Equities were soft despite slim gains in the bond market and a steady dollar.

The Standard & Poor's 500-stock index also set a closing high, with an even slimmer gain.

The slim gain reflected the adverse effects of a later Labor Day this year.

The Nasdaq, which closed above 5,000 for the first time on Thursday, ended with a slim gain of 1.76 points, to 5,048.62.

Denis swallowed hard, knowing what Jamyl's loss in the king's council could cost the slim gains their people had made in the last decade.

Hardly daring to breathe, she groped for the words that would consolidate her slim gains.

The Dow Jones industrial average, which gained 16.1 percent last year, began 1999 with a slim gain of 2.84 points, to 9,184.27.

Other measures of the broader markets showed slim gains.

Broader indexes also held onto slim gains.

In the credit markets, Treasury issues showed slim gains, while the dollar ended slighlty lower.