Stocks edge lower on Caterpillar earnings miss (AP)

A big earnings miss from Caterpillar halted a stock rally that brought the Dow Jones industrial average close to its highest level of the year.

Caterpillar fell nearly 6 percent after the equipment maker earned less than analysts projected last quarter. The company, which is often seen as a bellwether for the global economy because it sells equipment all over the world, told analysts in its earnings call that it expects the U.S. economy to grow moderately.

The weaker results from Caterpillar and a continuing deadlock over raising the U.S. borrowing limit capped the stock market’s gains and left the U.S. out of a broad rally in overseas markets. Stocks gained worldwide after European leaders reached a deal aimed at containing the region’s debt crisis.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 20 points, or 0.2 percent, to 12,704. The broader Standard Poor’s 500 index gained 2, or 0.1 percent, to 1,346.

A strong earnings report from Advanced Micro Devices Inc. helped push technology stocks higher. The Nasdaq composite rose 17 points, or 0.6 percent, to 2,851.

AMD jumped nearly 19 percent after the chip maker said it expects more earnings gains in the third quarter. Flash memory card maker SanDisk Corp. rose 10 percent

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Stocks edge lower on Caterpillar earnings miss

John Bowers, right, of Bowers Securities makes trades using a handheld device on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Friday, July 22, 2011. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

SymbolPriceChangeAMD7.61+1.11CAT105.64-5.96MCD89.14+2.60MSFT27.21+0.12SLB93.98+3.02{“s” : “amd,cat,mcd,msft,slb,sndk”,”k” : “a00,a50,b00,b60,c10,g00,h00,l10,p20,t10,v00?,”o” : “”,”j” : “”}

A big earnings miss from Caterpillar halted a stock rally that brought the Dow Jones industrial average close to its highest level of the year.

Caterpillar fell nearly 6 percent after the equipment maker earned less than analysts projected last quarter. The company, which is often seen as a bellwether for the global economy because it sells equipment all over the world, told analysts in its earnings call that it expects the U.S. economy to grow moderately.

The weaker results from Caterpillar and a continuing deadlock over raising the U.S. borrowing limit capped the stock market’s gains and left the U.S. out of a broad rally in overseas markets. Stocks gained worldwide after European leaders reached a deal aimed at containing the region’s debt crisis.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 20 points, or 0.2 percent, to 12,704. The broader Standard Poor’s 500 index gained 2, or 0.1 percent, to 1,346.

A strong earnings report from Advanced Micro Devices Inc. helped push technology stocks higher. The Nasdaq composite rose 17 points, or 0.6 percent, to 2,851.

AMD jumped nearly 19 percent after the chip maker said it expects more earnings gains in the third quarter. Flash memory card maker SanDisk Corp. rose 10 percent after its earnings rose sharply. And Microsoft Corp. gained 0.3 percent after beating analyst’s income estimates.

Traders kept close watch on negotiations in Washington over a deal to raise the nation’s debt ceiling ahead of an Aug. 2 deadline. The impasse has overshadowed an agreement in Europe Thursday to give Greece a second financial lifeline and broaden the powers of a regional bailout fund.

Republicans and Democrats continue to search for a deal to cut the government deficit that would combine cuts to social programs with revenue increases through an overhaul of the tax code.

Concerns that the debt ceiling won’t be raised before the August deadline are becoming more widespread, said Brian Gendreau, market strategist for Cetera Financial Group. “But the background is a growing economy and fairly strong earnings news.”

McDonald’s Corp. rose 3 percent, the most of any stock in the Dow average, after the company’s income and revenue came in higher than analysts were expecting thanks to strong sales in Europe. CEO Jim Skinner said the company’s low prices helped bring in more customers as the economic recovery stumbled. Oil services company Schlumberger Ltd. rose 4 percent after its profits increased on a pickup in drilling in North America.

The Dow has gained more than 200 points this week. It opened Friday 86 points below its high for the year of 12,810.54, which came on April 29.

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Stocks rise, euro slips on Greek debt progress (AFP)

LONDON (AFP) – Global stock markets were firmer Friday but the euro fell against the dollar on profit-taking as investors voiced relief over a major eurozone debt deal aimed at saving Greece and preventing contagion.

European markets closed with modest gains, coming off early highs as they digested a second Greek rescue, judging it to be a step in the right direction even if failing to dramatically improve the country’s debt position.

Dealers said the accord, however, was at least good enough to buy some considerable time to manage the debt problem, leaving open the question of whether the eurozone can eventually resolve the crisis for good.

“The latest breakthrough on a second bailout for Greece is enough to keep the markets happy for the next few months,” said Kathleen Brooks, research director at trading group Forex.com.

“It’s holiday season, people are dreaming of sandy beaches, so we think the markets will accept this plan as more of a plaster cast than a band-aid that will go some way at least to sorting out Greece’s problems.”

Attention turned in the afternoon to Washington where President Barack Obama and his Republican opponents appeared to be making no headway in talks on the deficit, with an agreement

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