U.S. markets close lower Thursday

The Labor Department said there were 12,000 fewer initial claims in the week ending Sept. 12. In the previous week, the Labor Department reported 26,000 fewer initial claims.

U.S. markets have closed higher in eight of the last ten trading sessions. By close Thursday, the numbers were slightly down.

The Dow Jones industrial average closed off 0.08 percent, 7.79 points, to 9,783.92. The Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 0.31 percent, 3.27 points, to 1,065.49. The Nasdaq composite index shed 6.40 points, 0.3 percent, to 2,126.75.

On the New York Stock Exchange, 1,338 stocks advanced and 1,704 declined on a volume of 6.6 billion shares traded.

The benchmark 10-year Treasury rose 25/32 to yield 3.384 percent.

The euro rose to $1.4735 from Wednesday's $1.4731. Against the yen, the dollar fell to 91.05 yen from Wednesday's 90.81 yen.

In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 index added 173.03 points, 1.68 percent, to 10,443.80.

In London, the FTSE 100 index rose 0.78 percent, 39.82 points, to 5,163.95.

Copyright 2009 by United Press International.