AN UNEXCITING OUTLOOK: The Standard & Poor’s ratings agency, which sent the stock market into a tailspin in August 2011 when it cut its credit rating on the U.S. government’s long-term credit, on Monday raised its outlook on the U.S. rating. Investors, however, hardly reacted.

THE SCORECARD: major stock indexes flitted between small gains and losses throughout the day. The Dow Jones industrial average and the S&P 500 ended slightly lower. The Nasdaq composite index ended slightly higher.