The market also benefited from strong tobacco shares, which rose on expectations that there could be a settlement regarding health-related lawsuits.

Some analysts point to the dramatic drop in tobacco shares as profit taking in a skittish market.

The tobacco shares will yield about 6.1 percent, based on current prices.

One early indicator could affect tobacco shares as soon as today.

State pension fund holdings have been estimated at about 6 percent of tobacco shares outstanding.

Another 259 have from 3 to 5 percent in tobacco shares.

Other tobacco shares also fell.

The stock market fell sharply yesterday, pulled down by plunging tobacco shares and rising interest rates.

Still, the verdict gives new attention to the wild card of the individual lawsuit in influencing the future value of tobacco shares.

That means the tobacco share is valued at just $8.55.