By Kate Gibson, MarketWatch
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- U.S. stocks on Friday fluctuated near
record heights after a Fed official signaled limited tapering could
start as soon as next month and as retail sales of Apple Inc.'s
latest iPhone models began.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) fell 6.18 points to
15,630.37.
The S&P 500 index (SPX) held a near 1-point gain at
1,723.08.
The Nasdaq Composite (RIXF) added 5.93 points to 3,795.28.
Stocks rallied to records on Wednesday after the Federal Open
Market Committee unexpectedly said it would not reduce its $85
billion in monthly bond purchases.
Interviewed Friday on Bloomberg Television, Federal Reserve Bank
of St. Louis President James Bullard said the decision not to begin
tapering followed weaker economic data, and that a small taper
could start in October. Stock futures fell after he spoke.
Bullard is scheduled to speak on the economy and monetary policy
at a luncheon later in the session in New York. Kansas City Fed
President Esther George and Minneapolis Fed President Narayana
Kocherlakota are also speaking.
Apple Inc. (AAPL) shares rose 0.5% as long lines formed at the
iPhone maker's retail stores around the globe, with the latest
models of its handsets going on sale.
AK Steel Holding Corp. (AKS) declined 9.2% after forecasting a
fourth-quarter loss.
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