US stocks flat as unemployment hits 26-year high

In what many analysts expect to be a quiet session ahead of the Labor Day weekend, the benchmark Dow Jones dipped 1.21 points to trade at 9,343.40 at about 15:30 BST. Figures from the Labor Department showed the US unemployment rate reached 9.7% last month, up from to 9.4% in July. But the number of jobs cut was smaller than expected. Chemical giant Du Pont was the biggest loser, down 1.6% to $31.12, while insurance firm Travelers Company and semiconductor firm Intel also dropped. In the opposite direction, Bank of America topped the gainers, adding 2% to $17.18. Meanwhile, in t...