US stocks are ending slightly higher, with the S&P 500 closing a half point below 1,300.

A surprise jump in applications for unemployment benefits and mixed earnings from large U.S. companies kept indexes on a short leash yesterday.

The S&P 500 rose 3 points, or 0.2 percent, to close at 1,299.54 The last time the index closed above 1,300 was Aug. 28, 2008.

The Dow inched up 4 points, or 0.1 percent, to 11,989. The index broke through 12,000 yesterday for the first time since June 2008.

The Nasdaq gained 15, or 0.6 percent, to 2,755.

Rising stocks narrowly outpaced falling ones on the New York Stock Exchange. Volume was relatively thin at 992 million shares.