U.S. Stocks Start Pre-holiday Session Mixed

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite opened lower on Wednesday while Dow industrials inched higher into record territory ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. Investors digested some better-than-expected economic releases ahead of the bell with more on tap later. Durable-goods orders jumped in October by more than expected, while jobless claims leapt to 251,000 and in line with expectations. The S&P 500 opened 6 points, or 0.3%, lower at 2,197. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 7 points, or less than 0.1%, at 19,030. The Nasdaq Composite began the session down 27 points, or 0.5%, at 5,360, as biotech stocks sold off.