1.   Stocks edged lower Tuesday as investors and traders focused on the impasse over the budget and the partial shutdown of the federal government in an otherwise dull trading session.

2.   Corn and soybeans futures prices drifted marginally higher while most wheat futures prices dipped in a dull trading session Wednesday on the Chicago Board of Trade.

3.   Hong Kong shares finished a touch lower Thursday after giving up early gains in a dull session.

4.   In Hong Kong, share prices edged higher in a dull session.

5.   Share prices edged higher on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange Wednesday in a dull session.

6.   Share prices on the London Stock Exchange inched higher Wednesday, setting another new record despite a dull trading session.

7.   Takeover news involving Pet Inc. was one of the only attention-getting developments during the dull session.

8.   The trading in Renault brightened an otherwise dull session at the Paris bourse.

9.   Utilities were the best performing sector in an otherwise dull session.

10.   Zagorski said trade talks with Japan or events in Washington could put some life into an otherwise dull session.