US stocks closed mixed today as sagging energy prices and a strong advance by Honeywell International Inc. sent the Dow Jones industrials higher, but downgrades of Apple Computer Inc. dragged the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite lower.

Stocks rallied strongly on Wall Street today as investors grew more confident about the prospects for the economy despite the impact of hurricanes Rita and Katrina.

Wall Street limped to a mixed finish today as a surprisingly strong employment report raised fears that a surge in economic growth could spark inflation and prompt the United States Federal Reserve aggressively to raise interest rates.

A surge in oil prices sent the major stock indexes to their lowest level of the year today as investors overlooked a strong earnings report and a bullish outlook from General Electric Co. All three indexes fell for the third straight week.

The owners of Airbus SAS approved the launch of a new A350 passenger jet today to rival Boeing’s 7E7, a spokesman for Airbus parent EADS said.

Investors resumed their December rally today, looking past higher oil prices and focusing instead on building up their portfolios before year’s end.

Stocks were mixed today with blue chip and tech shares rising only modestly despite lower oil prices and several mergers and acquisitions, including Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co.’s 1.5 billion dollar bid for several candy brands from Kraft Foods Inc.

The Virgin Group’s new low-fare airline has agreed to buy and lease up to 105 narrow-body jets from Airbus SAS and name the carrier Virgin America.

Investors set aside their concerns about Iraq today, sending stocks solidly higher on expectations of companies’ robust first-quarter earnings reports. All three major indexes regained the ground they lost last week.

Wall Street edged higher in choppy trading today, with investors making few moves as they waited for companies to start reporting their fourth-quarter earnings this week.

Wall Street retreated again today, extending its losses into a fourth session despite better-than-expected earnings from The Home Depot and a brokerage firm upgrade for General Electric Co.

Stock prices rose moderately today as investors traded cautiously following last week’s big gains and in advance of earnings reports later this week. Volume was light due to the Yom Kippur holiday.

AIRBUS SAS and Boeing Co, the world’s two biggest planemakers, won orders from Emirates, the Middle East’s fastest-growing airline, for 67 new planes, which the carrier valued at as much as $19 billion.

THE idea that there are companies generating more wealth than Ireland has been debunked by the United Nations.