Stock prices fell in New York yesterday, forcing investors to contend with the possibility that the Dow Jones industrial average might not close above 10,000 any time soon.

The blue-chip index crossed 10,000 several times last week in trading. Yesterday, it failed even to do that, meandering throughout the session and ending off 13.04 at 9,890.51. The technology-heavy Nasdaq composite index fell 25.35 to 2,395.92.

Declining issues outnumbered advancers by a 7-to-5 margin on the New York Stock Exchange, with 1,229 up, 1,750 down and 566 unchanged.

NYSE volume totalled 656.2 million shares, against 911.43 million in the previous session.

The NYSE composite index fell 0.19 to 610.49, and the American Stock Exchange composite index rose 5.49 to 717.36.