Markets Close Lower On Final Trading Day Of 2009

On the upside

Mace Security International (Nasdaq: MACE) will advance former chief executive Louis D. Paolino $250,000 for legal fees.

Citigroup upgraded Wimm Bill Dann Foods (NYSE: WBD).

Analysts upgraded Popular (Nasdaq: BPOP) from three star status to four star status.

On the downside

MarketWatch's John Dvorak does not expect Dell (Nasdaq: DELL) to do well next year and placed the company on his loser list for 2010.

Shares of Alcoa (NYSE: AA) fell after UC RUSAL, the world's largest aluminum maker, announced plans to raise nearly $2.6 billion through an initial public offering in Hong Kong.

General Electric (NYSE: GE) lost 5.25% in 2009.

In the broad market, declining issues outpaced advancers by a margin of nearly 2 to 1 on the NYSE and by 5 to 3 on Nasdaq. The Russell 2000 which tracks small cap stocks tumbled 8 points to 625.