Stocks Flat on Mixed News

Stocks were mixed amid mostly poor economic data today, the Wall Street Journal reports. With trading light and much attention focused on the Democrats’ economic plans, the Dow gained 26.62 to close at 11,412.87. The Nasdaq fell 3.62, closing at 2,361.97, while the S&P 500 gained 4.67 points to settle at 1,271.51.

Hedged by rises in the dollar, crude prices rose $1.16 to $116.27 as Hurricane Gustav approaches drilling installations in the Gulf of Mexico. The Fed released minutes from its Aug. 5 meeting, which revealed lowered expectations for this year and the next. “They are very concerned about inflation,” one analyst said, “yet at the same time they speak very negatively about pressures on the economy.” (More Dow Jones stories.)