New York, US stocks closed mixed as investors digested a batch of key economic data and corporate earnings reports.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average on Thursday decreased 74.52 points, or 0.29 per cent, to 25,509.23. The S&P 500 was down 4.12 points, or 0.14 per cent, to 2,853.58, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Nasdaq Composite Index increased 3.46 points, or 0.04 per cent, to 7,891.78.
The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week, suggesting that a strong economy was helping the labor market.
In the week ending August 4, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 213,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week’s revised level, the Labor Department said on Thursday. The previous week’s level was revised up by 1,000 from 218,000 to 219,000.
The four-week moving average was 214,250, a decrease of 500 from the previous week’s revised average. The previous week’s average was revised up by 250 from 214,500 to 214,750, said the department.
