Dow Rises in Final Hour

U.S. stocks came back from the brink in the last hour of trading today, with the Dow closing up 153.41 points after plummeting 251 points earlier in the day. Stocks were apparently buoyed by a report that European Union finance ministers are discussing ways to recapitalize European banks. The markets also had somewhat encouraging words from Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke, who said he would not rule out a third round of quantitative easing in an attempt to boost the economy. Yesterday the Dow closed at its lowest point in more than a year.