11 Jul 2009

Wall Street ends lower

9:55 am on 11 July 2009

Stocks in the United States finished mostly lower on Friday.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 36.65 points (0.45%) to 8,146.53, for a fourth consecutive weekly loss.

The Nasdaq edged up 3.48 points (0.2%) to 1,756.03. Standard & Poor's 500 index shed 3.55 points (0.4%) to 879.13.

Earlier, the FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares fell 1.1% to 814.29 points - its lowest close since 28 April 28.

Before the opening, the Commerce Department said the US trade deficit narrowed sharply in May to its lowest level in nearly a decade, led by a plunge in imported oil.

The deficit fell nearly 10% in May to $US26 billion - the lowest level since November 1999.