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Stocks Flirt With Flat Line; AEP, Berry Fly, But Dollar Stores Sink

The major market indexes traded indecisively ahead of Fed chief Janet Yellen's speech Friday. (EPA/Newscom)

Stocks continued to trade indecisively early afternoon Thursday as the key market indexes flirted with the flat line. AEP Industries (AEPI) and Berry Plastics (BERY) soared, while Dollar General (DG) and Dollar Tree (DLTR) slumped.

The Nasdaq climbed 0.1%, the S&P 500 was nearly flat, and the Dow Jones industrial average edged 0.1% lower. Volume was mixed, tracking slightly higher on the NYSE, but lower on the Nasdaq.

Plastics, gold miners and energy stocks led the upside in today's stock market action, while discount retailers, drugstores and transport stocks lagged.

Plastic packaging film maker AEP Industries gapped up and soared 43% to a new high after Berry Plastics for about $765 million, including debt. Shares of Berry, which makes plastic consumer packaging products, rose 4% to a new high in heavy trade.

Among discount chains, Dollar General gapped down and plunged 15%, slicing its 200-day line in massive volume after a disappointing Q2 report.

Dollar Tree lost 9% in fast turnover as it gapped below its 50-day line for the first time in three months, also after a Q2 miss. Shares are 3% above a late May breakout past an 83.82 entry.

On the IBD 50, Five Below (FIVE) fell as much as 6% in early trading, but pared its loss to 1%. The discount retailer's stock is below its 50-day line but still well extended from a 42.36 buy point.

Also on the IBD 50, Silicon Motion Technology (SIMO) slumped nearly 5%, sliding below its 50-day line in busy trade. The Taiwanese chip designer's Accumulation/Distribution Rating has fallen to D+ from a B last week, indicating recent net selling by institutional investors. Shares are 13% off their high.

In economic news, weekly jobless claims eased to 261,000 from 262,000 the prior week, below views for an uptick to 265,000. Durable goods orders popped 4.4% in July, reversing from a 4.2% drop in June. Economists expected a 3.7% gain.

Fed chairwoman Janet Yellen is slated to speak Friday at the economic summit in Jackson Hole, Wyo., at 10 a.m. ET.