US STOCKS-Wall St slips as commodities weigh

                                
  
                                
 * Euro off vs USD; stronger dollar hits commodity prices
                                
 * Health care in focus before vote, Aetna gives outlook
                                
 * Boeing accelerating production for two lines
                                
 * Dow off 0.5 pct; S&P off 0.6 pct; Nasdaq off 0.8 pct
  (Updates to late afternoon)
                                
 By Chuck Mikolajczak
                                
 NEW YORK, March 19 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks fell on Friday,
interrupting the Dow's eight-session winning streak, as the
dollar's climb hurt oil prices and dragged on energy stocks.
                                
 The euro fell to more than a two-week low against the
greenback on revived worries about Greece's debt problems.
Dollar-denominated commodities such as oil and gold fell as a
stronger dollar makes them more expensive for holders of other
currencies.
                                
 Regarding Greece and its huge debt burden, the European
Union's monetary affairs chief urged the bloc's leaders to
agree on a standby aid package for Greece next week. But
investors fear German reluctance could hinder the effort.
[ID:nLDE62I0YK]
                                
 "Between France, Germany, and the IMF -- they are playing
chicken," said Peter Kenny, managing director of Knight Equity
Markets in Jersey City, New Jersey.
                                
 "We can't seem to get rid of this thing, and the longer it
hangs around, the greater the rush is going to be for the
exit."
                                
 Energy stocks stumbled on the drop in commodity prices,
with the S&P Energy Index <.GSPE> down 1.2 percent as U.S.
crude oil futures <.CLc1> lost 1.9 percent to $80.64 a barrel.
Dow component Exxon Mobil <XOM.N> fell 1 percent to $66.74.
                                
 But healthcare stocks rose ahead of an impending
congressional vote to overhaul the U.S. healthcare system,
with the Morgan Stanley Healthcare Payor index <.HMO> up 2.6
percent. Further boosting the sector was Aetna Inc <AET.N>,
which gained 3.8 percent to $34.49 after it forecast
first-quarter earnings above consensus. [ID:nN19244950]
                                
 The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> dropped 52.30
points, or 0.49 percent, to 10,726.87. The Standard & Poor's
500 Index <.SPX> dropped 6.93 points, or 0.59 percent, to
1,158.91. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> dropped 19.67
points, or 0.82 percent, to 2,371.61.
                                
 Boeing Co <BA.N> tacked on 1 percent to $71.56 after the
Dow component said it will move up production for both its 777
and 747 widebody planes, citing increased demand.
[ID:nN19126100]
                                
 3M Co <MMM.N>, which fell 2 percent to $81.97, was the top
drag on the Dow as the diversified manufacturer erased gains
made in Thursday's sessions, when it was one of the top
gainers on the blue-chip index.
                                
 Weighing on the Nasdaq was Palm Inc <PALM.O>, which
plunged 26.9 percent to $4.12 a day after it warned that
quarterly revenues would be far below expectations as low
demand for its smartphones left wireless carriers with excess
inventory. [ID:nN18254531]
                                
 SunPower Corp <SPWRA.O> tumbled 15.3 percent to $18.67 a
day after it gave a weaker-than-expected profit outlook for
2010, prompting a number of analysts to cut their price
targets on the stock. [ID:nSGE62I0EP]
                                
 Electronics retailer Best Buy <BBY.N> climbed 1.6 percent
to $41.10 after Goldman Sachs upgraded the stock to "buy,"
citing prospects for a better-than-expected 2010.
[ID:nN19232698]
                                
 Volume has been thin during the week and volatility has
dropped considerably. The CBOE Volatility Index <.VIX> is down
roughly 5 percent this week and hit its lowest mark since May
2008.
                                
 Friday marks the second day of a convergence known as
quadruple witching, when four types of options and futures
contracts expire, possibly triggering volatility and higher
volumes.
 (Reporting by Chuck Mikolajczak; Editing by Jan Paschal)