at 5,454.50
NIKKEI 225 (NIK/O) loss of 18.52 points on the day to end the trading session at 12,914.66

New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) stock market indicators for the day:
Advanced stock prices 2,369; declined stock prices 812; unchanged stock prices 75; stock prices hitting new highs 49 and stock prices hitting new lows 85.
NYSE quotes for volatile stocks and market trends, as well as stock quotes, stock prices and stock symbols of Day Trading Stock Picks on the New York Stock Exchange stock market for Day Trading online and active Day Trading for those who are or would like to be Day Trading for a living: Reliant Energy Incorporated (NYSE: RRI) stock price shed 2.33 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $18.81, low on the trading session $14.32 for a closing stock price at $14.87; Rio Tinto plc (NYSE: RTP) stock price shed 9.00 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $374.15, low on the trading session $355.35 for a closing stock price at $363.06; Molson Coors Brewing Company (NYSE: TAP) stock price shed 6.25 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $50.28, low on the trading session $46.08 for a closing stock price at $48.18; CME Group Incorporated (NYSE: CME) stock price gained 13.75 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $338.72, low on the trading session $326.13 for a closing stock price at $336.00; Nucor Corporation (NYSE: NUE) stock price gained 0.77 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $53.90, low on the trading session $50.04 for a closing stock price at $52.16; Flowserve Corporation (NYSE: FLS) stock price shed 4.99 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $126.50, low on the trading session $116.76 for a closing stock price at $118.77; Weyerhaeuser Company (NYSE: WY) stock price shed 0.60 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $58.50, low on the trading session $53.67 for a closing stock price at $53.96; Mosaic Company (NYSE: MOS) stock price gained 1.18 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $113.39, low on the trading session $103.95 for a closing stock price at $110.47; Ultrashort Financial Corporation (NYSE: SKF) stock price shed 11.10 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $121.05, low on the trading session $111.92 for a closing stock price at $112.12; Cleveland-Cliffs Incorporated (NYSE: CLF) stock price shed 6.74 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $101.75, low on the trading session $88.24 for a closing stock price at $94.05; Walter Industries Incorporated (NYSE: WLT) stock price gained 3.98 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $91.91, low on the trading session $81.72 for a closing stock price at $90.50; CF Industries Holdings Incorporated (NYSE: CF) stock price shed 9.35 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $150.00, low on the trading session $134.00 for a closing stock price at $139.61; Potash Corporation Saskatchewan (NYSE: POT) stock price shed 7.14 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $182.70, low on the trading session $167.95 for a closing stock price at $173.00; Terra Industries Incorporated (NYSE: TRA) stock price gained 0.58 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $48.74, low on the trading session $43.38 for a closing stock price at $46.52; United States Steel Corporation (NYSE: X) stock price gained 3.30 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $146.24, low on the trading session $136.50 for a closing stock price at $143.17.

National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) stock market indicators today:
Advanced stock prices 1,941; declined stock prices 947; unchanged stock prices 113; stock prices hitting new highs 40; stock prices hitting new lows 85.
NASDAQ quotes, volatile stocks and market trends, as well as stock quotes, stock prices and stock symbols of Day Trading Stock Picks on the NASDAQ stock market for Day Trading online and active Day Trading for those who are or would like to be Day Trading for a living: Sears Holdings Corporation (NasdaqGS: SHLD) stock price gained 8.78 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $92.25, low on the trading session $82.85 for a closing stock price at $91.56; James River Coal Company (NasdaqGS: JRCC) stock price shed 2.18 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $34.90, low on the trading session $30.83 for a closing stock price at $32.88; MicroStrategy Incorporated (NasdaqGS: MSTR) stock price shed 3.48 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $59.89, low on the trading session $53.50 for a closing stock price at $56.63; Energy Conversion Devices Incorporated (NasdaqGS: ENER) stock price shed 1.88 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $65.20, low on the trading session $61.55 for a closing stock price at $62.76; First Solar Incorporated (NasdaqGS: FSLR) stock price gained 0.15 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $272.50, low on the trading session $261.56 for a closing stock price at $267.39; Baidu.com Incorporated (NasdaqGS: BIDU) stock price gained 0.10 points on the trading session, high on the trading session $334.48, low on the trading session $324.52 for a closing stock price at $330.30.

Market trends on the American Stock Exchange (AMEX) and stock market indicators for today:
Advanced stock prices 652; declined stock prices 533; unchanged stock prices 82; stock prices hitting new highs 16; stock prices hitting new lows 55.

Chicago Board of Trade Futures Market activity for the day, at time of this posting for September 2008 Contracts:
E-mini S&P 500 (ES) end of day price 1,282.50, change -0.50
E-mini NASDAQ-100 (NQ) end of day price 1,873.25, change 4.25
E-mini S&P SmallCap 600 (SMP) end of day price 378.80, change 0.00
$5 DJIA (YM) end of day price 11,583, change -2

World Currencies for the Forex Market, for Forex Trading by active Forex Traders, at time of this posting:
Euro 0.6466 to U.S. Dollars 1.5466
Japanese Yen 108.2 to U.S. Dollars 0.0092
British Pound 0.5121 to U.S. Dollars 1.9528
Canadian Dollar 1.0427 to U.S. Dollars 0.9590
Swiss Franc 1.054 to U.S. Dollars 0.9488

Commodity Markets:
Energy Sector: Light Crude (NYMEX: NYM) shed $2.24 on the day for a closing price of $119.17 a barrel ($US per barrel)
Heating Oil (NYMEX: NYM) shed $0.07 on the day for a closing price of $3.27 a gallon ($US per gallon)
Natural Gas (NYMEX: NYM) had no change on the day at $8.73 per million BTU ($US per mmbtu.)
Unleaded Gas (NYMEX: NYM) shed $0.04 on the day for a closing price of $2.96 a gallon ($US per gallon)

Metals Markets:
Gold Market Price (COMEX: CMX) shed $21.80 on the day for a closing price of $886.10 ($US per Troy ounce)
Silver (COMEX: CMX) shed $0.57 on the day for a closing price of $16.57 ($US per Troy ounce)
Platinum (NYMEX: NYM) gained $21.50 on the day for a closing price of $1,584.50 ($US per Troy ounce)
Copper (COMEX: CMX) shed $0.02 on the day for a closing price of $3.42 ($US per pound)

Livestock and Meat Markets (cents per lb.):
Lean Hogs (Chicago Mercantile Exchange: CME) shed 0.45 on the day for a closing price of 74.50
Pork Bellies (Chicago Mercantile Exchange: CME) shed 1.38 on the day for a closing price of 89.73
Live Cattle (Chicago Mercantile Exchange: CME) shed 0.60 on the day for a closing price of 106.90
Feeder Cattle (Chicago Mercantile Exchange: CME) shed 0.73 on the day for a closing price of 117.10

Other Commodities (cents per bushel):
Corn (Chicago Board of Trade: CBT) shed 10.50 on the day for a closing price of 545.00
Soybeans (Chicago Board of Trade: CBT) shed 26.00 on the day for a closing price of 1,269.00

Bond Market:
2 year bond shed 2/32 on the day for a closing price of 100 11/32 with a Yield of 2.55, Yield Change +0.02
5 year bond shed 4/32 on the day for a closing price of 100 4/32 with a Yield of 3.29, Yield Change +0.08
10 year bond shed 3/32 on the day for a closing price of 98 24/32 with a Yield of 4.02, Yield Change +0.06
30 year bond shed 28/32 on the day for a closing price of 95 20/32 with a Yield of 4.64, Yield Change +0.05

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