New all-time highs for both the Dow Industrials and the S&P 500 every day this week and the market opened today little changed after news that first time claims for unemployment last week fell by 2000 and are now at the lowest level since 2008.

Asian markets were weak overnight after a report that food prices in China jumped by 4%.  We watch China because inflation there may cause their government to slow the economy which has direct impact on companies here.

In earnings news dairy company Dean Foods stock was fractionally higher after the company reported better than expect results and reaffirmed their guidance while Dish Network dropped 2.5% after they reported disappointing earnings that were hurt by higher programming costs.

The Dow opened – 4

At the close:

DOW -22 to 15082

S&P 500 -6 to 1626

NASDAQ -4 to 3409

OIL -.65 to 96

GOLD -15 to 1458

After new all-time high’s yesterday the market opened fractionally lower today despite news that exports in China, the world’s second largest economy, rose a better than expected 14.7% last month but before the day was over we once again saw new all-time highs.

In earnings news AOL reported net income a penny below what analysts were expecting but revenue was higher than expected thanks to an increase in display advertising sales but that stock was down 9%.

Wendy’s reported earnings that were right at what was expected but revenue was disappointing on a drop in same store sales sending those shares 5.5% lower.

Beleagured retailer J C Penny said same store sales will be about 17% below this period last year but they have more cash on hand than analysts thought and sales are expected to pick up.  Their stock closed up 7.4%.

The Dow opened – 13

At the close we had a 5th consecutive up day:

DOW +48 to 15104

S&P 500 +6 to 1632

NASDAQ +16 to 3413

OIL +.90 to 96.50

GOLD +22 to 1470

Yet another new all-time high for the S&P 500 yesterday and the market began today moving modestly higher on the back of strong gains in Europe and Japan.  European stocks moved higher after better than expected quarterly reports from some major financial companies and in Japan their weakening yen spurred a rally to multi year highs.

In earnings news here fashion accessories maker Fossil reported sales and earnings that were better than expected pushing those shares 9% higher,  while media company Discovery Communications reported higher sales but earnings that simply met expectations sending those shares 1.5% lower.

After hitting a new 52 week low 3 weeks ago the shares of Apple have been on a tear, gaining more than 20%.  Once again today the stock opened +$5 but reverse in early trading and ended the day down $2.

First Solar was the worst performer in the S&P 500.  After reporting disappointing earnings the stock responded with a 9%decline.

The Dow opened flat

At the close:

DOW +87 to 15056            1st ever close above 15,000

S&P 500 +8 to 1626

NASDAQ +3 to 3396

OIL -.50 to 95.60

GOLD -17 to 1451

A better than expected employment report from the government sent the S&P 500 to another new all time-high at the end of last week and today the market opened flat on the 3rd anniversary of the memorable flash crash.

In what has become somewhat of a perfect storm the economy is growing fast enough to keep us out of recession but slow enough that the Federal Reserve will need to continue pumping money into the economy and inflating financial assets.

In earnings news Tyson foods reported sales and earnings that were both below what analysts had expected. The food producer said they were optimistic about the rest of the year but investors have no patience for earnings misses sending the shares 3.3% lower.

Berkshire Hathaway reported sales and earnings that were better than expected and those shares were up 1.2%.

The Dow opened flat

At the close:

DOW  – 5 to 14,969

S&P 500 +3 to 1617

NASDAQ +14 to 3393

OIL +.15 to 95.75

GOLD +5 to 1469

Stocks surged to new all-time highs, with the SP500 crossing above 1600 and the Dow topping 15,000, as Wall Street cheered a better than expected April nonfarm payrolls report.  US employers added 165,000 jobs last month which was better than the expected 145,000, while the unemployment rate fell to a four-year low of 7.5%.  Here’s a look at we finished the day:

DOW  +142 to 14973

SP500  +16 to 1614

NASDAQ  +38 to 3378

Gold closed -2.10 to 1465.60 an ounce

Oil prices closed +1.48 to 95.47 a barrel

In the days’ stock news:

• Freeport McMoran was among the biggest gainers, as copper prices posted the strongest daily gain in almost 1 ½ years.  FCX closed +.79 to 31.13.
• Among earnings, AIG rallied after reporting earnings that exceeded expectations, while revenue missed slightly.  AIG closed +2.39 to 44.52.
• LinkedIn posted quarterly results that topped expectations.  Shares plunged lower after the company projected current-quarter revenue below consensus, disappointing analysts who expected growth to continue at its recent pace.  LNKD closed -26.08 to 175.59.