The Dow Jones industrial average briefly plunged below 6,000, a day after its first close above that milestone, as profit-taking offset strong earnings reports from market leaders such as Intel and General Motors.

On Wall Street, the Dow dropped 5.22 points and closed at 6,004.78, rebounding from a nearly 40-point deficit that came after the Dow surrendered an early 34-point gain.

Most broader stock measures also turned lower, but the technology-rich Nasdaq market managed a small gain, padding Monday's record finish amid enthusiasm for computer-related shares following Intel's earnings report.

Declining issues outnumbered advancers by a six to five margin on the New York Stock Exchange, with 1,091 up, 1,312 down and 848 unchanged.

NYSE volume hit 458.87 million shares as of 9 pm (BST) against 322.00 million in the previous session.