HOUSING FLOATS: The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller report Tuesday said that home prices in its 20-city index jumped in November.

METALS RISE: That pushed up prices for metals like copper, palladium and platinum. Traders tend to push those prices higher when they think manufacturing and other industry will increase.

CROPS DRIFT: Key agricultural commodities moved only slightly, and in varying directions. Wheat was slightly down, soybeans slightly up, corn virtually flat.