Markets mixed despite goods jump

U.S. markets opened mixed Thursday, despite a surprise jump in durable goods orders in December. Orders rose 3 percent over November, the Commerce Department said. Falling short of expectations, the Labor Department said initial unemployment benefit claims rose sharply in the week ending Saturday. First-time claims, which have been trending lower, rose by 21,000 to 377,000 in the week. In midmorning trading on Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrial average added 34.09 points, 0.27 percent, to 12,791.51. The Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 1.21 points, 0.09 percent, to 1,324.84. The Nasdaq composite index shed 3.28 points, 0.18 percent, to 2,813.18. The benchmark 10-year treasury note rose 14/32 to yield 1.952 percent. The euro rose to $1.3153 from Wednesday's $1.3106. Against the yen, the dollar fell to 77.36 yen from Tuesday's 77.78 yen. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 index lost 0.39 percent, 34.22, to 8,849.47.