Dow industrials close 2011 with 5.5% gain, while Nasdaq slips 1.8% on year

NEW YORK (MarketWatch)
U.S. stocks declined Friday, with the S&P 500's slight gain for the year vanishing in the final moments of trading.
"As we end the year, we are pretty much right where we started," said Chris Hobart, chief executive officer of Hobart Financial Group in Charlotte, N.C.
The Dow industrials lost 69.48 points, or 0.6%, to close Friday's session at 12,217.56, leaving it up 5.5% for 2011, its second straight annual advance.
The S&P 500 shed 4.52 points, or 0.4%, to end the day at 1,257.60, just slightly below its 2010 closing level of 1,257.64.
The Nasdaq Composite fell 8.59 points, or 0.3%, to 2,605.15, leaving it down 1.8% from its 2010 closing level.