US markets flounder early

U.S. stock indexes opened mixed Wednesday after the government said consumer price inflation came in at a relatively tame 1.7 percent in 2012. The Consumer Price Index was unchanged in December, pulling the annual inflation rate down from November's 1.8 percent. For the year, the 1.7 percent compares to 2011, when the 12-month price index showed inflation at 3 percent. In midmorning trading, the Dow Jones industrial average lost 44.24 points, or 0.33 percent, to 13,490.65. The Nasdaq composite index added 2.26 points, or 0.07 percent, to 3,113.60. The Standard and Poor's 500 shed 2.18 points, or 0.15 percent, to 1,470.16. The 10-year treasury note rose 5/32 to yield 1.824 percent. Against the dollar, the euro fell to $1.3299 from Tuesday's $1.3305. The dollar was lower at 88.50 yen from 88.78 yen. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 index dropped 2.56 percent, 278.64 points, to 10,600.44.