Stocks Close Mixed as Fed Stands Pat on Rates

Oil futures went briefly positive after that news, but ultimately fell 57 cents to $68.67, while the dollar was recently weaker vs. the euro, pound and yen after a reversal all around . Gold added $10.10 to $931.40.

In corporate news, Citigroup (C) plans to raise base salaries of its employees by as much as 50% this year in order to make up for cutbacks in bonuses, according to reports. Shares rose 1%, or 3 cents, to $3.04.

Also, seed maker Monsanto(MON) reported better-than-expected profit but it also aired a decline in quarterly revenue due to a slowdown in herbicide sales and said it would lay off 900 employees. Its shares gave up 4% to $76.16.

Stocks abroad were mostly higher. London's FTSE 100 and the DAX in Frankfurt were rising 1.2% and 2.7%, respectively. In Asia, the Nikkei in Japan added 0.4%, and the Hang Seng in Hong Kong closed 2.2% higher.

Longer-dated Treasuries were falling in price, rising in yield. The 10-year was losing 20/32 to yield 3.7%, while the 30-year gave up 1-11/32, yielding 4.44%.

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