Dow up 44 ahead of
key reports

NEW YORK -- Stocks posted their best showing in four sessions today, but the tone remained hesitant amid anxieties about whether the inflation and interest rate outlook will worsen with this week's economic reports.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 44.15 to 6,783.02 despite the equivalent of a 22-point drop by Boeing, which slid after a robust but below-expectation profit report by the aircraft maker.

Advancers outnumbered decliners by an 11-to-9 margin on the New York Stock Exchange, with 1,368 up, 1,118 down and 835 unchanged. NYSE volume was 402.41 million shares vs. 414.32 million yesterday.

The Standard & Poor's 500-stock list rose 7.59 to 772.96, and the NYSE composite index rose 3.31 to 403.69. The Nasdaq composite index rose 7.74 to 1,217.03.

The Russell 2000 list of smaller companies rose 0.25 to 336.10, and the American Stock Exchange composite index fell 1.63 to 541.20.

Most of the day's buying, however, was focused on blue-chip and other large-company shares, underscoring the uncertainty that has prevailed in the market's recent efforts to rebound.

After nearly two full weeks of uneasy calm on the economic front, this week's calendar is filled with pivotal reports on employment and manufacturing activity.

"If there are any economic triggers that will influence the Federal Reserve Board's (interest rate) policy direction at its May 20th meeting, they will most likely be unveiled this week," said Robert Froehlich, chief investment strategist for Kemper Funds.