U.S. equities tumbled as a selloff in small caps and biotechnology spread, eroding a monthly gain for the Standard & Poor's 500 Index. Treasuries capped a slide in April amid a rout in European bonds that dented demand, while the dollar halted a nine-month rally.

The S&P 500 lost 1.1 percent at 4 p.m. in New York, with losses accelerating in late trading after the index slipped below its 50-day moving average. The Russell 2000 Index sank 2.5 percent, while the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index extended its five-day rout to 9.3 percent and Apple Inc. capped its worst three-day slide in 15 months. The euro rose a sixth day against the dollar, its longest rally since December 2013. Oil had its best month since May 2009, while gold erased its 2015 gain.

"The weakness is building on itself," Robert Pavlik, who helps oversee $9 billion as chief investment strategist at Boston Private Wealth, said by phone. "After the big run we've been having in the overall market, we're getting a setback here. A pullback in a market seeing a lot of volatility is going to happen from time to time."

The S&P 500 had rebounded this month, reaching a fresh record April 24, after a 1.7 percent decline in March. The advance was driven by a rally among energy companies as oil prices have surged 24 percent.

The Nasdaq Composite Index climbed 0.8 percent in April, and briefly erased its dot-com-era decline after 15 years. The Russell 2000 lost 2.6 percent in the month. The gauge has declined in four of the last five days, dropping 4 percent over the stretch.

Data Thursday showed consumer spending capped a lackluster first-quarter performance that was enough to keep the U.S. economy from shrinking, while separate reports added to evidence of an improving job market and a nascent acceleration in wage increases. Data Wednesday showed gross domestic product rose 0.2 percent in the first quarter.

Major U.S. stock-indexes are trading lower on Thursday as Apple weighed on the major indexes. The company limited availability of the Apple Watch after a key component supplied by a Chinese company was found to be defective.

Also, equity markets were weak despite the release of encouraging economic data earlier in the day.

Most of the Dow stocks are trading in negative area (23 of 30). Top looser - Apple Inc. (APPL, -1.85%). Top gainer - General Electric Company (GE, +0.76%).

All S&P index sectors in negative area. Top looser - Utilities (-0.8%).

At the moment:

Dow 17896.00 -58.00 -0.32%

S&P 500 2092.00 -7.00 -0.33%

Nasdaq 100 4444.25 -35.50 -0.79%

10-year yield 2.10% +0.06

Oil 59.09 +0.51 +0.87%

Gold 1179.40 -30.60 -2.53%

Stock indices closed slightly higher on the increase in the consumer inflation in the Eurozone. The preliminary consumer price inflation in the Eurozone rose to an annual rate of 0.0% in April from -0.1% in March, in line with expectations. The increase was driven by ECB's quantitative easing programme.

Eurozone's unemployment rate remained unchanged at 11.3% in March, in line with expectations.

The number of unemployed people in Germany declined by 8,000 in April, missing expectations for a 13,000 decline, after a 14,000 drop in March. March's figure was revised down from a 15,000 fall.

Germany's adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged at 6.4% in April, in line with expectations.

German adjusted retail sales dropped 2.3% in March, missing forecasts of a 0.7% rise, after a 0.1% gain in February. February's figure was revised up from a 0.5% decrease.

French consumer spending decreased 0.6% in March, missing expectations for a 0.5% fall, after a 0.2% rise in February. February's figure was revised up from a 0.1% increase.

Indexes on the close:

Name Price Change Change %

FTSE 100 6,960.63 +14.35 +0.21 %

DAX 11,454.38 +21.66 +0.19 %

CAC 40 5,046.49 +7.10 +0.14 %

Eurostat released its unemployment data for the Eurozone on Thursday. Eurozone's unemployment rate remained unchanged at 11.3% in March, in line with expectations. It was the lowest level since May 2012.

There were 18.105 million unemployed in the Eurozone in March, down 36,000 from February.

The lowest unemployment rate in the Eurozone in March was recorded in Germany (4.7%), and the highest in Greece (25.7% in January 2015) and Spain (23.0%).

The youth unemployment rate remained unchanged at 22.7% in the Eurozone in March.

Destatis released its unemployment figures for Germany on Thursday. The number of unemployed people in Germany declined by 8,000 in April, missing expectations for a 13,000 decline, after a 14,000 drop in March.

March's figure was revised down from a 15,000 fall.

The number of unemployed people was 2.792 million in April, the lowest level since December 1991.

Germany's adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged at 6.4% in April, in line with expectations.

The Central Bank of Russia (CBR) lowered its key interest rate from 14% to 12.5% on Thursday. This decision indicates that inflation in Russia is under control.

It was the third cut in 2015.

"Amid ruble appreciation and significant contraction in consumer demand in February-April 2015, monthly consumer price growth declines and annual inflation tends to stabilise," the central bank said.

The Institute for Supply Management released its Chicago purchasing managers' index on Thursday. The index climbed to 52.3 in April from 46.3 in March.

A reading above the 50 mark indicates expansion.

4 of 5 components increased in April.

The production subindex was above 50, while order backlog index remained below 50 despite the significant increase.

The U.S. Labor Department released its jobless claims figures on Thursday. The number of initial jobless claims in the week ending April 25 in the U.S. fell by 34,000 to 262,000 from 296,000 in the previous week, beating expectations for a rise by 4,000.

It was the lowest reading since April 2000.

The previous week's figure was revised down from 295,000.

Initial jobless claims remained below 300,000 the eighth straight week.

The U.S. Commerce Department released personal spending and income figures on Thursday. Personal spending was up 0.4% in March, exceeding expectations for 0.3% gain, after a 0.2% increase in February. February's figure was revised up from a 0.1% rise.

Consumer spending makes more than two-thirds of U.S. economic activity.

The increase was driven by higher purchases of durable goods (like automobiles), which climbed 1.8%.

Spending on goods rose 1.0% in March, while spending on services gained 0.2%.

Personal income was flat in March, missing expectations for a 0.2% increase, after a 0.4% rise in February. It was the weakest reading since December 2013.

The personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index excluding food and energy rose 0.1% in March, after a 0.1% gain in February.

On a yearly basis, the PCE price index excluding food and index rose 1.3% in March, after a 1.4% increase in February.

The PCE index are below the Fed's 2% inflation target. The PCE index is the Fed's preferred measure of inflation.

U.S. index futures fluctuated amid corporate earnings and data showing consumer spending climbed and wages increased.

Global markets:

Nikkei 19,520.01 -538.94 -2.69%

Hang Seng 28,133 -267.34 -0.94%

Shanghai Composite 4,442.4 -34.22 -0.76%

FTSE 6,961.29 +15.01 +0.22%

CAC 5,056.43 +17.04 +0.34%

DAX 11,511.93 +79.21 +0.69%

Crude oil $59.07 (+0.82%)

Gold $1197.80 (-1.00%)

(company / ticker / price / change, % / volume)

Statistics Canada released GDP (gross domestic product) growth data on Thursday. Canada's GDP growth was flat in February, after a 0.2% decline in January.

January's figure was revised down from a 0.1% decrease.

The GDP growth was driven by a rise in the retail sector. Retail-sector output jumped 1.5% in February. It was the first rise in three months.

Resource-sector output declined 0.6% in February as support activities for mining and oil and gas extraction plunged 15.4%.

Manufacturing output fell 0.8% in February.

Eurostat released its consumer price inflation data for the Eurozone on Thursday. The preliminary consumer price inflation in the Eurozone rose to an annual rate of 0.0% in April from -0.1% in March, in line with expectations. The increase was driven by ECB's quantitative easing programme.

The preliminary consumer price inflation excluding food, energy, alcohol, and tobacco remained unchanged at an annual rate of 0.6% in April, missing expectations for a 0.7% rise.

Food, alcohol and tobacco and services prices in April were up 0.9% each, non-energy industrial goods prices gained 0.1%, while energy prices dropped 5.8%.

Company reported Q1 earnings of $1.17 per share versus $0.83 consensus. Revenues fell 36.4% year/year to $67.62 bln versus $63.68 bln consensus.

XOM rose to $89.00 (+1.29%) on the premarket.

Stock indices traded little changed as a stronger euro weighed on markets. The euro increased against the U.S. dollar after the Fed's interest rate decision. The Fed kept its monetary policy unchanged, but it did not rule out the interest rate hike in June.

The economic data from the Eurozone was mixed. The preliminary consumer price inflation in the Eurozone rose to an annual rate of 0.0% in April from -0.1% in March, in line with expectations. The increase was driven by ECB's quantitative easing programme.

Eurozone's unemployment rate remained unchanged at 11.3% in March, in line with expectations.

The number of unemployed people in Germany declined by 8,000 in April, missing expectations for a 13,000 decline, after a 14,000 drop in March. March's figure was revised down from a 15,000 fall.

Germany's adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged at 6.4% in April, in line with expectations.

German adjusted retail sales dropped 2.3% in March, missing forecasts of a 0.7% rise, after a 0.1% gain in February. February's figure was revised up from a 0.5% decrease.

French consumer spending decreased 0.6% in March, missing expectations for a 0.5% fall, after a 0.2% rise in February. February's figure was revised up from a 0.1% increase.

Current figures:

Name Price Change Change %

FTSE 100 6,951.77 +5.49 +0.08 %

DAX 11,430.27 -2.45 -0.02 %

CAC 40 5,037.39 -2.00 -0.04 %

The Bank of Japan (BoJ) Governor Haruhiko Kuroda said at a post-meeting press conference on Thursday that there's no change to the plan to achieve 2% inflation target. He pointed out that the BoJ will adjust its monetary policy if needed.

Kuroda noted that consumer remained firm, while exports rose moderately.

The BoJ expects that inflation will continue to improve, but it will reach 2% target in the first half of fiscal year 2016, not in the fiscal year 2015.

The Bank of Japan (BoJ) released its interest rate decision on Thursday. The BoJ kept its monetary policy unchanged (interest rate: 0.00-0.10%, monetary base target: 275 trillion yen). The central bank will expand its monetary base at an annual pace of 80 trillion yen. This decision was expected by analysts.

The central bank voted 8-1 to keep its monetary policy unchanged. The BoJboard member, Takahide Kiuchi, said the central bank should cut its asset purchases to 45 trillion yen annually.

The BoJ lowered its forecast for core consumer price index (CPI) to 0.8% for fiscal year 2015, down from its previous estimate of a 1.0 gain in January. The central bank also downgraded its forecast for this fiscal year's gross domestic product (GDP) to 2.0%, down from its previous estimate of a 2.1 rise in January.

Core CPI forecast was downgraded to 2.0% fiscal year 2016, down from the previous estimate of a 2.2% increase in January. The GDP growth forecast was cut to 1.5% for fiscal year 2016, down January's estimate of a 1.6% rise.

The BoJ pointed out that the second sales tax hike slated for 2017 is a potential risk to Japan's economy.

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) released its interest rate decision on Wednesday. The central bank kept its interest rate unchanged at 3.50%.

The RBNZ Governor Graeme Wheeler said that the New Zealand dollar remained unjustifiably high.

He noted that the central bank may cut it interest rate "if demand weakens, and wage and price-setting outcomes settle at levels lower than is consistent with the inflation target".

Wheeler reiterated that monetary policy adjustments "will depend on the emerging flow of economic data", he added.

The Fed released its interest rate decision on Wednesday. The Fed kept its monetary policy unchanged.

The central bank said that the U.S. economy slowed down during the winter months, but the slowdown was driven by "transitory factors".

The Fed pointed out that consumer spending declined despite higher real incomes, which increased due to lower energy prices.

The Fed noted that it will start to hike its interest rate if there is further improvement in the labour market and if the central bank is confident that inflation will move back to its 2% target over the medium term.

The central bank expects the U.S. economy to expand moderately.

The Fed did not rule out the interest rate hike in June.

Ratings agency Moody's has cut Greece's government bond rating to Caa2 from Caa1 on Wednesday due to uncertainty that Greece can reach a new agreement with its creditors in time to make upcoming debt payments. The outlook is negative.

"The Greek government and its official creditors remain far apart on key objectives, with no immediate prospect of agreement being reached on a new financing package", Moody's noted.

The Conference Board released its leading economic index for the Eurozone on Wednesday. The leading economic index rose 0.7% in March, after a 0.6% increase in February. It was the fifth consecutive increase.

The Conference Board Senior Economist Bert Colijn said that the outlook for the Eurozone continued to improve in March.

"Despite the large downside risks of a possible Grexit, the Euro Area's economy appears to be strengthening," he added.

(index / closing price / change items /% change)

Hang Seng 28,400.34 -42.41 -0.15 %

S&P/ASX 200 5,838.6 -109.96 -1.85 %

Shanghai Composite 4,476.62 +0.41 +0.01 %

FTSE 100 6,946.28 -84.25 -1.20 %

CAC 40 5,039.39 -133.99 -2.59 %

Xetra DAX 11,432.72 -378.94 -3.21 %

S&P 500 2,106.85 -7.91 -0.37 %

NASDAQ Composite 5,023.64 -31.78 -0.63 %

Dow Jones 18,035.53 -74.61 -0.41 %