October 31, 2012- Markets Reopen Delivering Lackluster Performance as Storm Damage is Assessed

With the markets reopening following a two-day shutdown, stocks turned in a relatively lackluster performance during trading on Wednesday. Traders seemed reluctant to make any significant moves ahead of the release of some key economic data later in the week. The major averages ended the day mixed, with the S&P 500 closing just above the unchanged line. While the S&P 500 inched up 0.22 points or less than a tenth of a percent to 1,412.16, the Dow edged down 10.75 points or 0.1 percent to 13,096.46 and the Nasdaq fell 10.72 points or 0.4 percent to 2,977.23. The choppy trading on Wall Street came as New York City continues to recover from the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy, with travel disruptions in lower Manhattan keeping some traders away from their desks. The disruptions caused by the storm have also led some companies to delay the release of their earnings reports, and the release of some economic data has also been pushed back.