Market Wrap: MF Gets Liquidated; Dow's Record October; Japan 'Yens' to Stem Inflation; Solars Dreary Day

Market wrap-up for October 31st

End of the Day: Dow Jones down 276 to 11,955,.01; Nasdaq down 52.7 to 2,684.41; S&P 500 down 31.79 to 1,253.30

The following is a brief summary of events moving markets today:

• MF Global files for bankruptcy protection: MF Global Holdings (NYSE: MF) was halted all day Monday, as the company filed for bankruptcy protection in New York. Click here for more headlines and color on MF. Financial exchanges and companies also issued statements about how much exposure they had to MF.
  
  Hope rose Sunday night when it was said MF was in talks with Interactive Brokers (Nasdaq: IBKR) about a possible deal, but discussions ended up falling apart.
  
  
• Dow ends October on sour note: The Dow Jones fell about 276 points Monday, as European debt concerns crept back into the markets, and MF news hit financials. Though it was a rough day on the Street, the Dow ended about 1,000 points, or 9.5 percent, better on the session. October was the best month for the Dow since October 2002.
  
  
• Japan says "uncle" to inflation, will intervene: Saying "enough is enough," Japan moved to intervene in its currency to stem inflation. Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said Japan will begin selling some of its yen holdings to ease the movement higher.
  
  
• Expansion stutter-steps, continues in Midwest: purchasing managers in the Chicago area said an index of buying came in at 58.4 for October, below the 58.9 expected, and down from 60.4 reported in September. The number was the worst reading since May, but signals the 25th straight month of economic expansion in the region.
  
  
• Solars get cloudy: Guggenheim Solar (NYSE: TAN) finished about 7.7 percent lower, following reports the U.K. might cut subsidies by 50 to 55 percent for solar PV cells. Though the U.K. isn't the largest provider of solar projects in Europe, a distinction that belongs to Germany, the move may trigger broader cuts.
  
  Losses were led by Yingli Green Energy (NYSE: YGE), which dropped 15 percent on the session. Other notables include Trina Solar (NYSE: TSL), Suntech Power (NYSE: STP), and First Solar (Nasdaq: FSLR), which was downgraded at BofA this morning.

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