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First Posted: 8/23/2013 (AP) An early gain on Wall Street has faded at midday after the government reported that sales of new homes plunged.
The Dow Jones industrial average was up 13 points, or 0.1 percent, at 14,977 at midday Friday. It was up 29 points earlier.
The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose three points, or 0.2 percent, to 1,660.
The Nasdaq composite rose nine points, or 0.2 percent, to 3,647. Technical problems shut down the Nasdaq exchange for three hours on Thursday.
Microsoft jumped $1.71, or 5 percent, to $34.10 after the company said Steve Ballmer would retire as CEO within the next 12 months.
Bond yields fell and the price of gold rose to a two-month high after the home sales report shook investors' confidence in the housing recovery.
<a title="Associated Press" href="http://www.ap.org" class="url org fn">Associated Press</a>

Drop in home sales saps early gain on Wall Street