european indexes

U.S. stocks rallied, lifted by an unexpected 27 percent jump in new home sales for March - the biggest increase since 1963.

The Dow, Nasdaq and S&P 500 closed with fresh 2010 highs. Major European indexes rose on Friday as well, but were mixed for the week.

Gold and silver gained in New York on Friday, spurred by ...

Gold and silver prices moved narrowly in both New York and London during the holiday-shortened week. Platinum, however, soared following news that the SEC approved a proposed rule change to list and trade ETF Securities Platinum and Palladium Trusts.

In other markets, crude oil pushed above $78 a barrel for the first time in three weeks while US stocks ended at new 2009 highs.

Major European indexes enjoyed weekly gains as well.

Gold gained on Friday but recorded another weekly decline as a stronger US dollar, which hit a three-month high this week, pulled prices down.

Bullion generally moves opposite of the greenback. Silver and platinum managed modest gains in New York, but retreated in London.

The dollar's strength was also cited as a catalyst in curbing investor appeal toward riskier assets, as in stocks.

Major US and European indexes were mixed on the last full trading week in 2009.

Precious metals retreated in the U.S. on Friday and ended lower around the world for the week as gold tracked opposite of the dollar's movement and the other metals followed the yellow metal.

Silver declined the most, with weekly losses of more than 7 percent. Gold was in the middle while platinum declined the least.

Crude oil also plunged more than 7 percent.

In stocks, major US indexes rose on Friday but ended mixed for the week. European indexes finished the week lower.

Precious metals were up and down through much of the week as the US dollar mostly set gold's direction. While metal futures finished with higher weekly gains in New York, silver was the standout in London logging a 1.2% loss.

Oil slipped to a one-month low Friday following weaker than expected US consumer confidence numbers.

In stocks, European indexes ended mixed on Friday but higher on the week while US indexes were positive both ways, enjoying a second consecutive up week.

Precious metals rallied this week following a weaker US dollar that was pushed lower by a series of economic reports, including the Labor Department's higher than expected unemployment figures of 10.2 percent - a more than 26-year high.

Gold reached an all-time high and silver soared. Crude oil tumbled on Friday by nearly 3 percent but still managed to post a small weekly gain.

In stocks for the week, European indexes were higher and the three major US indexes advanced more than 3 percent.

Precious metals enjoyed modest gains on the week as the US dollar was the predominating driver of where prices went.

A weaker greenback on Friday combined with lower crude oil prices helped gold slide slightly from earlier week highs.

Oil did jump nearly 3.5 percent this week while gasoline prices at the pump were almost 13 cents higher than last Saturday.

In other markets, US stocks declined for the first week in three while European indexes finished mixed with the London FTSE advancing.

Asian stocks were modestly higher, but worries about tighter government policies sent China’s markets lower.

Major European indexes opened higher.

Banks led Asia's rise following better-than-expected earnings from some big lenders. European indexes were also higher in early trading.

Tumbling oil prices and a stronger U.S. dollar helped reduced gold's appeal as the yellow metal, along with silver, fell for a second straight week.

Platinum plunged for the fifth week.

Oil dropped below $60 a barrel, recording the biggest weekly loss in six months.

The Dow, S&P 500 and major European indexes closed lower for their fourth straight week and the Nasdaq declined for the third of four weeks.