Stocks faded in the final minutes of trading to close mixed Thursday, but the Dow still managed to snap a six-day losing streak. Still, investors continued to be cautious amid ongoing uncertainty in the euro zone and techs dragged following Cisco's disappointing outlook.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average eked out a small gain of 19.98 points, or 0.16 percent, to close at 12,855.04, snapping a six-day losing streak. Pfizer and Chevron led the blue-chip gainers, while Cisco dragged.

The S&P 500 edged up 3.41 points, or 0.25 percent, to end at 1,357.99. The Nasdaq slipped 1.07 points, or 0.04 percent, to finish at 2,933.64.

The CBOE Volatility Index, widely considered the best gauge of fear in the market, ended near 19.

Most key S&P sectors ended higher, led by utilities and financials, while techs lagged. (Read More: Global Slowdown Spells Trouble for Tech Sector )

Stocks were initially lifted following news that weekly claims for unemployment benefits edged down 1,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 367,000, according to the Labor Department.

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