Article: IN OTHER BUSINESS

Stocks take slide despite positive reports

NEW YORK -- Stocks slid Friday when waning enthusiasm among investors ahead of the holiday weekend overshadowed data showing higher consumer spending and a jump in sales of big-ticket goods in November.

Extremely light volume ahead of the Christmas holiday left the market prone to swings, however.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 78.03, or 0.63 percent, to 12,343.22. Blue chips are backing off record levels seen earlier this week.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index was down 7.53, or 0.53 percent, at 1,410.77, and the Nasdaq composite index fell 14.67, or 0.61 percent, to 2,401.18.

Speculation that a weaker housing market and a slowing economy ...

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