US stocks fell slightly but showed more signs of stability today as investors sifted through new economic data and found little reason to resume last week’s heavy selling pace.

Wall Street stumbled today after a key survey showed manufacturing unexpectedly contracted in November for the first time in more than three years, stoking concerns that the US economy will not be able to achieve a soft landing.

A Federal Reserve official’s warning about a possible resumption of interest rate hikes unnerved Wall Street today, wiping out an early advance and leaving stocks narrowly higher by the close.

A drop in crude oil futures pushed stocks modestly higher in the United States today, helped by government predictions of lower gasoline prices.

WORLD stock markets rose yesterday in sharp contrast to a year ago when the September 11 triple hijacking disasters in the US sent stock prices tumbling.