Composite Index

NEW YORK -- Stocks closed mixed yesterday after comments by Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan disrupted the market rally.The Dow Jones industrial average rose 13.14 points, to 3,649.30, but broader market averages fell.Stocks were higher for most of the day. Then Mr. Greenspan spoke and said economic conditions were improving. "We are clearly making headway," he said during a speech yesterday before the National Italian American Foundation.His remarks caused Treasury bond yields to surge, triggering concern that interest rates may have bottomed.

NEW YORK -- U.S. stocks rebounded yesterday from the second-worst decline in the 1990s, with technology shares leading the climb, followed by companies whose shares appeared to have been beaten down further than warranted by their earnings outlooks.Broad market indexes again yesterday mirrored the Dow Jones industrial average, the Standard & Poor's 500 index and the Nasdaq composite, with most of them gaining about half what they had lost in Monday's market plunge.The Russell 2,000 index, which tracks small capitalization stocks, jumped 10.15 to 348.10; the Wilshire 5,000 index gained 304.30 to 11,106.

NEW YORK - Nervous investors bid stocks lower yesterday as conflicting economic data prompted them to pull money out of the market ahead of next week's Federal Reserve decision on interest rates. With Wall Street concerned about inflation and the Fed's interest rate policy, the Commerce Department's report showing a surprise jump in new-home sales last month assuaged fears that higher rates would curtail consumers' willingness to buy homes. And oil prices also fell one day after reaching the $56 level, further easing fears that inflation might take hold.

NEW YORK -- U.S. stocks rebounded yesterday from a two-session slide as weakness in the Treasury bond market prompted some investors to switch funds into stocks."

NEW YORK -- One of the bigger bears on Wall Street, Merrill Lynch & Co. chief investment strategist Charles Clough, will leave the largest U.S. brokerage firm at the end of the year, the company said yesterday.Clough, 57, will step down after 12 years at the brokerage to pursue other interests, said a Merrill spokeswoman. While the New York firm declined to comment, his latter years may have been less than harmonious."His overall bearishness has certainly soured people in Merrill who would have favored a more bullish outlook," said Marshall B. Front, a money manager for Chicago's Front, Barnett Associates LLC.Clough recently recommended that clients put 40 percent of their money in stocks, 55 percent in bonds and 5 percent in cash.

NEW YORK -- U.S. stocks were mixed yesterday as concern over higher interest rates and slowing profit growth dragged the Dow Jones industrial average back from a run at 9,000.Drugmakers and banks declined on concern that their earnings will fall short. Computer and software shares gained after Microsoft Corp. said profit for this quarter will top forecasts.The 30-stock Dow average fell 31.64 to 8,872.80, after coming within 41 points of 9,000. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 3.73 to 1,101.

NEW YORK -- U.S. stocks rose yesterday for the first time in three days, after the Commerce Department said inflation remains tame. Banks such as J. P. Morgan & Co. led the advance.The Dow Jones industrial average gained 103.38 to 8,994.86. The Standard & Poor's 500 index climbed 9.02 to 1,110.67, and the Nasdaq composite index rose 13.23 to 1,820.24.Among other broad market indexes, the Russell 2,000 index of small capitalization stocks rose 4.71 to 480.04; the Wilshire 5,000 index climbed 84.52 to 10,571.

NEW YORK -- Wall Street bargain-hunting and a stronger dollar sparked a modest recovery yesterday from last week's huge stock-market sell-off.The Dow Jones industrial average rose 24.06 to 10,303.39, halting a four-day retreat, but finished well below its high of the day. The index of 30 blue-chip companies had been up as much as 123.16 points in the morning.The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 5.95 to 1,283.31, and the Nasdaq composite index climbed 21.34 to 2,761.75.Last week, the Dow had fallen a total of 524.30 points, its biggest weekly point loss ever.

NEW YORK -- The biggest U.S. companies -- General Electric Co., International Business Machines Corp. and Exxon Corp. -- led yesterday's stock decline in the wake of the market plunge in Hong Kong.The Dow industrials dropped 186.88, or 2.33 percent, to 7,847.77. The Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 17.80, or 1.8 percent, to 950.69, and the Nasdaq composite index fell 36.83, or 2.2 percent, to 1,671.25.Among other broad market indexes, the Russell 2,000 index of small capitalization stocks dropped 8.89 to 449.36; the Wilshire 5,000 index, comprising stocks on the New York, American and Nasdaq stock exchanges, plunged 178.31 to 9,208.

NEW YORK -- The U.S. stock market ended the session mixed for a third straight day as the NASDAQ composite cruised to record levels and blue-chip issues lagged.The Dow Jones industrial average closed 2.71 lower, at 3305.16, led by a slump in Philip Morris Cos., International Business Machines Corp. and Merck & Co. The NASDAQ Combined Composite index soared 7.52, to a record high of 681.86, led by Intel Corp., Microsoft Corp., Novell Inc. and Apple Computer Corp.It was a historic day for several leading U.S. companies.