NEW YORK, Dec 30 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks closed slightly lower on Thursday as a trio of better-than-expected economic data wasn't enough to entice buying in a market sitting on strong gains just before the new year.
The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 15.59 points, or 0.13 percent, to 11,569.79. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index dropped 1.85 points, or 0.15 percent, to 1,257.93. The Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 3.95 points, or 0.15 percent, to 2,662.98. (Reporting by Edward Krudy; Editing by Leslie Adler)