These included the most-active issue, Pacificorp, which was off 1/8, to 35 3/4, on a turnover of 15.1 million shares.

American Express led the list, slipping 1/8, to 27 5/8, on a turnover of 5.2 million shares.

Yesterday, it rose 50 cents, to $13.50, on a turnover of 126,700 shares.

But Merck closed down 5/8, at 115 3/4, on a turnover of 903,000 shares.

The turnover of more than 6.7 million shares made it by far the day's busiest stock on the Big Board.

Harcourt Brace led the active list, rising 1 3/8, to 48, on a turnover of more than 5.2 million shares.

Yesterday, American Express stock rose $1.50, to $35.25, on a turnover of more than 1.35 million shares.

Quaker State jumped 3 1/2, to 26 1/8, on a turnover of nearly 19 million shares.

The stock closed up by 1 1/4, at 34 1/2, on a turnover of three million shares.

It was the most active Big Board issue, on a turnover of 4.4 million shares.