Chicago-area stocks mostly began the year’s second half on an upbeat note, with several posting above-market gains.
Companies with little or no exposure in Asia were especially favored. One, Deerfield-based drug retailer Walgreen, rose 10.1 percent in the week, to $46.31.
Chicago-based media company Tribune joined a general advance in newspaper stocks with a 6.3 percent gain, to a record closing high $73.25.
Financial-services stocks also rallied as interest rates remained low. Northbrook-based Allstate added 7.1 percent, to $51.19. The issue was named one of 15 “exceptional” stocks for the coming 12 months by Salomon Smith Barney.
Waste Management, based in Oak Brook, jumped 8.6 percent, to $37.75, on optimism about the company’s pending merger with USA Waste Services.
Oil stocks continued to suffer from low crude-oil prices. Chicago-based Amoco fell 4.8 percent, to $40.87.
But lower oil prices helped Elk Grove Township-based airline company UAL, which gained 10.3 percent for the week, to $89.56.
