Stock prices were mixed yesterday as strength in Internet and computer stocks helped the technology sector outperform the broader market.
Declining issues outnumbered advancers by a four-to-three margin on the New York Stock Exchange, with 1,654 down, 1,293 up and 614 unchanged.
NYSE volume totalled 820.02 million shares at the close against 776.84 million in the previous session.
The NYSE composite index fell 2.42 to 654.05, and the American Stock Exchange composite index rose 6.55 to 808.69.
Nasdaq's strength came from a wide array of technology shares. Yahoo! rose after reporting on Wednesday its second-quarter earnings easily topped Wall Street expectations.
Computer maker Apple rose after BancBoston Robertson Stephens upgraded its outlook on the stock. An analyst at the firm cited strong sales of Apple's iMac computer.
