[R]3:00PM New York – U.S. stocks trade in a tight range as crude oil advance and gold drops. Financials lead the decliners.[/R]

Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 8.06 or 0.07% to a close of 11 850.75, S&P 500 also gained 2.46 or 0.19% to a close of 1320.39.

Of the 30 stocks in Dow Jones Industrial Average 16 gained and 14 declined.

General Motors led the decliners in the Dow Jones Industrial Average with a loss of 3.77% followed by losses in American International Group of 2.31%, in Citigroup of 2.07%, in Bank of America of 2.01% and in JP Morgan of 2.01%.

Merck & Co led the gainers on the Dow Jones index with a rise of 1.37% followed by increases in Exxon Mobil Corp of 1.35%, in Intel Corp 1.12%, in Chevron Corp 0.92% and in Caterpillar 0.86%.

Of the stocks in S&P 500 index, 248 increased, 251 declined and 1 remained unchanged.

Huntington Banc led the decliners in the S&P 500 index with a loss of 12.44% followed by losses in MGIC Investment Corp of 7.17%, in Sovereign Bancorp of 7.16%, in Jabil Circuit of 6.42% and in X Capital of 6.10%

Apollo Group led the gainers in the S&P 500 index with a rise of 4.37% followed by increases in National Oilwell 4.32%, in Southwestern of 4.19%, in Range Resources of 4.04% and in Archer Daniels of 5.7%