1.   But while the plan is ambitious and the company is a New York fixture, investors should tread gingerly.

2.   Investors are treading cautiously before the meeting Tuesday and Wednesday of Federal Reserve policy-makers.

3.   Investors are treading cautiously before Federal Reserve policy-makers meet Tuesday and Wednesday.

4.   The light volume convinced analysts that investors are treading cautiously in advance of several government reports on the economy, due out later this week.

5.   But analysts said investors were treading warily, fretting over the violence in the Middle East that has rocked markets this week.

6.   But dealers said investors would tread cautiously until the Federal Open Market Committee meets in the second half of the month to decide US rate policy.

7.   Dealers said investors would tread cautiously until the US Federal Open Market Committee meets later this month to discuss interest rates policy.

8.   What traditionally comes next in such a situation is a technical rebound followed by a period of varying length during which investors tread water before starting to buy again.