Stocks on Wall Street stampeded ahead on Monday to escalate a rally that started last Friday on high hopes that Washington D.C. is going to sing “kumbaya” together and work out an answer to the so-called fiscal cliff that is coming at the start of 2013 that will cost the economy more than $600 billion in spending cuts and tax hikes. Investors believing that a budget deal will be struck by the end of 2012 lofted all three exchanges the most since September 6 when European Central Bank President Mario Draghi announced his plans of “whatever it takes” to save the euro.

Overseas, markets rallied as well in part on the back on the fiscal cliff optimism in the States and also because of an expected tentative approval tomorrow Read More

US stocks continued their downward plight on Thursday, adding to a string of losses amid a lack of confidence lawmakers can stop the economy from going over the so-called fiscal cliff and data showing the 17-country euro-zone has fallen back into recession. Read More

U.S. stocks tumbled Monday as concerns about global growth weighed on the market.

The Dow Jones industrial average came off its lows for the day, but still floundered 38.52 points to finish at 13,169.40.

The S&P 500 dropped 1.76 points to 1,404.11. The Nasdaq fought its way into the green 1.66 points to end the day at 3,022.52. Read More

U.S. stocks faltered Tuesday as worries about corporate earnings falling short of expectations unnerved investors, with the Dow sliding more than 100 points in afternoon trading. Read More

U.S. stocks soared Friday, with the Dow jumping more than 200 points, as investors cheered a deal among European leaders to help struggling euro-zone banks. Read More

U.S. stocks advanced Thursday amid growing speculation and hope that the Federal Reserve may soon pull the trigger on more economic stimulus in light of a weakening job market. Read More

Following a higher open, U.S. stocks slid into the red Monday as early enthusiasm over a $125-billion U.S. bailout for Spanish banks fizzled.

The Dow Jones Industrials dropped 142.97 points, or 1.1%, by the end of trading on Monday to 12,411.20

The S&P 500 was 16.73 points lower to 1,308.09. The tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index plummeted 48.69 points to 2,809.73

Bank stocks were among the biggest losers, with Bank of America leading the Dow’s drop. Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs shares were also trading lower.

Shares of technology bellwether Apple were flat as investors tuned into the company’s annual developers’ conference.

Battered shares of Facebook, which started to recoup recent losses with a 3% gain in trading Friday, continued to gain ground Monday. The social media giant is among the 197 companies, including 39 IPOs, slated to join the Russell 3000 index later this month.

JPMorgan Chase shares were slightly lower. The bank’s CEO, Jamie Dimon, will appear in front of the Senate Banking Committee Wednesday to answer questions about the company’s $2-billion U.S. loss.

Over the weekend, Spain asked for €100 billion ($125 billion U.S.) from the other members of the euro-zone for help to recapitalize its banking system, and the group signaled it is willing to respond favorably to the request.

While investors consider “the rescue of Spain as a rescue for the financial markets,” they are still facing many unanswered questions, according to a number of experts.

Spanish bond yields began to creep from around 6% toward 6.5%.

Also over the weekend, China reported record exports, at $181.1 billion U.S, and imports, at $162.4 billion U.S., which gave it a bigger-than-expected trade surplus and helped to ease concern about a so-called hard landing caused by a rapid slowdown in its economy.

A separate report showed inflation in China slowed in May, which kept the door open for more stimuli from the government there to deal with any possible slowdown.

Last week, China’s central bank announced a surprise interest rate cut, which briefly lifted stocks.

No major U.S. economic readings are due Monday, though reports will come later in the week on retail sales and inflation.

The price on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury gained a bit, lowering yields to 1.60% from Friday’s 1.64%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.

The price of a barrel of oil shed $2.14 to $81.96 U.S.

Gold futures for June delivery gained $5.40 to settle at $1,596.80 U.S. an ounce.