About 7.2 billion shares traded on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange and Nasdaq, below last year's estimated daily average of 8.47 billion. Advancing stocks outnumbered declining ones on the NYSE by 1,756 to 1,213, while on the Nasdaq, more than five stocks rose for every three that fell. Verizon Communications Inc fell 1.6 per cent to US$35.36 after Verizon Wireless announced it will begin selling a version of Apple Inc's iPhone. The news, which was expected, had been preceded by a rise of more than 11 per cent in Verizon shares in the past six weeks. (Reuters)