Stocks end lower, but Dow hits best monthly performance since January 1976

Stocks closed higher on Monday, the last day of the month, but the Dow Jones Industrial Average posted one of its strongest monthly gains on record and its biggest gain in October as investors await the outcome of this week’s Federal Reserve meeting. for a hint of the size of the upcoming rate hike. Dow
DJIA,
-0.39%

fell about 129 points, or 0.4%, to close at 32,733, but posted a monthly gain of 13.95%, its highest since January 1976. S&P 500
SPX,
-0.75%

fell about 29 points, or 0.7%, to close around 3,872, recording an 8% monthly gain. Nasdaq Composite
comp,
-1.03%

fell about 114 points, or 1%, to close around 10,988, giving it a 3.9% gain in October.