STRONG earnings reports helped Wall Street withstand a powerful sell off in bonds yesterday, but stock investors still took profits in previous high flyers, leaving stock indexes down for the day.
Investors were taking profits after Wednesday's record high close.
Bonds fell despite encouraging signs on the US budget front and on the release today of soft economic data that might have been constructive.
Advances led declines by about 11 to 9 on the New York Stock Exchange, with 1,272 down, 1,033 up and 776 unchanged.
Big Board volume totalled 445.35 million shares, against 475.87 million on Wednesday.
The NYSE's composite index fell 1.17 to 330.55. The Standard and Poor's 500 stock index fell 2.93 to 617.03.
The Nasdaq composite index fell 7.34 to 1,036.12.
At the American Stock Exchange, the market value index rose 4.13 to 541.64.
