U.S. markets decline in shortened session

12/25/2012

Stocks fell in light trading Monday during a shortened preholiday trading session.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 52 points to 13,139.08. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index gave up 3 points to 1,426.66 The Nasdaq composite slipped 8.4 points to 3,012.60.

U.S. markets are closed today.

Barring a dramatic sell-off in the year’s final days of trading, stocks will end the year higher. The S&P 500 is up 13 percent for the year, the Dow is up almost 8 percent, and the Nasdaq is nearly 16 percent higher.