REAL MOST ACTIVE Leaders Surge As Dow, S&P End Day Mixed.(MAKING MONEY)

Byline: JONAH KERI

NYSE stocks staged a mixed session Wednesday, though several leading stocks showed strength. The Dow eased less than 0.1%, while the S&P 500 gained 0.15%. Small caps led as the S&P 600 rose 0.9%. NYSE volume finished slightly higher than Tuesday's level.

Cooper Cos. zoomed 5.38 to 63.33 on 4 1/2 times its normal trade. The maker of specialty contact lenses and a variety of surgical instruments had consolidated for the last few weeks, with price and volume action going bullishly dead since early August. Such action often sets the stage for a powerful breakout like Cooper's.

The firm got a boost when it raised its fiscal 2004 earnings target to $2.59 to $2.61 a share, up from its earlier forecast of $2.55 to $2.58. Cooper also reiterated its profit guidance for the next three years.

Mobile TeleSystems followed through on its Tuesday breakout, surging 9.63 to 138.99 on volume 4 1/2 times its daily average. The Russian mobile phone service provider posted second-quarter earnings of $2.70 a share Tuesday, a ...