THE Dow Jones industrial average edged higher yesterday in uneventful trading, but stocks were mostly lower, with some investors using a weak bond market as an excuse to take profits on Monday's record-setting advance.
The Dow rose 5.77 points to close at 7,085.16, its second straight record close.
There was little reaction to news that US productivity-increased 0.7 per cent last year, a downward revision from the 0.8 per cent annual gain reported a month ago.
Advances outnumbered declines by a 10-to-9 margin on the New York Stock Exchange, with 1,319 up, 1,194 down and 855 unchanged.
NYSE volume totalled 491.32 million shares, against 458.75 million in the previous session.
The Standard and Poor's 500-stock list fell 2.31 to 811.34, and the NYSE's composite index fell 0.64 to 427.06.
The Nasdaq composite index fell 5.95 to 1,316.77, and the American Stock Exchange composite index fell 0.20 to 603.43.
