U.S. stocks struggle higher in choppy trading

Home Depot and Macy's post gains

2/25/2014

NEW YORK — U.S. stocks are slightly higher at midday in a choppy day of trading.

The market was lower for most of the morning today after the Conference Board reported a surprisingly large drop in consumer confidence. Indexes turned higher in late morning trading.

Home Depot rose 2 percent after the nation’s largest home improvement chain reported higher income than analysts were expecting.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 rose three points, or 0.2 percent, to 1,851 at midday. That’s three points above the record high of 1,848 it reached Jan. 15.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 35 points, or 0.2 percent, to 16,241. The Nasdaq composite rose 11 points, or 0.3 percent, to 4,304.

Macy’s rose 5 percent after the department store operator reported an 11 percent increase in income.