THE MARKETS

Investors, jittery at the prospect that the Federal Reserve will not lower interest rates after all when it meets on December 19, pushed the Dow Jones industrial average into negative territory Tuesday. The Dow closed down 9.40 to end the day 5,174.92. The New York Stock Exchange composite index also dipped, 0.37 to 329.80. On the Big Board, decliners led advancers 1,368 to 990, with 749 unchanged. Volume was moderate with 349.42 million shares traded. The Nasdaq composite index fell 7.36 to 1,054.14. The Standard & Poor's 500 stocks dipped 0.74 to 618.78. The American Stock Exchange market value index fell 0.11 to finish the day at 535.54. In London, gold closed at $388.65, off $0.90.