NEW YORK >> Wall Street's latest attempt at a rally fizzled today, as investors decided they were better off collecting their small wins rather than risking further pullbacks. Mixed markets
By Lisa Singhania
Associated PressBlue chips closed slightly higher, while technology shares stalled.
The market was also unnerved by word that an American citizen had been arrested for plotting to explode a radioactive "dirty" bomb. Although the news failed to prompt a selloff, it did limit investors' enthusiasm.
"All of these things have investors on the edge because they lower the premium that investors are willing to pay for long-term assets," said Ron Hill, investment strategist at Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.
Advancing issues led decliners 8 to 7 on the New York Stock Exchange. Volume came to 1.21 billion shares, compared with 1.80 billion shares Friday.
The Dow Jones industrial average closed up 55.73, or 0.6 percent, at 9,645.40, retreating from a 128-point gain earlier in the session. Last week, the average fell 335.58 points.
Broader stock indicators fluctuated. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 3.21, or 0.3 percent, at 1,030.74, and the Nasdaq composite index fell 4.79, or 0.3 percent, at 1,530.69. And the Russell 2000 index fell 1.22 to 469.22.
The price of the Treasury's 10-year note was up 1/8 point today, while its yield fell to 5.03 percent from 5.06 percent late Friday. Two-year Treasury notes gained 1/32 for 100 1/8, their yield fell to 3.12 percent from 3.13 percent Friday.
Retail stocks were mostly higher. Wal-Mart advanced $1.97 to $56.40 on word its June sales at stores open at least a year should be at the high end of forecasts, while Kohl's rose $1.17 to $75.
Energy stocks were mixed. Williams Cos. gained 11 cents to $8.59 after the company lowered its 2002 forecast but announced efforts to reduce exposure to its energy risk management operations. But Duke Energy dropped 91 cents to $29.09 after Merrill Lynch downgraded the stock, citing pressure created by a government investigation into whether energy traders manipulated prices in California.
In technology, Nokia dropped 30 cents to $12 ahead of a midquarter update expected tomorrow. Many analysts are expecting the telecommuni- cations company to lower its forecast. Intel fell 93 cents to $21.07, adding to the 18.5 percent it lost Friday after warning that second-quarter sales would be lower than expected.
Japan's Nikkei stock average fell 0.6 percent. In Europe, Germany's DAX index fell 0.5 percent, Britain's FTSE 100 rose nearly 0.2 percent, and France's CAC-40 gained 0.1 percent.