NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Stocks seesawed Friday as investors welcomed corporate news from Intel and Dell that signaled a bottom in the PC market, but mostly played it cautious after pushing the markets to 2009 highs in the previous session.

The Dow Jones industrial average (INDU) lost 36 points, or 0.4%. The S&P 500 (SPX) index lost 2 points or 0.2%. The Nasdaq composite (COMP) rose 1 point, or 0.1% and managed to squeak out a fresh 2009 high, closing at the highest point since Oct. 1.

All three major indexes had gained in the morning, thanks to the tech boost, but lost steam as the session wore on. Trading volume was light on the second-to-last trading session of August.

Stocks managed slim gains Thursday, with the Dow stretching its winning streak to eight straight sessions, its longest run since the period ended April 10, 2007.

But the gains have been tepid this week on the back of a surprisingly strong summer advance.

Between the March 9 lows and Friday's close, the S&P 500 gained 52%.

Intel and Dell: Chipmaker Intel (INTC, Fortune 500) boosted its revenue forecast for the third quarter, thanks to stronger PC demand, saying it expects sales of $8.8 billion to $9.2 billion. Previously, it forecast sales of $8.1 billion to $8.9 billion. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters are currently forecasting sales of $8.55 billion.

Although many companies reported better-than-expected earnings in the second quarter, revenue growth has been tepid with results mostly driven by cost-cutting. Intel, a Dow component, rallied 4%.

PC maker Dell (DELL, Fortune 500) reported weaker sales and earnings late Thursday that beat expectations, sending shares 1.8% higher Friday.

Economy: Personal income was essentially flat in July, the government reported, versus forecasts for a rise of 0.1%. Income declined 1.1% in June.

But spending perked up, thanks to the government's Cash for Clunkers program. Personal spending rose 0.2% after falling 1.1% in June. The rise was in line with estimates.

Consumer sentiment was revised up to 65.7 in August from an earlier reading of 63.2. Economists expected a reading of 64. In July, sentiment stood at 66.

Company news: Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) has signed a multiyear deal with China Unicom to bring the iPhone to China, the world's largest cellphone market. The deal ends months of speculation as to which Chinese firm would enable Apple's expansion into the lucrative market. Shares were little changed.

Oil: U.S. light crude oil for October delivery rose 25 cents to settle at $72.74 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

0:00 /2:55Bank stocks too hot?

World markets: European markets ended higher, while Asian markets ended mixed.

Bonds: Treasury prices rose, lowering the yield on the benchmark 10-year note to 3.43% from 3.44% late Thursday. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.

Treasury sold $109 billion in debt this week to moderate demand.

Other markets: COMEX gold for December delivery rose $11.50 to settle at $958.80 an ounce.

In currency trading, the dollar fell versus the euro and gained against the Japanese yen.

Market breadth was mixed. On the New York Stock Exchange, winners narrowly beat losers on volume of 1.19 billion shares. On the Nasdaq, decliners topped advancers eight to five on volume of 2.38 billion shares.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Stocks rose Thursday, with the Dow extending its winning streak to eight straight sessions in a thinly-traded advance fueled by bank shares and Boeing.

Dell (DELL, Fortune 500) reported weaker sales and earnings that beat expectations, in a profit report that was released minutes before the close of trading, ahead of schedule. Shares gained 6.5% in extended-hours trading.

The Dow Jones industrial average (INDU) added 37 points, or 0.4%. The blue-chip average ended higher for the eighth session in a row, marking its longest winning streak since the period ended April 10, 2007.

The S&P 500 (SPX) index gained 3 points, or 0.3%. The Nasdaq composite (COMP) edged up 3 points, or 0.2%.

Stocks ended Wednesday's session with the Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq at their highest levels since last fall. But investors found few reasons to extend the push Thursday, despite better-than-expected readings on housing and jobless claims. Nonetheless, the early weakness disappeared as the session ran on.

"There's a floor in this market and it's probably at least 5% below the recent highs," said Tyler Vernon, chief investment officer at Biltmore Capital. "There's still so much cash on the sidelines that when we see a selloff, there are retail investors and institutional investors ready to jump back in."

Stocks have essentially risen for the last five months, with the S&P 500 ending Wednesday's session up 52% from the 12-year low it hit on March 9. But the pace of the run, coupled with light August trading volume, has left markets churning over the last two weeks.

Better-than-expected economic news -- and a healthy infusion of monetary and fiscal stimulus -- drove the rally. But the latest batch of economic reports have had less of an impact on investor sentiment.

Reports are due Friday on July personal income and spending from the Commerce Department and August consumer sentiment from the University of Michigan.

GDP: Gross Domestic Product, the broadest measure of the health of the economy, declined at a 1.0% annual pace in the second quarter, unchanged from the initial reading last month. Economists thought GDP would be revised to show it slowed at a 1.5% annualized pace, according to Briefing.com estimates. In the first quarter, GDP declined at a 6.4% annualized rate.

Job market: The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment last week dipped to 570,000 from a revised 580,000 the previous week. Economists surveyed by Briefing.com thought claims would fall to 565,000.

Oil: The price of oil turned higher, erasing morning lows. Oil hit 10-month highs earlier in the week. U.S. light crude oil for October delivery rose $1.06 to settle at $72.49 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Dow components Chevron (CVX, Fortune 500) and Exxon Mobil (XOM, Fortune 500) both posted modest losses after sliding 2% through the early afternoon.

Financials: On the upside, shares of AIG (AIG, Fortune 500) rallied 27% after the company's CEO told Reuters that he doesn't support a fire sale of the insurer's assets. New CEO Robert Benmosche said in a year, people will say the bailed-out insurer is performing well. The stock has jumped 274% in August alone.

Other financials rallying included Freddie Mac (FRE, Fortune 500), Fannie Mae (FNM, Fortune 500), Citigroup (C, Fortune 500) and Bank of America (BAC, Fortune 500) -- all of which have also received government help. The four have been responsible for much of the trading volume over the last few sessions.

Also in active trading, bond insurer AMBAC Financial (ABK) jumped 28%, while CIT Group (CIT, Fortune 500) gained 12%.

Company news: Dow component Boeing (BA, Fortune 500) said it will have its long-in-the works 787 Dreamliner in the air by the end of the year and that it will make deliveries in the fourth quarter of 2010. The airplane manufacturer said it will take a non-cash charge of $2.5 billion, or $2.21 per share, in the third quarter.

Shares rallied 8.7%.

Toll Brothers (TOL) reported a quarterly loss of $2.93 per share, versus a loss of 18 cents a year ago. The luxury homebuilder was expected to report a loss of $1.79 per share, according to Briefing.com estimates. Toll Brothers also reported a drop in revenue that nonetheless managed to top estimates.

Problem banks: The number of financial institutions on the government's watch list surpassed 400 in the second quarter, the highest level in 15 years, the government said Thursday.

World markets: European markets tumbled in afternoon trading, while Asian markets mostly ended higher, with the Japanese Nikkei rising 1.4%.

Bonds: Treasury prices slipped, raising the yield on the benchmark 10-year note to 3.47% from 3.43% late Wednesday. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.

Treasury sold $42 billion of 2-year notes Tuesday, $39 billion of five-year notes Wednesday. The sale of $28 billion of 7-year notes Thursday saw a weaker-than-expected demand, but it didn't seem to impact the bond market much.

Other markets: COMEX gold for December delivery rose $6 to settle at $951.80 an ounce.

In currency trading, the dollar rose versus the euro and fell versus the Japanese yen.

Market breadth was negative. On the New York Stock Exchange, losers beat winners eight to seven on volume of 1.16 billion shares. On the Nasdaq, decliners beat advancers by a narrow margin on volume of 2.16 billion shares.

First Published: August 27, 2009: 9:47 AM ET

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Stocks struggled Wednesday, as investors welcomed positive reports on housing and durables goods, but remained on the sidelines after pushing the market to 2009 highs in the previous session.

The Dow Jones industrial average (INDU) added 4 points or less than 0.1%, still managing to close at its highest point since Nov. 4.

The S&P 500 (SPX) index ended just above unchanged, squeaking out its highest close since Oct. 6. The Nasdaq composite (COMP) also ended just above unchanged, ending at its highest point since Oct. 1.

The Dow has now gained for seven consecutive sessions, topping off a strong summer rally.

After such a run, stocks were vulnerable to some choppiness Wednesday, despite the encouraging reading on new home sales.

"This was a very positive report for the housing market," said Jane Caron, chief economic strategist at Dwight Asset Management. "It confirms that housing has turned the corner."

She said that a bottoming in housing is one of the reasons she is expecting solid third-quarter GDP growth. Growth will also be driven by inventory rebuilding across many sectors, she said, and a rebound in auto production in the aftermath of the government's Cash for Clunkers stimulus program.

Stocks have been more or less on the rise since bottoming in March. After hitting a more than 12-year low on March 9, the S&P 500 has risen 52%. The only notable pullback was a 7% slide in the run up to the start of the second-quarter earnings period.

Thursday preview: A revised reading on GDP in the last quarter is due before the start of trading. The weekly jobless claims report is also on tap.

Second-quarter gross domestic product growth (GDP) is expected to have contracted at a 1.5% annualized rate, according to a consensus of economists surveyed by Briefing.com. That would be steeper than the initially reported 1% rate, but not as sharp as the 6.4% decline reported in the first quarter. The Commerce Department released the GDP report.

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment is expected to have risen to 580,000 from 576,000 in the previous week. The Labor Department releases the jobs report.

Toll Brothers (TOL) reports quarterly results in the morning. The luxury homebuilder is expected to have lost $1.79 per share after losing 18 cents one year earlier.

After the close, tech bellwether Dell (DELL, Fortune 500) reports results. Dell is expected to have earned 23 cents per share versus 31 cents a year ago, according to Thomson Reuters estimates.

Housing: July new home sales rose to a 433,000 unit annualized rate from a revised 395,000 unit rate in June. Economists surveyed by Briefing.com forecast sales at a 390,000 unit annual rate.

On Tuesday, an S&P/CaseShiller report showed that home prices rose 2.9% in the second quarter versus the first, the first quarterly rise in three years.

Also on Tuesday, reports showed consumer confidence and housing are starting to recover -- and President Obama nominated Ben Bernanke for a second term as chairman of the Federal Reserve.

Durable goods orders: Orders for goods meant to last three years or longer rose more than expected in July. According to a Commerce Department report released Wednesday morning, durables rose 4.9% after falling a revised 1.3% in June. Economists thought orders would rise 3.2%.

Oil prices: Light crude oil prices for October delivery fell 62 cents to settle at $71.43 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Prices fell after a government report showed crude supplies rose less than expected last week, while gas and distillates - used in heating oil - rose more than expected.

On the move: Vonage Holdings (VG) jumped 36% in unusually active New York Stock Exchange trade, building on its recent gain. The provider of VoIP - Internet based calling - has seen its stock bounce over 300% in the last week on speculation that the company can stay afloat, despite weaker revenue and subscriber growth.

Human Genome (HGSI) also moved on unusually high volume on speculation that the company could be bought out by GlaxoSmithKline, its partner on several drugs, according to published reports.

Market breadth was mixed. On the New York Stock Exchange, losers topped winners by a narrow margin on volume of 1.05 billion shares. On the Nasdaq, advancers beat decliners seven to six on volume of 2.08 billion shares.

World markets: European markets tumbled in afternoon trading, while Asian markets mostly ended higher, with the Japanese Nikkei rising 1.4%.

0:00 /5:31Bernanke's greatest hits

Bonds: Treasury prices were little changed, with the yield on the benchmark 10-year note ending at 3.43%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.

Treasury sold $42 billion of 2-year notes Tuesday and is planning to sell $39 billion of five-year notes Wednesday and $28 billion of 7-year notes Thursday.

Other markets: COMEX gold for December delivery fell 20 cents to settle at $945.80 an ounce.

In currency trading, the dollar rose versus the euro and fell versus the Japanese yen.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Stocks gained Tuesday, extending the recent rally, after reports showed that consumer confidence and home prices are starting to recover.

News that President Obama is nominating Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernanke for a second term in office added to the positive sentiment.

The Dow Jones industrial average (INDU) added 30 points, or 0.3% and closed at its highest point since Nov. 4. The S&P 500 (SPX) index gained 2 points, or 0.2% and closed at its highest point since Nov. 6. The Nasdaq composite (COMP) rose 6 points, or 0.3% and the highest close since Oct. 1.

Stocks slipped Monday as investors took a step back after pushing the major gauges to new 2009 highs Friday. But after Monday's brief hiccup, stocks resumed their advance Tuesday.

Stock gains were pretty broad based, with 21 of 30 Dow stocks rising, led by Boeing (BA, Fortune 500), JPMorgan Chase (JPM, Fortune 500), United Technologies (UTX, Fortune 500) and Travelers Companies (TRV, Fortune 500).

But falling oil prices cut into any stock gains, dragging down the influential energy sector. Dow components Exxon Mobil (XOM, Fortune 500) and Chevron (CVX, Fortune 500) declined and the Amex Oil (XOI) index was off 1%.

Since bottoming at a 12 1/2 year low on March 9, the S&P 500 is up 52% as of Tuesday's close. The pace and breadth of the run up has left many Wall Streeters calling for a big selloff in September and October. But so far, there has been no indication of that.

"Generally, the market keeps moving higher even though so-called experts are saying it's overbought," said Terry Morris, senior equity manager, National Penn Investors Trust. "It's surprisingly strong. Maybe we have turned a corner."

Wednesday preview: Wednesday brings reports on new home sales and durable goods orders, both from the Commerce Department.

New home sales are expected to have risen to a 390,000 unit annualized rate in July from a 384,000 unit annualized rate in June, according to Briefing.com forecasts.

July durable goods orders are expected to have risen 3.2% after falling 2.5% in June. Orders excluding transportation are expected to have risen 1% after rising 1.1% in June.

The weekly crude oil inventories report from the Energy Information Administration is also due in mid morning.

Consumer confidence: Stocks hit the highs of the day just after the 10 a.m. ET release of the August Consumer Confidence index. The index rose to 54.1, surprising economists who thought it would rise to 47.9. The index stood at a revised 47.4 in July.

While the report was significant, it doesn't often correlate to what the consumer ends up doing, said Kim Caughey, senior equity analyst at Fort Pitt Capital Group.

"Unemployment is continuing to rise, and that's going to keep the consumer out for the time being," Caughey said. She said inventory rebuilding on the part of corporations will help support the economy in the short term, rather than a rise in consumer spending.

She said the Bernanke announcement was more notable.

Fed: President Obama nominated Ben Bernanke to chair the Federal Reserve for a second term, announcing the reappointment months ahead of the expiration of Bernanke's current term.

The reappointment is expected to receive the approval of the Senate.

"There was a bit of uncertainty around Bernanke's reappointment and the fact that the announcement was made today is driving the gains," Caughey said.

Housing: Home prices rose 2.9% in the second-quarter versus the first quarter, according to an S&P/Case-Shiller report. That's the first quarterly rise in prices in three years and could signal that the housing market has bottomed.

The 20-city index declined 15.4% in June versus a year ago, but that was shy of forecasts for a drop of 16.4% versus a year ago.

Budget: The White House released its deficit and economic forecast. It predicts a federal budget deficit of $9 trillion over the next decade and a deficit of $1.58 trillion in 2009. The $9 trillion is $2 trillion more than what the administration had forecast previously.

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its own forecast shortly after the Obama administration. The CBO said the 2009 deficit will total $1.6 trillion.

World markets: European markets rallied, while Asian markets slid, with the Japanese Nikkei losing 0.7%.

Oil: U.S. light crude oil for October delivery fell $2.32 to settle at $72.05 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, after touching a new 10-month high in the morning.

Bonds: Treasury prices inched higher, lowering the corresponding yields, following a positive response to the first of three government debt auctions this week. The rise in prices lowered the yield on the benchmark 10-year note to 3.44% from 3.47% Friday. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.

Treasury sold $42 billion of 2-year notes Tuesday and is planning to sell $39 billion of five-year notes Wednesday and $28 billion of 7-year notes Thursday.

Other markets: COMEX gold for December delivery rose $2.30 to settle at $946 an ounce.

In currency trading, the dollar rose versus the euro and gained versus the Japanese yen.

Market breadth was positive. On the New York Stock Exchange, winners topped losers three to two on volume of 1.14 billion shares. On the Nasdaq, advancers beat decliners seven to six on volume of 1.95 billion shares.