The stock market's composite index fell 5.1 percent today to 397.02.

In early trading the composite index was down about 3 percent.

The composite index has averaged 57.1 percent for the first 10 months of the year.

In the same period, however, the Nasdaq's composite index increased more than 28 percent.

In the most recent period, for example, the Nasdaq's composite index rose by more than 4 percent.

The exchange's composite index of 300 stocks fell 155 points to under 2000.

And the Nasdaq's composite index was up 2.36 points, to 780.41.

The exchange's composite index ended the year only slightly below where it began.

In the same period, the composite index of Nasdaq stock prices dropped 6.3 percent.

The composite index rebounded 2.9 percent to close at 1,348.16 points.