"Stocks closed mostly lower today as bond yields soared to the highest level in more than two years on fear that the Federal Reserve will suggest Tuesday that interest-rate increases may be needed in the future to cool the nation's economic growth.</br></br>The Dow Jones industrial average fell 113.16, to close at 11,144.27. At one point, the Dow had been up more than 50 points and was closing in on an all-time high.</br></br>Broader stock indicators were mixed. The Nasdaq composite index lost some of its early momentum but still finished with a gain of 30.81, closing at 3783.87, its 55th record high close of 1999.</br></br>Stocks gave up early gains as the bond market faltered in midafternoon. The price of the Treasury's benchmark 30-year bond fell $7.81 per $1,000 invested, and its yield rose to 6.44 percent from 6.37 percent late Friday. The last time bonds closed with a higher yield was Sept. 15, 1997.</br></br>The decline in bond prices was caused by worries about the Federal Reserve's last policymaking meeting of the year, set for Tuesday. Most analysts expect central bankers to leave short-term interest rates unchanged, but many are wary of a change to a ""tightening"" bias, which would mean the Fed is inclined to raise rates on any future signs of inflation."