Dow off 84.85

Associated Press

NEW YORK - Stocks were mixed today as a report of continued growth in the manufacturing sector ignited fears of inflation and hurt blue-chip companies. But technology stocks, benefiting from a wave of new deals and products, rose.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 84.85 to close at 10,829.28. Earlier in the session, the Dow was off as much as 132 points, a dip large enough to spur some buying by bargain hunters and computer-

driven trading programs, analysts said. Broader stock indicators were mixed, with the technology-

heavy Nasdaq composite index ending higher. The Standard & Poor's 500 fell 3.61 to 1,320.41, but the Nasdaq composite index rose 26.66 to 2,739.35.

Decliners led advancers by a 5-to-4 margin on the New York Stock Exchange, with 1,658 down, 1,307 up and 571 unchanged. NYSE volume totaled 845.46 million shares vs. 596.99 million yesterday. The NYSE composite fell 2.80 to 612.33; the American Stock Exchange composite rose 0.20 at 775.41; the Russell 2000 index rose 0.47 to 427.83.

Yields on the 30-year U.S. Treasury bond rose to 6.06 percent, from 6.05 percent late yesterday.

After swinging between negative and positive territory this morning, stocks fell after the National Association of Purchasing Management inadvertently released its monthly survey on August manufacturing activity. The report, which was scheduled for release on Wednesday, was posted on the organization's Web site. The monthly index of business activity rose to 54.2 percent from 53.4 percent in July. A reading above 50 is a sign of growth in the industrial sector of the U.S. economy.