Stocks ended mixed after a new round of mergers and acquisitions raised some hope for the economy. Financial shares rose after insurer American International Group Inc. reached a deal to sell one of its major foreign divisions to MetLife Inc. for $15.5 billion. Meanwhile, health care stocks fell after President Barack Obama called for passage of health care legislation.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 13.68, or 0.1 percent, to 10,552.52.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 0.20, or less than 0.1 percent, to 1,138.50.

The Nasdaq composite index rose 5.86, or 0.3 percent, to 2,332.21.

For the year:

The Dow is up 124.47, or 1.2 percent.

The S&P is up 23.40, or 2.1 percent.

The Nasdaq is up 63.06, or 2.8 percent.