Stocks may struggle with less government support

Date: Fri, 01 Jan 2010 12:01:07 -0500

STOCKS MAY STRUGGLE WITH LESS GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
Economic data in early January may test recovery, set tone for 2010.

STOCK-FUND INVESTORS GREET NEW YEAR WITH A GRIMACE
What goes down mustn't go up, but for investors in U.S. stock
mutual-funds this year, the law of gravity reversed -- and in a big
way.

STOCKS IN FOCUS FOR MONDAY
Among the companies whose shares are expected to see active tradfing
Monday are Wells Fargo, Time-Warner Cable and Nesws Corp. U.S. markets
are closed Friday for the New Year holiday.

POST-BEAR JANUARYS BODE WELL FOR STOCKS
The first January after the end of a bear market has been consistently
strong, yielding a 3.7% gain for stocks on average since the 1930s,
according to Standard & Poor's.

RATE WORRIES AND LOW VOLUMES PUT DAMPER ON STOCKS
A late burst of selling leaves stocks with a hefty loss Thursday as
traders take cash off the table at the end of a banner year,
highlighted by the biggest annual percentage gain in the Dow Jones
Industrial Average in six years.