Dow Jumps Nearly 300 Points: Acadiana Business Index

Mark Lasseigne tells you about a good day on Wall Street as investors latch on to glimmers of hope in headlines from Germany.

• Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 276 points to 11,415.
• Stocks got a boost from overseas after Germany's top court ruled that the financial bailouts of Greece and other struggling euro members are legal.
  The German DAX index surged 4.1% and the Stoxx Europe 600 rose 3.1%. 
• Today’s gains came despite the Federal Reserve's "Beige Book" report.  The report showed sluggish economic activity in most parts of the U.S., with some areas weakened considerably with a slowdown in manufacturing, and continued weak real estate.
• The U.S. Energy Information Administration cut its price forecast for crude oil, citing sluggish economic growth.

  The EIA now expects $103 a barrel for crude in 2012. It left its 2011 estimate unchanged at $100 a barrel. 
• Crude closed higher at $89.34 a barrel.
• And gold settled at $1,818/ounce.

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