NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. stocks hit session highs in late-morning trading on Thursday after sources said euro zone central banks agreed on a Greek bond swap as part of a deal to help the debt-laden nation.

The Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) rose 85.48 points, or 0.67 percent, to 12,866.43. The S&P 500 Index (.INX) added 7.82 points, or 0.58 percent, to 1,351.05. The Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) gained 15.28 points, or 0.52 percent, to 2,931.11.

The euro turned positive against the U.S. dollar, further supporting equities.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Stocks hit session lows and the Nasdaq turned negative on Wednesday as shares of Apple Inc (AAPL.O) gave up earlier gains and moved into the red.

The Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) dropped 87.49 points, or 0.68 percent, to 12,790.79. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (.SPX) lost 4.40 points, or 0.33 percent, to 1,346.10. The Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC) fell 6.36 points, or 0.22 percent, to 2,925.47.

(Reporting By Chuck Mikolajczak; Editing by Kenneth Barry)

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The S&P 500 index hit a fresh 7-month high before giving up some gains on Wednesday after mixed data on the U.S. economy and news of a possible delay in Greece’s bailout.

The S&P hit a peak of 1,354.72 shortly after the open but quickly retreated. With the index posting gains every week this year except for a 0.2 percent decline last week, many market participants were convinced stocks are overbought.

“The percentage of S&P 1500 stocks trading above their 200-day moving average has risen from 8 percent to 79 percent during the market’s advance from its October 2011 low,” said Ari Wald, equity strategy researcher at BBH.

“Given the market’s internal strength, an orderly pullback in the coming months is likely to create a tactical buying opportunity.”

The Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) was down 39.51 points, or 0.31 percent, at 12,838.77. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (.SPX) was up 1.42 points, or 0.11 percent, at 1,351.92. The Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC) was up 15.86 points, or 0.54 percent, at 2,947.69.

Early gains were dented after European Union sources said finance officials were examining ways of delaying parts or even all of a second bailout for Greece, while still avoiding a disorderly default. That rekindled fears about the region’s debt crisis.

Stocks were boosted earlier after a gauge of factory activity in New York state rose to its highest level in more than 1-1/2 years in February and after China’s chief central banker reiterated the country will keep investing in euro zone debt.

A separate report showed U.S. industrial production was unexpectedly flat in January, but a second straight month of gains in manufacturing pointed to underlying strength in the economy.

Decliners on the Dow, which underperformed the broader market, included industrial and material stocks like Caterpillar Inc (CAT.N) and Alcoa Inc (AA.N).

“I don’t think anybody is looking at these numbers (like industrial production) as robust, but there is a continual tone that things are getting better,” said Mark Lehmann, director of equities at JMP Securities in San Francisco.

Financial stocks were among the top gainers, with the S&P financial sector (.GSPF) up 0.7 percent, following European banks that were boosted after BNP Paribas’ (BNPP.PA) posted forecast-beating results.

Housing stocks got a lift after data showed U.S. homebuilder sentiment rose in February to the highest level in more than four years. The PHLX housing index (.HGX) rose 0.4 percent.

(Reporting By Angela Moon; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Stocks edged up at the open on Wednesday after better-than-expected New York Fed manufacturing data and remarks that reiterated China’s commitment to investing in euro zone debt.

The Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) edged up 19.29 points, or 0.15 percent, at 12,897.57. The S&P 500 Index (.SPX) added 3.96 points, or 0.29 percent, at 1,354.46. The Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) rose 12.31 points, or 0.42 percent, at 2,944.14.

Gains were capped after a separate report showed U.S. industrial production was unexpectedly flat in January.

(Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Stocks closed little changed on Tuesday, erasing losses in the final 20 minutes of trading, after a Greek government source said the conservative party leader would make a written commitment sought by international lenders.

Based on the latest available data, the Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) was up 4.24 points, or 0.03 percent, at 12,878.28. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (.SPX) was down 1.27 points, or 0.09 percent, at 1,350.50. The Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC) was up 0.44 point, or 0.02 percent, at 2,931.83.

(Reporting By Caroline Valetkevitch; Editing by Kenneth Barry)

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The S&P 500 index retreated from near a seven-month high Tuesday after weaker-than-expected January U.S. retail sales data curbed investors’ appetite for risky assets.

U.S. retail sales rose less than expected in January as consumers cut back on car purchases and shopped less online.

The disappointing data added to concerns stemming from Moody’s downgrade Monday of ratings on six euro-zone countries.

“The state of the consumer is still pretty mild. We have had some good economic news but still pretty mild trends all around,” said Sean Incremona, an economist at 4CAST in New York.

The Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) was down 28.01 points, or 0.22 percent, at 12,846.03. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (.SPX) was down 3.97 points, or 0.29 percent, at 1,347.80. The Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC) was down 10.23 points, or 0.35 percent, at 2,921.16.

On Monday, the S&P 500 rose near a seven-month high, up more than 25 percent from a low in early October. The benchmark index is hitting strong resistance in the 1,355-1,360 area, a possible trigger for a pullback.

Pressuring the financial sector, Citigroup downgraded Bank of America Corp (BAC.N) to “neutral” from “buy,” saying earnings headwinds would continue at the company even as capital concerns subside. Bank of America shares were down 1.1 percent at $8.16.

(Editing by Padraic Cassidy)

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Stocks extended gains on Monday, with the Nasdaq rising one percent on strength in large-cap tech shares.

Equities had been higher earlier after Greece’s parliament approved strict financial reforms needed to obtain an international bailout package.

The Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) was up 85.52 points, or 0.67 percent, at 12,886.75. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (.SPX) was up 10.50 points, or 0.78 percent, at 1,353.14. The Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC) was up 29.26 points, or 1.01 percent, at 2,933.14.

Apple Inc (AAPL.O) was one of the top boosts to the Nasdaq, rising 1.6 percent to $501.39. Google Inc (GOOG.O) gained 1.2 percent to $612.97.

(Editing by Kenneth Barry)

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The S&P posted its biggest percentage decline so far in 2012 on Friday after an about-face on Greece’s long-awaited debt deal ended a five-week streak of gains for equities.

Based on the latest available data, the Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) was down 89.31 points, or 0.69 percent, at 12,801.15. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (.SPX) was down 9.33 points, or 0.69 percent, at 1,342.62. The Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC) was down 23.35 points, or 0.80 percent, at 2,903.88.

For the week, the Dow was down 0.5 percent, S&P was down 0.2 percent and the Nasdaq was down 0.06 percent.

(Reporting By Caroline Valetkevitch; Editing by Kenneth Barry)

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Stocks edged higher on Thursday after Greece reached a deal to secure a financial bailout, but investors took a wait-and-see attitude in a market that has become extended after weeks of gains.

With the Dow near its highest since 2008, market participants expressed caution about Europe and awaited further details and progress on Greece’s efforts to deal with its debt.

Tech shares, led by Apple Inc (AAPL.O), gave a lift to the Nasdaq index and were the session’s strongest sector.

Leaders from major Greek parties agreed on reforms and austerity measures needed in exchange for a new bailout package to avoid a chaotic default.

“There’s some optimism that Greece has made it this far, but the reaction is muted because we’ve seen this before and there’s still a lot of caution about Europe,” said Brian Battle, vice president of trading at Performance Trust Capital Partners in Chicago.

Euro zone officials say the full package must be agreed with Greece and approved by the EU, IMF and European Central Bank by February 15, so legal paperwork can be completed in time to avoid a chaotic default that could threaten the global economic recovery.

The Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) was up 30.09 points, or 0.23 percent, at 12,914.04. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (.SPX) was up 3.86 points, or 0.29 percent, at 1,353.82. The Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC) was up 12.43 points, or 0.43 percent, at 2,928.29.

In a measure of how extended the market has become, well over 75 percent of S&P 500 stocks are trading above their 26-week moving average. Nearly six weeks of back-to-back gains have left the index up 7 percent this year.

“At these levels all the good news is priced into markets,” Battle said. “We’d have to have something substantially good for us to get another leg up from here.”

Providing support to the market was a report showing jobless claims unexpectedly fell last week, underscoring a firming in the labor market. That followed Friday’s report of a better-than-expected rise in the number of jobs created in January.

Apple’s stock rose to an all-time high. Brokerages Canaccord Genuity said its checks indicated very strong iPhone 4S sales and increased its price target to $665. Website AllThingsD said Apple would introduce its latest iPad tablet version next month.

Shares of Apple surged 3.6 percent to $493.77, hitting an all-time high of $496.75 earlier. The S&P information technology sector (.GSPT) rose 1.1 percent as the day’s best-performing group.

But Cisco Systems Inc (CSCO.O) limited gains by the tech sector as the network equipment maker’s forecast failed to impress investors. Shares were off 0.8 percent to $20.27.

Taleo Corp (TLEO.O) surged 17 percent to $45.62 after Oracle Corp (ORCL.O) said it would buy the recruitment software maker for about $1.9 billion. Oracle was 0.4 percent higher at $28.85.

PepsiCo Inc (PEP.N) fell 3.4 percent to $64.43 after the beverage maker forecast lower-than-expected 2012 earnings, said it would cut thousands of jobs and increase advertising to reinvigorate sales in North America.

Groupon Inc (GRPN.O) slumped 14 percent to $21.10. The daily deal website posted an unexpected loss in the first quarterly report since it went public.

Diamond Foods Inc (DMND.O) tumbled 36 percent to $23.50 after the company removed its top management and said it would restate results due to improper accounting of payments to walnut growers.

(Reporting By Ryan Vlastelica; Editing by Kenneth Barry)

NEW YORK (Reuters) – News that Greece had reached a deal to secure a bailout was greeted with caution on Wall Street on Thursday, with investors taking a wait-and-see approach in a market that has become extended after weeks of gains.

Leaders from major Greek parties agreed on reforms and austerity measures needed in exchange for a new bailout package to avoid a chaotic default.

“There is still a fair amount of skepticism that these agreements won’t amount to action, given the history,” said Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at Harris Private Bank in Chicago. “The market’s taking a wait-and-see approach.”

Euro zone officials say the full package must be agreed with Greece and approved by the EU, IMF and European Central Bank by February 15, so legal paperwork can be completed in time to avoid a chaotic default that could threaten the global economic recovery.

Banks (.GSPF) were among the weakest sectors in the S&P 500, slipping 0.3 percent. JP Morgan Chase (.JPM) fell 0.5 percent to $38.10.

Activitiy was subdued in the major stock indexes. The Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) slipped 3.86 points, or 0.03 percent, to 12,880.09. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (.SPX) fell 1.12 points, or 0.08 percent, to 1,348.84. The Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC) gained 1.98 points, or 0.07 percent, to 2,917.84.

In a measure of how extended the market has become, well over 75 percent of S&P 500 stocks are trading above their 26-week moving average. Nearly six weeks of back-to-back gains have left the index up 7 percent this year.

Providing support to the market was a report showing jobless claims unexpectedly fell last week, underscoring a firming in the labor market. That followed Friday’s report of a better-than-expected rise in the number of jobs created in January.

The Nasdaq was helped by Apple Inc (AAPL.O), whose shares gained 3.6 percent to $494.81, an all-time high. Brokerage Canaccord Genuity said its checks indicated very strong iPhone 4S sales and said it increased its price target to $665.

But Cisco Systems Inc (CSCO.O) weighed on the tech sector as the network equipment maker’s forecast failed to impress investors. Its shares were off 0.9 percent to $20.25.

The European Central Bank held interest rates at a record low on Thursday, seeing tentative signs of economic stabilization but refused to say what part it might play in averting a ruinous Greek default.

PepsiCo Inc (PEP.N) fell 3.9 percent to $64.13 after the beverage maker forecast lower-than-expected 2012 earnings, said it would cut thousands of jobs and increase advertising to reinvigorate sales in North America.

Groupon Inc (GRPN.O) slumped 11 percent to $21.88. The daily deal website posted an unexpected loss in the first quarterly report since it went public.

Diamond Foods Inc (DMND.O) tumbled 36.7 percent to $23.15 after the company removed its top management and said it would restate results due to improper accounting of payments to walnut growers.

Taleo Corp (TLEO.O) surged 17.3 percent to $45.66 after Oracle Corp (ORCL.O) said it would buy the recruitment software maker for about $1.9 billion. Oracle dipped 0.8 percent to $28.51.

(Reporting By Edward Krudy; editing by Kenneth Barry)