NEW YORK, Sept. 30 (UPI) -- U.S. stocks tumbled Thursday after pharmaceutical giant Merck pulled its Vioxx medication worldwide and slashed its year's earnings outlook.
The Wall Street Journal's description of the day: from bad to worse to flat.
The Dow Jones industrials lost close to 100 points before rallying somewhat to close 55.97 points down, or 0.55 percent, at 10,080.27.
Nasdaq was up 2.90, or 0.15 percent, at 1,896.84 and the Standard & Poor's 500 index slipped 0.22 of a point, or 0.02 percent, at 1,114.58.
Oil prices rose, foraying past $50 a barrel several times but settling up 14 cents at $49.64.
Bonds stumbled. The 10-year Treasury note fell almost 9/32, or $2.8125 for each $1,000 invested. The yield rose to 4.12 percent.
The dollar weakened. It traded at 109.99 yen, off from 110.90, while the euro rose against the dollar to $1.2429 from $1.2329.
