Stock Indexes Close Modestly Higher

Stock indexes closed modestly higher as gains for consumer and household goods companies were partly offset by losses in industrial and energy stocks, the AP reports. Mattel soared 21% Monday on a report that Hasbro offered to buy the rival toymaker. General Electric slumped 7% after cutting its dividend and releasing a weak forecast for next year. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 2 points, or 0.1%, to 2,584. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 17 points, or 0.1%, to 23,439. The Nasdaq composite index rose 6 points, or 0.1%, to 6,757. Small-company stocks closed slightly lower. The stock market snapped an eight-week string of gains last week. (More stock market stories.)