Stocks closed mixed yesterday on Wall Street as blue-chip shares fell to profit-taking despite modest gains in the technology sector.

The Nasdaq gained 21.64 points (0.53 per cent) to close at 4,103.81 and the Dow Jones industrials slid 112.09 points (1 per cent) to 11,103.01.

The Standard and Poor's 500 fell 7.25 points (0.48 per cent) to 1,502.59.

Among the bright spots was the finance sector after the $11.5 billion (€12.9 billion) acquisition of Donaldson Lufkin Jenrette (DLJ) announced by Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB).