LONDON - Stocks are bouncing between small gains and losses as investors gauge the fallout from a massive earthquake that struck off the coast of Japan.
The prospect of falling oil demand from Japan, a major oil consumer, sent crude prices down sharply. So did the failure of anticipated protests in Saudi Arabia to draw large crowds.
A stronger-than-expected report on retail sales Friday was largely overshadowed by fears that a tsunami could hit as far away as the Hawaii and the West coast of the U.S.
The Dow Jones industrial average is down 24 points, or 0.2 percent, at 11,960 in midday trading.
The Standard & Poor's 500 is up 1.6, or 1.3 percent, to 1,296. The Nasdaq composite is down 1.1, or less than one percent, to 2,699.
