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Japanese stocks ended the year on a downbeat note Wednesday as nervous investors continued to unload shares of struggling Japan Airlines Corp.

Stocks fluctuated in early trading Wednesday as good news on manufacturing helped offset a decline in commodities prices.

Stocks were little changed on Wednesday, as a stronger U.S. dollar outweighed data showing business activity in the U.S. Midwest expanded more than expected in December.

A more upbeat outlook on jobs pushed Americans’ confidence in the economy higher in December for the second month in a row, a survey released Tuesday said.

U.S. stocks edged lower in a low-volume session on Tuesday, breaking a six-day string of gains as investors found little reason to push stocks higher as the year’s end approached.

Trading on the floor of the Nasdaq stock market’s Philadelphia Stock Exchange was halted for an hour because of smoke. The exchange, known as Nasdaq OMX PHLX, handles options trading.

A preliminary report on consumer confidence is expected to show a slight improvement in December compared with November as shoppers see more signs of life in the economy, but their overall mood remains downbeat.