If the U.S. economy is in such dismal shape, how come Wall Street feels so good? After five consecutive daily increases, the Dow Jones industrial average closed at a record 3101.52 last week. The bull run has pushed the Dow index up 167 points, or nearly 6%, since Dec. 20. That was the day the Federal Reserve Board lowered the discount rate -- which is what the Fed charges banks for borrowing money -- a full percentage point, to a 27-year low of 3.5%.
Wall Street's euphoria reflected investors' hopes that rock-bottom interest rates would help end the economic slump. "The...
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