U.S. STOCKS FINISHED LITTLE CHANGED AFTER A VOLATILE SESSION ON WEDNESDAY, AS WORRIES ABOUT EARNINGS AT INTERNET RETAILER AMAZON.COM INC. AND AIRCRAFT MAKER BOEING CO. COUNTERED STRONGER-THAN-EXPECTED QUARTERLY RESULTS FROM GENERAL MOTORS CORP, REUTERS REPORTED. THE FEDERAL RESERVE'S BEIGE BOOK OF REGIONAL ECONOMIC CONDITIONS ALSO SENT INVESTORS MIXED MESSAGES AS IT INDICATED THAT THE ECONOMY WAS SLOWING AND PRICES WERE RISING IN SOME AREAS, BUT IT REINFORCED VIEWS THAT THE FED MAY SOON END ITS CYCLE OF INTEREST-RATE HIKES. THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE WAS DOWN 1.20 POINTS, OR 0.01 PERCENT, TO CLOSE UNOFFICIALLY AT 11,102.51, REVERSING ITS INITIAL TICK HIGHER JUST AS THE CLOSING BELL RANG. THE STANDARD & POOR'S 500 INDEX WAS DOWN JUST 0.48 OF A POINT, OR 0.04 PERCENT, AT 1,268.40. THE NASDAQ COMPOSITE INDEX WAS DOWN 3.44 POINTS, OR 0.17 PERCENT, AT 2,070.46.
