U.S. STOCKS DROPPED ON TUESDAY, WITH THE DOW BARELY CLINGING TO 11,000, AS WARNINGS ABOUT INFLATION FROM TOP FED OFFICIALS DROVE UP EXPECTATIONS FOR HIGHER RATES EVEN AS THE ECONOMY SLOWS. BASED ON THE LATEST AVAILABLE DATA, THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE WAS DOWN 48.66 POINTS, OR 0.44 PERCENT, TO END UNOFFICIALLY AT 11,000.06. THE STANDARD & POOR'S 500 INDEX WAS DOWN 1.65 POINTS, OR 0.13 PERCENT, AT 1,263.64. THE NASDAQ COMPOSITE INDEX WAS DOWN 6.63 POINTS, OR 0.31 PERCENT, AT 2,162.99, REUTERS REPORTED.
