WALL Street stocks were mixed as investors moved to secure profits from the recent rally amid economic data that upset the widespread optimism for stable inflation and interest rates.

The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 29.07 points to close at 6,499.34, giving the blue chip barometer its first two day losing streak in more than a month.

Oil shares were among the Dow's biggest fallers amid worries that the potential return of Iraqi oil to the world supply will hurt prices.

Stocks started the session lower as the bond market slipped from an early rally that had pulled interest rates back down toward their lowest level since early March

The yield on the 30 year Treasury bond a key determinant of corporate and consumer borrowing costs fell from Tuesday's 6.44 per cent to nearly 6.38 per cent before rising to 6.42 per cent.

Bonds pulled back amid a flurry of data suggesting a faster pace of business activity that could aggravate inflationary pressures such as rising production costs.

The Commerce Department reported that orders for big ticket manufactured goods unexpectedly edged up 0.1 per cent in October.