MarketWatch - October 5, 2012

If you're keeping on top of the stock market today,  Wednesday, October 5, 2012...

The Nikkei gained 39 points today in Japan.
The Dow rose nearly 81 points Thursday.
And the Nasdaq is up more than 14 points.

Mortgage rates are at record lows for the second straight week. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac says the average rate on a 30 year loan is 3.36-percent. Record low rates have led more homeowners to refinance and experts say that trend could help jumpstart the economy.

Charles Schwab and TD Ameritrade are shutting down some of their European businesses. The U.S. based brokerage firms say trading has slowed so much in Europe that it's not cost effective for them to do business in the region. Stock trading in Europe is at its lowest level in three years because of continued uncertainty about the economy and the euro.