Dow Posts 8th Gain in a Row

Stocks are closing mostly lower on Wall Street, but the Dow Jones industrial average of 30 blue-chip stocks still managed to post its eighth gain in a row and close at another record high, the AP reports. Solid gains in 3M and UnitedHealth Group Thursday sent the Dow up 9 points, less than 0.1%, to 22,026. Most other indexes closed lower, led by declines in energy and technology companies and banks. Apple gave back 1%, a day after a big gain that pushed the Dow over 22,000 points for the first time. Avon plunged 10.7% after reporting a surprise loss and saying its CEO would leave. The Standard & Poor's 500 index slipped 5 points, or 0.2%, to 2,472. The Nasdaq fell 22 points, or 0.4%, to 6,340. (More stock market stories.)