WALL Street stocks were mostly higher in quiet trading after struggling against a weak bond market where a stronger than expected economic report helped send interest rates higher.

But the Dow Jones industrial average slipped 1.10 points after trading in a tight range through the session, bobbing higher and lower several times. It closed at 5665.78.

Broad market indexes ended higher, but the gains were modest.

Stocks opened lower after the Federal Reserve reported that industrial production edged up 0.1 per cent in July. That was the slowest advance in four months.

On the New York Stock Exchange, advances outnumbered declines by nearly a five to four margin, with 1296 up, 1049 down and 848 unchanged.

The NYSE's composite index rose 0.58 to 354.22, and the Standard & Poor's 500 stock index rose 0.23 to 662.28.