... Stocks closed mixed, with the blue-chip arena lagging behind the broader market ahead of Wednesday's FOMC decision on whether to change rates and/or policy language. Warren Buffett's $44B purchase of BNI drove the DJ Transportation index higher. The S&P 500 and NASDAQ also rose late in the session. But the DJIA finished lower. Trading was choppy. NYSE breadth 19-12 positive. NASDAQ breadth 16-11 positive. Data today showed Sept. Factory Orders rose 0.9%. Treasuries tumbled as stocks meandered. The dollar index rose. Gold surged as India bought 200 tons of gold. Crude oil climbed.

03-Nov-2009 16:30:44 (14759557)   Copyright 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc, Standard & Poor's, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., and their affiliates (collectively, "S&P"). Reproduction of this content in any form is prohibited except with the prior written permission of S&P.