US equity indexes were mixed in choppy midday trading Thursday as retail sales growth slumped in December and Q4 earnings season got underway.

The Nasdaq Composite fell 0.3% to 19,449.3. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose less than 0.1% to 43,241.2. The S&P 500 climbed 0.1% to 5,954.4 after declining earlier in the session. Consumer discretionary was the steepest decliner along with communication services and technology intraday. Real estate and utilities led the gainers.

In economic news, US retail sales grew by 0.4% in December, versus the 0.8% increase in November and a 0.6% gain expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg. Excluding a 0.7% increase in motor vehicle sales, retail sales were up 0.4% compared with an expected 0.5% gain. That followed a 0.2% gain in November. After removing motor vehicles and gasoline station sales, retail sales were up 0.3% in December compared with a 0.2% gain in November.

US Treasury yields fell, with the 10-year down 3.6 basis points to 4.62% and the two-year rate 2.1 basis points lower at 4.24%.

In company news, shares of US Bancorp (USB) slumped 5.7% intraday, among the worst performers in the S&P 500, after the company reported Q4 adjusted earnings and revenue that missed expectations. UnitedHealth Group (UNH) shares dropped 4.6% intraday, the steepest decliner on the Dow, after the company reported lower-than-expected Q4 revenue.

Morgan Stanley (MS) reported better-than-expected Q4 results as increased deal activity and initial public offerings buoyed the company's investment banking business. Shares climbed 3% intraday.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures dropped 1% to $77.89 a barrel.