U.S. stocks trimmed their losses in a volatile session on Thursday, with the Nasdaq turning positive.
Equities had previously been pressured by comments from European Central Bank President Mario Draghi, who disappointed investors who had been hoping for strong action following his recent comments to "do whatever it takes" to save the euro.
The Dow Jones industrial average was down 47.07 points, or 0.36 percent, at 12,923.99. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was down 4.18 points, or 0.30 percent, at 1,370.96. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 7.84 points, or 0.27 percent, at 2,928.05.
The Nasdaq was lifted by Gilead Sciences , which climbed 7.6 percent to $57.70. The stock rose following a setback at competitor Bristol-Myers Squibb , which is also racing to make a new kind of hepatitis C treatment.