US Markets slide Monday

U.S. stock indexes started the second quarter with losses Monday amid conflicting reports on whether U.S. economic growth was accelerating or slowing down. Markit Economics said growth accelerated in March but the Institute of Supply Management said its Purchasing Managers' Index slipped from February to March, suggesting manufacturing is growing, but at a slower pace. The Dow Jones industrial average and the Standard & Poor's 500 slipped off of record closing highs. By close of trading, the DJIA lost 5.69 points or 0.04 percent to 14,572.80 and the S&P 500 shed 7.02 points or 0.45 percent to 1,562.17. The Nasdaq composite index dropped 28.35 points or 0.45 percent to 3,239.17. On the New York Stock Exchange, 948 stocks advanced and 2,092 declined on a volume of 2.7 billion shares traded. Ten-year U.S. treasury bonds rose 6/32 to yield 1.834 percent. Against the dollar, the euro rose to $1.2842 from Thursday's $1.2808. Against the yen, the dollar fell to 93.30 yen from 94.46 yen. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 index shed 2.12 percent, 262.89 points, to 12,135.02. In London, markets were closed for Easter Monday.