Stocks pared gains shortly after the open on Wednesday with the Nasdaq turning negative.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was up 24.56 points, or 0.20 percent, at 12,213.25. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was up 4.01 points, or 0.31 percent, at 1,300.68. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was down 2.60 points, or 0.10 percent, at 2,726.71.

(Reporting by Angela Moon, Editing by Kenneth Barry)