If you had the three major indices in a 2012 survivor pool, only the S&P 500 would be left. The Dow was basically flat today but technically snapped its two-day winning streak:

Index

Change

Ending Value

Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEX: ^DJI) -2.72 [-0.02%] 12,415.70
Nasdaq (INDEX: ^IXIC) +21.50 [+0.81%] 2,669.86
S&P 500 (INDEX: ^GSPC) +3.76 [+0.29%] 1,281.06

When you see the Nasdaq outperforming the S&P and Dow, you'd expect a tech-stock surge. But the Dow tech components were mixed, with Microsoft and Intel up a bit and Cisco, Hewlett-Packard, and IBM down.

Instead, it was the financial sector that powered the Dow today. Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) led all Dow components with a whopping 8.6% surge. JPMorgan Chase [2.1%], American Express [+1.2%], and Travelers [+1%] were each up as well. Looking more broadly, the Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (NYSE: XLF) was up 1.4%. 

The big news driving the financial industry was rumors over a possible major refinancing plan for American homeowners. However, Bloomberg reported later in the day that the White House is denying those rumors. The only thing I'm predicting -- expect more volatility.

It's fun to look at the daily market news, but remember to keep your perspective and invest for the long term. If you're looking for a long-term stock pick, our chief investment officer has identified his No. 1 stock for the next year. Find out which stock he likes in our brand-new free report: "The Motley Fool's Top Stock for 2012." I invite you to take a copy, free for a limited time. Get access to the report and find out the name of this legendary company.