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New York (AFP) - US stocks were mixed in early trade Thursday following a good report on US durable goods and strong earnings from Apple and some other big companies.

The changes would also apply to other, previously unregulated tobacco products, including cigars, hookahs, nicotine gels, and pipe tobacco, and are aimed in large part at keeping these substances away from young people. "This proposed rule is the latest step in our efforts to make the next generation tobacco-free," said Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in a press release announcing the reform. The proposal by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would bring these products under the same rules that already apply to traditional cigarettes. And they would be prevented from advertising a lower health risk, compared to traditional cigarettes, unless the FDA confirms scientific evidence backing up the claim.

New York (AFP) - Apple's shareholder-friendly measures including a stock split and an expanded buyback helped lead US shares higher in opening trade Thursday.