Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, January 11, 2010.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    NEW YORK, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- Wall Street ended mixed Monday, with the Standard & Poor's 500 index rising for all six sessions of the new year, as investors expected strong corporate results ahead of a new earnings season.

    Main averages followed overseas markets higher in the early trade after a new report showed Chinese exports jumped by nearly 18 percent in December, the first increase after 13 straight months of declines. The stronger-than-expected report added to evidence that a global economic recovery is well on the way.

    Caterpillar Inc., the world's largest maker of construction and mining equipment, rose 3.79 U.S. dollars, or 6.3 percent, to 64.13dollars after the report on China's exports and as some commodity prices gained.

    Investors were hesitant to make major bets ahead of earnings report from Alcoa, Dow industrials component and aluminum producer that was going to release its results for the fourth quarter of 2009 after the bell. Alcoa climbed 43 cents, or 2.5 percent, to 17.45 dollars, helping lift the Dow Monday.

A trading specialist works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, January 11, 2010. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    With Alcoa kicking off a new earnings season, major companies including Intel Corp. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. are going to announce their fourth-quarter earnings this week. Analysts were expecting a stunning 180 percent year-on-year surge in operating earnings for S&P 500 companies.

    Some parts of the market that rose Monday, however, signaled that investors remain concerned about the economy. Areas like utilities and consumer staples rose, which are seen as safer during tough economies because they produce necessities.

    With major indexes rising in the first week of 2010 and S&P 500continuing to rise to a fresh 15-month closing high, analysts were expecting 2010 to be another gaining year. According to the Stock Trader's Almanac, the S&P 500 has posted full-year gains 31 of the last 36 times the index rose during the first week of the year.

    The Dow Jones added 45.80, or 1043 percent, to 10,663.99. Broader indexes ended mixed. The Standard & Poor's 500 index added2.00, or 0.17 percent, to 1,146.98 and the Nasdaq dropped 4.76, or0.21 percent, to 2,312.41.



Oil falls on warmer weather forecast 

    NEW YORK, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- Oil prices fell on Monday after the forecast for a warmer weather in northeast U.S. offset a falling dollar.

    Oil retreated after it is forecasted that temperatures in eastern cities like New York and Boston will get higher later this week. A cold snap in the northeast area, which accounts for about four-fifths of total U.S. heating oil consumption, had sent energy prices higher since December. Full story


Dollar falls against most major currencies 

    NEW YORK, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. dollar fell against most major currencies Monday amid weak U.S. employment data and comments from a Federal Reserve official.

    Nonfarm payrolls fell 85,000 in December, said the Labor Department on Friday. It has been widely expected that employment would be flat or just slightly lower. Full story

Gold rallies to 4-week high on weak dollar

    CHICAGO, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- Gold futures on the COMEX Division of the New York Mercantile Exchange soared to a 4-week high on Monday as U. S. dollar dropped sharply. Silver and platinum both rose.

    The most active gold contract for February delivery gained 12.50 U.S. dollars, or 1.1 percent, to finish at 1,151.40 dollars an ounce. Earlier in the session, the yellow metal touched as high as1,163 dollars, the strongest level since Dec. 8. Full story

OPEC oil prices close to $80 per barrel 

    VIENNA, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- The weekly average prices of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) kept rising last week, reaching 79.44 U.S. dollars per barrel, the Vienna-based cartel said Monday.

    OPEC weekly average oil price has kept climbing for three consecutive weeks. The price rose to 80.19 dollars per barrel on Jan. 7, a record high in 14 months. Full story

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