Mar. 15, 2010 (United Press International) -- U.S. markets closed mixed Monday with blue-chip stocks led by retailer Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE:WMT) , which rose 2.82 percent on an advisory upgrade from Citigroup. (NYSE:C)
Citigroup flipped Wal-Mart's status from "hold" to "buy," The Wall Street Journal reported. Dow Jones component Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) dropped 1.46 percent after China's Premier Wen Jiabao said China would not allow its currency to appreciate. Technology stocks held back, despite the Federal Communications Commission announcing a 10-year plan to have broadband services extended to 100 million Americans.
By close, the Dow Jones industrial average added 17.46 points or 0.16 percent to 10,642.15. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 0.52 points or 0.05 percent to 1,150.51. The Nasdaq composite index lost 5.45 or 0.23 percent to 2,362.21.
On the New York Stock Exchange, 1,263 shares advanced and 1,733 declined on a volume of 4.1 billion shares traded.
The benchmark 10-year Treasury note rose 1/32 to yield 3.699 percent.
The euro fell to $1.3677 from Friday's $1.3762. Against the yen, the dollar was nearly flat at 90.49 yen, up from Friday's 90.47 yen.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 index rose 0.01 percent, 0.72, to 10,751.98.
In Britain, the FTSE 100 index dropped 0.57 percent, 31.80, to 5,593.85.
