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NEW YORK

US STOCKS faced a volatile session yesterday, marked by premature release of key economic data, which triggered a sharp initial pullback. The monthly NAPM "prices paid" index jumped to 59.8, its highest level since June 1995, from 54.7 in July. Any figure above 50 is seen as a sign of rising prices.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 84.85 points, or 0.78 per cent, to end at 10,829.28. The Dow lost 128 points after the NAPM news, but showed a gain of around 40 points in late afternoon.