NEW YORK — Investors can’t shake their worries that the economy won’t recover by the end of the year.
Stocks finished mostly lower after zigzagging for much of the day Wednesday. A mixed outlook on the economy from the International Monetary Fund and falling commodity prices added to the downbeat mood.
That tone could improve today thanks to a narrower- than-expected loss from Alcoa Inc., which ushered in the second-quarter earnings season after the closing bell Wednesday.
The aluminum producer’s shares rose 6 percent in after-hours trading.
Traders also will also be watching retail sales figures coming out today to see if slippage in consumer confidence translated into a weaker take at cash registers.
Another tumble in oil prices dragged energy shares lower Wednesday and reflected concerns that demand for resources will remain weak as the economy struggles. More stocks fell than rose on the New York Stock Exchange, but major indicators ended mixed.
Stocks drew some support from a strong auction of 10-year Treasury notes. That helped allay one of the market’s recent worries, that the government would have trouble finding enough buyers for the massive amount of debt it’s issuing. Treasurys also benefited from buying for safety because of concerns about the economy.
After sending stocks soaring in the spring on the belief that the economy was turning around, investors have put their buying on hold since mid-June as several pieces of disappointing economic data eroded the case for a quick recovery.
“There’s nothing to get people to jump into the market,” said Kurt Karl, chief U.S. economist at Swiss Re. “Nothing to get them excited.”
The Dow Jones industrials rose 14.81, or 0.2 percent, to 8,178.41. The broader Standard & Poor’s 500 index fell 1.47, or 0.2 percent, to 879.56, and the Nasdaq composite index rose 1.00, or 0.1 percent, to 1,747.17.
The market is becoming anxious ahead of second- quarter earnings season and the forecasts from companies that are sure to be the next big test for stocks.
Many analysts say a recovery is indeed on its way — investors just need to be more realistic about its pace.
“At least for the first year of the expansion, we’re likely to see quite anemic growth,” said Avery Shenfeld, chief economist at CIBC World Markets. “The message is to be patient.”
