Stocks End Little Changed After Early Rally Wanes

Stocks are sputtering at the close on Wall Street Thursday after an early rally fizzled, the AP reports. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 52 points, or 0.2%, to 27,094, while the S&P 500 was essentially flat at 3,006. Banks and industrial companies were the biggest decliners. Comerica dropped 1.4% and Southwest Airlines slipped 2%. Health care and technology stocks led the winners. Microsoft rose 1.8% after announcing a buyback and dividend increase. Merck rose 1.1%. The gains for tech stocks helped the Nasdaq finish with a gain of 5 points, or 0.1%, at 8,182. US Steel dropped 11.2% after it warned investors that its third quarter loss will be wider than anticipated. (More stock market stories.)