Katie Kuehner-Hebert

Bank stocks and the broader markets were lifted Tuesday by a spate of positive economic news.

The KBW Bank Index fell for most of Monday as investors continued to cash in gains from previous rallies, but it closed up 0.81% on advances in utilities after news that China's sovereign wealth fund may invest in the U.S. power company AES Corp.

After eking out gains for most of the week, bank stocks fell Friday as investors took profits.

The KBW Bank Index rose 0.53% after the Labor Department said that initial claims for unemployment benefits in the week ended Sept. 5 had fallen to 550,000. Analysts on average had expected 560,000.

Now especially, banks need to train and encourage their best employees if they want to increase their odds of retaining talent — yet they aren't doing it.

Bank stocks and the broader markets rose Wednesday as the Federal Reserve said that the recession appears to be over.

Bank stocks fell Tuesday as investors continued to cash in gains from the summer's rallies.

Though the unemployment rate hit its highest point in 26 years, bank stocks and the broader markets rose Friday because fewer than expected jobs were cut in August.

Banks may find themselves on the wrong end of congressional attempts to lower health-care costs. Lawmakers could impose minimum requirements on benefits and they may not count much of the up-front cash in HSA accounts, which would disallow many high-deductible plans and obliterate the need for HSA accounts.

Bank stocks and the broader markets rose Thursday on encouraging economic news. The KBW Bank Index rose 2.53%, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 0.69% and the Standard & Poor's 500 rose 0.85%.

The KBW Bank Index fell 2.27% Wednesday as investors continued to take profits from recent rallies.

A sell-off in bank stocks dragged down the broader markets Tuesday as investors cashed in gains from recent rallies.

Bank stocks dragged down the broader markets Monday after Rochdale Securities analyst Richard Bove said the sector would likely experience a retreat from recent rallies.

A drop in consumer confidence briefly caused the KBW Bank Index to dip into negative territory Friday, but it rebounded to close up 0.66% for the day and less than 1% for the week.

Federal lawmakers and regulators are threatening severe limits on how much banks may charge in overdraft fees, which heavily subsidize free checking.

Bank stocks and the broader markets rose Thursday on encouraging economic news. The KBW Bank Index rose 1.33%, the Dow Jones industrial average 0.39% and the Standard & Poor's 500 index 0.28%.

The KBW Bank Index struggled to push out of negative territory Wednesday, closing down 0.13%.

Bank stocks and the broader markets rose Tuesday after reports that consumer confidence rose more than expected in August.

A morning rally in bank stocks lost steam Monday, and the KBW Bank Index closed down 1.63%.

Bank stocks and the broader markets rose Friday on positive comments about the economy by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.