At midday on Wednesday, the primary US stock benchmarks signaled stability despite divergent sector performance and underwhelming macroeconomic readings. The S&P 500 $^SPX hovered near the flatline, with five of its 11 sectors posting gains. The tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 $^NDX inched up by 0.1%, brushing aside headwinds from the softening labor market and subdued service sector output. The Dow Jones Industrial Average $^DJI was unchanged, reflecting restrained investor sentiment.