MARKETWATCH
Stocks and bonds rose modestly on Wednesday as investors took heart from signs that the economy is continuing to strengthen. The Commerce Department reported that orders for durable goods -- items expected to last at least three years -- notched up 6% in August. That was the biggest gain in two years for this key indicator of industrial health. In response, the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 15.14 points to 3878.18. Companies whose stocks registered large gains included Allied-Signal and Caterpillar, each up a point. The S&P 500 rose 2.76 to 464.81. NASDAQ stocks gained 4.64 to 760.01. And bond prices also rose slightly, driving the yield on the benchmark 30-year Treasury down to 7.80%, from 7.85% on Tuesday. The price of gold was up 60 cents to $396.05 in London trading.
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