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Germany holds national elections that could change how the eurozone handles rescue loans for troubled countries. The U.S. Congress will need to pass a spending bill to avoid a government shutdown. And many people expect the Fed to reduce its bond purchases, which have bolstered the economy and stock market. "Most people I talk to have scaled back and are taking a more defensive posture," Johnson said. "They're bracing for volatility." Over the long run, September is also the stock market's worst month. Since 1945, the S&P 500 index has slumped nearly six out of every 10 Septembers, with an average loss of 0.6 percent. Salesforce.com jumped to an all-time high after the cloud-computing company reported strong quarterly results and raised its sales forecast late Thursday. Salesforce.com was up $5.48, or 13 percent, to $49.13, the biggest gain of any company in the S&P 500 index. In the government bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury note edged up to 2.77 percent from 2.76 percent late Thursday. Among other companies making moves Friday: General Electric reportedly plans to spin off its credit-card division through an initial public offering of stock. The IPO could come early next year, according to The Wall Street Journal. GE's stock rose 3 cents, or 0.1 percent, to $23.14. Big Lots gained 78 cents, or 2 percent, to $35.42. Early Friday, the operator of discount-stores reported lower quarterly earnings and U.S. sales, but its overall results still topped the estimates of financial analysts. Krispy Kreme Doughnuts plunged 15 percent. Late Thursday, the company posted a drop in quarterly profits, which came in below analysts' estimates. Krispy Kreme's stock lost $3.51 to $19.72.
[Associated Press; By MATTHEW CRAFT]
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