U.S. stocks pared gains on Thursday, with the Nasdaq index briefly turning negative, as investors digested a surprise drop in January pending homes sales.

Energy stocks also weighed on the overall market as crude oil dipped more than 1 percent to near $80 a barrel.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was up 22.60 points, or 0.22 percent, at 10,419.36. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was up 1.48 points, or 0.13 percent, at 1,120.27. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was down 0.12 points, or 0.01 percent, at 2,280.56.

(Reporting by Angela Moon; Editing by Padraic Cassidy)

Crude oil