WALL Street stocks turned lower as interest rates shot higher in the bond market amid concern the economy may be too robust to keep inflation in check.

Broader measures turned lower too, with technology and smaller-company issues showing the biggest losses. Bonds pulled back from Wednesday's gains amid news that orders to US factories posted strong gains in January and the number of first-time claims for jobless benefits plunged last week, pushing the four-week average to an eight-year low.

Other recent reports of economic strength have fed fears that the Federal Reserve will raise its key lending rates to slow things down before inflation has a chance to accelerate.

Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a narrow margin on the New York Stock Exchange, with 1,276 up, 1,214 down and 851 unchanged. NYSE volume totalled 522.48 million shares, against 528.81 million in the previous session.