ADP said 20,000 non-farm jobs were lost January to February, the lowest monthly loss in two years.
But early gains faded. Shares of Dow component Pfizer dropped 1.59 percent after results of a drug trial showed no promise for Dimebon in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
By close, Dow Jones industrial average lost 9.22 points, 0.09 percent, to 10,396.76. The Standard & Poor's 500 gained 0.04 percent, 0.48 points, to 1,118.79. The Nasdaq composite index shed 0.11 points, less than 0.01 percent, to 2,28.68.
On the New York Stock Exchange, 1,641 stocks advanced and 1,368 declined on a volume of 3.9 billion shares traded.
The benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury bill fell 3/32 to yield 3.62 percent.
The euro rose to $1.3698 from Tuesday's $1.3609. Against the yen, the dollar fell to 88.44 yen from Tuesday's 88.72 yen.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 index added 0.31 percent, 31.30, to 10,253.14.
In Britain, the FTSE 100 index added 0.9 percent, 49.15, to 5,533.21.
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