NEW YORK -- Wall Street ended the calmest session in recent memory with a mixed performance as investors looked past a weak reading on the manufacturing sector and focused on the election.

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The Dow moved in a range of just over 130 points -- well below October's average daily swing of 594 points.

Stocks showed no lasting impact after the Institute for Supply Management reported that its snapshot of the nation's manufacturing sector fell to the lowest level in 26 years. The group's index fell to 38.9, well short of forecasts.

While trading was quiet, including the often volatile final hour, the calm doesn't necessarily suggest stocks have carved a definitive bottom; investors likely won't make big moves ahead of the election outcome. The Dow finished 5 points down, or 0.06 percent, at the 9,319 level, while the Standard & Poor's 500 index is down 0.25 percent and the Nasdaq composite index is up 0.31 percent.

Stocks have remained firm amid some downbeat economic news, coming after last week's strong advance for the market.

The Commerce Department reported that September construction spending fell 0.3 percent. That was not as large a decline as expected.

Trading is expected to remain light as investors remain on the sidelines ahead of Tuesday's presidential election.

The election could help erase some unknowns over how the power structure in Washington will affect investors. But pressing economic questions could ultimately shape the week.

Wall Street ended the month with the Dow Jones industrial average adding 144.32, or 1.57 percent, to close Friday at 9,325.01. Stock index futures were up just under 1 percent.

Some analysts think Wall Street's wild ride is not over yet, but others said no matter what happens on Election Day, stocks will recover.

World Markets Up On Stimulus Promises

Asian stock markets rose robustly Monday, with Hong Kong's benchmark advancing more than 5 percent, as investors appeared encouraged by government efforts to help the global economy weather the financial crisis.

Across the region, markets seemed to shrug off more dispiriting economic data and focus on fresh stimulus plans.

The Korea Composite Stock Price added 2.5 percent after the government unveiled nearly $11 billion in new measures to protect South Korea from sliding into recession.

In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 was up 3.5 percent despite troubling evidence of slowing manufacturing and retails sales, as traders anticipated further interest rate cuts from the country's central bank on Tuesday.

Shanghai's benchmark also gained even though a new report suggested Chinese manufacturing, the engine behind the country's phenomenal growth, may be contracting.

Hong Kong's blue-chip Hang Seng Index led the region's benchmarks, climbing 691.31, or nearly 5 percent, to 14,659.98. Singapore's key index also rose about 5 percent.