Stocks zigzagged near unchanged Friday as investors weighed expectations for low interest rates with concerns over the health of the job market after February's surprisingly weak employment report.
Wall Street pushed back expectations for an interest rate increase by the Federal Reserve until after the November US presidential election.
At midday, technology-focused Nasdaq Composite Index eased 1 point, or 0.07 percent, to 2,053, weighed down by chip shares after Intel Corp's mid-quarter update.
The blue chip Dow Jones industrial average edged up 18 points, or 0.18 percent, to 10,606. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index advanced 3 points, or 0.33 percent, to 1,158.