P245 CEEFAX 245  Thu 21 Oct  21:29/24
     
          WALL STREET      
     
 
  (Midday): The market struggled for  
  direction towards midday as trading 
  was dominated by earnings reports.  
                                      
  Trading was particularly affected   
  by earnings releases from Dow       
  industrial stocks.                  
                                      
  "Other than earnings reports,       
  activity is very quiet," said a     
  dealer.                             
                                      
  * US first-time jobless claims      
  stood at 350,000 last week against  
  a revised 344,000 in the previous   
  week.                               
                                      
 
   World indices 243     Dow Jones 242  
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