Dow drops on multiple worries Thursday

WASHINGTON, June 23 (UPI) -- U.S. markets closed mixed Thursday, the Dow Jones industrial average dropping after the Labor Department said first-time jobless claims escalated last week.

First-time claims rose by 9,000 in the week in which uncertainty over Greek debt persisted.

The Federal Reserve said Wednesday the economic recovery had slowed to "moderate" improvements and the next economic release, jobless benefits data, supported the Fed's assessment.

By close of trading, the DJIA lost 59.67 points, or 0.49 percent, to 12,050.00 -- a comeback from early losses of more than 200 points.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 3.64 points, or 0.28 percent, to 1,283.50. The Nasdaq composite index added 17.56, or 0.66 percent, to 2,686.75.

On the New York Stock Exchange, 1,246 stocks advanced and 1,718 declined on a volume of 4.2 billion shares traded.

The benchmark 10-year treasury note rose 14/32 to yield 2.925 percent.

The euro fell to $1.4255 from Wednesday's $1.4355. Against the yen, the dollar rose to 80.52 yen from Wednesday's 80.29 yen.

In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 index lost 0.34 percent, 39.69, to 9,596.74.

In London, the FTSE 100 index shed 1.71 percent, 98.61, to 5,674.38.