Wall Street mostly flat

US stocks extended losses for the sixth straight day  as investors worried that a slowing economy could deepen the market's retreat.

The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 21.87 points, or 0.18 percent, to 12,048.94. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index lost 5.38 points, or 0.42 percent, to 1,279.56. The Nasdaq Composite Index fell 26.18 points, or 0.97 percent, to 2,675.38.

European shares fell to their lowest close in three months, with analysts expecting more selling after US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's downbeat view on the US economy.

The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index of top shares closed down 0.9 percent at 1,094.33 points as markets pulled back for the sixth consecutive day following a slew of weak economic data.

The Nikkei average edged higher holding above key support near the bottom of its post-quake range as foreigners bought shares on cheap valuations, shrugging off bearish comments on the US economy by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.

The benchmark Nikkei average closed up 0.1 percent at 9,449.46 today, while the broader Topix also gained 0.1 percent to 814.45.