Market Roundup: Markets Close Flat after a Volatile Week of Trading

Economy/Stock Market

The week began with the Dow Jones Industrial Average closing at its lowest level in 18 months. The S&P 500 Index and the NASDAQ also lost nearly 4% each in a frenzy of selling. The losing streak continued on Tuesday with a rush of selling minutes before the closing bell. On Wednesday, the three major indices surged nearly 4%, with the S&P pulling itself out of correction territory. Still, Wednesday’s big gains don’t erase the financial pain inflicted by the market’s first 10 drop since 2011. The Dow remained 11.1% off its recent high, the S&P 500 remained down 8.9%, while the NASDAQ composite remains 10% off its high and the small-cap Russell 2000 is down 12.6%. Stocks continued to soar on Thursday as renewed optimism about the U.S. economy eased concerns about the pace of global growth. Oil prices soared more than 10% to their biggest one-day percentage gain in six years amid a surge in commodities. The Commerce Department reported Gross Domestic Product, the broadest measure of goods and services produced across the U.S., expanded 3.7% in the second quarter, well ahead of expectations. The markets ended the week with a whimper, as the major indexes notched gains for the week in a subdued end to one of the most volatile periods in years for global markets. Upbeat economic data has helped reassure some investors that while global growth is slowing, the U.S. remains relatively stable. The Commerce Department said consumer spending rose 0.3% in July.