US: Wall St little changed in choppy trade

[NEW YORK] US stocks were little changed in choppy early trading on Wednesday after data from China appeared to make a case for further stimulus measures from Beijing, while investors braced for a possible hike in US interest rates next month.

At 9.54 am, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 21.24 points, or 0.12 per cent, at 17,779.45, the S&P 500 was up 2.61 points, or 0.13 per cent, at 2,084.33 and the Nasdaq composite index was up 3.20 points, or 0.06 per cent, at 5,086.45.

Industrial production in China grew at its slowest pace in seven months in October, in another sign of deflationary pressure in the world's second-largest economy.

However, retail sales for the same month expanded more than expected as consumer sentiment remained strong.

E-commerce giant Alibaba provided further evidence that the Chinese consumer remains upbeat, reporting record sales in its Singles' Day shopping event, but US retail stocks fell after a disappointing results from Macy's.

REUTERS