Friday’s stock market action was relatively lackluster, with the Dow Industrials slipping 34 points and the other major indexes also in the red.
But, with four days of gains before today, all of the indexes were up at least 2% for the week.
After rallying yesterday, oil prices rose again today. August crude moved up another 36 cents to settle at $57.43 a barrel. For the week, that new front-month contract was up a sharp 8.8% -- the biggest weekly percentage gain since early December.
The best states in which to live, based on an analysis of affordability, education, healthcare, quality of life and safety? Massachusetts, Minnesota and New Hampshire. That’s according to a study by WalletHub. At the very bottom of the list: New Mexico, Louisiana at #49 and Mississippi -- all of which, WalletHub says, “suffer from struggling economies, high foreclosure rates and high premature death rates.”