11.   Surprisingly strong profits from Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and other retailers tempered the drop.

12.   Tempering any drop in stocks, investors said, would be another batch of better-than-expected corporate earnings.

13.   The drop was tempered by gains in shares of Boeing Corp.

14.   The drop was tempered by gains in Boeing and IBM.

15.   The drop was tempered by utilities shares.

16.   U.S. stocks were mixed as gains in bank and other financial shares tempered a drop in computer and semiconductor issues.