U.S. stocks trimmed gains and briefly turned negative following disappointing data on Thursday.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was up 11.62 points, or 0.09 percent, at 12,571.80. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was up 0.03 point at 1,340.71. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was down 1.07 points, or 0.04 percent, at 2,813.93.

(Reporting by Angela Moon, Editing by Kenneth Barry)