Stocks in New York were mixed yesterday as consumer products shares dropped due to profit-taking in high-tech issues and another warning of disappointing earnings. The Dow Jones fell 81.91 to 9,928.82, capping a highly volatile week. The index has fallen 438.38 points since Monday, a loss of 4.2 per cent.
The Nasdaq, which fluctuated throughout the session, finished up 2.20 at 5,049.06, closing at a new record by the slimmest of margins.
The Standard and Poor's 500 fell 6.62 to 1,395.07, while the Russell 2000 index of smaller companies fell 2.23 to 603.82.
Consumer products stocks struggled after Dial Corp said its earnings for the first half of this year will be down at least 10 per cent from a year ago. The company's stock plunged on the news.
Declining issues outnumbered advancers by an 11-to-8 margin on the New York Stock Exchange, with 1,714 down, 1,254 up and 518 unchanged.
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