NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks are closing lower as the House of
Representatives prepares to vote on a bill to avoid a U.S. debt
default.

The market was up for much of the day but started to sink in the
last half-hour of trading. Analysts said that was because of
investors' skepticism that a resolution could be reached in time to
raise the country's borrowing limit.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 62 points, or 0.5 percent,
to close at 12,240. The index had been up as many 82 points
earlier.

The Standard & Poor's 500 fell 4, or 0.3 percent, to close at
1,301. The Nasdaq rose 1 to 2,766.

Nearly two stocks fell for every one that rose on the New York
Stock Exchange. Volume was relatively heavy at 4.4 billion shares.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)