SHOULDA STAYED HOME: U.S. stocks closed barely changed Monday amid jitters about government spending cuts and tax increases that will kick in at the beginning of the new year, unless a divided Congress and the White House can work out a compromise before then.
QUIET DAY: Trading was light. The federal government and bond market were closed for Veterans Day, and no economic reports were released.
HEAD FAKES: The Dow fell by as much as 32 points and rose by as much as 46. Yet by the closing bell, it was down a mere fraction of a point. The S&P 500 index and Nasdaq composite index each changed by less than a point.
