US stocks mixed on positive data, Greece woes

New York - US stocks were mixed as markets opened on Thursday, as investors weighed a pair of positive economic reports from the United States against grim news from the eurozone.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 22.17 points (0.19%) to 11 919.44 in the first 10 minutes of trading.

The broader S&P 500 index rose 2.98 points (0.24%) to 1 268.40, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite fell 0.31 point (0.01%) to 2 631.15.

"Stocks pared losses in early action after some favorable data out of the US, with jobless claims falling more than expected, housing starts and building permits rising to a level that exceeded expectations," Charles Schwab analysts said.

Earlier, European stocks sank amid fears of a destabilizing default by Greece as the fiscally troubled Mediterranean country was shaken by political uncertainty and street protests.