Small caps rebound

The Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) and the other major U.S. indices are posting gains on upbeat news from major corporate players.
 
At 10:34 a.m. ET, the small-cap index had added 4.89 points, or 0.72%, to 685.46. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU) was up 121.98 points, or 1.07%, to 12,289.19.

Small-cap stocks opened in the green on news that General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) reported a fourth-quarter profit from continuing operations of $6.82 billion, or $0.68 per share, compared with $5.95 billion, or $0.58 per share, a year earlier. The result matches analysts’ expectations.

The earnings increase was largely due to strong demand for the Fairfield, Conn.-based company’s heavy equipment products.

Also contributing good news is International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE: IBM), which reported fourth-quarter earnings and issued a 2008 guidance above Wall Street’s projections.

In economic news, the Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment index rose to a level of 80.5 in January from December’s 75.5. That came as a surprise to economists, who were expecting the measure to post a small decline. The index tracks consumers’ willingness to spend money.

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