NEW YORK (Reuters) - Energy shares fell as crude prices crumbled, leaving the S&P 500 little changed on Thursday despite gains in Wal-Mart and other market bellwethers.
The Dow Jones industrial average rose 40.59 points, or 0.23 percent, to close at a record high 17,652.79; the S&P 500 gained 1.08 points, or 0.05 percent, to 2,039.33 and the Nasdaq Composite added 5.01 points, or 0.11 percent, to 4,680.14.
The energy sector, however, sharply cut its losses late in the session after Dow Jones reported Halliburton is in talks to buy Baker Hughes, citing unidentified sources.
(Reporting by Rodrigo Campos; Editing by Nick Zieminski)
