Financial Market News

The Dow and the S&P 500 finished lower for the fourth consecutive session on Wednesday after investors found few reasons to make big moves, with uncertainty remaining over when the Federal Reserve will start to slow its stimulus.

A survey of 200 registered investment advisors by Aberdeen Asset Management showed that 59% of RIAs think "clarity regarding the fund manager's investment philosophy and strategy is the most important attribute considered when recommending a mutual fund to a client."

Euro zone governments have set aside almost no money to make good on their promise to recapitalize ailing banks after a health check next year.

The stock market fell in early trading after a payroll company reported that U.S. businesses added the most jobs in a year last month as manufacturing and construction expanded.

Stocks recovered from losses at the open Wednesday and moved higher in late morning trading following a better-than expected report about the housing market.

Just a few years ago, Morgan Stanley lacked the expertise, infrastructure or desire to do a lot of lending, but today it is making a big push into loans to bridge a profit gap with rivals.

The yen rose against the dollar and the euro on Tuesday, rebounding from losses as falling stock markets worldwide prompted safe-haven demand for the Japanese currency.

Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 2 percent to 15,426.70, pulling back from Tuesday's rise and levels that were the index's highest in about six months.

Traders Luigi Muccitelli, left, and Greg Mulligan work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2013.

Biotechnology stocks were among the most sought-after initial public offerings this year, with 38 through mid-November.

Pressure on the TSX came from financials as Bank of Montreal declined about 3% to $71.36, a decline of $2.17.

Stocks headed lower Tuesday as investors continued to worry about the Federal Reserve winding down its economic stimulus program and weak consumer spending in the U.S. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 115 points, or 0.7 percent, to 15,894 as of noon Eastern.

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It is important for advisors to know the warning signs of fraud in a company and not just rely on auditors when considering an investment, writes Brian Fox of Tennessee-based Capital Confirmation in a Wall Street Journal column.

Asian shares eased and the dollar firmed on Tuesday as unexpectedly strong US factory activity bolstered expectations the Federal Reserve will soon trim its stimulus, while the yen tumbled on speculation of further central bank easing.

Japanese mobsters driving flash cars purchased with bank loans. Executives bowing in apology for loaning millions to those underworld figures.

The central bank, its boss hand-picked by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, shot the first, and so far most successful, arrow from Abe's quiver of aggressive policies to pull the world's third-biggest economy out of almost two decades of deflation and lackluster growth.

Stocks seemed to have the post-holiday blahs in early trading Monday, Dec. 2, 2013.

Stocks were flat Monday as some investors may be worrying about retailers and the broader economy following a lackluster Black Friday.

The "Big Three" credit rating agencies that score European Union government debt could be fined after failing to fix poor practices from the past, the sector's regulator said on Monday.