Encouraging private jobs data and pouring in corporate earnings failed to give an impetus to the US market. Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.04 percent or 4.28 points to 12,035.88, and the Standard and Poor's 500 fell 0.24 percent or 3.09 points to 1,304.50. NASDAQ Composite index was marginally up 0.03 percent or 0.83 points to 2,752.02.
During the day, several companies declared their quarterly and annual dividend.
Shares of Time Warner Inc. (NYSE: TWX) gained 5.88 percent or $1.90 to $34.21 as the company declared to increase its dividend by 11 percent.
Mattel Inc. (NASDAQ: MAT) declared a 10.8 percent increase to its annualized dividend to 92 cents per share. Shares of the company added 2.15 percent or $0.52 to $24.67 after the news.
Nu Skin Enterprises Inc. (NYSE: NUS) raised its quarterly dividend by 8 percent to 13.5 cents per share. However, shares of the company were down 7.59 percent or $2.37 to $28.84.
BP Plc (NYSE: BP) plans to pay a dividend of 7 cents per share. Shares of the company were down 1.15 percent or $0.55 to $47.43 during the midday trading.
Shares of Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: BRCM) were down 6.77 percent or $3.14 to $43.25 despite the company increasing it's per share dividend by 12.5 percent to 36 cents a share.
Aqua America Inc. (NYSE: WTR) decided to pay a quarterly dividend of 15.5 cents, payable on March 1, 2011 to shareholders of record on February 17, 2011.
The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) announced to raise its quarterly dividend by 2.5 percent to 34.5 cents per share, payable on March 15, 2011. Shares of the company were up 2.72 percent or $1.28 to $48.42 during the afternoon trading.
Cherokee Inc. (NASDAQ: CHKE) plans to cut its dividend by half to 20 cents per share, payable on March 1, 2011. Shares of the company were up 0.13 percent or $0.02 to $15.95.
Ingersoll-Rand Plc (NYSE: IR) declared a quarterly dividend of $0.07 per share, payable on March 30, 2011 to shareholders of record on March 11, 2011. Shares of the company added 0.88 percent or $0.42 to $48.09 after the news.
TECO Energy Inc. (NYSE: TE) fell 1.02 percent or $0.19 to $18.49 despite the company declaring a dividend of 20.5 cents per share, payable on February 28, 2011 to shareholders of record on February 14, 2011.
Global Payments Inc. (NYSE: GPN) approved a quarterly dividend of $0.02 per common share, payable on February 28, 2011 to shareholders of record on February 14, 2011. Shares of the company were up 0.77 percent or $0.37 to $48.39.
Avery Dennison Corporation (NYSE: AVY) declared an increase of 25 percent in its quarterly dividend of $0.25 per share, payable on March 16, 2011 to shareholders of record on March 2, 2011. However, shares of the company were down 0.22 percent or $0.09 to $41.71.