Epic US Markets Update

Stocks slipped on Thursday but finished sharply off their session lows as a rally in Hewlett-Packard’s shares offset worries about weak Chinese manufacturing data and the prospects of the Federal Reserve reducing its monetary stimulus.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 12.67 points, or 0.08 percent, to 15,294.50 at the close. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index slipped 4.84 points, or 0.29 percent, to finish at 1,650.51. The Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 3.88 points, or 0.11 percent, to close at 3,459.42.