NEW YORK (AP) — The stock market is closing out its best week in almost two years. Earnings gains from Microsoft and other companies put investors in a buying mood today. The Dow Jones industrial average climbed 127 1/2 points, or 0.8 percent, to 16,805. The S&P 500 index gained nearly 14 points higher, or 0.7 percent, at 1,964. The Nasdaq rose 31 points, or 0.7 percent, to 4,483.
NEW YORK (AP) — The price of oil is down today on further evidence of ample supplies and weak demand. Benchmark U.S. crude fell $1.08 to close at $81.01 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oils used by many U.S. refineries, fell 70 cents to close at $86.13 in London.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal regulators say two phone carriers unwittingly posted the Social Security numbers, driver’s licenses and other sensitive data of up to 300,000 people to the Internet. A spokesman for the jointly-owned companies, TerraCom and YourTel America, say they’ve increased security and are working with the Federal Communications Commission to resolve the matter.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina man that prosecutors say masterminded an $850 million Internet-based Ponzi scheme is facing charges of wire and mail fraud, conspiracy and tax fraud. A federal grand jury in Charlotte today indicted Paul Burks, the 67-year-old president of ZeekRewards and the online penny auction site Zeekler.com. The company was shut down in 2012.
DALLAS (AP) — A Texas company is stopping shipments of a common highway-guardrail system and conducting more crash tests after it lost a $175 million jury verdict. Trinity Industries says it’ll stop selling the ET-Plus system until testing is complete. Critics say when vehicles strike the guardrail ends, the guardrails don’t crumple but become spears that impale cars and their occupants.
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