Optimism drives markets higher

Hello traders everywhere! Jeremy Lutz here with your mid-day market update for Tuesday, the 18th of December.

Stocks are moving higher as traders become more optimistic that lawmakers are closing in on a budget deal that will stop the U.S. from going over the "fiscal cliff" at the beginning of next year.

House Speaker John Boehner told reporters he remains hopeful that a budget compromise can be reached but, says President Barack Obama has yet to offer a balanced deficit-cutting plan.

Among stocks making big moves, Arbitron (ARB), a provider of radio ratings, surged after TV ratings company Nielsen said it would buy it for $1.3 billion.

Let's see what the Trade Triangles say about the markets today.

Every Success,
Jeremy Lutz