Many stocks had large gains yet the markets were mixed throughout the day. Sometimes the market likes QE2 and sometimes it doesn't. Today is a day where the markets are struggling to to figure out what influence to follow. Gold was above $1400 and oil hit new recent highs, but both gave some back today as the market correlation between the dollar and other markets was not tick for tick.

Here are today's unofficial closing bell levels:

Dow Jones 11,346.75 -60.09 (-0.53%)
S&P 500 1,213.40 -9.85 (-0.81%)
Nasdaq 2,562.98 -17.07 (-0.66%)

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Today was a mixed day as stocks went from positive to negative to mixed throughout the day after stronger economic data was trumped by banks. Some are taking profits ahead of the election tomorrow and ahead of any quantitative easing announcements due from the FOMC on Wednesday. Strong manufacturing led the charge up this morning, and 30-Year Treasury bonds were back above 4.00% late in the afternoon. The real direction of the close was not going to be known until the final minutes by the feel of it.

Here were today's unofficial closing bell levels:

Dow Jones 11,124.62 +6.13 (0.06%)
S&P 500 1,184.38 +1.12 (0.09%)
Nasdaq 2,504.84 -2.57 (-0.10%)

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Investors took yesterday's drop as an opportunity. The new consensus is that the double-dip recession scenario is gone and that quantitative easing will also still occur. The dollar gave back on some of yesterday's gains, and that helped gold and oil and related assets. Then the Fed's Beige Book acted like a "economic upgrade" from the Fed.

Here were today's unofficial closing bell levels:

DJIA
NASDAQ
S&P500

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Today was one of those Fridays that felt bad most of the trading day. It was an options expiration date today, and there was no domestic economic news to drive the markets. PC earnings failed to ignite interest and sellers had most of a quiet Friday in August to themselves.

Here were today's unofficial closing bell levels:

DJIA
S&P500
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How you look at today's FOMC meeting is up to you, but the stock market bounced in reaction to the FOMC's decision to reinvest rolling maturities into more Treasury bonds. A higher oil forecast from the EIA also lent more credence to a sustained growth despite some tempering of those growth estimates.

Here were today's unofficial closing bell levels:

Dow Jones 10,644.25 -54.50 (-0.51%)
S&P 500 1,121.08 -6.71 (-0.59%)
Nasdaq 2,277.17 -28.52 (-1.24%)

Ambac Financial Group (ABK) took the earnings stage Monday night -- and the stock took a quick dive right out of the gate Tuesday morning, if that gives you any indication about the quarterly results. The bond insurer swung to a loss of $57.6 million in the second quarter, and warned that a bankruptcy filing is likely if it can't come up with a plan to restructure its liabilities within the next year.

The company's official release stated the matter quite plainly: "Ambac has insufficient capital to finance its debt service and operating expense requirements beyond the second quarter of 2011 and may need to seek bankruptcy protection."

Ambac Financial Group (ABK) was targeted by pessimistic options traders on Monday, according to data from the International Securities Exchange (ISE). During the course of the session, speculators on the ISE bought to open 1,973 puts on ABK, compared to just 726 calls that were purchased. In other words, traders on this exchange purchased 2.72 times more bearish bets than bullish on the bond insurer.

The day's most popular put was the August 1 strike, where 2,784 contracts traded. About 94% of these contracts changed hands at the ask price, revealing they were most likely purchased, and implied volatility on this strike jumped 76.4% by the close. Open interest on the August 1 put increased overnight by 2,261 contracts, confirming that new pessimistic positions were opened here on Monday.

U.S. stock futures advanced Friday morning, pointing to a higher open as sentiment remained positive regarding the economic outlook following the reported March sales Thursday.

World stock markets rebounded Friday after fears Greece would default eased, a day after the country's cost of borrowing went through the roof. While debt-ridden Greece has not asked for the activation of a euro-zone and International Monetary Fund rescue plan designed to prevent a default, Greece finance minister said details of how the plan would operate are being worked out, the AP reported.

U.S. stock futures climbed Thursday as data showed yet another decline in jobless claims figures. Investors are also awaiting a meeting of European leaders with Greece's debt problems in mind. A testimony from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is also in focus Thursday.

Initial jobless claims fell declined by 14,000 to 442,000 -- the lowest level in six weeks -- as the rebound in the economy encourages companies to make fewer cuts in payrolls. The number of people continuing to receive jobless benefits decreased 54,000 in the week ended March 13 to 4.65 million, the lowest since Dec. 20, 2008.

Standard & Poor's is performing some end-of-year cleanup on its benchmark index, the S&P 500 Index (SPX). My colleague Mark Fightmaster reported earlier that Visa (V) is set to replace Ciena Corp. (CIEN) on the widely watched market barometer, but that's not the only SPX development hitting Wall Street today. In fact, struggling insurance issue MBIA Inc. (MBI) is preparing to take its leave from the venerable index.

In a press release late Friday, Standard & Poor's explained that MBIA "currently ranks 500th in the index and is no longer representative of the S&P 500 index market cap space." The beaten-down insurance company will be replaced by Mead Johnson Nutrition (MJN), which is in the process of being spun off by Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY).

The weekly jobless claims set the tone for a positive day, but the Obama speech comments today may have set the tone for a slightly worse unemployment reading tomorrow. Harsh comments against Ben Bernanke at his reconfirmation hearing also dominated the news today. We also saw a very weak ISM services number. Everything led investors to take profits before tomorrow's key unemployment data.

Here were today's unofficial closing bell levels:

Dow 10,437.64 -15.04 (-0.14%)
S&P 500 1,099.92 -9.32 (-0.84%)
Nasdaq 2,173.14 -11.89 (-0.54%)

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We had another bit of data showing strong home sales in Q3, but as prices fell. Yet the only real thing to note was that the sell-off that was starting out this morning just didn't hold when you look at the broad indexes today. Some dollar directional changes may be part of the issue that kept the stocks from getting cheaper. There were still many losers on the day.

Here were today's unofficial closing bell levels:

Dow 10,247.88 +20.94 (0.20%)
S&P 500 1,093.04 -0.04 (0.00%)
Nasdaq 2,151.08 -2.98 (-0.14%)

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As earnings season begins to wind down, some apparel retailers are scheduled to report quarterly results this week. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters anticipate that Walmart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT), the 800-pound gorilla in the space, will report that it earned $0.77 per share in the first quarter, about the same as in the first quarter of last year. But JCPenney Co. (NYSE: JCP), Kohl's Corp. (NYSE: KSS), Nordstrom Inc. (NYSE: JWN), and Urban Outfitters Inc. (NASDAQ: URBN) are expected to report lower profits for the first quarter as consumers continued to hold off on spending. Macy's Inc. (NYSE: M) and Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF) are expected to have swung to a loss year over year.

Whole Foods Market Inc. (NASDAQ: WFMI) and Winn Dixie Stores Inc. (NASDAQ: WINN) are likewise expected to report declining earnings, while the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. (NYSE: GAP), parent of the A&P supermarket chain, is expected to have narrowed its net loss 68.9% to $0.28 per share.

Over the past 12 months, shareholders in Ambac (NYSE: ABK) have lost more than 90% of their investments as the bond insurers ill-advised forays into structured finance have resulted in massive losses.

But for some reason the company's compensation committee deemed that performance worthy of $3 million in bonuses for 4 of Ambac's top executives. The company's latest proxy statement shows that CFO Sean Lenorard received a $950,000 cash bonus and Executive Vice President Douglas Renfield-Miller got $550,000. Chairman Michael Callen received $975,000 and Chief Executive Officer David Wallis took home $500,000

Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL), the personal computer maker, is due to report its financial results after the market close. The company is expected to post a 9% drop in earnings to 31 cents per share, according to Briefing.com. DELL shares were 1.5% higher in premarket trade (8:00 am). Dell shares were 2.7% lower about half an hour after the open.

General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) is seeking funds from China Investment Corp., Government of Singapore Investment Corp. and at least two other sovereign-wealth funds. GE shares have plunged some 60% this year as the company has lowered 2008 profit target twice. But GE also raised $3 billion last month as Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK) invested in the company. GE shares declined 8.3% around 9:55 am. The company said that while it is in talks with Asian investors about joint ventures, it has no intention of raising additional capital from sovereign-wealth funds.

General Motors Corp (NYSE: GM), Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) and Chrysler Llc returned empty-handed from Washington as the bailout plan for the automotive sector seems hanging by a thread. The sought after compromise couldn't be reached and the Senate canceled plans for a vote Wednesday. The Bush administration and congressional Republicans have rejected Democrats' plan to dip into the $700 billion Wall Street rescue fund for a $25 billion automotive sector bailout. Interestingly, some think no bailout will not send the stock market off a cliff. Meanwhile, Chrsyler still wants to merge with GM -- little wonder there.

However, GMAC Financial Services has applied to the Federal Reserve to become a bank holding company. If approved, it would allow GM's financing arm to be eligible for aid under the Treasury's $700 billion bank rescue plan, automotive bailout or not. Still, GM shares were down about 10% in premarket trade (8:05 am), just as Ford's were up 3.2% (8:05 am). GM shares were beaten down another 11.5% around 9:55 am, Ford's were down some 4.8%.