YAHOO [BRIEFING.COM]: The major equity averages started the session near the neutral line, but a lack of support left stocks to slide into negative territory. They settled only modestly above session lows as participants prepared for a highly anticipated payrolls report after receiving a mixed batch of data.

Sentiment improved slightly ahead of the open when it was learned that 365,000 initial jobless claims were filed for the week ended April 28, down from the prior week total of 392,000 and less than the 375,000 claims that had been broadly expected, but the accompanying bid proved temporary. Many simply shrugged off a 2.0% increase in first quarter unit labor costs and a 0.5% decline in productivity -- the Briefing.com consensus called for an increase of 3.0% and a decline of 0.8%, respectively.

Stocks chopped along without much direction in the opening minutes of trade, but sellers were stirred by the latest. ISM Non-Manufacturing Index. After a print of 56.0 in the prior month it pulled back to 53.5 for April. Many had expected a more modest decline to 55.5.

Given the lack of actual leadership, stocks were unable to sustain a mid-morning rebound effort. Sectors with meaningful market weight, like Tech, Financials, and Energy, were weak all afternoon. Each suffered a loss of roughly 1% or more.

For the second straight session Energy stocks were the worst performers. Collectively, they declined 1.5% after a 1.6% slide in the prior session.

Suffering a 1.1% loss, Materials stocks also succumbed to stiff selling pressure. Weakness among natural resource plays was likely exacerbated by a drop in commodity prices -- the CRB Commodity Index fell 0.9% after a 1.3% loss in the prior session.

The drop by commodities came even though the dollar mustered only a modest gain today. As of the close it was up just 0.1% against a basket of major foreign currencies. It was flat versus the euro, which moved modestly earlier in the day amid hawkish commentary from European Central Bank President Draghi.

Earnings were given little regard in the broader market, but quarterly reports provided fodder for traders of individual stocks. Visa (V 116.41, -5.78), General Motors (GM 22.37, -0.56), and Prudential (PRU 54.62, -6.32) all posted upside surprises, but still suffered losses. Allstate (ALL 34.23, +1.32) staged a strong climb after it announced.

Even amid the headlines of the day market participants remained mindful that tomorrow morning brings the government's official nonfarm payrolls report. Earlier this week a glimpse of what monthly payrolls might look like was provided by the ADP Employment Report, which suggested that fewer jobs were added in April than what many had expected. Economists polled by Briefing.com expect, on average, that nonfarm payrolls officially grew by roughly 160,000 in April.

Today crude oil trended lower, but leveled off in afternoon action to chop around the $102.50 per barrel before it settled the floor session at $102.56 per barrel, or 2.6% lower. Natural gas trended upwards and extended its gains following a muted reaction to better-than-expected inventory data that showed a build of 28 bcf. It settled the session with a 4.0% gain at $2.34 per MMBtu.

Precious metals extended yesterday's losses as they traded deeper into negative territory today. A modestly stronger dollar did not help the case -- the greenback gain, although modest, came amid hawkish commentary from European Central Bank President Draghi. Gold fell to a session low of $1631.30 per ounce just before settling with a 1.2% loss at $1634.30 per ounce. Silver touched a session low of $29.92 per ounce shortly before it closed floor trade at $30.05 per ounce, or 1.9% lower.

Advancing Sectors: Consumer Staples +0.1%, Telecom +0.1%
Declining Sectors: Health Care -0.4%, Utilities -0.6%, Consumer Discretionary -0.7%, Financials -0.9%, Industrials -0.9%, Tech -1.0%, Materials -1.1%, Energy -1.5%DJ30 -61.98 NASDAQ -35.55 NQ100 -1.1% R2K -1.5% SP400 -1.7% SP500 -10.74 NASDAQ Adv/Vol/Dec 643/1.84 bln/1897 NYSE Adv/Vol/Dec 900/844 mln/2094