Stocks cut losses at midday; BlackBerry jumps

Stock indexes cut their losses in midday trading on Wall Street; Miners, BlackBerry in focus

8/12/2013

NEW YORK — Mining companies and a handful of corporate deals are in focus on Wall Street on an otherwise quiet summer day on the stock market.

Stock indexes were lower in early trading as investors reacted to a report of weak economic growth in Japan. By midday today the market was moving between small gains and losses.

The Dow Jones industrial average was down seven points, or 0.05 percent, at 15,418 points.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index was down two points, or 0.1 percent, at 1,689.

The Nasdaq composite index rose eight points, or 0.2 percent, to 3,668.

Mining stocks rose as gold and silver prices increased.

BlackBerry jumped after saying it would consider a sale. Dole Foods rose after its CEO said he would take the company private.