Ahead of Wall Street - Ahead of Wall Street

Easing worries about Goldman and strong profit numbers from Citigroup helped lift financial shares and the broader market even as speculation about possible changes to financial-industry regulations hovered over Wall Street.

Stocks seesawed through afternoon as traders came to terms with the government's charges against the Wall Street giant.  A late-session rally, however, put the beaten-down financial shares in the driver's seat. Shares in Citigroup

surged after its quarterly profit report surprised investors.  Goldman

advanced 1.6% even as the Securities and Exchange Commission voted 3-2 on party lines to press the civil fraud charges against the firm.  Goldman said it will fight the charges.

Shares of airlines companies also felt the heat of a volcanic eruption in Iceland that has resulted in cancellations of hundreds of flights and stranded passengers across airports.  American Airlines parent AMR Corp.

retreated 4.3%, while shares in UAL Corp.

, the parent of United Airlines, dropped 5.1%.  The spread of ash resulting from the eruption has enveloped European airspace, and analysts estimate the losses resulting from the ash cloud at more than $1 billion.