Stocks begin Q2 higher after better-than-expected economic reports

NEW YORK -- Wall Street began the second quarter on solid footing Wednesday as better-than-expected economic reports helped the market extend a four-week rally.

The reports showed: A measure of manufacturing activity shrank for a 14th straight month in March, but at a slower pace than expected. Pending home sales rose in February, and construction spending fell for a fifth month in February but not as much as expected.

Not all of the reports came as a relief though. The ADP National Employment Report said private sector employment dropped by 742,000 in March. The figure was higher than anticipated, and a rattling sign ahead of the Labor Department's Friday report on nationwide job cuts last month.

Investors were also watching as finance ministers from around the world meet in London to discuss the sagging global economy.

Speculation has risen in recent days that the various countries in the Group of 20 are disagreeing about how to handle the global financial crisis. But as thousands of protesters gathered in London, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the G-20 was close to agreeing on global reforms of the financial system.

According to preliminary calculations, the Dow rose 152.68, or 2.0%, to 7,761.60.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 13.21, or 1.7%, to 811.08. The technology-heavy Nasdaq composite index gained 23.01, or 1.5%, to 1,551.60.

The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies rose 0.13, or less than 0.1%, to 422.88.

Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by nearly 3 to 1 on the New York Stock Exchange, where volume came to 901.9 million shares.

Financial stocks led the market higher, followed by big gains in the technology and energy sectors. As sentiment about the economy improves, investors have been buying up industries they believe are likely to lead the country out of recession.

The Dow charged ahead in March, rising 16% off of 12-year lows hit early in the month, but its movements over the first three months of the year have been among the most tumultuous on record. Only three other times in the Dow's history has it experienced 20% swings in both directions in one quarter.

Better economic data and an improving outlook on U.S. banks in recent weeks has fueled optimism that the recession could end this year. But there are still a number of analysts who warn against calling a bottom to the market too soon.

Volatility is expected to continue as investors try to gauge where the economy goes from here.

"People seem to swing from one side to the other of 'the recovery has started' to 'the world is ending again,"' said Bill Stone, chief investment strategist at PNC Wealth Management.

The market's advance occurred as the world's finance ministers gathered in London to discuss the slumping global economy. Speculation has risen in recent days that the various countries in the Group of 20 are disagreeing about how to handle the global financial crisis. Amid the backdrop of thousands of protesters, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Wednesday that the G20 was close to agreeing on global reforms for the financial system.

This week so far has been volatile, with the Dow Jones industrials gaining 87 points on Tuesday after plunging Monday by 254 points on President Barack Obama's rejection of General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC.'s restructuring plans.

Analysts expect that theme to continue in the coming weeks as the uncertainty of first quarter earnings reports overhangs the market.

"We're in a wait-and-see mode for earnings," said Brian Bush, director of equity research at Stephens Inc. "And not just what the earnings were for the first quarter, but what the earnings outlook will be for the rest of the year."

Analysts largely expect the reports to be negative, but with the bar already set so low, it's possible the market could move higher if the reports meet or exceed expectations.

At the same time, Bush said the next couple of weeks could see companies prerelease earnings because they are worse-than-expected.

Among the big gainers in the banking industry, Citigroup added 12 cents, or 4.7%, to $2.65, while JPMorgan Chase gained 95 cents, or 3.6%, to $27.53.

Hope for an easing of certain accounting rules this week is giving the sector a push, analysts said. The so-called "mark-to-market" rules, which require banks to value assets to reflect current market conditions, has hampered banks with massive write-downs in recent quarters. Proponents of a change in the rules say it could help boost banks' bottom lines.

Technology stocks that rose included Microsoft, which jumped 75 cents, or 4.1%, to $19.12, and Apple Inc., which rose $3.26, or 3.1%, to $108.38.

Bond prices were little changed. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note, which moves opposite its price, slipped to 2.66% from 2.67% late Tuesday. The yield on the three-month T-bill, considered one of the safest investments, was up slightly to 0.21% from 0.20% Tuesday.

Crude oil fell $1.32 to $48.34 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

The dollar was mixed against other major currencies. Gold prices rose.

Overseas, Britain's FTSE 100 rose 0.8%, Germany's DAX index rose 1.1%, and France's CAC-40 rose 1.2%. Japan's Nikkei stock average rose 3%.