Stocks drift at start of holiday-shortened week

6/30/2014

NEW YORK — Stocks are little changed in midday trading as the market heads for a modest gain for June.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 15 points, or 0.1 percent, to 16,836 as of noon today.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index was flat at 1,961. The Nasdaq composite edged up eight points, or 0.2 percent, to 4,405.

The S&P 500 ended last week with a slight loss but is still up nearly 2 percent in June.

Paint maker PPG Industries rose 3 percent after announcing plans to buy Mexico’s Consorcio Comex.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note edged down to 2.52 percent.

U.S. markets will close early on Thursday and remain closed Friday for the July 4th holiday.