Wall Street rebounds after banks report big losses (AP)
By Stephen Bernard, AP Business Writer
Stocks end erratic session up as Bank of America receives govt support, Citi splits operations
NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street has managed its second straight comeback, but the rebound was more a sign of the market’s turmoil than strength.
Stocks closed moderately higher Friday after an erratic session that had investors tussling with concerns about the ongoing problems in the banking industry in response to more billion-dollar losses at Citigroup Inc. and Bank of America Corp. Yet investors were also heartened by plans for both banks to restore themselves to profitability, and they were also willing to place bets on a range of consumer and industrial stocks.
“It’s that tug of war between problems and promise,” said Alan Gayle, senior investment strategist at RidgeWorth Investments. “I think there is a bit of a sigh of relief that there is assistance coming for Citi and Bank of America, but it seems like there is an ongoing need for this assistance.”
The companies’ fourth-quarter losses — Citi said it lost $8.29 billion, while Bank of America lost $2.39 billion — were sobering reminders that the sagging economy is aggravating the problems that began with the mortgage crisis in 2007.
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