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The Dow Jones Industrial Average of blue chip stocks lost 3.86 points (0.03 percent) to 12,422.89, while the broader S&P 500 gained 1.55 (0.12 percent) to 1,337.24.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite added 12.71 points (0.45 percent) to 2,812.53.
Traders seemed uneasy as Democrats and Republicans continued to battle over cuts to this year's federal budget, with a deadline to prevent a the shutdown looming at midnight Friday.
Scott Marcouiller of Wells Fargo Advisors said the budget impasse and the much-expected 0.25 percent rate hike by the European Central Bank early Thursday were looming issues.
But "to this point stocks have shrugged off any potential negatives from these events."