Around 14:10 GMT, the Dow Jones gave up 0.36%, the Nasdaq index gave up 0.29% and the broader S&P 500 index, 0.27%.
The trajectory of index futures weakened after the U.S. Labor Department reported 228,000 new jobless claims last week, significantly more than the 200,000 expected by economists.
In addition, the U.S. government has sharply revised the previous period's figures upwards, from 198,000 to 246,000.
"This lends credence to the assumption that Fed rate hikes are starting to cool the labor market and slow the economy," said Chris Zaccarelli of the Independent Advisor Alliance.
The indicator has brought a new touch of gray to those already brushed since the beginning of the week, from the poor US trade figures to those of activity in industry and services, in full deceleration.
"It's a weird week," said Adam Sarhan of 50 Park Investments, with the most important macroeconomic event, the monthly jobs report for March, due on Friday, a public holiday in the United States (Good Friday) when markets will be closed.
"On a day like today, traders are not really inclined to take a lot of risks," explained the manager. "So I'm expecting a quiet session," before a three-day weekend.
In the bond market, movements were also limited, although rates continued to fall, driven by growing concerns about the trajectory of the U.S. economy.
The yield on 10-year US government bonds stood at 3.28%, against 3.31% the previous day at the close. Earlier, it fell to 3.24%, its lowest level in seven months.
Wall Street is all the more wait-and-see as next week will see the start of earnings season, with a volley of banks on Friday. A publication all the more followed as it comes a month after the beginning of the banking crisis.
Adam Sarhan notes that with the crisis and the series of disappointing indicators, "the market had every reason to give up, but it held". The S&P 500 remained above all major technical thresholds followed by analysts on Wednesday.
"We are at a crossroads," according to the manager, the New York market preparing to choose a clear direction in the coming weeks, according to him.
At the quotation, the benchmark of the jean Levi Strauss was down (-15.20%) despite a quarterly turnover and net profit above expectations, investors retaining the cautious forecasts of the San Francisco group.
The semi-wholesale brand Costco faltered (-3.72%) after reporting a sharp decline in sales in March, a leading indicator of a possible slowdown in consumption.
The spirits giant Constellation Brands, which controls the beer brands Corona and Modelo, was sought after (+0.44%). Despite declining sales, the group improved its margins in wine and spirits, which allowed it to post a net profit above expectations.
The shares of the AMC chain of cinemas soared (+15.19%) after the refusal of a Delaware judge to accelerate the procedure that must allow the conversion of preference shares, distinct from the rest of the securities, into common shares, and thus increase the number of the latter.
© 2023 AFP