US stocks edged lower on Thursday as investors continued to adjust for upcoming negotiations over the "fiscal cliff," which overshadowed a batch of positive economic data. McDonald's Corp dropped 1.2 percent to $85.82 as one of the worst performers on the Dow after the world's largest hamburger chain reported a 1.8 percent drop in October sales at established restaurants around the world, its first monthly sales fall since March 2003.
The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 20.48 points, or 0.16 percent, to 12,912.25. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index lost 3.01 points, or 0.22 percent, to 1,391.52. The Nasdaq Composite Index fell 9.61 points, or 0.33 percent, to 2,927.68.