E2 Tuesday, March 18,1986
NEW YORK, March 17ÛÓThe stock market took its biggest drop in almost four weeks today, relinquishing some of last weekÛªs record gains.</br></br>Analysts attributed the decline to profit-taking, abetted by some uncertainties about where interest rates and oil prices might go from here.</br></br>The Dow Jones average of 30 industrial stocks fell 15.92 points to 1,776.82, for its largest single-session loss since it dropped 20.52 points on Feb. 19.</br></br>Analysts said many investors scrambled to cash in on the marketÛªs recent gains, reasoning that stock prices had risen too far, too fast in last weekÛªs upsurge. The DowÛªs rise of 92.91 points was its biggest weekly gain ever.</br></br>Some observers also questioned whether a letdown might be coming after the steady flow of favorable news reaching Wall Street of late.