Bullish Blog

The central bank trims its key federal funds rate to 4.5% to shore up a slowing economy. Stocks initially slip but then push higher. Crude oil jumps over $94; energy stocks rise. Google tops $700 for the first time; Microsoft hits a six-year high.

AP - Wall Street bounded higher Wednesday after the Federal Reserve assuaged some of investors' fears about a sinking economy, stating that risks to the financial markets from the summer's credit crises have eased. The Dow Jones industrial average gained more than 130 points on the day.

Reuters - Stocks rose on Wednesday, buoyed by both the Federal Reserve's interest-rate cut and its view that credit market strains have eased somewhat and by reports showing surprising strength in economic growth and employment.

In an industry that counts on impulse buys, video on demand and faster cell-phone Internet access should be a boon for publicly traded adult-entertainment companies.

Reuters - The dollar touched an all-time low against the euro on Wednesday, while Asian stock markets marked time as many investors sat on the sidelines ahead of a widely expected interest rate cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve.

Here are a handful of troubled stocks that the MSN Money CAPS community thinks are now headed in the right direction.

Investor's Business Daily - Investors put $7.5 billion into stock funds last month as markets recovered from the July-August sell-off.

Google jumps on news of a Google cell phone. Microsoft builds on last week's earnings momentum. The Fed is expected to cut interest rates Wednesday. Crude oil tumbles and slams energy shares. CEO Stan O'Neal isn't leaving Merrill Lynch hurting financially.

Stan O'Neal will be remembered for the massive write-down Merrill Lynch took under his watch. He leaves the Wall Street firm with his reputation in shreds but with a rich exit package.

FT.com - Wall Street stocks were weaker yesterday as another fall in house prices and a sharp decline in consumer confidence depressed sentiment on the outlook for the US economy.