YAHOO [BRIEFING.COM]: Buying was strong and broad this morning, but it took little time before the effort was challenged. Support at the flat line ultimately helped prevent a broad market loss, though.

Given that the stock market has fallen in each of the past four weeks for a cumulative loss of about 16%, early participants bid stocks higher with the notion that they are likely due for a bounce, especially since the tone of trade in Europe had improved so much in the region's first session of the new week. As of last week's close, the EuroStoxx 50 had fallen more than 15% during August to a new two-year low, but it bounced back to a 1% gain today.

Europe's major bourses actually gave up some of their gains, though. That drift off of session highs provided an excuse to some domestic participants to capitalize on the opening pop by U.S. markets. The S&P 500 was up about 2% at the open, but steadily surrendered all of that until it came in contact with the flat line. On a few occasions participants provided support to stocks near the neutral line, but none of that ever provided stocks with a floor for a sustainable rebound.

Financials hampered the broad market all session. Along with the rest of the market, the sector had been up about 2% in the first few minutes of trade, but it was ultimately beaten down to a 1.3% loss. The sector's weakness was largely rooted in losses among bank stocks, especially Bank of America (BAC 6.42, -0.55), which continues to wrestle with investor concerns about capital levels and exposure to relatively risky markets. Goldman Sachs (GS 106.51, -5.25) was clipped aggressively late in trade when it was reported that the investment bank's chief executive hired a lawyer.

Technology stocks offered some support. The sector, which is the largest by market weight, ended the day with a 0.7% gain. That was only exceeded by telecom stocks, which advanced 0.8% as a group.

The market's struggle to sustain any kind of a gain bolstered the case to continue buying gold. The precious metal closed pit trade with a 2.1% gain at $1891.90 per ounce, but afterward it extended its move above $1900 per ounce for a fresh record high.

Oil prices were also pushed higher. The energy component closed pit trade with a 2.3% gain at $84.12 per barrel. In the backdrop of the action, rebels entered the Libyan capital city, leaving traders to wonder just how long it will take before the country's oil output returns to full capacity.

General strength within the commodity complex took the CRB Commodity Index up 0.7% today.

Among the better performers, gold prices climbed more than 2% to trade within $1 of $1900 per ounce in this afternoon. The move took the precious metal to a new record high before it closed pit trade with a 2.1% gain at $1891.90 per ounce.

Silver was also a strong performer. It settled with a 2.5% gain at $43.47 per ounce, but had actually cleared $44 per ounce in early morning trade.

Oil prices pushed as high as $84.80 per barrel in the final minutes of pit trade, but ultimately settled at $84.12 per barrel with a 2.3% gain.

In contrast to the other widely-watched commodities, natural gas succumbed to selling pressure. As such, the energy component settled with a 1.3% loss at $3.89 per MMBtu.

Advancing Sectors: Telecom +0.8%, Tech +0.7%, Industrials +0.4%, Consumer Discretionary +0.3%, Consumer Staples +0.3%, Health Care +0.2%
Unchanged: Materials
Declining Sectors: Utilities -0.1%, Energy -0.6%, Financials -1.3%DJ30 +37.00 NASDAQ +3.54 NQ100 +0.3% R2K -0.1% SP400 +0.1% SP500 +0.29 NASDAQ Adv/Vol/Dec 1137/1.95 bln/1457 NYSE Adv/Vol/Dec 1254/1.19 bln/1749