U.S. markets edged lower Thursday despite a sharp drop in first-time unemployment benefit claims, which declined by 34,000 in the week ending Dec. 25.
The four-week rolling average for initial claims dropped by 12,500 to 414,000, and the weekly total of 388,000 first-time claims was the lowest since July 2008.
On Wall Street, markets were essentially flat but trending lower. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 15.67 points, 0.14 percent, to 11,569.71. The Standard & Poor's 500 index shed 1.90, or 0.15 percent, to 1,257.88. The Nasdaq composite index lost 3.95, or 0.15 percent, to 2,662.98.
On the New York Stock Exchange, 1,492 stocks advanced and 1,447 declined on a volume of 2.2 billion shares traded.
The 10-year treasury note lost 3/32 to yield 3.367 percent.
The euro rose to $1.3289 from Wednesday's $1.322. Against the yen, the dollar fell to 81.49 yen from Wednesday's 81.63 yen.
In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 index dropped 1.12 percent, 115.62 points, to 10,228.92.
In London, the FTSE 100 index lost 0.42 percent, 25.35, to 5,971.01.