The blue-chip Dow index fell 1 percent, sliding below 10,000, Wednesday, as oil prices resumed their climb while mining stocks fell. A steep decline in commodity prices dented shares of Alcoa Inc., the world's No. 1 aluminum producer. On the New York Stock Exchange, the five biggest percentage decliners -- all down by 10 percent or more -- were metals producers. Meanwhile, sky-high oil prices surged further as worries over tight heating fuel supplies in the U.S. and Europe this winter countered a previous bout of profit-taking by big-money funds. Higher oil prices generally weigh on stocks as investors worry about the resulting impact on corporate profits. U.S. light, sweet crude was up $1.07 at $53.58 a barrel. The jump in oil prices sent stocks sharply lower, reversing a solid open on strong quarterly earnings from McDonald's Corp. and tech heavyweights Intel Corp. and Yahoo Inc. The Dow Jones industrial average was down 102.95 points, or 1.02 percent, at 9,974.23. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index down 10.25 points, or 0.91 percent, at 1,111.59. The technology-laced Nasdaq Composite Index down 7.51 points, or 0.39 percent, at 1,917.66. --More 2304 Local Time 2004 GMT
