Of the stocks in S&P 500 index, 238 stocks increased, 260 declined, and 2 were unchanged. Of the stocks in the index, 48 stocks fell more than 3% and 29 gained more than 3%.

Merck led decliners in the S&P 500 index followed by declines in Monsanto of 9%, in Deer & Company of 6%, in Titanium Metals of 6%, in Total System Services of 5.9% and Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae of 5.8%. Office Depot led gainers in the index with a rise of 8.7% followed by increases in Watson Pharmaceuticals of 6.8%, in Safeway of 5.8%, in Motorola of 5.7%, in SuperValu of 5.46%, and in Ambac Financial of 5.3%.


South American Markets Indexes

Brazil led decliners in the South American trading with a fall of 2.82% followed by decreases in Argentina of 1.92%, in Chile of 1.28%, and in Mexico of 1.15%. Venezuela fell 0.9%.

Peru added 0.52% and Colombia increased 0.47%.

Asian Markets

In Hong Kong Hang Seng index increased 247.86 or 0.97% closed to 25,914.15. In Australia ASX 200 index higher 4.20 or 0.07% to close 5,606.90. In Malaysia KL Composite index decreased 11.66 or 0.90% closed to 1,283.65. There was holiday in Japan.

In South Korea Kospi Index decreased 11.66 or 0.64% to close at 1,811.51, in Thailand SET index closed lower 2.79 or 0.33% to 833.63 and Indonesia JSE Index edged increased 49.22 or 2.18% to 2,303.53. Sensex index in India increased 362.50 or 2.13% to 17,378.46.

Commodities, Metals, and Currencies

Crude oil decreased $3.42 to close at $115.33 a barrel for a front month contract, natural gas decreased 53 cent to $10.80 per mBtu, and gasoline futures decreased 9.37 cents to close at 293.70 cents per gallon.

Gold decreased $18.70 in New York trading to close at $876.80 per ounce, silver closed down $0.48 cents to $16.64 per ounce, and copper for front month delivery decreased 4.80 cents to $3.88 per pound.

Wheat futures decreased 32.50 cents in Chicago trading and closed at $8.08 per bushel. Sugar decreased 19 cent to $11.87 per pound. Soybean future closed down 4.00 cents to $12.93 a bushel.

Dollar edged lower but traded near record low against euro to $1.5567 and edged higher against yen to 104.01.

Yields on U.S. bonds decreased to 3.80% with 10 years of maturities and decreased 4.53% with 30-year of maturities.