U.S. markets start week with gains

December 21, 2009 - 0 comments

New York -- U.S. markets started the week with gains Monday morning after the Labor Department said unemployment rates were lower in 36 states in November.

The report issued Friday said more states added jobs than lost jobs for the first time since April, while the national unemployment rate moved lower, from 10.2 percent to 10 percent.

The Dow Jones industrial average moved 222 points ahead in the past week.
In midmorning trading Monday, the DJIA gained another 121.22 points, 1.17 percent, to 10,450.11. The Standard & Poor's 500 gained 1.22 percent, 13.48 points, to 1,115.95. The Nasdaq composite index rose 1.19 percent, 26.21 points, to 2,237.95.

The benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury bill fell 27/32 to yield 3.65 percent.
The euro fell to $1.4317 from Friday's $1.4335. Against the yen, the dollar rose to 90.92 yen from Friday's 90.34 yen.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 index rose 0.41 percent, 41.42, to 10,183.47.