The Dow Jones industrial average was down 9.97 points, or 0.12 percent, at 8,606.24. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was down 3.80 points, or 0.41 percent, at 928.88. The Nasdaq Composite Index was down 1.49 points, or 0.08 percent, at 1,861.41.

Before the data, the Dow and Nasdaq were mostly flat while the S&P was slightly lower.

(Editing by Padraic Cassidy)