Stocks were little changed midsession Wednesday, as tensions between the U.S. and China over Hong Kong protests weighed on efforts to complete a trade deal, and after a weak retail sales report offset better-than-expected corporate earnings reports.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was 18 points, 0.1%, higher, in late-morning trading, at 27,043, while the S&P 500 was down about 1 point, 0.0% lower, to 2,994.8. The Nasdaq was down 16 points, 0.2%, at 8,133.

On Tuesday, the Dow rose 237.44 points, or 0.9%, to end at 27,024.80, while the S&P 500  advanced 29.53 points, or 1%, to close at 2,995.68, leaving it 1% away from its all-time closing high of 3,025.86 set on July 26. The Nasdaq Composite finished at 8,148.71 after gaining 100.06 points, or 1.2%.

Source : Marketwatch