US investors, uneasy following downbeat earnings from Merck and Lexmark International, sold off stocks yesterday to lock in profits from Friday’s rally. Prices on Wall Street fell sharply.

US investors, uneasy following downbeat earnings from Merck and Lexmark International, sold off stocks today to lock in profits from Friday’s rally. Prices on Wall Street fell sharply.

US investors, increasingly focused on profits rather than war, nudged stocks higher today, ending a two-day losing streak.

A disappointing outlook from AOL Time Warner put investors in the United states on the defensive today, prompting them to question the strength of other big companies and bid stocks sharply lower.