NEW YORK  — The Dow crossed the 12,000 mark for the first time since June 2008 as U.S. stocks nudged higher Wednesday. Investors were parsing through the latest corporate results and awaiting the Federal Reserve’s latest pronouncement on the nation’s economy. The Dow Jones industrial average (INDU) rose 37 points, or 0.3%, hitting its highest […]

NEW YORK — The stock market has had one of its most turbulent days ever. The Dow Jones industrials plunged nearly 1,000 points in half an hour amid concerns that Greece’s debt problems could halt the world financial recovery.

Volatility kicked in again on Wall Street Tuesday, as the reality hit that few industries are safe from the consumer spending slump — whether they’re building homes, making cars or selling coffee. The Dow Jones industrial average fell more than 200 points.

Wall Street had another astounding advance Tuesday, with the Dow Jones industrials soaring nearly 900 points in their second-largest point gain ever as late-day bargain hunters stormed into the market. The Dow and the Standard & Poor’s 500 index were each up nearly 11 percent.

Wall Street tumbled again Wednesday as investors worried that the global economy is poised to weaken even as parts of the credit market slowly show signs of recovery. The major indexes fell more than 4 percent, including the Dow Jones industrial average, which fell 515 points.

A rising wave of optimism lifted Wall Street Monday, propelling the Dow Jones industrials up more than 400 points on more signs of a reviving credit market and support from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke for further steps to aid the economy. All the major indexes finished with gains of 3 percent or more.

Wall Street remained tense Thursday, extending its huge slide as investors examined mixed economic and earnings data for clues about the economy. The Dow Jones industrials fell more than 170 points, and all the major indexes were seeing wide swings.

The Dow Jones industrial average is down more than 500 points at the 8,800 level. Wall Street tumbled again today after a disappointing retail sales report offered fresh evidence that an intractable freeze in the credit markets since last month has caused cracks in the economy well beyond the banking sector.

The Dow Jones industrial average jumped more than 300 points in early trading today on top of yesterday’s historic 936-point gain. Wall Street surged again today as investors reacted enthusiastically to the U.S. government’s plans to spend $250 billion to buy stock in private banks.

The Dow Jones industrial average rebounded more than 500 points today as Wall Street snapped back from last week’s devastating losses after major governments announced further steps to support the global banking system, including plans by the U.S. Treasury to buy stocks of some banks. All the major indexes rose well over 6 percent.

President Bush said Friday that the government’s financial rescue plan was aggressive enough and big enough to work, but would take time to fully kick in. “We can solve this crisis and we will,” he said in brief remarks from the White House Rose Garden.

Stocks plunged in the final hour of trading Thursday, sending the Dow Jones industrial average down more than 675 points, or more than 7 percent, to its lowest level in five years after a major credit ratings agency said it was considering cutting its rating on General Motors Corp.