Stocks mixed despite
still-falling oil prices

NEW YORK » Disappointing retail sales figures and an unexpected jump in unemployment claims prompted investors to take profits yesterday, leaving stocks mixed despite another big drop in oil prices.

One day after crude oil futures posted their biggest decline since September 2001, oil prices again fell sharply. A barrel of light crude for January delivery settled at $43.25, down $2.24, on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Crude prices fell as low as $42.50 during the session.

However, stock investors were disappointed with November sales reports from the nation's retailers. A number of top retailers issued lower-than-expected sales reports as the holiday shopping season got under way. With two-thirds of the U.S. economy powered by consumer spending, many investors hoped strong holiday spending would boost the economy through the end of the year.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 5.10, or 0.05 percent, to 10,585.12. The Dow climbed more than 162 points Wednesday.

Broader stock indicators were narrowly mixed. The Standard & Poor's 500 index was down 1.04, or 0.09 percent, at 1,190.33, and the Nasdaq composite index gained 5.34, or 0.25 percent, to 2,143.57.

Investors also were nervous after the Labor Department reported a sharp rise in first-time unemployment claims, which climbed 25,000 to 349,000 last week. Wall Street expected an increase of just 7,000. While unemployment generally remains low, the Labor Department figures, coming just one day before a major job creation report for November, were cause for concern on Wall Street.

Should jobs increase and oil prices continue to fall, more consumers could be drawn back to the stores, increasing investors' confidence in stocks. However, it looks like this holiday season may continue to be lackluster. With a mediocre start to shopping last weekend, many retailers have cut their sales and profit outlooks. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. climbed 18 cents to $53 despite reporting November sales that rose just 0.7 percent in November, matching reduced expectations.

Other retailers saw their November sales fall compared to a year ago, including Pier 1 Imports Inc., Federated Department Stores Inc. and Limited Brands Inc. Pier 1 slumped 42 cents to $18.30, Federated lost 15 cents to $55.07 and Limited Brands was down 66 cents at $23.94.

Federal regulators said Kmart Holding Corp. overstated its past earnings and improperly accounted for millions of dollars in vendor payments before the retailer entered bankruptcy in 2002. Kmart fell 13 cents to $103.92.