Monday saw nervous investors after weekend comments from the Vice President that another terrorist attack was almost certain. Investors stuck to stocks like utilities and precious metals. After a day of mostly losses for the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the end result was a dip in the red of over 1%. The Nasdaq 100 followed suit but due to concentration in the TMT sector, losses were higher at 2.5%.
Tuesday saw more losses for the Dow Jones with increased fears of more terrorist attacks and poor earnings news across the board. By close of play the Dow Jones had fallen again over 1%. Due to bad news in the technology sector the Nasdaq 100 plunged almost 3% into the red.
Wednesday saw yet more nervous markets but this time with reason - a bomb scare that closed the Brooklyn Bridge in New York for a time. Despite this, investors threw caution to the wind in the final hour of trading and pushed the markets higher. The Dow Jones ended the day up by 0.5%. After yesterday's plunge the Nasdaq 100 managed a comeback of almost 1%.
Thursday saw positive news come in the form of US durable goods orders. Orders rose in April by 1.1% which was more than expected. Stocks managed to stay in the black with high hopes that the economy was on its way up. By close of play the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up just short of 1% and the Nasdaq 100 up by almost 2%.
Friday saw most US markets close lower due to a number of factors. Actual trading volume was light and losses were seen by the technology sector. Yet more terrorism fears made investors nervous, as did a downgrading for gross domestic product due to slacker investment in businesses and lower spending from the consumer and government alike. The Dow Jones fell just over 1% and the Nasdaq 100 almost managed 2.5% down.