According to Us today.com, Investors shuttled between optimism and pessimism Wednesday, finally betting that the government might help the economy out of recession after all.
News in late afternoon that key lawmakers agreed on a $789 billion economic stimulus plan sent stocks moderately higher. The advance, which came in a back-and-forth session, came a day after stocks plunged on worries about the government's financial industry bailout plan.
The stimulus measure includes provisions for unemployment benefits, food stamps, health coverage and more. It also includes billions for states facing yawning budget gaps.
Investors have been eager for any signals that the economy could begin to recover. Supporters hope the bill's mix of spending and tax cuts will increase consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic activity. Spending has stalled since the mid-September bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. froze credit markets and deepened the recession.
Washington was again the driver behind the market's moves on Wednesday. A day earlier, investors showed frustration with what they saw as a lack of details from Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on how the government plans to direct trillions of dollars in public and private aid to support the ailing financial system. Major stock market indexes tumbled more than 4 percent.
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