Wall Street extended its losses today as a negative ratings outlook on financial and industrial powerhouse General Electric Co shook an already fragile investor psyche and sent stocks tumbling.

Wall Street ended a tumultuous two-week run relatively quietly today, finishing another back-and-forth session mixed as investors were cheered by signs of easing in the credit markets and managed to absorb lacklustre economic news with equanimity.

Wall Street ended an arduous first half quietly with stocks showing mostly modest declines.

Wall Street pulled off a stunning comeback today, surging higher in late trading and wiping out what looked to be yet another precipitous decline.

Wall Street extended last week’s losses today as investors remained concerned about flagging growth and rising prices, and were sceptical that a special Federal Reserve credit auction would be a solution.

A late rebound left US stocks modestly higher on Wall Street today as oil and gold prices tumbled and mild economic data lifted bonds from their recent lows.

Stocks skidded today as soaring oil prices offset bullish testimony about the state of the US economy by Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan.

Wall Street rallied late today for the second day in a row, but the pattern of trading left market-watchers doubtful that the advance would hold ahead of a key Federal Reserve meeting and the handover of power in Iraq next week.

The Nasdaq composite index notched its best advance in nearly five months today as a recovery in the dollar motivated US investors to pick up shares following two weeks of declines.

US stocks began the week indecisively today, closing mixed in the absence of earnings news to guide investors. But the major indexes managed to rebound from sizeable early losses.

Stocks tumbled today, pulling the Dow Jones industrials down more than 170 points, after France said it was prepared to vote against the UN resolution on Iraq.

US BLUE chips fell at midday Tuesday as worries about corporate profits, rising oil prices and nervousness surrounding the Federal Reserve's latest policy setting meeting washed out any good tiding from an earlier consumer confidence report.

Shares in technology companies were slightly lower in midsession trade on profit-taking following three days of solid gains, dealers said.

General Electric Co's shares were posting a modest gain in midsession trade as investors pondered the defense the company issued to counter a prominent bond fund manager's criticisms of its debt load, dealers said.