Wall Street pauses after rally, geopolitics eyed

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wall Street stocks dipped on Monday after a rally that pushed the S&P 500 index to its highest level in nearly five years and investors focused on signs of weak growth and Middle East turbulence.

Stocks rode a four-day streak last week to a 1.9 percent gain, powered by the Federal Reserve's new stimulus measures that could keep equities buoyed for months. The Fed's action followed a decision by the European Central Bank to support debt-ridden euro zone nations by purchasing their debt.

With central banks appearing ready to make every effort to support markets, investors turned their attention to other possible headwinds, including the economy and geopolitical risks.

"The market is certainly going to start to focus on some of this geopolitical stuff that is happening over in Iran and the Middle East because there is nothing else to focus on," said Ken Polcari, managing director at ICAP Equities in New York.

"Between the Fed and the ECB throwing all this money out there, (investors) don't have to worry about the market falling out of bed. They can concentrate on other parts of what else is going on in the world."

Protesters in Afghanistan and Indonesia burnt U.S. flags and chanted "Death to America" on Monday in renewed demonstrations over a film mocking the Prophet Mohammad.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Iran would reach the brink of being able to build a nuclear bomb in just six or seven months.

Factory activity in New York state contracted for a second month in a row in September, falling to its lowest level in nearly 3-1/2 years, a report from the New York Federal Reserve showed on Monday. A national manufacturing survey by an industry group earlier this month showed the sector contracted for a third month in August.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> dropped 21.08 points, or 0.16 percent, to 13,572.29. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> fell 2.45 points, or 0.17 percent, to 1,463.32. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> lost 7.77 points, or 0.24 percent, to 3,176.18.

Major Japanese companies, including Nissan and Honda, announced factory shutdowns in China on Monday and Japanese expatriates were urged to stay indoors ahead of what could be more angry protests over a territorial dispute between Asia's two biggest economies.

Lowe's Cos Inc said it had withdrawn its C$1.8 billion ($1.86 billion) proposal to buy Rona Inc in the face of stiff opposition to the unsolicited bid for the Canadian home improvement retailer.

Apple Inc shares hit another all-time high of $699.54 as demand for its new iPhone 5 exceeded initial supply as the company booked 2 million orders in one day and pushed the delivery date for some preorders to next month. Apple shares later traded up 1 percent at $698.

General Electric Co has hired Morgan Stanley to review its 33 percent stake in Thailand's Bank of Ayudhya Pcl, which could potentially lead to a sale by the U.S. conglomerate of its near $2.2 billion holding, sources familiar with the matter said. GE shares shed 0.6 percent to $21.98.

Tyco International Ltd added 1.1 percent to $55.82 after the company said shareholders have approved a breakup of the industrial conglomerate into three pieces.

Industrial and medical conglomerate Danaher Corp said on Monday it will buy diagnostics company IRIS International Inc for $355 million. Iris' shares jumped 45.5 percent to $19.53 while Danaher edged up 0.3 percent to $54.92.

(Reporting by Chuck Mikolajczak; Editing by Kenneth Barry)

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