New York, Jul 22 (AP) Stocks are off to a sluggish start on Wall Street as investors look over a surprise increase in claims for unemployment benefits and mixed news on corporate earnings.

The S&P 500 was wavering between small gains and losses in the first few minutes of trading Thursday. It's still holding on to a gain for the week.

Gains in a few big tech companies pushed the Nasdaq up 0.2per cent but the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.3per cent.

The Labor Department reported that unemployment claims rose last week to 419,000, the most in two months and more than economist were expecting. (AP)

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