Stocks Barely Change in Light Holiday Trading

Stocks are closing barely changed in very light trading on the last week of the year.

The economic news was mixed, sending stocks bouncing up and down in a narrow range for most of the day. Consumer confidence surged to an eight-month high, but home prices dropped in major cities.

The Dow Jones industrial average Tuesday edged up 3 points at 12,291 at the close. The S&P 500 rose less than a point to 1,265.

The Nasdaq composite was up 7 points at 2,625.

Sears Holding Corp. plummeted 27 percent after announcing it would close between 100 and 120 Sears and Kmart stores following poor sales during the holidays.

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