Stocks closed flat Wednesday, as investors shrugged off better-than-expected data on new home sales and orders for durable goods.

In line with major indexes, most exchange-traded funds saw little movement in a low-volume trading session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up 4 points at 9544. The Nasdaq stayed flat at 2024, and the S&P 500 pretty much ended where it started the day at 1028.

New home sales for July climbed 9.6% from the previous month, with an estimated 433,000 rate. Economists expected a much less robust increase of 4%, or an annualized pace of 395,000 for the month. Upward revisions boosted June sales to an increase of 9.1% from the previous month. The figures are getting a boost from the government s first-time home buyer tax credit, which expires in November.

Wednesday also featured the release of durable-goods orders for July, which rose 4.9%. For a detailed rundown on Wednesday s trading session see our market story.

Winners

The SPDR S&P Homebuilders fund picked up 1.9% on improving new-home sales data. The iShares Dow Jones US Home Construction Index fund also climbed on the news, with shares picking up 1.9%.

Losers

The iShares MSCI Taiwan Index fund shed 1.7% as shares there dipped on fears of the swine flu's impact on tourism. Sliding energy prices crimped the Market Vectors Russia fund, pushing shares down 1.5%.

Thursday s Notebook

Earnings and Conference Calls
Bebe Stores, China Telecom, Conn's, Cost Plus, Dollar Financial, Energy Conversion Devices, Fred's, Genesco, Gerber Scientific, LaBarge, Magma Design Automation, Marvell Technology Group, Medicult, National Bank of Canada, Novell, Shoe Carnival, Solera Holdings, Titan Cement, Toll Brothers, Toronto Dominion Bank, Wind River Systems

Economic Data
8:30 a.m. GDP
8:30 a.m. Jobless Claims
8:30 a.m. Corporate Profits
10:30 a.m. EIA Natural Gas Report