On the upside
In a protracted bidding war among data storage companies, EMC (NYSE: EMC) raised its offer for Data Domain (Nasdaq: DDUP) to $33.50 a share over that made by rival NetApp (Nasdaq: NTAP).
Shares of Ford (NYSE: F) rose on hopes that GM's emergence from bankruptcy would stabilize the auto industry's supply chain.
On the downside
Mining company Rio Tinto (NYSE: RTP) sold a division of its Alcan unit for $1.2 billion to Bemis (NYSE: BMS).
Oil prices fell to the $63 a barrel level to weigh down shares of Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM).
Shares of Spectrum Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: SPPI) fell after the FDA asked for more data about the company's blood cancer drug candidate.
Regis Corp. (NYSE: RGS) reported lower overall revenues and same-store sales. Meanwhile, the hair salon operator offered new shares and notes to finance $367 million in debt.
In the broad market, declining issues outpaced advancers by a margin of nearly 3 to 1 on the NYSE and by more than 2 to 1 on Nasdaq. The Russell 2000 which tracks small cap stocks lost 6 points to 490.