Around the World's Markets: New York

STOCKS CLUNG to thin gains in late morning trading, with transport and banks highlighting otherwise lacklustre trade. Analysts kept the 10,000 Dow threshold in mind, even though the market held below 9,900 for most of the morning. Any signs of a rally were stifled by bouts of profit taking ahead of today's derivative expiries.

As European bourses closed, the Dow average was up 17.5 points at 9,896.9. The Nasdaq was up 7.9 at 2,446, and the S&P500 was up 5.6 points at 1,303.