MarketWatch.com - MarketPulse
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) - Gold futures rose for a second straight trading day on Monday as the dollar fell against a basket of other major currencies. Copper futures rose for a fourth day. Gold futures for February delivery rose $1.1, or 0.1%, to $816.5 an ounce on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Copper futures for March delivery rallied 5.6 cents, or 1.8%, to $3.1535 a pound. Copper has risen more than 10% since Dec. 19. The dollar index, which tracks the value of the dollar against a basket of other major currencies, fell for a second day, down 0.2% at 77.57. A weaker dollar tends to increase the appeal of dollar-denominated gold as an investment haven.
MarketWatch.com - MarketPulse
SAN FRANCISCO -- (MarketWatch) -- Crude oil fell below $93 a barrel on Monday ahead of the Christmas holiday. Crude futures for February delivery were last seen down 46 cents, or 0.5%, at $92.85 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It rose to an intraday high of $93.84 in electronic trading early on speculation demand for heating oil may increase during the winter.
MarketWatch.com - MarketPulse
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) - Retail shares headed higher Monday, with Macy's Inc. among the gainers. The S&P Retail Index rose 0.62% to 415.32. Macy's shares rose 1.7%. Target Corp. shares gained 1.7% after Pershing Square, the hedge fund group run by William Ackman, said in a regulatory filing Monday it has boosted its stake in Target.
MarketWatch.com - MarketPulse
SAN FRANCISCO(MarketWatch) -- Gold futures were little changed on Monday ahead of the Christmas holiday. Gold futures for February delivery were last up $1.4, or 0.2%, at $816.8 an ounce on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The futures rose to an intraday high of $817.5 earlier. In currencies trading, the dollar were slightly lower against a basket of other major currencies. The dollar index was last down 0.2% at 77.58.
Reuters: Business News
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock index futures rose on Monday, lifted by news Merrill Lynch plans to sell a lending unit and with investors eyeing retailers as the busy holiday shopping season draws to a close.