Indexes advanced for most of the session, with the Dow and S&P hitting fresh 18 month highs, but their gains mostly disappeared after the auction of seven-year notes and comments from European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet on issues surrounding Greece's sovereign debt.
The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was up 5.06 points, or 0.05 percent, to end at 10,841.21. But the Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was down 1.99 points, or 0.17 percent, at 1,165.73. And the Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was down 1.35 points, or 0.06 percent, at 2,397.41.
NYMEX-NEW YORK, March 25 (Reuters) - U.S. crude futures slid narrowly lower on Thursday, as the euro skidded late in the session against the dollar, encouraging selling in energy futures.
Gasoline and heating oil futures also fell back with crude in choppy trading, ending slightly lower.
On the New York Mercantile Exchange, May
CBOT-CHICAGO, March 25 (Reuters) - Chicago Board of Trade grains and soy complex close on Thursday.
CBOT-SOYBEANS - May
CBOT-SOYOIL - May
FCPO-JAKARTA, March 25 (Reuters) - Malaysian palm oil futures closed higher on Thursday on firm crude oil and expectations that good exports would help reduce palm oil stock in the country.
The benchmark June crude palm oil futures
REGIONAL EQUITIES-BANGKOK, March 25 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets posted small gains on Thursday as investors bought banks, expecting their earnings to recover along with the economy, but a downgrade of Portugal's sovereign rating made for cautious trade.
Markets finished off the day's highs in a volatile session, with Singapore <.FTSTI> up 0.07 percent, Malaysia <.KLSE> adding 0.23 percent, Indonesia <.JKSE> 0.88 percent higher and the Philippines <.PSI> up 0.14 percent.
In Kuala Lumpur, financial firm CIMB Group
In Singapore, United Overseas Bank