Stocks Track Lower in Volatile Trading

Economic conditions continue to deteriorate globally. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development said Monday that as many as 600,000 people could lose their jobs in Britain next year. That would make 2009 the worst year for unemployment since 1991, according to a report on CNBC.

Overseas, European exchanges such as the FTSE in London and the DAX in Frankfurt were edging higher -- up 2.1% and 2%, respectively. In Asia, Japan's Nikkei and Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended slightly higher.

Longer-dated U.S. Treasury securities were rising. The 10-year note was rising 16/32 to yield 2.1%, and the 30-year was rising 25.5/32, yielding 2.6%. The dollar was weaker against the euro and yen, and stronger against the pound.