The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index declined in November, following an improvement in October. The Index now stands at 135.7 (1985=100), down from 137.9 in October. The Present Situation Index–based on consumers’ assessment of current business and labor market conditions–improved slightly, from 171.9 to 172.7. The Expectations Index–based on consumers’ short-term outlook for income, business and labor market conditions–decreased from 115.1 last month to 111.0 this month.

Tuesday, the Dow gained 108.49 points (0.44%) to finish at 24,748.73, the NASDAQ was virtually unchanged at 7,082.70, and the S&P 500 increased 8.75 points (0.33%) to 2,682.20. The Russell 2000 closed 13.10 points (0.87%) lower at 1,492.86, and the Wilshire 5000 was up 26.12 points (0.09%) at 27,644.92.

The price of the 10-year Treasury note was virtually unchanged, with its yield at 3.058%. The price of the 30-year Treasury bond was down 2/32, increasing its yield to 3.315%.

ON THIS DATE: In 1520, Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan reached the Pacific Ocean after passing through the South American strait. The strait was named after him. He was the first European to sail the Pacific from the east. In 1919, American-born Lady Astor was elected the first female member of the British Parliament. In 1922, Capt. Cyril Turner of the Royal Air Force gave the first public exhibition of skywriting. He spelled out, “Hello USA. Call Vanderbilt 7200” over New York’s Times Square. In 1925, The Grand Ole Opry made its radio debut on station WSM. In 1929, Ernie Nevers (St. Louis Cardinals) became the first professional football player to score six touchdowns in a single game. In 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet Leader Joseph Stalin met in Tehran to map out strategy concerning World War II. In 1963, President Lyndon Johnson announced that Cape Canaveral would be renamed Cape Kennedy in honor of his assassinated predecessor. The name was changed back to Cape Canaveral in 1973 by a vote of residents. In 1964, the U.S. launched the space probe Mariner IV from Cape Kennedy on a course set for Mars. In 1990, Margaret Thatcher resigned as prime minister of Britain. In 1995, President Bill Clinton signed a $6 billion road bill that ended the federal 55 mph speed limit.

WEDNESDAY WISDOM: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”—Arthur C. Clarke, British science fiction writer