12:15pm: Goldman, Apple among the day's leaders The Dow shook off a slow start and lingering pessimism around a potential capital gains tax increase out of the White House to climb 188 points, 0.6%, to 34,004 at midday. The Nasdaq increased 186 points, 1.4%, to 14,005, and the S&P 500 improved 42 points, 1%, to 4,177.
Wall Street brushes off initial worries over potential capital gains tax hike