U.S. markets mixed Thursday

NEW YORK, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- U.S. markets were mixed Thursday with jitters over the possibility that, no matter the news, markets are headed for a downward correction.

Positive corporate reports came in from Exxon Mobil, where revenues rose from $82.3 billion to $95.3 billion, compared with the third quarters of 2009 and 2010. Colgate-Palmolive met expectations with third-quarter earnings of $1.21 per share, although sales were down, The Street reported.

The Labor Department said first-time jobless benefit claims dropped by 21,000 in the week ending Oct. 23, dropping the four-week rolling average of initial claims to 453,250.

By close, the Dow Jones industrial average shed 12.33 points or 0.11 percent to 11,113.95. The Standard & Poor's 500 rose 0.11 percent, 1.33, to 1,183.78. The Nasdaq composite index also was flat, gaining 4.11 or 0.16 percent to 2,507.37.

On the New York Stock Exchange, 1,498 stocks advanced and 1,442 declined on a volume of 3.2 billion shares traded.

The benchmark 10-year treasury note gained 19/32 to yield 2.661 percent.

The euro rose to $1.3927 from Wednesday's $1.3768. Against the yen, the dollar fell to 80.99 yen from Wednesday's $81.71 yen.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 index lost 0.22 percent, 21 points, to 9,366.03.

In Britain, the FTSE 100 index added 0.56 percent, 31.87, to 5,677.89.