The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite turned negative on Thursday as declines in bank and chipmaker shares offset gains by some retailers and improvement in new claims for unemployment benefits.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> gained 21.27 points, or 0.21 percent, to 10,039.55. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> dipped 0.26 point, or 0.02 percent, to 1,060.01. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> dropped 7.24 points, or 0.34 percent, to 2,152.23.

(Reporting by Rodrigo Campos; Editing by Kenneth Barry)