NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are mixed in midday trading.
The Dow Jones industrial average was down 3 points at 13,067 shortly before midday Thursday. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index was up less than a point at 1,399. The Nasdaq composite rose 10 points to 3,078.
All three indexes were down earlier, following big drops the day before. The Dow is still down 1.1 percent for the week, and is close to having its worst week of the year.
Stock trading will be closed Friday for the Good Friday holiday.
Earlier in the day, the Labor Department reported that the number of people seeking jobless benefits fell to a four week low. Also, retailers reported sales at stores open at least a year had climbed a better-than-expected 4.1 percent last month.
