U.S. stock market finishes slightly lower as uncertainty about economy lingers

2/5/2014
ASSOCIATED PRESS
  • Wall-Street-552

    Greg Mulligan, center, works with fellow traders on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2014. The U.S. stock market is edging lower in early trading after a modest recovery the day before. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

    ASSOCIATED PRESS

    • NEW YORK -- The U.S. stock market is closing slightly lower after a survey on hiring did little to ease uncertainty about the health of the economy.

    The Dow Jones industrial average slipped 5.01 points, or 0.03 percent, to close at 15,440.23 today. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index was down 3.56 points, or 0.2 percent, to 1,751.64. The Nasdaq slipped 19.97 points, or 0.5 percent, to 4,011.55.

    A private survey showed that U.S. businesses added jobs at a steady but modest pace in January, a sign that hiring has rebounded after a disappointing December. Investors are also looking to a key government report on job growth on Friday.

    Freight transportation company C.H. Robinson Worldwide fell the most among companies in the S&P 500 index. It dropped $5.48, or 9 percent to $53.16.