US Stocks Mixed As Spain Weakness Counters Confidence Readings

NEW YORK (Dow Jones)–Stocks were mixed ahead of the long weekend, as investors shrugged off better-than-expected consumer confidence readings after reports of regional weakness in Spain.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 6 points, or 0.1%, to 12522.

The Standard Poor’s 500-stock index rose 2 points, or 0.2%, to 1321, and the Nasdaq Composite was mostly flat, falling less than 0.1%, to 2838.

The Spanish region of Catalonia reported early Friday it will need financing help from the central government, which pushed U.S. futures and European stock markets into negative …

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