Stock market turns mixed in midday trading; energy companies fall the most

U.S. stock indexes are mixed in midday trading as the price of oil continues to fall.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 50 points, or 0.3 percent, to 17,242 as of 11:57 a.m. Thursday. The Standard & Poor's 500 eased one point, or 0.06 percent, to 2,000. The Nasdaq slipped 10 points, or 0.2 percent, to 4,627.

Energy stocks fell the most among the 10 sectors in the S&P 500 index. The sector is down 7 percent this year, more than any other. Benchmark U.S. crude dipped 55 cents to $43.90 a barrel. As recently as June, it traded above $100

The government reported Thursday that weekly claims for unemployment benefits dropped to a 15-year low.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note edged up to 1.75 percent.