Around the World's Markets: New York

WALL STREET suffered in early trading as profit-takers took advantage of the Dow Jones index's record closing high a day before.

By midday, the Dow Jones was down 59 points, or 0.53 per cent, at 1,266. The high-technology Nasdaq index was up five points at 2,810. "We're in a sorting-out position," said one dealer.

Technology stocks, still enthusiastic that Tuesday's interest rate hike may be the last this year, continued to rise.