NEW YORK (Reuters) – Wall Street stocks rose on Thursday on the latest signs of an improving U.S. economy and optimism a Greek bailout deal would be agreed next week.

Equity indexes continued to trade in tight ranges, with the S&P 500 near a nine-month high.

U.S. labor, manufacturing and housing data suggested sustained momentum in the key economic sectors and confirmed the recovery continues at steady pace.

“We’re getting this incredible flow of good data,” said Jim Paulsen, chief investment officer at Wells Capital Management in Minneapolis. “It’s hard not to want to step into the market.”

The euro zone is putting the finishing touches to a second bailout deal for Athens that could be approved on Monday, officials said, moving closer to averting a disorderly default by Greece.

“People are increasingly of the opinion that although Europe will continue to have flare-ups, it’s not likely to become a calamity for the world economy,’ Paulsen said.

The Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) added 109.13 points, or 0.85 percent, to 12,890.08. The S&P 500 Index (.INX) gained 10.52 points, or 0.78 percent, to 1,353.75. The Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) rose 26.00 points, or 0.89 percent, to 2,941.83.

Bank shares rose, brushing off a warning from Moody’s about possible downgrades to the credit ratings of 17 global and 114 European financial institutions.

Among the ratings threatened were those of Goldman Sachs (GS.N), up 1.2 percent at $114.50, and Bank of America (BAC.N), up 2.8 percent at $8.

The KBW bank index (.BKX) rose 1.7 percent.

Apple (AAPL.O) shares, which largely dictated the direction of Wednesday’s stock market, were off 1.1 percent at $492.24.

Trading in Apple topped 17 million shares at midday, above its 15.4 million average in the last 25 days.

According to a Chinese newspaper website, some cities have asked retailers to take Apple iPad tablets off shelves after a legal battle between a Chinese technology firm and Apple over trademark issues.

(Reporting by Rodrigo Campos; Editing by Kenneth Barry)

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 opened little changed on Thursday as concerns about a possible downgrade of global banks by Moody’s were offset by upbeat U.S. data on the labor and housing sectors.

Jobless claims unexpectedly fell last week to a near four-year low, another sign of improvement in the labor market, while January housing starts were also better than forecast.

Moody’s said it may cut the credit ratings of 17 global and 114 European financial institutions in another sign the impact of the euro zone debt crisis was spreading. Among the banks listed were Morgan Stanley (MS.N), Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS.N) and Bank of America Corp (BAC.N).

The Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) was up 15.06 points, or 0.12 percent, at 12,796.01. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (.SPX) was up 0.19 points, or 0.01 percent, at 1,343.42. The Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC) was up 1.50 points, or 0.05 percent, at 2,917.33.

(Reporting by Ryan Vlastelica; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Stocks gave up gains on Wednesday as the S&P 500 hit a technical barrier near a nine-month high and Apple shares erased a 3 percent advance.

Apple Inc (AAPL.O) shares turned negative, weighing on the Nasdaq and reversing the overall market’s advance. Doreen Mogavero, chief executive of trading firm Mogavero, Lee & Co, said from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange investors were concerned about a report that Apple had asked Amazon to halt sales of its iPad in China.

Apple was not immediately available for comment, and an Amazon spokeswoman declined to comment.

Volume on the iPhone maker’s shares was more than twice its average in the last 10 days. Shares were last down 0.4 percent at $507.35 after climbing as high as $526.29.

Industrial stocks led declines on the S&P 500, with Deere & Co (DE.N) down 3.6 percent at $85.85 after investors expected the farm equipment company to give a stronger full-year forecast.

U.S. manufacturing output rose solidly in January and a gauge of factory activity in New York state hit a 1-1/2-year high in February, adding to a run of fairly upbeat data, even though overall industrial production was flat last month.

The S&P hit a peak of 1,355.87, just shy of its July 2010 high. A break above that level would take the benchmark to its strongest since at least May of last year.

“Right now we’re bouncing off 1,355. It’s probably a little consolidation what we’re having right now,” said Randy Frederick, managing director of active trading and derivatives at Charles Schwab.

The Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) dropped 105.58 points, or 0.82 percent, to 12,772.70. The S&P 500 Index (.SPX) fell 6.32 points, or 0.47 percent, to 1,344.18. The Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) lost 8.04 points, or 0.27 percent, to 2,923.79.

Decliners on the Dow, which underperformed the broader market, included industrial and material stocks like Caterpillar Inc (CAT.N), down 0.7 percent at $113.66.

Earlier the Dow industrials were trading near a 3 1/2 high and the Nasdaq was at a more than 11-year high.

Also weighing on the market, 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.

A debt-laden Chinese technology firm seeking to ban all iPad shipments in and out of the country has been told that China’s customs authorities are unlikely to intervene in the trademark battle.

(Reporting by Rodrigo Campos; Editing by Kenneth Barry)

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) – Stocks of financial and basic materials companies led Wall Street lower on Tuesday after rallies by those groups this year, while the retail sector hit a record even as retail sales rose less than expected last month.

The weaker-than-expected gain in January retail sales was due in part to discounting in auto sales, but a rebound in an underlying measure of sales underscored the U.S. economic recovery’s strength.

The S&P retail index (.RLX) edged up 0.2 percent to its highest on record.

Bank shares fell before a meeting of euro zone finance ministers on Wednesday to decide on a 130 billion euros bailout for Greece to avert a chaotic default.

“Greece is still very unsettled, and it makes perfect sense people are taking money out of financials,” said Ken Polcari, managing director at ICAP Equities in New York, citing nervousness about the outcome of Wednesday’s meeting.

On Monday, the S&P 500 rose near a seven-month high and was up more than 25 percent from a low in early October. The benchmark index has encountered strong resistance in the 1,355-1,360 area.

“The market is not falling apart. People are just taking some money off the table,” Polcari said.

Financials (.GSPF) led declines on the S&P 500 with a 1.2 percent drop but are up 11 percent this year. Bank of America (BAC.N) shares fell 2.5 percent to $8.04 but have risen nearly 45 percent this year.

Basic materials shares (.GSPM), up almost 10 percent so far in 2012, were down 1 percent.

The Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) fell 31.49 points, or 0.24 percent, to 12,842.55. The S&P 500 Index (.INX) lost 5.05 points, or 0.37 percent, to 1,346.72. The Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) dropped 13.28 points, or 0.45 percent, to 2,918.11.

Micron Technology (MU.O) shares rose 5.9 percent to $8.31 after positive comments from analysts at JPMorgan and Oppenheimer. The stock is up 32 percent this year.

Moody’s Investors Service put Britain’s Aaa credit rating in jeopardy for the first time late on Monday. The agency also cut its outlook on the top-tier ratings of France and Austria and downgraded the ratings of six euro-zone nations, including Spain and Italy.

Data from Germany suggested Europe’s bulwark economy is picking up its pace. The ZEW economic think tank’s monthly poll of economic sentiment jumped to 5.4 from minus 21.6 in January, well above the consensus forecast in a Reuters poll of analysts.

Apple (AAPL.O) plans to announce a new version of its iPad in the first week of March, a Wall Street Journal report said, citing a person briefed on the matter. Apple shares rose slightly to $503.33 after closing above $500 for the first time on Monday.

(Reporting by Rodrigo Campos; Editing by Kenneth Barry)