Mutual Funds Post Gains For Quarter

After a rocky start, stock mutual funds came on strong in August and September to post healthy gains for the third quarter of 1996.

The average general stock fund climbed 2.61 percent in the period from June 30 to Sept. 30, the research firm of Lipper Analytical Services said Wednesday.

The average stock fund fell 6.08 percent in July as stocks ran into a severe but brief selloff, but then rebounded 3.96 percent in August. It gained another 5.15 percent in September with the resurgence of leading stock indexes to new highs.