Markets Right Now: Banks, insurers weigh on stock market

The latest on developments in financial markets (All times local):

4 p.m.

Stocks are closing mixed as losses for banks and insurers are partly offset by gains in health care and technology companies.

Banks fell along with bond yields Thursday, which tends to force interest rates on loans lower.

Insurance companies fell as investors weighed the prospects of losses caused by Hurricane Irma, which is projected to hit Florida this weekend.

Berkshire Hathaway, a big insurance provider, fell 1.6 percent.

Barnes & Noble sank 9.6 percent after reporting weak results.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell less than a point to 2,465.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 22 points, or 0.1 percent, to 21,78. The Nasdaq edged up 4 points, or 0.1 percent, to 6,397.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 2.05 percent.

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11:45 a.m.

U.S. stocks edged lower in midday trading, pulled down by insurers and other financial companies as investors weighed the prospects of big losses from Hurricane Irma.

Allstate fell 1.9 percent Thursday and Prudential fell 2.1 percent.

Irma, which has hammered the Northern Caribbean, was projected to hit Florida this weekend.

Barnes & Noble sank 11 percent after reporting results that missed analysts' estimates.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 2 points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,463.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 42 points, or 0.2 percent, to 21,767. The Nasdaq composite edged up 9 points, or 0.2 percent, to 6,403.

Bond prices rose sharply, sending yields lower. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.04 percent.

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9:35 a.m.

Stocks are edging mostly higher in early trading on Wall Street, led by gains in technology companies and retailers.

Microsoft climbed almost 1 percent early Thursday, Home Depot gained 1.4 percent and Amazon.com rose 1 percent.

RH, formerly known as Restoration Hardware, soared 44 percent after beating earnings expectations in the second quarter and raising its annual forecasts.

Barnes & Noble sank 11 percent after reporting earnings that missed estimates.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 1 point to 2,467.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 13 points, or 0.1 percent, to 21,821. The Nasdaq composite edged up 2 points, or 0.1 percent, to 6,396.

Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.08 percent.