Wall Street flat; European shares fall
Major US stock indexes were little changed in a low-volume session on Wednesday, but some investors were encouraged to see equities avoid a sell-off amid the lingering euro zone's debt problems.
The Dow Jones industrial average gained 21.04 points, or 0.17 percent, to 12,418.42. The S&P 500 Index edged up 0.24 point, or 0.02 percent, to 1,277.30. The Nasdaq Composite dipped 0.36 point, or 0.01 percent, to 2,648.36.
European shares halted a four-day winning streak, albeit in low volume, as worries about capital raising in the banking sector hit investor sentiment after Italian lender UniCredit priced a rights issue at a massive discount.
The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index of top shares closed down 0.6 percent at 1,021.50 points after rising 4.5 percent over the past four days, but volume was only 67.5 percent of its 90-day daily average.
Japan's leading share average rose to a three-week closing high today after better-than-expected economic data from the United States and China, although strategists said the rally could stall if the euro holds below 100 yen.The benchmark Nikkei average gained 1.2% to 8,560.11, trading above its 25-day moving average of 8,495, after figures showed that US manufacturing grew at its fastest pace in six months in December. The Nikkei lost 17.3% last year.
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