NEW YORK (AP) — Investors are sitting on the sidelines for a second day as they wait for signals about the direction of the economy.
Mixed economic readings are offering the market little guidance.
A private research group said its index of leading economic indicators has shown a surprise increase for January. But the Philadelphia Federal Reserve says conditions in the region’s manufacturing sector have weakened this month.
Stocks finished essentially flat Wednesday after tumbling Tuesday on worries about the global economy and Eastern European banks.
At midday, the Dow Jones industrials are down 3 at 7,552. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index is up 2 at 791, and the Nasdaq composite index is down 3 at 1,465.
