Fed Considered Additional Stimulus Measures, Markets Close Higher

News that the Federal Reserve considered additional stimulus measures during its August 9 meeting to strengthen the nation's economy lifted the markets to a higher close with the Dow rising 20 points to 11,559.  Nasdaq gained 14 points to 2576.

On the upside

Three Monster Worldwide (NYSE: MWW) executives acquired shares in the company.

The former chief financial officer of Beazer Homes (NYSE: BZH), James O'Leary, will return $1.4 million in bonus payments and stock sales that he earned when the homebuilder committed accounting fraud.

Rising silver prices lifted shares of Silvercorp Metals (NYSE: SVM).

On the downside

A Seeking Alpha article said that mortgage insurer MGIC Investment (NYSE: MTG) will record more delinquencies.

VASCO Data Security International (Nasdaq: VDSI) said that it will take every precaution to secure its SSL and EVSSL certificate offerings at its subsidiary DigiNotar after an intrusion was detected in July.

CNinsure (Nasdaq: CISG) disappointed with lower second quarter earnings.


In the broad market, advancing issues outpaced decliners by a margin of nearly 2 to 1 on the NYSE and by nearly 10 to 9 on Nasdaq. The Russell 2000 which tracks small cap stocks added 3 points to 728.