Dow Jones Industrial Average

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Wall Street shares are still flat, but they're slightly less flat than before.

Stock prices rose very slightly on comments made by US President Donald Trump on Tuesday that he is open to delaying the looming deadline of 1 March to conclude trade negotiations with China.

He added that the trade talks are currently going well.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average is now 67.4 points or 0.3% ahead to 25,950.69, the S&P 500 is now 8.5 points or 0.3% higher to 2,784.09, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq is now 32.7 points or 0.4% up to 7,505.08.

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Wall Street shares have opened flat, due to continuing investor fears of a trade war, as the US and China met again for trade talks.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average is now 22.5 points or 0.09% down to 25,860.72. Top of the losers was JP Morgan, dropping 1% to $104.49.

The S&P 500 is now 4.5 points or 0.2% lower to 2,771.09. Irish security firm Allegion heads the losers, falling 3.7% to $88.20 after reporting revenues slightly below expectations.

And finally, the tech-heavy Nasdaq is now just 3 points or 0.04% higher to 7,475.38, led by Chinese ecommerce firm Netease, which rose 3.6% to $235.71 following media reports it is in talks to merge with Amazon's Chinese import unit.

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The main US stock indexes closed higher after investors were optimistic about the ongoing trade talks to resolve a bruising tariff dispute between the US and China.

President Donald Trump said talks with China "are going extremely well", and the US is closer than ever to having a "real" trade deal with Beijing.

Discussions between the world's largest economies will continue next week in Washington.

"Today's sentiment is mainly based on trade progress and the fact that we will see Chinese representatives in D.C., it seems like the talks are going to deliver results sooner-than-expected," said Edward Moya, market analyst at futures brokerage Oanda in New York.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 444.04 points, or 1.75%, to 25,883.43. The S&P 500 gained 29.86 points, or 1.09%, to 2,775.59 and the Nasdaq Composite added 45.46 points, or 0.61%, to 7,472.41.

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US stocks are higher, led by a bounce in bank shares, as investors were optimistic about trade talks to resolve a bruising tariff dispute between the US and China.

Talks between the world's largest economies will continue next week in Washington, with both sides saying this week's negotiations in Beijing made good progress.

"Trade talks have been completed in Beijing and the good news is that they are planning on having another round of negotiations in Washington next week," said Art Hogan, chief market strategist at National Securities.

"The market is predicated on a positive outcome from the trade negotiations."

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 232 points at 25,775, the S&P 500 was up 23 points at 2,768, and the Nasdaq Composite was up 40 points at 7,467.

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Wall Street's Dow Jones closed more than 100 points down after struggling to reverse early losses prompted by an unexpected drop in retail sales. Adding to the gloom, investors' hopes for progress at the US-China trade talks in Beijing were dampened.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 103.88 points or 0.41% to 25,439.39, while the broader-based S&P 500 fell 7.3 points or 0.27% to 2,745.73.

However, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite gained 6.58 points or 0.09%, rising to 7,426.96.

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US stocks have opened lower after a surprise drop in retail sales in December suggested a sharp slowdown in economic activity at the end of 2018.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 82.62 points, or 0.32%, to 25,460.65. The S&P 500 opened lower by 9.53 points, or 0.35%, at 2,743.50. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 30.13 points, or 0.41%, to 7,390.25.

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Wall Street shares have closed higher amid investor optimism over hopes that the US and China can reach a trade deal.

At the same time, latest inflation figures suggested the Fed would hold interest rates steady in the near term.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 117.51 points or 0.46% to 25,543.27, while the broader-based S&P 500 gained 8.3 points or 0.3%, rising to 2,753.03,

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite added 5.76 points or 0.08%, rising to 7,420.38.

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US stocks are extending a rally after rising expectations that the US and China could strike a deal during their trade talks, with sentiment buoyed by benign inflation data that did little to change the outlook on rates.

"So far, so good," US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said about the talks in Beijing, a day after President Donald Trump said he would be willing to let a 1 March deadline slide if the two countries were close to a deal.

"The market is taking into consideration the fact that they are talking and there's also the deal to avoid another possible government shutdown which is being viewed as a positive," said Robert Pavlik, chief investment strategist and senior portfolio manager, at SlateStone Wealth.

"Inflation is right in line with expectations... There is no need to bring the Fed into the picture now," Mr Pavlik added.

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US stocks have closed higher after investors were heartened by a tentative congressional spending deal to avoid another government shutdown and by positive developments in the US-China trade negotiations.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 372.65 points, or 1.49% to 25,425.76, the S&P 500 gained 34.93 points, or 1.29%, to 2,744.73 and the Nasdaq Composite added 106.71 points, or 1.46% to 7,414.62.

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US stocks are higher, fuelled by a tentative deal reached by US lawmakers to avoid another partial government shutdown and optimism that the US and China could reach an agreement during their ongoing trade talks.

However, it was unclear if President Donald Trump would embrace the deal as congressional aides said it did not contain the $5.7bn he wants for his border wall.

"What investors are taking from this is that the government stays open, whether or not Trump signs on the deal is secondary," said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Spartan Capital Securities. "There is a lot of optimism around the trade talks and hopes for some kind of a deal in the making."

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 285 points at 25339. The S&P 500 was up 31 points at 2741 and the Nasdaq Composite was up 96 points at 7404.